By Emma Peterson. 

While AI can analyze data and automate repetitive tasks, roofing remains a trade built on field experience, adaptability and professional judgment, skills that technology cannot easily replicate. 

As artificial intelligence (AI) and technological automation continues to revolutionize the way we do office and administration work, many people’s natural next question whether they are at risk of losing their job to a robot. To talk about how technology may progress in the future and whether it ends with us all having robot coworkers, John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group stopped by for a Read Listen Watch® webinar. 

John made it clear that he sees the future of technology, AI and robots as support, not substitution, sharing, “I can't even see the workforce in 10 years being even 5-10% replacement. What I do think we will see is human robotic assistance.” He went on, “I think what you're going to see robots eventually do is reduce repetitive strain, unnecessary exposure and improve consistency in certain narrow workflows. Think areas like material movement, staging support, repetitive inspections, documentation and safety regulations.” 

How is John able to make this statement so confidently? As high-tech and futuristic these new tools might seem, they have limitations. He gave some examples:  

In roofing, a lot of companies still operate heavily on prior knowledge and improvisations as challenges in the field arise. But robotics and automation can’t operate without a structured process, they’re not something that can go onto a roof and do that adaptive thinking that’s needed... At the end of the day, AI and robots are machinery.  

It’s these type of limitations that give John the confidence to dismiss fears of robot replacement. Because at the end of the day, AI and automation are like nail guns and heat torches – tools that will help the industry grow and improve efficiency, but, as John put it, “The skilled judgment of experienced roofers and contractors will always be irreplaceable.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about automation, AI, technology and the future of roofing. 

By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group.  

Exceptional project management isn't about staying busy. It's about staying ahead. 

One of the biggest differences I've noticed between average project managers and exceptional ones has very little to do with experience, personality or technical knowledge. It has everything to do with where they'relooking. 

Average project managers spend most of their day dealing with today's problems. Exceptional project managers spend their day preventing next month's. That may sound like a small distinction, but after more than four decades in the roofing industry, I've come to believe it's one of the defining characteristics of successful operations. 

Roofing has always been a business of moving parts. Materials, labor, equipment, weather, subcontractors, inspections, customers and schedules are all moving simultaneously. No project manager controls every variable. That's simply the reality of construction. What separates the best from everyone else is their ability to see problems developing before they begin affecting production. 

I've rarely walked onto a roofing project and found a serious issue that appeared overnight. Most of the time, the warning signs were already there. Materials were arriving later than planned. Coordination with another trade had started slipping. Weather forecasts were changing. Decisions were being postponed because everyone was busy dealing with today's work. None of those situations looked urgent on their own. Together, they quietly changed the direction of the project. 

One lesson this industry has taught me is that roofing projects rarely become reactive all at once. They drift into it. One delayed decision leads to another. One unanswered question becomes tomorrow's field problem. One missed follow-up creates three additional conversations that never should have been necessary. Eventually, the project manager feels like they're putting out fires from sunrise until the end of the day. The interesting part is that most of those fires could have been prevented weeks earlier. 

That's why I've always believed the best project managers are planners before they're problem solvers. Planning isn't glamorous. It doesn't usually receive recognition. Nobody congratulates a project manager for materials arriving exactly when they were supposed to or for permits being secured ahead of schedule. Those things are expected. But when they don't happen, everyone notices. 

Strong project managers understand that their job isn't just managing construction. Their job is protecting production. That means constantly asking questions that extend beyond today's schedule. 

• What decisions need to be made next week? 
• What information will the foreman need before asking for it? 
• What materials should already be ordered? 
• Which customer conversations should happen now instead of after concerns develop? 
• Where could this project become difficult if nothing changes? 

Those questions create visibility. Visibility creates control. Control protects profitability. 

I've often said that project management is really the art of reducing uncertainty. Every decision should make tomorrow a little more predictable than it was yesterday. Every conversation should remove confusion rather than create it. Every meeting should provide clarity about what comes next. 

When that happens consistently, projects develop a rhythm. Crews arrive knowing what they're expected to accomplish. Suppliers understand delivery schedules. Customers receive updates before they begin asking questions. The office and the field stay aligned because communication happens before misunderstandings have a chance to grow. 

