Job Description
Roofing ForemanJob Description, Salary, Job Requirements and more
Intro
What Does a Roofing Foreman Do?
Professional roofing contractors provide a critical and valuable service to their communities. They install and maintain roofing systems to provide a watertight covering to the building. They also help reduce energy costs by adding insulation value to the building. A quality functional roofing system is a critical component to every building.
Roofing systems are installed by professional roofing crews. Crews are made up of different members including a roofing foreman, roofing mechanics and roofing laborers. Each member of the crew is part of a team. And each member plays an important role in the successful installation and long-term performance of a roofing system.
A roofing foreman provides leadership and direction for the roofing crew. In a larger company, the roofing foreman may be give specific goals by either a project manager or a project superintendent. In smaller roofing companies, the foreman may work directly for the business owner. Typically the foreman receives direction from the supervisor as to the daily goals that they need to accomplish. The roofing foreman organizes the project resources including equipment, materials and labor to accomplish the goal that they have been given.
The position of roofing foreman requires experience in the roofing industry. This experience includes both technical experience installing products as well as providing leadership to the crew members who are working on the project.
A roofing foreman uses the management wheel to manage project sites. They begin by analyzing the work to be completed and then organize their resources needed to complete the work. Once the resources are organized they execute the scope of work and then check the results at the end of the work day as well as at the end of the project.
Successful roofing foremen realize that success as a foreman is based in part on their mastery of the technical aspects of their jobs and in part on the ability to provide leadership to other members of their crew.
Construction Foreman Career Training Course
This course is designed to help you build your abilities and improve your career – whether you are a seasoned leader or are just starting out in your career.
A skilled roofing foreman is a critical part of a successful roofing crew and roofing company. A skilled roofing foreman provides critical leadership and project oversight on both residential and commercial roofing projects.
Foremen for both commercial roofing and residential roofing have different skill set requirements. A roofing foreman working on a commercial low-sloped project must be able to work with low-sloped materials including EPDM, TPO, PVC and asphalt based systems to complete their projects. A roofing foreman working on a residential project must be able to use steep-sloped roofing products including asphalt shingles, standing seam metal, slate, tile or wood shingles to complete a successful installation.
Leadership is a common skill set needed for both residential and commercial installations. Roofing foremen on both types of installations are responsible for directing crews to complete the scopes of work and deliver a successful project on time and under budget.
A key difference between residential and commercial roofing projects is the size of the crew that is required to complete the project. Commercial roofing projects tend to be larger in size and as a result demand a larger crew to complete the project efficiently. Residential projects typically require a smaller crew to complete projects successfully based on the size of residential projects as compared to commercial projects.
The roofing foreman position is typically a full-time position. In some areas, roofing projects are seasonal due to weather patterns. As a result, some companies may have an “off-season” where demand for a full-time skilled roofing foreman may be reduced. Certain roofing companies may shift a skilled roofing foreman from a installation position to a maintenance and repair position during slower times in order to take care of service calls and other requests. Off-season slow downs present an outstanding time for roofing foremen to improve their skills and knowledge including improving their leadership skills.
Details
Job Requirements
Duties
- Setting project sites up including equipment and scaffolding.
- Identifying safety related issues and correcting those issues including making sure that all members of the crew are meeting OSHA safety standards.
- Working with project supervisor to set daily goals and then directing the crew to meet those goals.
- Coordinating project activities with interior operations of the building or the homeowner’s schedule.
- Protecting the building and building content for any projects that they are working on.
- Understanding the overall roof assembly being installed and overseeing the installation of the materials into a complete and functional roofing system.
- Understanding how materials and roofing systems go together and come apart in order to complete repairs to existing roofing systems.
- Communicating with members of the crew as well as project supervisor and/or business owner.
- Maintaining project sites in a neat and orderly fashion.
Qualifications
There are no specific qualification required to pursue a job as a roofing foreman. To be successful as a roofing foreman a candidate should be committed to consistently enhancing their skills and abilities. This includes both technical skills and leadership skills. Being able to lead and direct others is a critical skill to master as a successful roofing foreman.
SKILLS REQUIRED
- Ability to identify specific types of roofing materials and implement proper installation and repair methods.
- Ability to use all hand tools associated with roofing installation including simple hand tools and specific roofing related tools.
- Ability to identify safety hazards on project sites and take corrective measures to eliminate or reduce risks associated with those hazards.
- Ability to communicate effectively both in written and oral communications with crew members and project supervisors. The ability to listen is a critical aspect of communications.
- Capable of taking constructive criticism and learning from mistakes.
- Physical ability to lift and maneuver heavy weighted objects including materials and equipment.
- Ability to work at heights as well as access heights from a ladder.
Education Needed
The roofing foreman position does not have any specific education requirements. It is recommended that any individual in a roofing foreman position take training offered by the manufacturer of the products and systems they will be installing. In addition, leadership skills are critical. Building leadership skills will provide a firm foundation for growth as a roofing foreman.
Salary
How Much Does a Roofing Foreman Make?
Low $
$45,000
year
Average $$
$59,451
year
High $$$
$77,000
year
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Career Path
How do I become a roofing foreman?
The roofing industry produces a product and service that is always in high demand. Roofing systems continue to age and require replacement. New construction buildings require a sound roofing system. The demand for roofing services is expected to remain strong. The global Roofing Materials Market was valued USD 114.1 Billion in 2021 and is all set to surpass USD 142.7 Billion by 2028.
The roofing foreman position is a skilled level position. If you are looking to start a career in an industry that is in high demand the career path to a roofing foreman represents a great opportunity to build a solid career.
If you are new to the industry, it may be necessary for you to start as a roofing laborer and build into a roofing mechanic before taking on a position as a roofing foreman. But with determination and dedication to growth, there are significant opportunities for you to progress into the roofing foreman position.
The roofing foreman position does not need to be your final stop. There are many career paths that go through the roofing foreman position. Roofing foreman can move forward to become a roofing estimators, service technicians or a small business owner. Becoming a roofing foreman in the roofing industry gives you a strong foothold to progress into other career opportunities.
When applying for a roofing foreman position you are applying for a skilled level position. Most employers will expect you to have experience in one or more phases of roofing installation or maintenance. When writing out your resume, there are a few items that you can share that can give you the edge with potential employers.
Share your training with specific systems. If you have trained with certain manufacturers or with specific pieces of equipment share it with your potential employer.
Maintain a valid driver’s license. Contractors will look to be able to send you out to address specific projects and service calls. If you are not able to drive yourself to project sites you are not able to add value to your potential employer.
Share your experiences interacting with others on projects. Talk about your leadership skills and how you have used them to successfully complete certain projects.
Share experiences in team or individual sports. Sports are a great way to show that you can be a part of a team.
It is important that candidates for the roofing foreman position let their potential employers know that they have skills associated with the installation and maintenance of roofing systems. Make the employer aware of leadership skills that can help set you apart from others. Employers are looking for candidates who are a good match. They are looking for skilled roofing foremen who have experience installing and maintaining systems that the contractor sells and services as well as leading crews.
SAMPLE RESUME
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Career Options
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If you’re interested in this career, you might also be interested in:
Flooring Installation Foreman, Masonry Foreman, Carpenter Foreman, HVAC Foreman.
