By The Coffee Shops™. 

Product performance depends on proper installation practices that help contractors deliver long-lasting results. 

After identifying the right coating system for a project, successful results depend on something equally important: proper installation. 

In an episode of the CoatingsCast™ podcast, Karen Edwards and Ryan Zabel of APF Polymer Surfaces explored the practical steps contractors can take to maximize coating performance and avoid common application issues. 

Ryan's most important recommendation is simple: test products before bringing them to a large jobsite. “I always recommend using the material on a sample, doing a mockup before you actually try to achieve the application work,” Ryan said. 

Mockups allow contractors to understand how a product behaves and give applicators confidence before moving into full-scale work. Ryan emphasized that assuming one product will perform exactly like another can create challenges, especially when working with new formulations. Additionally, factors like the climate or base material can impact application practices or dry time, making a mockup a useful source of information.  

He also shared several application best practices. For topcoat installations, Ryan recommends a crosshatch rolling pattern to help create a more uniform finish. “As long as you don't see any wet roller lines, that floor is going to be like new money the next day you walk in,” Ryan said. 

The discussion also covered restoration projects, where existing floors can often be renewed instead of completely replaced. Ryan highlighted a project at a screen-printing facility that presented unique challenges. Due to the nature of the business, the current epoxy floor was stained in many places. This required an extra step. The existing coated floor was abraded, cleaned, prepared and recoated. The owner was satisfied with the results and eventually expanded the project throughout the facility. 

Listen to the entire podcast or Watch the video to learn more about high-performance concrete floor coating installation and training.

By Emma Peterson. 

John Kenney shares why contractors with strong systems, clear workflows and documented processes will be best positioned to embrace new technologies.  

For many of us, robots seem like something from a science fiction movie – something that might be cool but is far from becoming a part of our reality. But with advancements in automation and technology, robotics are already beginning to influence the roofing industry. To learn how contractors can prepare their operations for emerging robot technology, we brought John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group on for a Read Listen Watch® webinar. 

Looking to the future, John sees robotics as a tool that will be used for repetitive tasks, sharing, “I think you're going to be able to have a lot of things happen within your company that are repetitive tasks, that we can't find anybody that wants to do them anyways, like moving materials, loading trucks, setting things up, managing your inventory, etc.”  

Additionally, he predicts that they will eventually become advanced enough to collaborate with your service technicians, saying, “There is a future where robots could be a part of service workflows. It could be super helpful in situations where you don’t have a full visual of a roof and need to collect that data safely. A robot could go up there and record data so that your service crew knows they can safely climb on a roof to work.” 

Obviously, we have not developed this level of robotic technology yet, but with the advancement of technologies like artificial intelligence, it has started to feel increasingly inevitable. So, if robots are going to become a part of our industry in the future, how can you make sure your company is positioned to adapt to this change effectively? John argues that it all depends on your operational workflows being in order:  

You have to start documenting your workflows and you have to start figuring those out. Further, you need to develop an accountability chain. Most companies have an unclear accountability process and if robotic tools ever become a part of our industry, you're going to need to clean those up... It’s the companies with disciplined systems and strong operational clarity that have the flexibility to adapt with technology.  

This advice applies to more than just preparing for future robot coworkers. It’s also about helping your team operate more efficiently and profitably today. By having everything documented and in order, your company will be better positioned both today and wherever the future leads.  

Listen the RLW or Watch the recording on demand to learn more about robotics, roofing and preparing your company for the future.

By Emma Peterson. 

Join Heidi J. Ellsworth and John Kenney for a live discussion on the market forces affecting coatings contractors and the strategies that can help businesses thrive. 

On August 12, 2026 at 11a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET), Heidi J. Ellsworth will host a live CoatingsTalk™ with John Kenney. John is the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group and boasts over 40 years of experience in the roofing and construction industries. He is known as a powerful thought-leader and credited with groundbreaking initiatives, such as an on-demand COO platform that redefined industry standards and provided contractors with the tools to succeed in an evolving market. 

In the webinar with Heidi, he will be using his vast experience and knowledge to share insights into the current forces shaping the construction coatings industry. He will put a special focus on the economic factors, such as spending habits, interest rates, material costs, and project backlogs, that are impacting roofing, waterproofing and specialty coating installations.  