That's not luck. That's preparation. 

One thing I've noticed over the years is that experienced project managers become remarkably calm. That calmness isn't because they have fewer problems. It's because they've already considered many of them before they happen. They've reviewed weather forecasts several times instead of once. They've spoken with suppliers earlier in the week. They've confirmed equipment availability. They've walked through the next phase of construction mentally before the crew ever reaches it. When something unexpected happens—and it always does—they're adjusting a plan instead of creating one. There's a tremendous difference between those two approaches. 

I've also found that good project managers don't spend their days asking, "What happened?" They're asking, "What's coming?" 

That simple change in perspective alters nearly every decision they make. Instead of reacting to delayed materials, they're confirming deliveries before delays occur. Instead of explaining schedule changes to customers, they're communicating potential adjustments while options still exist. Instead of discovering labor shortages Monday morning, they're evaluating manpower needs while the current phase of work is still underway. 

That isn't pessimism. It's leadership. 

Another observation that's stayed with me is that project managers don't actually manage roofing projects. They manage commitments. Commitments made to customers. Commitments made to crews. Commitments made to suppliers. Commitments made during estimating. Every commitment carries expectations, and every expectation requires communication. When communication slows down, projects become harder to control. When communication stays ahead of the work, projects become far more predictable. 

I've seen companies invest heavily in project management software hoping technology would solve operational challenges. Technology absolutely has its place, and today's tools are more capable than ever. Butsoftware cannot think ahead. It cannot recognize a conversation that should happen before someone realizes it needs to happen. It cannot replace the judgment that comes from years of watching projects succeed — and watching others struggle. That's still the responsibility of leadership. 

One lesson I've carried with me throughout my career is that the best project managers don't measure success by how many problems they solved today. They measure success by how many problems never reached the jobsite in the first place. Those victories rarely appear on reports. 

Nobody notices the delivery that arrived exactly on time because someone made one extra phone call two weeks earlier. Nobody celebrates the change order that was approved before production was affected because the project manager recognized the issue before it became urgent. Those quiet decisions don't attract attention. But they protect schedules. They protect crews. And they protect margins. 

The longer I've been in this industry, the more convinced I've become that exceptional project management isn't about staying busy. It's about staying ahead. Because the strongest project managers don't spend their careers chasing today's problems. They're already thinking three weeks ahead.

By Emma Peterson. 

Why the key to navigating a challenging market isn’t tied to price or margins, but rather stronger client relationships and higher-value services. 

Our modern market poses quite a few unique challenges to professionals across the roofing and construction industries. From supply chain disruptions to workforce shortages, it can be hard to position your business for profitability and long-term growth. To learn how contractors can find new opportunities and success in the modern market, we brought John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group onto an episode of CoatingsTalk™.  

The main advice John had was to avoid price cutting and lowering your margins. He elaborated, “Right now, we’re seeing some markets tighten and bid lists grow more crowded as more contractors chase fewer projects. But what I warn everyone is that lowering your margins or price cutting is not the answer.” What is the answer, then? John points to being selective and thinking proactively. He shared, “What contractors need to do is to find the right type of work that fits the marketplace. There's always work out there if you are ahead of the market enough to realize it.” 

And right now, the right type of work for many contractors is tied to roof coatings and waterproofing. John explained:  

The strongest opportunities right now are tied to helping owners manage and extend the life of their existing assets. And the truth is, not enough roofers are taking the time to learn and become experts in this. There are some that dabble in roof coatings, but to really find success you need to go and think in terms of the broader building envelope. 

What does that mean? It means don’t just learn how to slap a coating on a roof. Instead, learn how to service that coating and waterproof the rest of the building. As John put it, “To succeed today, you need to be the contractor that can wrap all those walls together and provide everything in terms of service and maintenance. Why? Because clients today want more than a contractor, they want an expert who will build a relationship with them and help them with everything.” He went on, “And for contractors, being that one-stop shop makes you less dependent on one-time re-roof opportunities and sets you up for long-term success, even in a challenging market.”  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording for more advice on navigating modern market challenges. 

CCS Influencer John Kenney says the best coating contractors don’t fight the weather.

