If you’re interested in working outdoors and at heights, and you enjoy practical problem solving and working with your hands, a career as a roofer may be a great fit for you. Becoming a trained roofing contractor and starting your own roofing business can lead to a rewarding, lengthy, and lucrative career.

If you’re committed to roofing and operating your own roofing business, it’s important that you clearly understand what’s involved in both becoming a roofer contractor and owning and operating a small business.

Read on to find out the key things to consider when starting and succeeding with your own roofing business and the steps that you will take on your journey to becoming a roofing contractor. This includes roofing qualifications and roofing licences as well as registering your roofing business and reducing your risk through roofing contractor insurance.

Gain your roofing qualifications

The first step on your journey to becoming a roofing contractor is to gain your required roofing qualifications. Anyone who is interested in becoming a roofing contractor needs to get licensed and certified in order to legally provide contracting services to the public.

Get licensed

Once you’ve gained your formal roofing qualifications you will then need to apply for a trade licence (also known as a contractor licence) that permits you to operate as a roofer and offer roofing services to clients. Some examples of the trade licences that a roofer may hold include:

  • roof plumbing licence;
  • roof slating licence;
  • roof tiling licence;
  • qualified supervisor certificate; and
  • builder works contractor’s licence.

Some of these licences qualify a roofer contractor to expand the range of ancillary roofing services they are permitted to offer to clients. Also, it’s worth noting that with each additional roofing licence you obtain you are adding additional roofing contractor services that you can offer through your roofing business. And in doing so, you will add new revenue streams to your business and diversify your offer to clients.

Define your business and develop a business plan

Any successful roofing business starts with a clear business plan, which will define business critical things such as the roofing services your business will offer, the types of clients you will target, your unique value proposition and marketing plan, and achievable yearly growth goals.

Whatever your vision for your new roofing business, you will benefit from having a clear business strategy before you launch. Remember that you now have two jobs – one as a roofing professional, and one as a small business owner and manager. And they both will require your attention daily.

Register your roofing business

With your roofing licences and qualifications in hand, now it’s time to formalise your roofing contractor business by registering it on the Australian Business Register. Your roofing business will be assigned an Australian Business Number (ABN), which makes it eligible to be registered on the Australian Business Register.

Depending on the direction you choose to take your new roofing business, in time you may consider changing the structure of your roofing business and registering it as a company.

Roofers and risk mitigation

Roof contractors are required by law to hold the relevant business insurance before they are issued a roofing licence and can provide roofing services. Some examples of the common business insurance that roof contractors operating their own business may hold include Public Liability Insurance*.

Public Liability Insurance is business insurance that provides protection for a business owner and their business in the event that a customer, a supplier, or a member of the public are injured or sustain property damage as a result of your negligent business activities.  

While investing in insurance for roofing contractors is a proactive strategy for reducing the risks to your roofing contractor business, it can also play a role in growing your roofing contractor business. This is because often commercial clients will only work with roofing contractors that have their own business insurance in place.

So, in other words, if you want to target more lucrative roofing contractor jobs your roofing contractor business may increase its chances of winning such jobs if it holds roofing contractor insurance such as Public Liability Insurance*. Other examples of business insurance that may benefit those operating a roofing contractor business include Professional Indemnity Insurance.

As you prepare to launch your new roofing business, it’s important to have a risk management strategy that starts with having insurance for roofing contractors*, also known as roofing contractor insurance, in place. Visit the dedicated insurance for roofing contractors page on the Public Liability Insurance website to learn more about roofing contractor insurance and get your free quotes.

This information is general only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It should not be relied upon as advice. As with any insurance, cover will be subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions contained in the policy wording. © 2022 BizCover Pty Limited, Public Liability Australia is a business name of BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975; AFSL 501769)