Is roofing sales better than HVAC sales?
Robust Roofing Careers · Updated October 2026
HVAC sales and roofing sales are close cousins. Both happen at the kitchen table, both involve a large purchase the homeowner did not plan, and both reward people who can explain equipment in plain words. The biggest differences are who pays, why the homeowner called, and how you are paid. For HVAC comfort advisors and technicians, the Roofing Project Manager role at Robust Roofing in Johns Creek deserves a serious look: a true 50/50 split with nothing taken off the top, and a $75,000 per year base, widely known as the best compensation model in roofing sales.
Is roofing sales better than HVAC sales?
It depends on the company more than the trade. Roofing sales can be the better choice if you want a pay plan that shares job profit evenly, and Robust Roofing pays a true 50/50 split with nothing off the top and also a $75,000 per year base.
HVAC has real strengths: steady service work, maintenance agreements and a homeowner who already knows the system has failed. Roofing has different strengths: storms create real need across whole neighborhoods, an approved claim pays for covered repairs under the homeowner's policy, and the finished product is visible from the street. Which suits you comes down to the written pay plan in front of you and the kind of selling you enjoy. For how roofing compares with other home improvement trades, see which home improvement sales job pays the most.
How are HVAC and roofing sales usually paid?
Both commonly pay commission, but the formulas differ. HVAC plans vary widely by company and are often figured on the sale price or the margin on the system, while roofing plans are commonly a share of job profit, a percentage of the contract, or a split like the 10/50/50.
| Pay question | Common in HVAC sales | Common in roofing sales | Robust Roofing |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is commission figured on? | Varies by company; often the sale price or the margin on the system | Job profit, the contract price, or profit after a 10 percent cut (10/50/50) | Full job profit, nothing off the top |
| What share? | Varies by company and plan | 20 percent of profit is the most common rate among roofers paying on profit | 50 percent, more than double |
| Is there a base? | Varies; some plans include an hourly wage or salary | About one in three roofing companies pay sales commission only | Yes, $75,000 per year |
Roofing figures: JobNimbus Peak Performance 2025. The HVAC column is a general description, not any company's plan, so ask any HVAC employer for its exact formula in writing. One caution on public data: federal wage statistics for HVAC describe installers and mechanics, not salespeople, so they do not tell you what HVAC sales pays. Compare the written plans you are offered instead.
What carries over from an HVAC sales or service background?
More than from most trades. In-home presentations, tiered options, comfort in attics and on ladders, ventilation knowledge and calm price conversations all transfer to roofing.
- Good, better, best. If you present equipment tiers, you already know how to show options without pressure. At Robust Roofing, homeowners review shingle options and colors with you in the RoofMap portal.
- Attics and airflow. HVAC people understand attic heat and airflow, and roof ventilation is part of nearly every roofing conversation. That background helps when you explain intake and exhaust vents.
- On-site diagnosis. Technicians are used to finding a problem and showing the homeowner the evidence. A roof inspection works the same way, with photos of each damaged item.
- The stressed homeowner. You have calmed people in a house that was 90 degrees in July. A homeowner with a leak after a storm needs the same calm.
- Install day. If you have coordinated installs, you will recognize the build: Robust Roofing finishes most replacements in one day, and the Project Manager does the final walkthrough.
How is a storm roof sale different from a system replacement?
Mainly because of the insurance claim. An HVAC replacement is usually paid by the homeowner after a failure, while a storm roof replacement often runs through the homeowner's insurance claim, with an adjuster, a repair scope and sometimes supplements.
| HVAC system replacement | Storm roof replacement | |
|---|---|---|
| Why the homeowner calls | The system failed or is failing | A storm hit, and damage may not be visible from the ground |
| Who usually pays | The homeowner, out of pocket or financed | An approved claim pays for covered repairs, and the homeowner pays the deductible |
| Third party involved | Usually none | The insurance company's adjuster |
| What you document | Equipment condition and sizing | Storm damage on every slope and soft metal, with photos |
| Urgency | High when heating or cooling is out | Varies; a damaged roof may not leak yet |
The insurance step is the biggest new skill. Georgia law lets a roofing company document damage, write the repair scope, meet the adjuster and submit supplements, but not represent or negotiate for the homeowner. Robust Roofing has a licensed Property and Casualty adjuster on staff and provides training toward HAAG certification, so you learn the claim side correctly from the start. See insurance restoration roofing jobs.
How does Robust Roofing pay its Project Managers?
On job profit rather than the sale price. Robust Roofing's Project Managers get a true 50/50 share of each job's profit, with nothing taken off the top first and no 10/50/50, and the role also comes with a $75,000 per year base. The split has no cap.
That 50% is more than double the 20% most common among roofers that pay commission on profit, according to JobNimbus, and the structure is significantly better than what most roofing companies pay. The interview explains how the base and the split work together. Top performers can make upwards of $400,000 a year. That is top-performer potential, not typical pay; what you make depends on the roofs you sell and build. See what a 10/50/50 split is and the roofing sales compensation page.
You would also be selling for a company homeowners already trust: a 5.0 rating across 66 Google reviews, significantly more positive than the average roofer's, GAF certified installation and a 50-year labor warranty in writing, compared with the 1 to 10 years contractors typically offer on their own workmanship.
How do you apply?
Apply at chooserobust.com/careers: a short application, then a short questionnaire, then you pick your own interview time. Want to compare notes first? Call or text (470) 887-6637. The full-time role is based around Johns Creek and serves Robust Roofing's 39-city North Georgia service area. Weighing other trades too? Read roofing sales vs solar sales and roofing sales vs car sales.
Questions candidates ask
Is roofing sales better than HVAC sales?
Can an HVAC salesperson switch to roofing sales?
How are HVAC salespeople paid?
What is different about selling storm roofs?
Does the Robust Roofing role include a base salary?
Do HVAC technicians make good roofing salespeople?
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More about the role
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