Fluid-applied roofing systems offer contractors tremendous flexibility, but they also demand respect for weather, climate and installation conditions.

After decades in roofing, I’ve learned that some of the most expensive problems begin with a simple decision: pushing ahead when conditions are telling you to stop.

Weather is not just an inconvenience during installation. It is part of the installation. Temperature, humidity, dew, rain, surface moisture and substrate condition can all influence how a coating applies, cures and ultimately performs. That is why successful contractors do more than check the forecast. They understand the product they are installing and the environmental conditions that product requires.

Different coating systems have different application windows and cure requirements. What works for one chemistry may not apply to another. That is exactly why contractors should never assume that experience with one product automatically translates to another.

I’ve always believed the data sheet is part of the installation. If the manufacturer specifies temperature limits, substrate requirements, cure times or weather restrictions, those are not suggestions. They are part of the system.

Regional climate makes this even more important. A contractor working in Florida may be dealing with high humidity, afternoon thunderstorms and hot roof surfaces. In the Southwest, extreme surface temperatures may become the bigger concern. Northern contractors may face shorter installation seasons, colder nights and rapidly changing temperatures. The coating may be the same product, but the installation strategy should not necessarily be the same.

Timing becomes part of production planning. Crews may need to start earlier, adjust application timing, break large roofs into manageable sections, or stop work sooner than they would on another type of roofing project. Contractors also need to understand how overnight dew, falling temperatures and changing humidity may affect curing after the crew has already left the site.

That is one reason I don’t like the phrase, “We should be fine.” Roofing should not be managed around hope. If the weather window is questionable, understand exactly what the manufacturer allows before putting material on the roof.

Ponding water presents another area where contractors need to make careful distinctions. Some coating systems are designed to tolerate prolonged exposure to standing water better than others. Even where a product can handle ponding conditions, that does not automatically mean the drainage problem should be ignored. A roof that holds water may be telling you something about slope, drains, insulation or the underlying assembly.

A coating should not become the solution to a design problem simply because it can tolerate the condition. Evaluate why the water is there. Can drainage be improved? Is insulation creating low areas? Has the deck moved? Is equipment discharge contributing to the problem? Should localized repairs or tapered insulation be incorporated before restoration? Those questions should be answered before deciding how the coating fits into the solution.

The same discipline applies to substrate condition. Surface appearance alone does not tell the full story. Adhesion testing, moisture investigation and proper surface preparation may all be necessary depending on the roof and the system being installed.

Details deserve just as much attention. Flashings, penetrations, seams, transitions and drainage areas are often where roofing systems are tested the hardest. Weather increases that stress. Heavy rain finds weak details. Heat creates movement. Cold temperatures can affect material behavior. Freeze-thaw cycles expose openings. Constant UV exposure accelerates aging.

The coating over the field of the roof may receive most of the attention, but the details often determine whether the completed system performs. That is why inclement weather can also become an opportunity. When contractors understand climate and installation limitations better than their competitors, they can plan work more intelligently, communicate more accurately with owners and avoid problems that lead to callbacks and warranty disputes. 

They can also use weather history and regional conditions when evaluating which restoration system makes the most sense for the building. That is a much more professional approach than selecting a coating first and hoping conditions cooperate. Fluid-applied roofing systems can perform extremely well across very different climates, but successful installation requires matching the product, substrate, details and weather window.

The best coating contractors don’t fight the weather. They understand it, plan around it and make it part of the roofing decision.

By Emma Peterson. 

Industry veteran John Kenney shares his perspective on the current opportunities and challenges in the construction coatings market. 

In a new CoatingsTalk™, Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with John Kenney about the state of the construction coatings industry and what is driving its current changes. John is the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group and has an extensive background in the industry, both being a third-generation roofer and having had over 45 years of experience in the field personally.  

When asked about what he’s seeing in the industry, specifically the coatings market, John used the word uneven. He explained, “I don't think you can simply describe construction as good or bad right now. Conditions are varying considerably by geographical and market segment... Overall, I’d say the market isn’t moving collectively in one direction.”  

