Optimizing the off-season

By Emma Peterson.

Winter might be slow for roofing projects, but it’s the perfect time for your team to train!

In general, winter is often a quieter time for the roofing industry, as home and building owners wait for snow to melt and sunny weather to come back for their repair and construction jobs. In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down to chat with Allan York, the senior VP of construction and solar at EagleView Assess, about how contractors prepare for the upcoming construction season during this quieter time.

Before the digital era we are now in, there were a few main ways that roofers could spend the off-season. Allan explained, “They would clean their shop, get everything ready for the year. If they had extra employees that they didn't want to have to lay off, they would bend a bunch of their edge metal, to get ready so that they'd have inventory at a lower cost.” They might pick up extra jobs, like a plow for their pickup to clean driveways or a light hanging business. Overall, just keep busy with seasonal work and general tool maintenance and supply preparation.  

While these are all still great ways to utilize the off-season time, Allan shared that the digital era has created new, valuable off-season opportunities. He explained, “You still may want to do some of those things, but you're not extracting the same amount of value that you once did. Now you can have your crews learning about artificial intelligence, getting certified to fly a drone and more that increases your sales capabilities.” Learning more about technology and certification is often something that can feel intimidating or challenging to fit into a busy project schedule, which is why preparing this winter can be a huge benefit to you and your team.

EagleView Assess™ drones are a great example of how taking a little time to prepare during the winter can make a huge difference in the work season. These drones are able to collect comprehensive roof data and measurements while keeping your team safely on the ground. That captured data can then be used to create comprehensive reports that make everything from repair estimates to material ordering easier and more efficient. By getting your team trained and certified with these drones in the wintertime, you will be set up to save time and money in the upcoming construction season. Allan pointed out, “As a roofing business owner in 2025, if you're not preparing your employees to utilize drones legally, you may be missing the boat.”

Read the transcript or Listen to the full episode to hear more about the importance of learning about technology like EagleView Assess in the off-season.