What the numbers reveal about roof restorations

# What the numbers reveal about roof restorations

Why the study was done

Members of the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association raised the same question: suppliers and contractors had been promoting fluid-applied restorations based on experience, but they lacked a broad data set. APOC enlisted Cotney Consulting Group to manage respondents and analyze the numbers.

John Kenney of Cotney described their role plainly: bring data, participants and analysis. APOC's Johnny Walker framed the research goal as validating whether restorations actually free crew time and increase overall profitability.

What the index measured

Index compared three approaches across the 118 projects:

• Restoration (fluid-applied growth restorations)
• Recovery
• Tear-off and reroof

Key numerical finding

The study found a clear pattern favoring restoration in many cases. A highlighted comparison looked at 300-square projects: modeled restoration profit per crew day was about $8,000, compared with roughly $4,300 per crew day for re-roofing. That approximates nearly double the profit per crew day for restoration on that project size.

What this means for contractors

Labor is the limiting resource for many contractors. When crew time is scarce and margins are tight, offering restoration alongside tear-off and reroof gives firms an operational option that can increase per-day profitability and shorten job duration. Contractors can use restoration to:

• Increase productivity per crew day on qualifying projects
• Free crews to pursue additional work sooner
• Improve margin performance on specific job sizes and types

How the findings were shared

APOC and Cotney presented their findings through a Coffee Conversation that featured APOC's Johnny Walker and Cotney's John Kenney. The conversation explains the study design and the practical takeaway for contractors considering restoration as a service line.

Practical next steps for readers

If you manage a roofing operation, consider these actions based on the index findings:

• Review your project mix to identify candidates for restoration (for example, 300-square or similar jobs where the study saw a strong benefit).
• Track crew days and margin per crew day on your own projects to validate applicability locally.
• Use the index data when advising building owners on alternatives to tear-off, especially where labor constraints exist.

Index provides data that supports restoration as a viable solution in many commercial cases. Contractors should still evaluate individual job conditions, but the study gives a data-backed basis to expand restoration offerings.