And the conversation is not only about what has and is happening, John will also look to the future and share his thoughts on opportunities ahead, potential economic risks and market shifts. Closing out the webinar, John will share practical solutions and changes that can be made in order to protect business profitability. Examples of these changes include communicating long-term value during sales conversations, leveraging new technology to streamline operations and strategic planning/relationship building.  

Want to learn more about how to set your business up for success amid economic challenges? Register for the podcast, which will be live on August 12, 2026 at 11a.m. PT (2 p.m. ET), today!

By Emma Peterson. 

The 2026 Trends Survey continues a decade-long tradition of gathering contractor insights to better understand the state of the industry. 

2026 marks 10 years since our first industry trends survey and we are still going strong! This survey seeks to collect contractor perspectives on the way business is performing in order to highlight the industry’s biggest challenges, identify key business priorities and provide an overview of the sector’s overall health. 

When asked about the importance of the survey, RoofersCoffeeShop®’s president and CEO, Heidi J. Ellsworth, shared these thoughts:  

We are committed to understanding the realities contractors face, the changes shaping the market and the resources that can help them succeed. This survey is one way we can capture the challenges, opportunities and trends shaping the market in real time. When contractors share what they are seeing every day, it gives the entire industry a clearer picture of their challenges, helping us identify where support is needed and how we can better serve the industry moving forward. 

This year’s survey, which is sponsored by QXO, includes questions from previous surveys about the state of business operations, allowing us to compare year-over-year data in our Trends Reports, along with new questions tailored to the issues contractors are facing today. These range from questions about continuing education and immigration challenges to AI adoption and employee retention.  

Once the survey closes (in September 2026), our crew will review the answers to find patterns across years and gain a better understanding of what contractors’ current priorities and challenges are. This information will then be shared in our Trends Report, as well as a Coffee Conversation, and used to help us plan our content for the upcoming year.  

At the end of the day, participating in this survey not only helps us better serve you, but also helps our industry grow and improve.  

Take the 2026 Trends Survey today!

The 2026 Trends Survey, sponsored by QXO, captures insight into the pressures roofing contractors are navigating and the goals guiding their businesses. 

RoofersCoffeeShop®, the award-winning place where the industry meets for technology, information and everyday business, announces the opening of its latest Roofing Industry Trends Survey, sponsored by QXO. Now in its tenth year, the Trends Survey seeks contractor perspectives on the factors influencing business performance, including workforce training, AI adoption, technology gaps, hiring efforts, immigration challenges and keeping skilled employees. 

“We are committed to understanding the realities contractors face, the changes shaping the market and the resources that can help them succeed,” said Heidi J. Ellsworth, president/CEO of RoofersCoffeeShop. “This survey is one way we can capture the challenges, opportunities and trends shaping the market in real time. When contractors share what they are seeing every day, it gives the entire industry a clearer picture of their challenges, helping us identify where support is needed and how we can better serve the industry moving forward.”  

The 2026 Trends Survey is designed to discover the key business challenges contractors are facing, from operational issues to workforce demands, while also examining the digital tools and platforms they are leveraging to improve efficiency. The survey covers a variety of contractor needs, including training, software and marketing tactics, and offers an in-depth look at how strategies for lead generation, recruitment and retention are influencing business success. 

Since 2016, RCS has been surveying contractors and has created seven Trends Reports, each focusing on the industry's biggest challenges, identifying key business priorities and providing an overview of the sector's overall health. 

Contractors are urged to take the 2026 Trends Survey today!

About RoofersCoffeeShop 

As an award-winning website and online community, RoofersCoffeeShop is committed to being a roofing professional advocate by supplying consistent information, education and communication avenues for all roofing professionals, and especially contractors, while promoting the positive growth, education and success of the roofing industry overall. Visitors to the site continue to find excellent opportunities for sharing information while participating in important ongoing conversations concerning new technologies, safety and the overall roofing trade. From the rooftop to the board room, RoofersCoffeeShop.com is “Where the Industry Meets!” For more information, visit www.rooferscoffeeshop.com. 

About QXO 

QXO is the largest publicly traded distributor of roofing, waterproofing, and complementary building products in the United States. The company plans to become the tech-enabled leader in the $800 billion building products distribution industry and generate outsized value for shareholders. QXO is targeting $50 billion in annual revenues within the next decade through accretive acquisitions and organic growth. Visit www.qxo.com for more information. 

By Cotney Consulting Group. 

How extreme temperatures increase jobsite risk. 

Extreme heat doesn’t usually cause the first mistake on a job. It causes the second one. 

