By Emma Peterson. 

Insights on the market trends, construction activity and opportunities driving today's commercial roofing landscape. 

In a new RoofersCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations®, Megan Ellsworth sat down with a panel of experts from across the commercial roofing industry to discuss the current market state. 

Chad Burhrman, the VP of commercial roofing at SRS Distribution, opened the conversation with some of his current observations about the commercial roofing market, sharing, “To distill it down, I would say it’s healthy, but selective. And what I mean by that is some sectors are really strong, like re-roofing, but others are struggling more, like new construction.” 

This assessment, of an overall healthy market with some challenges facing it, was echoed by Vince Ellison, the president of the roof and paving consulting company Benchmark. In his own words, “I think there's reason for a lot of optimism, but there's also a little bit of tension as well... A lot of things seem to be on hold right now. We’ve followed up with a lot of clients, and they’ll tell us they’re waiting for something and are close but not quite there.”  

This concept of projects being on hold and the tension it is causing is something Dean Jagusch, owner and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Wagner Roofing Company has experienced firsthand. He described it, saying:  

The first quarter for us was really hard. We had a real winter out here in the mid-Atlantic and everything slowed down and was put on hold. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t work... On the reroofing side we’ve seen continued activity and resilience, especially around critical infrastructure like senior living, higher education, etc. 

Chad Schreppel, the national director of sales at Versico Roofing Systems, closed out the conversation with some thoughts about the industry's struggles over the past few years, adding some additional context. “The way I would describe the commercial roofing space, in 2026 and beyond, is resilient... The last ‘normal’ year in roofing was probably in 2019 before COVID,” he explained. “It can feel really overwhelming looking at things like the inflation rising due to the conflict in the Middle East and the transportation challenges we’re facing, but I always remind people, we’re resilient. Our market is resilient.”  

Listen to the whole Coffee Conversation or Watch the recording of it on YouTube to hear more from this expert panel!  

In this episode of Coffee Conversations®, industry experts explore the growing role of roof restoration in today’s market. The discussion covers what defines a restoration project, the challenges contractors face in selling and executing these services, and the key standards that guide successful outcomes. Panelists dive into best practices before, during, and after a restoration, and examine how adhering to these standards shapes market perception and builds confidence with clients. This webinar will provide practical guidance and thought leadership to help you succeed in roof restoration.

Listen to the podcast.

Watch on YouTube.

En esta edición de RoofersCoffeeShop® Coffee Conversations, patrocinada por SRS Distribution, Heidi J. Ellsworth conversa con expertos del sector sobre la situación actual de la construcción de techos comerciales y lo que los contratistas deben saber de cara al próximo año. Desde las condiciones del mercado y los desafíos laborales hasta las tendencias en la renovación de techos, el crecimiento de los servicios, la tecnología y las cambiantes expectativas de los propietarios, esta charla explorará las presiones y oportunidades que dan forma a la construcción de techos comerciales en la actualidad. Acompáñenos para conocer la situación del sector, las tendencias que siguen los contratistas y cómo los profesionales de la construcción de techos pueden posicionar sus negocios para un éxito continuo.

¡Regístrate hoy!

By Emma Peterson. 

Industry experts break down what roof restorations are and why they are growing popular now. 

Roof restoration has grown to be the go-to alternative for traditional tear-offs and replacements. To help people learn more about what defines a restoration project and the key standards that guide a successful restoration project, the Roof Coating Manufactures Association (RCMA) recently sponsored a Coffee Conversation® on the topic. In the episode, Megan Ellsworth sat down with an expert panel that included Josh Poole from Tremco, Cody Wilson of Uni Roofing and James Santiago from Benchmark. 

Josh opened the conversation by defining what a roof restoration is, explaining, “I would define it as the process of extending the service life of an existing roof. And generally, that's going to feature a roof coating or some type of a liquid-applied roofing product.” As for why the fluid-applied restoration market has taken a while to grow in popularity, it all has to do with a misunderstanding of what coatings are. Cody explained:  

A lot of people used to think restoration meant temporary repair. And it really isn’t; we’re not just painting your roof and calling it a day. When a contractor restores a roof, there’s a lot of prep work that goes into it, from assessment of the existing structure to repairs that need to be done beforehand to make sure that this roof is tight and ready to go. 

James shared a bit more about what these preparation tasks might look like, saying, “The first step is always determining if a roof is a good candidate for restoration. Here, good contractors will do things like perform infrared scans determine the attachment of the existing system.” And, as the industry has finally begun to realize, when these proper preparation steps are taken, coatings can be a powerful option for aging roofs. As Josh added: 

Restoration has really established itself as a viable solution that truly performs for the customer or the end user at the end of the day. It can typically be done at a fraction of the cost of replacement, it minimizes disruption to the building beneath it, requires minimal contractor labor/equipment and has a number of sustainability benefits including reduction in landfill material and greenhouse gases. 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the episode to learn more about liquid-applied roof restoration and its benefits.