But even without a clear direction, there are some trends that John has observed beyond the diversity of experiences across regions. One is the expansion of coatings beyond the roof. As he put it, “One of the things that I see as far as coating opportunities, they definitely extend beyond the roof; you have waterproofing, walls, decks and other type of protective applications... All this means that, even though backlogs have shrunk in some areas, there’s still profitable work in this market.” 

What has created this uneven but expanding market? John pointed to deferred capital spending and rising building owner understanding as some of the growth drivers. “Deferred capital spending can create many, many restoration opportunities. The need to maintain the assets are not going to disappear simply because the owner delays a larger capital project,” he explained. “And what we’re seeing is a lot of clients who are realizing coatings are the solution to deferring large amounts of spending while still maintaining their properties.” 

As for some of the factors slowing the market, John’s main points were about fuel prices that have been impacted by geopolitics, “ 

As we all know, geopolitics are turbulent and where we’re feeling that is with oil. Specifically, there’s less refining capabilities because of all the wars, so the reason why the output is less is because there's no way of making more. And that pressure is keeping things like oil prices, fuel shortages, diesel especially, and chemical costs high with no sign of coming down. And those high prices and shortages are felt in everything from gas prices and mobilization expenses to delivered material costs and more. 

Overall, John’s outlook is hesitant positivity. In his own words, “Projects aren't going to disappear. And I think that puts us in even a better position for what we're talking about here, restoration, coating, service and maintenance work even with the challenges.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more!  

By Emma Peterson. 

Want to take your estimating skills to the next level? Don’t miss the chance to learn in-person from industry expert John Kenney!  

John Kenney will be teaching an Advanced Roofing Estimating Workshop in Lakewood, Florida this coming November. John, CEO of Cotney Consulting Group, has an extensive history in the industry doing everything from installing millions of square feet of roofing systems to managing multi-branch operations and generating millions in annual revenue. This level of expertise makes him the perfect person to learn from. His classes take attendees through real-world examples so that they are not only knowledgeable about the theory of estimating but experienced in the realities of it as well.  

This two-day workshop will cover:  

• Evaluating opportunities and knowing when to bid, pass or wait  
• Reviewing plans, specifications and scope requirements  
• Identifying estimating risk before pricing is finalized  
• Validating labor, crew size and productivity assumptions  
• Developing complete direct and indirect project costs  
• Reviewing material, equipment and subcontractor costs  
• Protecting margin through proper contingency and cost allocation  
• Identifying scope gaps and unclear project requirements  
• Developing responsible and competitive bid strategies  
• Reviewing estimates before submission  
• Preparing a complete estimating-to-operations handoff  
• Using the results of completed projects to improve future estimates 

This is a great opportunity for roofing estimators, project managers, operations leaders and business owners to take their skills beyond quantity takeoffs and basic unit pricing into strategy and skills that will improve their business’ profitability and efficiency. 

For this training in particular, attendees should already have a fundamental knowledge of estimating. Coffee, drinks, snacks and lunch will be provided during both training days, and all classroom exercises can be completed by hand using paper, pencil and a calculator. Laptops and estimating software are welcome but are not required. 

After registration, attendees will automatically receive a welcome package, which includes event details, travel information, preparation guidance and a pre-workshop self-assessment. 

Learn more about the event and get registered!

By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. 

The first hour on a jobsite isn't just another sixty minutes on the schedule. It's where preparation meets execution. 

I've walked onto enough roofing projects over the years to know that crews usually understand how the day is going to unfold long before lunch. Sometimes it takes less than an hour. 

The materials arrive where they're supposed to. The crew knows the plan. Equipment is ready. Everyone understands their role, and work begins with purpose. There isn't much discussion because the important conversations already happened before the first ladder was climbed. 

Other times, you can feel the difference almost immediately. People are standing around waiting for direction. Materials aren't where they need to be. Someone is looking for tools that should have been loaded the day before. The foreman is answering three different questions at once while trying to coordinate deliveries and speak with the project manager. The crew is moving, but very little meaningful work is getting done. 

The project hasn't failed. But it has already begun to drift. 

One lesson this industry has taught me is that roofing projects rarely get into trouble because crews suddenly stop working hard. More often, they struggle because the day starts without a clear plan. Once that happens, everyone spends the rest of the day trying to recover time that was never really recoverable. 