The missed step. 
The rushed movement. 
The decision felt fine at the moment, but it wasn’t. 

Crews understand heat. They work through it every summer. But familiarity is precisely what makes extreme heat dangerous. When temperatures climb, judgment drops long before anyone feels sick enough to stop working. That’s where risk quietly enters the jobsite. 

Heat changes how crews think, not just how they feel 

Most safety discussions around heat focus on hydration and heat illness, and rightly so. But heat also affects concentration, reaction time and decision-making. That’s where injuries begin. 

As temperatures rise: 

• Attention spans shorten 
• Shortcuts feel justified 
• Communication gets clipped 
• Small hazards get ignored 

Contractors don’t stop caring about safety in the heat; they get mentally overloaded. When crews are hot, tired and pushing production, even experienced workers can misjudge footing, skip tie-offs or rush material handling. 

This is why extreme heat must be treated as an operational risk, not just a health concern. 

The most dangerous hours aren’t always the hottest 

One of the biggest misconceptions is that heat risk peaks in the afternoon. In reality, some of the most dangerous moments happen earlier. Morning crews often push hard to “get ahead of the heat,” especially during busy seasons. Tear-offs move faster, staging gets aggressive and rest breaks are postponed. By mid-day, fatigue has already set in — even if the thermometer hasn’t peaked yet. 

Leadership needs to recognize this pattern. Heat-related risk builds cumulatively. Once it’s there, it doesn’t reset with a water break. 

Production pressure makes heat worse 

Extreme heat rarely works alone. It shows up alongside: 

• Tight schedules 
• Storm backlogs 
• Staffing shortages 
• Customer pressure 

When production pressure meets high temperatures, safety decisions get compromised. Crews hesitate to slow down. Foremen feel squeezed between deadlines and reality. Workers push through discomfort because “everyone else is.” 

That’s when leadership matters most. A strong safety culture permits crews to adjust pace without fear of punishment. A weak one silently encourages pushing through until something goes wrong. 

Practical adjustments that actually reduce risk 

Managing extreme heat doesn’t require complicated programs. It requires intentional adjustments to how work is planned and led. 

Effective companies: 

• Shift start times earlier only if rest periods are enforced 
• Rotate physically demanding tasks instead of assigning them to the same workers 
• Build heat considerations into daily planning, not last-minute reactions 
• Treat heat days as “high-risk days,” just like windy or icy conditions 

Most importantly, they empower supervisors to make real-time decisions without second-guessing how management will receive them. If the message is “get it done no matter what,” heat will win every time. 

Crew rotation isn’t a weakness, it’s risk control 

One of the most effective heat controls is also one of the most underused: Crew rotation. 

Rotating tasks: 

• Reduces fatigue-related errors 
• Keeps decision-making sharper 
• Prevents one worker from carrying the highest-risk load all day 

This isn’t about slowing production; it’s about sustaining it safely. A fatigued worker is slower, less accurate and far more likely to get hurt than a rested one. 

The foreman sets the tone 

Crews take their cues from field leadership. If the supervisor skips breaks, the crew follows. If the supervisor acknowledges heat risk and adjusts expectations, the crew does the same. 

Effective supervisors: 

• Call out heat risk early in the day 
• Reinforce pacing, not just output 
• Watch for behavioral changes, not just physical symptoms 
• Speak up when conditions demand adjustment 

Heat stress often manifests as irritability, impatience or silence before it manifests as illness. Those are leadership signals, not weaknesses. 

Extreme heat requires clear stop-work authority 

Every company should answer one question clearly: 

Who has the authority to slow or stop work due to heat? 

If the answer isn’t immediate and obvious, crews will default to pushing through. 

Clear stop-work authority: 

• Removes hesitation 
• Protects supervisors from pressure 
• Prevents injuries before they happen 

Stopping or slowing work due to heat is not a failure. Ignoring it is. 

Close the day the right way 

Heat-related incidents often happen late in the day when crews are tired and eager to finish. End-of-day tasks like cleanup, ladder removal and material staging deserve as much attention as installation. 

A simple end-of-day check-in helps: 

• “Are we rushing?” 
• “Are we tired?” 
• “Is tomorrow’s plan realistic given the forecast?” 

These conversations prevent tomorrow’s injury, not just today’s. 

Final thought 

Extreme heat doesn’t announce itself as danger. It blends into the day. It dulls judgment. It makes good workers take risks they normally wouldn’t. The companies that manage heat best don’t just hand out water; they adjust expectations, empower leaders and respect the limits of the human body. 

