How roofing companies can prepare for bad weather by partnering with companies in other regions

RCS Influencer Rich Carroll says that by planning ahead and prioritizing employee well-being, you can run a resilient business while ensuring your team is taken care of — both personally and professionally.

Severe weather events — hurricanes, blizzards, tornadoes and heavy rain — can halt roofing operations, damage ongoing projects and disrupt revenue. During these times, not only is your business affected, but your employees also need to focus on securing their homes and families.

By establishing strategic partnerships with roofing companies in unaffected regions, you can ensure work continues while giving your employees the time they need to protect their homes and loved ones. Here’s how roofing companies can prepare for severe weather while prioritizing their workforce.

1 - Partner with roofing companies in other regions

To maintain business continuity, connect with roofing contractors in areas less prone to the same weather events. This ensures that work opportunities remain available when your area is impacted.

Finding the right partners:

• Industry Nnetworks and associations – Groups like NRCA (National Roofing Contractors Association), RT3 (Roofing Technology Think Tank) and regional contractor associations can help establish connections.
• Non-competing territories – Choose partners in different geographic zones to avoid conflicts of interest.
• Reciprocal agreements – Establish mutual agreements where both companies assist each other during weather-related shutdowns.

Having a strong partnership means your business can keep generating revenue while allowing your employees the time to secure their homes, evacuate if necessary and ensure their families are safe.

2 - Keep crews working while employees take care of their homes

During extreme weather, your employees will need time to prepare their own houses, check on family members and recover from any storm damage. Instead of forcing them to return to work immediately, partner roofing companies can step in to handle ongoing jobs.

How this helps employees and the business:

• Local crews stay home – Employees can take care of their personal responsibilities without worrying about lost income.
• Work moves to partner companies – Crews in unaffected areas continue working, ensuring steady cash flow for the business.
• Recovery time is built in – Employees aren’t rushed back to work while dealing with personal storm damage.

Example: A Florida-based roofing company faces a major hurricane. Rather than pressuring employees to return immediately, the company shifts work to its partner in Georgia, allowing local employees to handle personal recovery.

3 - Secure roofing materials and alternative supply chains

Weather events often disrupt material deliveries, which can cause project delays. Establishing relationships with suppliers and distributors in multiple regions ensures materials are available when local sources are affected.

Supply chain resilience strategies

• Work with national distributors – Establish supplier accounts with companies like ABC Supply and Beacon Roofing Supply to ensure material availability.
• Pre-stock essential materials – Store high-demand items like shingles, underlayment and fasteners in warehouses or with distributor partners.
• Alternative shipping routes – Ensure materials can be rerouted from unaffected areas if a storm disrupts local logistics.

By securing materials in advance, employees won’t be rushed back to work before they’ve had time to address their own homes.

4 - Use technology to maintain operations

When weather prevents on-site work, digital tools allow roofing companies to continue managing projects remotely and coordinate work across different regions.

Essential tech for roofing continuity:

• Cloud-based project management – Software like AccuLynx and Procore allows teams to track jobs remotely.
• Remote inspections and estimates – Drone technology and AI-powered software help assess damage and provide estimates without sending crews into dangerous conditions.
• Customer communication platforms – CRM systems (e.g., HubSpot, JobNimbus) allow roofing businesses to keep leads and projects moving, even when offices are closed.

By leveraging technology, your business can stay operational while employees focus on their families and homes.

5 - Have an emergency roofing response plan

After a severe weather event, roofing companies experience a surge in demand for emergency roof repairs. Preparing ahead of time allows you to respond quickly while giving employees flexibility to recover.

How to prepare for post-storm roofing needs:

• Create a storm response team – Work with partner companies to deploy crews for emergency repairs.
• Pre-negotiate contracts and pricing – Set clear agreements with suppliers, subcontractors and insurance companies.
• Share equipment and resources – Ensure access to lifts, dump trailers and other key equipment in multiple regions.

This approach ensures that roofing jobs continue without forcing local employees to immediately return when they may still be handling personal storm recovery.

6 - Protect employees with clear policies and legal agreements

Before formalizing partnerships, roofing companies should ensure all agreements are legally sound and protect employees.

Important legal considerations:

• Employment flexibility – Provide options for employees who need extra time before returning to work.
• Safety and insurance coverage – Ensure that any relocated crews are covered under workers' compensation and liability insurance.
• Transparent payment structures – Pre-arrange profit-sharing and compensation agreements with partner companies.

With the right legal protections in place, roofing companies can ensure employees are never forced to choose between their job and their family’s well-being.

Final thoughts: Take care of your business and your people

Severe weather events are unavoidable, but financial losses and employee stress don’t have to be. By forming strategic partnerships with roofing companies in different regions, businesses can:

• Keep revenue flowing even when local operations are disrupted.
• Ensure employees have time to secure their homes and families.
• Guarantee materials and crews remain available for post-storm repairs.

A roofing company’s greatest asset is its people. By planning ahead and prioritizing employee well-being, you can run a resilient business while ensuring your team is taken care of — both personally and professionally.