The first hour on a jobsite isn't just another sixty minutes on the schedule. It's where preparation meets execution. Everything leading up to that moment either supports the crew or creates obstacles they have to overcome. The estimate, material orders, scheduling decisions, project handoff, weather planning, equipment coordination and communication all arrive on the roof at the same time. If any one of those pieces is missing, the crew feels it immediately. 

I've always believed that crews deserve better than having to solve problems that should have been resolved before they arrived. Roofers are there to build roofs. They're not there to figure out why materials were delivered to the wrong location, why the crane wasn't confirmed, why another trade is occupying the work area or why yesterday's unanswered questions are suddenly today's emergency. 

Unfortunately, those situations happen far more often than they should. One thing I've noticed throughout my career is that experienced foremen don't just manage work. They manage momentum. 

They understand that once a crew finds its rhythm, production improves naturally. The opposite is also true. Every unnecessary interruption forces the crew to stop, regroup and start over again. Most people underestimate how much productivity is lost each time that rhythm is broken. 

That's why the first hour matters so much. A strong start creates confidence. The crew sees that leadership has prepared the job properly. Materials are staged where they're needed. The day's objectives are understood. Safety expectations have been reviewed. Everyone begins working from the same plan. Confidence grows. Communication becomes easier. Production follows. 

A poor start creates something entirely different. Questions replace direction. Assumptions replace planning. Frustration begins building before meaningful production has even started. Once that happens, the foreman isn't leading the project anymore. They're managing disruption. 

There's an important distinction between motion and progress. I've watched jobs where everyone looked busy from the ground. Trucks were unloading. Equipment was moving. People were walking across the roof carrying materials. It appeared productive. But when you looked more closely, much of that activity stemmed from the work not being properly organized. Being busy has never guaranteed meaningful progress. Strong operations understand the difference. 

I've also learned that successful mornings actually begin the day before. The best project managers don't wait until sunrise to think about tomorrow's work. They've already confirmed deliveries. They've reviewed weather forecasts. They've communicated with suppliers and subcontractors. They've anticipated questions before the crew ever asks them. 

By the time the first truck arrives, leadership is thinking about execution—not scrambling to solve yesterday's unfinished business. That level of preparation rarely happens by accident. It's part of the company's culture. 

One characteristic I've consistently seen in high-performing roofing companies is that preparation is viewed as productive work, not administrative work. Too often, planning is treated as something that gets done if there's extra time. In reality, planning creates the extra time. 

The strongest foremen I've worked with understand something that younger leaders often learn through experience. They know they cannot control every challenge the day will bring. Weather changes. Deliveries get delayed. Hidden conditions appear after tear-off. Those realities are part of roofing. 

What they can control is how prepared the crew is when those situations occur. Preparation doesn't eliminate surprises. It gives the team the capacity to handle them without losing control of the project. 

Another observation that's stayed with me over the years is that crews pay close attention to leadership, even when they don't say much. They notice whether the foreman arrives prepared. They notice whether project managers follow through on commitments. They notice whether problems are anticipated or constantly reacted to. Those observations shape confidence, and confidence influences performance. 

Good leadership isn't measured by how many problems you solve during the day. It's often measured by how many problems your preparation prevented from happening in the first place. 

I've never believed that roofing is won solely by working harder. It's won by removing obstacles before hard work begins.  That's why the first hour tells me so much. It reflects every operational decision that led up to it. It reveals whether estimating communicated effectively. Whether project management planned thoroughly. Whether leadership stayed ahead of the work instead of reacting to it. Whether the company built a process or hoped experience would fill the gaps. By the end of that first hour, the crew usually knows whether they're executing a plan or creating one as they go.  

The difference isn't always visible on the first day. But over the life of the project, it almost always shows up in production, quality, customer confidence and profitability. 

The best roofing companies don't rely on great recoveries. They rely on great beginnings. Because in this business, the first hour on the jobsite rarely determines everything. But it usually tells you where everything is headed. 

By Emma Peterson. 

From major industry announcements and scholarship awards to emerging market trends and wildfire preparedness, these were the RCS articles that got the most clicks this August.  

