Building things that weren't there
Roofing
You are the reason a family sleeps through a storm without thinking about it. Tear-off, dry-in, shingle, flash, finish. It is hard work done fast in the open, and it is the trade with the most direct line from apprentice to owning a company.
A day in it
- On the roof by seven because by two it will be a hundred and thirty degrees up there.
- Tear-off first. Everything old goes in the dumpster.
- Deck inspected, rotten sheathing cut out and replaced.
- Underlayment down, ice and water in the valleys.
- Shingles start at the eave and go up. Crew of five gets a house in a day.
- Flashing at the chimney is where the skill actually is.
- Ground cleaned with a magnet before we leave. Every nail.
What it pays
- Starting out
- $37,060
- Median
- $50,970
- Experienced
- $80,780
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 (national). Starting out = 10th percentile. Median = 50th. Experienced = 90th. Annual. Georgia figures to be added alongside national. SOC 47-2181. Real numbers only — never estimated, never rounded up.
How you get in
- —Hired with no experience, trained on the roof. Nearly every roofer in Georgia started this way.
- —Manufacturer certifications — GAF, Owens Corning — matter once you're running work.
- —Insurance and storm restoration is a separate skill and pays well.
- —The Mustard Seed covers safety training, harness gear, and tools.
What you need before you start
- —Heights and heat. There is no version of this trade without them.
- —Fall protection is not optional and the guys who skip it are not the ones to learn from.
- —Speed comes later. Do it right first.
Someone doing it
Photograph, first name, age, and three or four sentences in their own words — to be supplied.
What it turns into
Crew lead, then production manager, then your own company. Roofing companies sell — the ones built properly sell for real money.
Want to talk to somebody doing this?
Two fields. A person reads it and texts you back.