Heat will always be part of working outside. How you manage it determines whether it stays a condition or becomes an incident. 

By The Coffee Shops™.  

Build your roof restoration knowledge with KARNAK University. 

As roof restoration continues to gain momentum as a cost-effective alternative to roof replacement, contractors who understand restoration systems are better equipped to identify opportunities, recommend the right solutions and deliver long-lasting results. To support contractors interested in expanding their service offerings, KARNAK has developed educational courses focused on roof restoration. For those looking to strengthen their knowledge, KARNAK University offers free online training designed specifically for roofing professionals. 

The self-paced program allows contractors, distributors and sales professionals to learn on their own schedule through a series of short, easy-to-follow courses. The training begins with Roof Restoration 101, which introduces the fundamentals of restoration, including why building owners might choose restoration over replacement, the benefits of extending a roof's service life and the basic components of a successful restoration project. 

Participants can then continue with Roof Restoration 102, which takes a deeper dive into evaluating existing roof systems, preparing roof surfaces and understanding the importance of proper adhesion testing before restoration begins. Finally, Roof Restoration 103 explores selecting the appropriate restoration system for different roof types and project conditions, helping contractors make informed recommendations that improve performance and longevity. 

Beyond these core courses, KARNAK University includes additional modules covering restoration best practices, product knowledge and application techniques. In total, the program features 16 online courses, with most taking less than 15 minutes to complete, making it easy to fit training into a busy workday. Contractors who complete the Certified Restoration Advisor program receive a certificate of completion and recognition for expanding their expertise. 

Whether you're just getting started with roof restoration or looking to refine your knowledge, KARNAK University provides practical education that can help contractors approach restoration projects with greater confidence and technical understanding. 

Enroll today at KARNAK University to develop your expertise and expand your service offerings.

Phantom™ Metal Roof Sealant has six translucent, customizable colors that allow any panel color to shine through and blend with the surface for a great look and superior protection – saving you time and money. Phantom™ can be used on wood, concrete, metal, glass, tile, brick, asphalt shingles, primed TPO, primed PVC, EPDM, vinyl, skylights, HVAC applications and other common building substrates.

Features

• Weatherproof plastic cartridge
• Exceptional elongation and flexibility
• Excellent adhesion to coated metal panels, even when damp
• Remains flexible
• UV resistant
• Resealable, may be applied over itself
• Paintable
• Asphalt shingle compatible
• Easily applied, non-stringing formulation
• Tools and cleans up easily
• Cured sealant is mildew-resistant

Learn more about Phantom™ Metal Roof Sealant.

By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group.  

The estimate is not finished until the final project review is complete and the lessons learned have been carried forward to the next opportunity. 

One of the biggest misconceptions in our industry is that estimating ends when the proposal is delivered or the contract is signed. It’s an understandable way to think because that's often how roofing companies are organized. Estimators bid work. Sales closes the opportunity, and then operations takes over. Everyone moves on to the next task. 

The problem is that roofing projects don't operate in departments. 

They operate as a continuous process, and the estimate is the foundation that everything else is built upon. When that foundation stops being part of the conversation after the job is awarded, companies begin losing something far more valuable than information. They lose alignment. 

I've often said that estimating is the first phase of project management. Over the years, I've become convinced it's even more than that. Estimating is the first operational decision the company makes about how a project will be built. Every assumption, every production rate, every material quantity, every labor hour and every note in that estimate tells a story about how someone believes the work will unfold. If those assumptions never make it beyond the estimating department, the field is forced to write its own story. 

That's where projects begin to drift. 

I've walked enough roofing projects over the past four decades to know that very few jobs go off track because of one catastrophic mistake. More often, they slowly move away from the original plan because information wasn't transferred, assumptions weren't challenged or conditions changed without anyone stopping to ask what those changes meant to the estimate. By the time accounting discovers a margin problem, the operational decisions that created it happened weeks earlier. 

The estimate should never be viewed as a pricing document alone. It should become the roadmap for the project team. It should explain not only what was sold, but how the estimator expected the work to be performed. That means identifying areas where production may slow, where access creates challenges, where sequencing matters or where coordination with other trades could affect labor. Those aren't simply estimating details. They're operational realities that the project manager and foreman need to understand before the first truck arrives on site. 