August was a month of announcements here at The Coffee Shops®! For our team, we launched a new microsite (www.RoofersCoffeeShop.ca) designed specifically for the Canadian market. Similar to our U.K. microsite (www.RoofersCoffeeShop.uk), this site will not only bring together contractors in its dedicated region but also strengthen the global roofing community.  

In addition to our big announcement, our site saw a lot of announcements and quite a few of them made our August 2026 top article list. For example, one of our R-Club members, Excel Roofing and Siding, sent out an announcement of a name change to Excel Slate and Copper. This change was designed to “better reflect the company’s long-standing expertise in slate roofing, copper craftsmanship and historic home restoration.”  

Another example was the Roofing Alliance’s announcement about the 2026-2027 Melvin Kruger Scholarship. “A total of $59,000 was awarded for new scholarships with an additional $55,000 for 12 renewal scholarships.” 

And coming in first and second on our August 2026 top 10 article list were two announcements, both from industry associations. In second place was an article about the Colorado Roofing Association’s new advisory about wildlife code requirements. As for first place, that went to the he Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) and the Metal Construction Association (MCA)’s announcement of the results of metal roofing market study conducted by FMI Consulting. 

The top 10 August articles 

10 - Excel Roofing and Siding becomes Excel Slate and Copper

9 - Why the most successful roofing contractors plan further ahead by John Kenney. 

8 - TPO or metal retrofit? Understanding the tradeoffs by The Coffee Shops® 

7 - When the economic signals don’t agree by John Kenney. 

6 - Becoming a ROOFEREE by Emma Peterson. 

5 - The secret to managing commercial roofing projects by Emma Peterson. 

4 - The Roofing Alliance announces 2026-2027 Melvin Kruger Scholarship recipients.

3 - Heavy-duty adhesives for every jobsite by The Coffee Shops®. 

2 - New advisory helps Colorado roofers prepare for wildfire code requirements by Alex Tolle. 

1 - New market survey forecasts strong growth, significant potential for residential metal roofing in U.S. 

In this CoatingsCoffeeShop™ Coffee Conversations, host Megan Ellsworth is joined by John Kenney from Cotney Consulting Group and Johnny Walker from APOC to examine market research into the profitability, challenges and opportunities shaping commercial roof restoration today. Drawing on insights from the APOC Roof Restoration Index and years of industry experience, the discussion examines how restoration is helping contractors address labor shortages, improve efficiency, create new business opportunities and deliver greater value to building owners. Watch this episode for some surprising numbers!

Register now!

By Emma Peterson. 

Industry veteran John Kenney explains how stronger connections between Canadian and American contractors can drive innovation, education and long-term industry growth. 

In our first-ever Roofing Road Trip® Canada edition, John Kenney and Karol Weyman discuss how the launch of RoofersCoffeeShop.ca will help build bonds between the Canadian and American roofing markets. John is the CEO of Cotney Consulting Group and a roofing veteran with decades of field experience. In his own words, “I started in the roofing industry more than four decades ago and working on the roof and learning the trade from the ground up. From there, I moved through estimating, project management operations and eventually executive leadership. Those experiences gave me a practical understanding of nearly every part of the roofing company.” 

And over the course of that storied career, John has experienced the value of collaboration between Canadian and American professionals firsthand:  

As my consulting and training work expanded, I began receiving more opportunities to work with contractors and manufacturers and also industry organizations like the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA) throughout Canada. Working further north was a natural progression and I've learned just as much from the Canadian contractors as I hope they have learned from me as every market and every company offers a different perspective. 

It is experiences like John’s that the RoofersCoffeeShop.ca microsite aims to foster. Because when we all learn from each other, we all grow stronger. John shared some insights related to this, saying, “The roofing industry definitely becomes stronger when we take the time to learn from one another. The challenges contractors face don't stop at any kind of national borders or provincial borders, but each market does approach solving them differently based on their environments and cultures.”  

By building a space where contractors can build relationships with their peers in a different country, RoofersCoffeeShop.ca is helping share ideas and solutions that benefit everyone. In John’s words, “The more we openly share ideas, I think the stronger the entire industry becomes.” 

Check out the whole episode to learn more about how the launch of RoofersCoffeeShop.ca is fostering industry-growing relationships.