Should I start my own roofing company or work for one?

Robust Roofing Careers · Updated October 2026

Every strong roofing salesperson eventually asks the question: if I am bringing in the jobs, why not keep all of the profit? It is a fair question. The honest answer is that a roofing company's profit is what is left after someone builds and pays for everything the homeowner never sees. Some people should take that on. Many strong reps are better served by a company that has already built it and shares the profit fairly, which is why Robust Roofing pays its Project Managers a true 50/50 split with nothing taken off the top, not a 10/50/50.

Should you start your own roofing company or work for one?

Start your own if you want to run a business: hiring, cash flow, insurance, marketing, warranty work and the paperwork behind all of it. Work for a company if what you love is the homeowner, the roof and the claim, and you want a fair share of the profit without carrying the business.

Neither choice is right for everyone. The mistake is choosing ownership only because a split felt unfair. If your current plan takes 10 percent off the top, charges office fees or pays a small percentage, the fix may be a better plan rather than a new company. See hidden fees in roofing sales pay and should I switch roofing companies?

What does a new roofing company owner have to build first?

Almost everything that happens between the signature and the final walkthrough. A new owner has to put crews, materials, insurance, cash flow and a reputation in place before the first roof can be sold with confidence.

• Crews you trust. Installers who show up, build to the manufacturer's specifications and clean up, and a backup plan for when they are booked elsewhere.
• Supplier accounts. Material pricing and credit with a supplier, which a new business has to establish.
• Registration, licensing and insurance. Whatever your location and type of work require. Requirements vary, so check with the state and your local jurisdiction and get professional advice before you start.
• Cash flow. On insurance work, part of the payment often arrives only after the roof is finished, while crews and materials need paying sooner. The owner covers that gap on every roof.
• Claims knowledge. Documentation, repair scopes, adjuster meetings and supplements, all within Georgia's rules for contractors.
• Warranty and callbacks. Every roof is a promise the owner keeps for years, including the leak call that comes long after the profit is spent.
• A reputation. Reviews, manufacturer certification and referrals take years to earn, and homeowners check them before they sign.
• Systems. Software for jobs, photos, estimates and homeowner communication, and someone to run the office.

None of this is impossible, and some good roofing companies were started by former salespeople. But each item costs time and money before it earns anything, and the owner is the one responsible when something goes wrong.

What does a Robust Roofing Project Manager get without building it?

The whole operation: crews, claims expertise, training, software and a reputation homeowners already trust. A Robust Roofing Project Manager spends their time on homeowners and roofs, not on building the business underneath them.

How does half the job profit compare with owning the business?

An owner keeps all of the profit and also pays for everything in the table above. A Robust Roofing Project Manager keeps half of the job profit, and no overhead percentage, office fee or material markup is taken ahead of the split. Which leaves you better off depends on how well you would run a business, and that is the honest question to ask yourself.

Ownership offers things a split does not: equity in a business you could someday sell, and full control over how you work. Employment offers things ownership does not: a base, a team that runs the business side, and a company reputation that walks into every inspection with you.

That is why a strong rep should compare ownership with the best employer available, not with a plan that takes money off the top. Robust Roofing's 50% is more than double the 20% rate most common among roofers that pay commission on profit (JobNimbus Peak Performance), and the role also comes with a $75,000 per year base. 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. For the full breakdown, read true 50/50 vs 10/50/50.

Who should go out on their own?

People who want to build and run a company more than they want to sell and build roofs, and who are ready for the financial risk and responsibility that come with it. If that is you, go in with a plan, savings and good advisers.

• Go out on your own if you enjoy hiring and managing people, you are comfortable carrying cash flow and risk, you want to build something you own, and you are prepared for the years it takes to earn a reputation.
• Work for a strong company if your best hours are spent with homeowners and on roofs, you want claims expertise and crews behind you from your first week, and you would rather earn a fair share than run payroll.

Some reps choose to work for an excellent company first and learn the parts of the business they have not seen yet. A Robust Roofing Project Manager runs the whole job, from inspection to final walkthrough, which is the closest thing to running a roofing company without owning one. See Roofing Project Manager vs roofing sales rep and the best roofing company for project managers.

How do you apply?

Apply at chooserobust.com/careers: a short application, then a short questionnaire, then you pick your own interview time. Experienced reps who want to talk first can 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; the Roofing Project Manager job description has the details.

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