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Role comparison · Roofing

Retail vs storm roofing sales

Retail roofing sales means selling a replacement the homeowner pays for; storm roofing sales means selling a replacement funded by an insurance claim, which adds damage inspections, adjuster meetings and supplements.

Same roof, different sale. The skills overlap less than the shared title suggests, and storm work brings legal limits retail doesn't.

Get repsSide by side

Compared

Side by side

How the two jobs differ, from who pays to what can get your company fined.
Compared onRetailStorm / insurance
Who paysThe homeowner, often with financingThe insurer, minus the homeowner's deductible
Why they buyAge, leaks, looks, resale, energy billsStorm damage covered by a claim
What the rep sellsProduct, warranty, good/better/best, financingThe claim process, the contractor, the timeline
Key skillBuilding value against a cheaper quoteDocumenting damage, adjuster meetings, supplements
DemandSteadier through the yearFollows hail and wind; Hail Alley runs March to August
Pay you'll seePercent of gross or profit; 10% of gross is the most common plan10/50/50, which averages 10-20% of the job on insurance jobs
Rules to knowContract law and the FTC Cooling-Off Rule (3 business days)Claim rules on top, such as Texas HB 2103 and Florida §489.147

What matters

What the table doesn't tell you.

Our view: two good jobs, two different hires

Retail reps sell on product, financing and trust, often from company leads and over a longer sales cycle. Storm reps knock doors after hail or wind, meet adjusters and write supplements, and they're used to high volume and pay plans like 10/50/50.

Both are good at their job, but the skills don't always travel. A storm rep who has never sold retail can struggle with price objections when no claim is paying, and a retail rep can get lost in an insurance claim. Know which one you need before the search starts. It's the first thing we ask.

The legal lines are the biggest difference

A retail rep's main legal exposure is the contract and the cooling-off window. A storm rep works inside the insurance claim, and that's regulated. In Texas, a rep who offers to 'handle the adjuster' for the homeowner is offering something the contractor can't do under HB 2103.

In Florida, §489.147 bans inducements such as paying or waiving the deductible. Fines: Up to $10,000 per violation. However well they close, a storm rep who doesn't know these rules can cost you more than they sell.

Pay plans follow the work

Retail jobs are usually paid on a percent of gross or of profit. Jessica Stahl of Ignite Results puts the ceiling for total commission at Under 12% of gross, and AccuLynx describes ranges of 7-12% of contract, or 30-50% of profit.

10/50/50 takes ten percent off the top for overhead and splits the profit. A Hook Agency article argues it suits storm work better than retail.

Hire for the work you actually have

If most of your leads are homeowners replacing an aging roof, hire for value selling and financing. Ask for close rate on retail jobs specifically; a strong storm closer can be an average retail one.

If you work claims, hire for documentation, adjuster meetings and supplements, and check the candidate knows the rules in your state. Hire before the season: in Hail Alley it runs March to August.

Decide

Which rep you need

Hire a retail rep when

  • Most of your leads are homeowners replacing an aging roof
  • You offer financing and more than one product tier
  • You want steady volume through the year, not storm spikes

Hire a storm rep when

  • You work insurance claims in hail or wind country
  • Your office can support adjuster meetings and supplements
  • Your contracts and solicitation practices have been reviewed against your state's claim rules
Whichever way you go, Level checks close-rate history, pay history and references before you meet a candidate, so your time goes on the people worth meeting. The interview, ride-along and role-play are yours to run.

FAQ

Questions owners ask.

  • What's the difference between retail and storm roofing sales?

    On retail jobs the homeowner pays, so the rep sells product, value and financing. On storm jobs an insurance claim pays, so the rep documents damage, works with the adjuster and writes supplements, under state claim rules.

  • How are storm roofing reps paid?

    Often on 10/50/50 or a percent of profit. On insurance jobs, 10/50/50 averages 10-20% of the job of the job, per Adam Bensman in Hook Agency. See roofing commission structures.

  • Can a roofing salesperson negotiate with the insurance adjuster?

    They can meet the adjuster and present the damage, but in Texas a contractor may not act as a public adjuster on property it is working on (HB 2103). Rules differ by state, so check with counsel.

  • Can a roofer waive or pay the homeowner's deductible?

    In Florida, no: §489.147 bans inducements such as deductible waivers, rebates and gift cards. Fines: Up to $10,000 per violation. Check your own state's rules before offering anything like it.

  • Can one rep do both retail and storm?

    Many do. Ask for close rate on each separately, and for how much of their year was storm work, before you assume they'll close your retail leads.

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