One area where I consistently see contractors struggle is the project handoff. Too often it becomes little more than transferring paperwork from one department to another. The estimate may be complete, but the conversation is missing. The estimator knows why labor was adjusted on one elevation, why an allowance was carried for questionable deck conditions or why certain details deserved extra attention. Unfortunately, much of that knowledge stays with the person who built the estimate. 

The project manager receives the documents. The foreman receives the work. Neither receives the thinking behind the estimate. That distinction is where profitable projects often separate themselves from disappointing ones. 

The best roofing companies I've worked with treat the handoff as an operational meeting rather than an administrative one. The discussion centers on risk, production strategy, sequencing and expectations. Estimators explain where they believe the project could become difficult. Operations shares field considerations that may require adjustments. Everyone leaves with the same understanding of what success should look like before work begins. 

Those conversations are rarely long, but they are incredibly valuable. 

Another mistake contractors make is assuming that once the estimate is complete, there is nothing left to learn from it. I believe the opposite is true. The estimate should continue to evolve throughout the life of the project. As production begins, actual labor performance should be compared to the original assumptions. Material usage should be reviewed. Unforeseen conditions should be documented. Every significant deviation becomes information that strengthens future estimates. 

Without that feedback loop, estimating becomes isolated from reality. 

Think about how many times contractors say, "Labor keeps getting harder to predict." 

The question I usually ask is, "What did your last twenty projects teach your estimating department?" 

Sometimes the answer is silence. Not because the information doesn't exist. Because no one ever captured it. 

Estimating improves when operations teaches it. Operations improves when estimating listens. The two departments shouldn't operate independently. They should function as partners pursuing the same objective: building profitable projects. 

Technology has made estimating faster than ever before. Artificial intelligence can assist with takeoffs. Digital platforms organize drawings in seconds. Software identifies quantities with impressive speed. These are meaningful advancements, and contractors should embrace tools that improve efficiency. But technology still can't explain why production slowed on the west elevation after lunchtime because the staging area became congested. It can't tell you why one foreman consistently exceeds estimated production while another struggles under similar conditions. It can't recognize the subtle operational lessons that experienced people identify after completing hundreds of projects. 

That knowledge only comes from connecting estimating with execution. 

One lesson I've learned after spending a lifetime in this industry is that estimators should occasionally leave the office. Walk active jobs. Attend project reviews. Listen to foremen explain what helped production and what slowed them down. Watch how crews actually install the systems you estimate every day. Those experiences change the way estimates are built because they replace assumptions with understanding. 

The same principle applies in reverse. Project managers and field leaders should understand how estimates are developed. When they appreciate the reasoning behind production assumptions and labor calculations, they become far more effective at protecting the margins established by the estimate. 

The strongest roofing companies I've known don't treat estimating, operations and project management as separate functions. They see them as different chapters of the same story. Each depends on the one before it, and each influences the one that follows. 

When that mindset becomes part of a company's culture, something interesting happens. The estimate stops being viewed as a bid that won the work and starts becoming the operational blueprint that guides it. Decisions become more consistent. Communication improves. Production aligns more closely with expectations. And perhaps most importantly, the next estimate benefits from everything the last project taught the company. 

That's how estimating becomes more than a department. It becomes a continuous process of learning, refining and improving. 

The proposal may be submitted. The contract may be signed. But the estimate should never be finished until the final project review is complete and its lessons have been carried forward to the next opportunity. 

Because the best estimators don't just win projects. They help build better roofing companies. 

RoofersCoffeeShop® is partnering with Western Colloid to send five professionals to the 2026 Western Roofing Expo (WRE)! Known as the premier regional roofing and waterproofing event in the United States, WRE is a trade show hosted by the Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA). The show, which runs September 27-29 at the Paris Las Vegas, features education, networking and more.

These give the fire lucky winners access to the trade show, annual luncheon, en Español content, educational sessions and the legislative luncheon. Don’t miss this chance to shingle and mingle!

Including:

• All Inclusive Package
• Western Roofing en Español
• Monday & Tuesday Educational Sessions
• Monday & Tuesday Trade Show
• Legislative Luncheon
• Annual Luncheon

Contest closes August 22 wtih winners to be announced LIVE on the Weekly Blend on August 24. Winners receive one Full Pass for entry to the show ($500.00 value). Winners will be interviewed LIVE at Western Roofing Expo. Travel and hotel are not included. 

Enter for your chance to win a pass and join us at the Paris Las Vegas September 27 - 29, 2026!

Check out the 2026 WRE schedule.