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THE IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON THE ROOFING INDUSTRY

As with every other industry, the roofing industry, has been greatly impacted by the COVID 19 virus.

In the beginning, we noticed it taking longer to get certain materials, now, some materials and accessories have become almost impossible to find. For an example, TPO, which is used on flat roofing surfaces, has been extremely difficult to obtain and we are being told the manufacture might start producing again in the spring. Metal roofing panels that used to take 7-10 days to get are now taking a month or longer in some cases. Another problem we are currently experiencing is some composition shingle colors have become difficult to find. The manufactures are having trouble with staffing and getting the raw materials they need to produce the shingles so they are cutting back on the less popular colors. In most cases a homeowner will just pick a different color, however, if the color is needed for a repair this can create a bigger problem. In addition to material availability, the cost of everything has skyrocketed, in some cases almost doubling in price since the start of the pandemic.

Staffing has become another huge concern. Here at Mountain Roofing Systems, we have an amazing staff, and everyone is essential to our business. Being a small company, illness was already rough prior to COVID but now, in addition to the regular cold and flu, we occasionally have employees out due to quarantine which can significantly impact production and scheduling.

All of this together with the usual construction related complications and delays have really made for an interesting couple of years. All we can really do is take one day at a time, keep a positive attitude, and do the best we can for our customers.