Fall for roofers: fill the schedule before winter, and the gutter work that rides along

Fall is the last stretch of full working days before winter slows everything down. Every week you fill now is a week you are not discounting in January. Here is what fall work is worth, where it comes from, and what to set up before the cold.

The job, and what gutters add

A typical reroof — 1,800 sq ft footprint, 6/12, architectural shingles — is $17,807 at our starter rates. On the same house (about 180 ft of edge):

• Aluminium screen guards: +$1,931 (11% on the ticket)
• Micro-mesh guards: +$3,743 (21%)
• New seamless aluminium 5-inch gutters: +$3,093 (17%)

In fall the homeowner is already thinking about leaves. Offer the gutter work as an option on every reroof quote, with a photo of the product, and let them choose.

Where fall work comes from

• Shaded roofs. Trees over the roof mean gutters that fill every fall. In Austin, aerial imagery puts 12,641 homes in our four live ZIPs on that list; Find customers ranks them.
• Spring hail, still unfixed. Homes that had hail nearby in spring and no reroof permit in decades. See hail season for roofers.
• Everyone who priced a roof this year. Follow up before winter: “the last good weeks are booking now.”

Set up winter now

1. Winter rates. Quotes given in fall for winter jobs should already include slower days and hand-sealing — the math is in winter roofing for contractors.
2. A winter pipeline. Homeowners planning spring work will price it over the winter; an instant quote on your site captures them.
3. Gutter guard stock. Guards are fall and winter work that keeps a crew busy between roofs.

Common questions

How do roofers get more work in the fall?

Shaded roofs, unfixed spring hail, and everyone who priced a roof this year — before winter.

Is adding gutter guards to a roofing job worth it?

On this house, $1,931–$3,743 more on the ticket for a few hours' work.

When should roofers change prices for winter?

In fall, before quotes go out for winter jobs.