Should a roofing sales rep be W-2 or 1099?

That's your call, and worth checking with your accountant. 93% of roofing sales leaders surveyed by Leap in 2024 said they had moved reps from 1099 to W-2. Whichever you choose, say it in the ad.

What commission should a roofing sales rep job description list?

Your actual plan. The most common is 10% of gross, with a percent-of-profit plan the main alternative. Jessica Stahl of Ignite Results gives a rule of thumb for total commission: Under 12% of gross.

Is a roofing estimator the same as a roofing sales rep?

Often. Many roofing companies call their commission sales reps estimators because the visit is pitched as a free estimate. If the person closes, write the ad as a sales job and say so.

Job description template

Roofing sales rep job description

A roofing sales rep job description you can post today. It says retail or insurance up front, spells out the pay plan, and asks for the numbers that show who can really close.

Or have Level find the rep

Template · plain text when copied

[Brackets] are yours to fill in or delete.

Roofing Sales Representative

[Company name] · [City, ST] · Full time · [W-2 / 1099]

Other titles that work:Roofing Sales Rep (Retail)Roofing Sales ConsultantRoofing Sales EstimatorStorm Restoration Sales Rep

About the role

[Company name] replaces roofs for homeowners in [service area]. Our work is [mostly retail / mostly insurance / a mix of retail and insurance]. We're hiring a roofing sales rep to inspect, measure, present and sign, from [company-provided leads / canvasser-set appointments / your own self-gen]. You own the homeowner relationship from the first inspection through install.

What you'll do

Run [X] inspections a week from company leads, canvasser-set appointments and your own referrals
Inspect the roof, document damage with photos and measure the job
Present material, warranty and financing options, and sign the contract
[Insurance work: meet adjusters on site, document the claim and write supplements for items the estimate missed]
Stay with the customer through production: color selection, scheduling, final walk-through
Collect [deposits / final payment] per company policy
Log every lead and follow-up in [your CRM]

What success looks like

Inspections to signed contracts: [X]%
Signed revenue of [$X] a month
Average job size of [$X]
[Insurance work: supplement value per claim of $X]
Cancel rate under [X]%

What you bring

[1-2+] years selling roofing, or another in-home trade such as windows, siding, solar or HVAC
A close rate and sales history you can back up with commission statements or W-2s
Comfortable on a ladder and walking roofs [or: inspections done by drone]
Valid driver's license, a reliable vehicle and [your own ladder / a company ladder]
[Insurance work: you know the claims process, adjuster meetings and supplements]

Nice to have

Retail experience selling on product, warranty and financing
Experience with [measurement software / your CRM]
A referral network in [service area]

Pay

[Base of $X] + [X]% commission on [gross contract / collected revenue]
[Or: a 10/50/50 split: 10% off the top for overhead, then net profit split 50/50]
Commission paid [at completion / at collection], [weekly / every two weeks]
[Draw of $X a week for the first X weeks, recoverable against commission]
[W-2 / 1099]. Benefits: [list]
Realistic first-year earnings: [$X-$Y], based on what reps in this seat earned last year

Schedule and territory

Territory: [area]. Storm deployments: [yes / no]
[Company truck / vehicle allowance / mileage]
Schedule: [days], with appointments when homeowners are home

How to apply

Apply at [link] or text [number]. Tell us your inspection-to-signed rate and your signed revenue for the last 12 months.

Writing the ad

Make it pull closers, not just applicants.

Proven sellers read a job ad the way they read a lead sheet. These are the lines they look for.

01
Say retail or insurance in the first line
They're different jobs. Retail reps sell product, warranty and financing. Insurance reps work the claim. A strong rep for one may not want the other, and will skip an ad that hides which it is.
02
Show the pay plan on a real job
The most common roofing plan is 10% of gross. Whatever yours is, show a worked example on a typical job so a rep can do the math before the interview, and say when it pays. Commission that only lands at final collection is a common reason good reps move on.
03
Say W-2 or 1099
93% of roofing sales leaders surveyed by Leap said they had moved reps from 1099 to W-2. Either way, put it in the ad.
04
Say who provides the leads
Company leads, canvassers or self-gen. "Bring your own leads" and "run our inspections" are different jobs with different pay.
05
Post before the season, not during it
In Hail Alley, hail season runs March to August. Hire early enough that the rep is trained before the first storm rolls through.

Before you make an offer, ask for commission statements or W-2s, and run your own ride-along or role-play. Those are your checks, as the employer. When Level fills a seat, we verify close-rate history and pay history and check references before you meet anyone.

Licensing and compliance

Rules worth knowing before you post.

Only rules we could check at the source are listed. This isn't legal advice; check the rules where you sell.

Texas, HB 2103: No public adjusting. A contractor may not act as a public adjuster on property it is working on, so reps shouldn't offer to negotiate the claim for the homeowner.
Florida §489.147 restricts roof-claim solicitation and bans inducements such as gift cards, rebates and deductible waivers. Fines: Up to $10,000 per violation.
Maryland licenses home improvement salespeople through the Home Improvement Commission. The salesperson exam: 35 questions, 70% to pass.
Connecticut home improvement salespeople: Registration required with the Department of Consumer Protection.
In-home sales fall under the FTC Cooling-Off Rule: the buyer has 3 business days to cancel. Build the cancellation notice into your contract paperwork and train reps on it.

FAQ

Hiring a roofing sales rep: common questions.

Should a roofing sales rep be W-2 or 1099?
That's your call, and worth checking with your accountant. 93% of roofing sales leaders surveyed by Leap in 2024 said they had moved reps from 1099 to W-2. Whichever you choose, say it in the ad.
What commission should a roofing sales rep job description list?
Your actual plan. The most common is 10% of gross, with a percent-of-profit plan the main alternative. Jessica Stahl of Ignite Results gives a rule of thumb for total commission: Under 12% of gross.
Is a roofing estimator the same as a roofing sales rep?
Often. Many roofing companies call their commission sales reps estimators because the visit is pitched as a free estimate. If the person closes, write the ad as a sales job and say so.

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