By Jesse Sanchez.

Education, value and thorough communication can help contractors confidently guide homeowners through metal roofing decisions.

For contractors selling metal roofing, the conversation often begins long before a homeowner is ready to make a purchasing decision. Questions about cost, noise, rust, maintenance and appearance can all influence whether a customer ultimately chooses metal, making homeowner education an important part of the sales process. In this episode of MetalCast™, host Karen Edwards spoke with Jim Singleterry, founder and president of RoofSmart, a Seattle-area roofing company, about how his company approaches those conversations. Jim started RoofSmart more than 15 years ago and has seen growing interest in metal roofing as
homeowners consider alternatives to asphalt shingles.

Explaining the differences between the systems is especially important because many homeowners have limited experience purchasing a roof. Jim explained, “Most of the time the impression is that metal is nicer and lasts longer, but they don’t really know how to quantify that.”

Noise is one of the concerns contractors may need to address, particularly in a rainy market such as the Pacific Northwest. While homeowners may associate metal roofing with the sound of rain hitting an open pole building or other uninsulated structure, Jim emphasized that an insulated home is different. He noted, “If you’ve got an attic and you’ve got insulation, you’re probably not going to perceive any difference on the inside of your home.”

Rust, moss and ongoing maintenance can also become part of the discussion. Jim stressed that the paint system is critical on steel roofing, while corrosion-resistant coatings help protect the material. Moss behaves differently on metal as well, generally developing only when debris or residue remains long enough to support growth rather than growing directly on the metal itself.

Cost can require an even deeper conversation. Contractors can help homeowners look beyond the initial investment by considering how long they expect to own the property and how often a roof may need to be replaced. Financing can also help bridge the difference between a homeowner’s available budget and the project they ultimately want.

For contractors, confidence in discussing metal roofing can be just as important as product knowledge. Jim encouraged salespeople not to steer homeowners away from the option simply because it carries a higher initial price. He advised, “If the customer sees value in it, then why talk them out of it? It is better.”

Listen to the podcast or Watch the conversation to learn more about how answering homeowner questions with education, transparency and confidence can help turn interest in metal roofing into closed sales!