Guest: Adam Sand, Roofing Business Partner
Host: Jim Ahlin, Roofing Success Podcast
Listen to the Episode: https://roofingsuccesspodcast.com/podcast/podcast-ep-278-automate-and-dominate-ai-revolution/
Links:
https://www.roofingbusinesspartner.com
https://www.instagram.com/rbpconsulting/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/RoofingPartner
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rbp-inc/
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The Future of Roofing Is Closer Than You Think
Adam Sand, founder of Roofing Business Partner, has been a tech innovator, marketer, and operations strategist in the roofing industry long before “AI for roofers” was a trend. In this episode, Adam paints a provocative picture of what the roofing business will look like by 2030—one shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, capital consolidation, and a complete redefinition of labor.
From the future of insurance restoration to the rise of publicly traded roofing companies, Adam doesn’t just talk about where we’re headed—he’s building it.
From Roofer to Tech Visionary
Adam’s journey into roofing wasn’t traditional. After careers ranging from bodyguarding to app development, he ended up co-owning a roofing business in Canada almost by accident. But when he couldn’t find anyone who understood Facebook Ads for home services, he learned digital marketing himself—and quickly became one of the first voices teaching roofers how to generate leads online.
That early adoption mindset never left him.
“Technology is like a bicycle for the mind,” Adam said, quoting Steve Jobs. “You can’t outwork everyone forever, but you can outthink them by using the right tools.”
This principle—using technology as leverage—has guided his evolution from roofer to CRM builder to business transformation partner. He’s helped hundreds of roofing companies modernize systems, streamline operations, and prepare for the next frontier: AI-driven roofing.
Three Tectonic Shifts Reshaping the Roofing Industry
Adam believes the roofing industry is being shaped by three massive forces—each powerful enough to change the entire business model:
- Capital Market Disruption
Rising interest rates, global trade shifts, and private equity investments are reshaping how money flows in roofing. Capital is becoming both more expensive and more strategic. - Private Equity Consolidation
Thousands of mid-sized roofers all pay for the same software, marketing, CRMs, and services—creating inefficiency and “froth” in the market. Private equity groups are absorbing these costs through consolidation and scale, driving prices and margins toward uniformity. - The AI Revolution
As Adam puts it, “A billion PhDs just entered the labor market.” AI is bringing an army of virtual workers that can book appointments, process claims, and run logistics for pennies on the dollar—making traditional labor models unsustainable.
These three “tectonic plates” are shifting simultaneously, and the resulting “earthquakes,” Adam warns, will redefine what it means to run a roofing company.
Insurance and Manufacturers: The Battle of Billionaire Towers
Adam uses an analogy of two skyscrapers to describe the clash between insurance companies and manufacturers:
- Billionaire Tower A: The insurance companies, trying to minimize payouts.
- Billionaire Tower B: The shingle manufacturers, profiting every time a storm hits.
The arms race between these two has trapped contractors in the middle—fighting over claims, supplements, and approvals. But in the future, Adam sees this system automating itself out of chaos.
AI-powered image processing, drone inspections, and digital estimating tools will streamline claims. Large private-equity-backed roofing firms will partner directly with insurers to become preferred providers, offering “no-deductible” replacements in exchange for efficiency and consistency.
That means fewer adjusters, fewer disputes—and fewer independent contractors.
The Rise of the AI Roofing Company
Adam predicts that AI will create “labor arbitrage”—a massive shift in how value is created inside roofing companies. Early adopters will use it to do more with fewer people, cutting out repetitive tasks and middle management layers.
“The best CRM,” Adam said, “used to be the one you actually use. The best CRM in 2030 will be the one you don’t have to use.”
He envisions a near future where:
- Jobs automatically order materials when dates are set.
- Scheduling adjusts in real time based on weather and crew availability.
- AI systems detect damage, write estimates, and close jobs autonomously.
And homeowners? They won’t be calling for estimates—they’ll ask Alexa or Siri to “book a roofer,” and their personal AI will communicate directly with the roofing company’s AI to schedule the project.
Robots, Sensors, and the End of Labor Shortages
Automation won’t stop at the office. Adam points to progress in robotics and sensors as the next major transformation. As humanoid robots become capable of human-level dexterity, they’ll be deployed on roofs, replacing crews in dangerous or high-volume work.
This will finally solve one of roofing’s oldest problems: the labor shortage.
“We’re not far from a world where a drone pilot replaces a salesperson,” Adam said.
He sees roofing following the same path as trucking—first bringing in foreign labor, then moving to self-operating fleets.
A 100-Year Mindset: The Publicly Traded Roofing Company
While many private equity firms are buying and flipping roofing companies for quick profit, Adam is building something different—a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that will consolidate roofing companies with a 100-year vision.
Instead of squeezing EBITDA for a future sale, his model focuses on taking companies public, allowing owners, employees, and investors to hold shares in a transparent, long-term enterprise.
“There needs to be a better pathway for roofers to get that second lease on life,” Adam said. “One that doesn’t destroy their culture or their community.”
He envisions a future where roofing companies trade on the open market like Delta, Ford, or Verizon—industries that built generational wealth through scale, innovation, and longevity.
The New Opportunity for Independent Roofers
So where does that leave small and mid-sized roofers? Adam sees opportunity in niche craftsmanship and specialized markets that don’t scale easily:
- Historic restoration projects
- High-end architectural roofing
- Specialty materials like slate, copper, or coatings
- Government and data center contracts
Roofers who focus on craft, quality, and relationships—the things AI can’t replicate—will still thrive.
As Adam puts it, “We’re still going to want to sleep under a roof. But the people who build the roofs of 2030 will look very different from the ones today.”
Preparing for 2030: Play the Long Game
Adam’s closing advice was simple but powerful:
“Make decisions on the longest possible time horizon.”
Roofing owners should think not just about next quarter’s leads but about the next decade’s positioning. Will your company be a small, specialized craftsman firm—or part of a larger, tech-enabled network redefining the industry?
The next five years will determine which side of the line you end up on.
FAQs: Roofing Business Takeaways from This Episode
Topic: Technology-Innovation
Q: What’s the biggest tech change roofers should expect by 2030?
A: Expect full automation of administrative work. AI-powered systems will schedule jobs, order materials, handle insurance documentation, and even generate estimates without human input. The key will be learning how to manage technology instead of being managed by it.
Topic: Operations-Management
Q: How will AI change the role of the office manager or sales coordinator?
A: These roles will evolve from data entry to process supervision. AI will handle repetitive tasks, freeing staff to focus on customer relationships, strategy, and exception management.
Topic: Marketing
Q: Will homeowners still shop around for roofers online?
A: Not like they do today. AI assistants like Siri and Alexa will soon book roofers automatically through agent-to-agent communication. Visibility in AI ecosystems will matter more than traditional SEO.
Topic: Growth-Expansion
Q: How can small roofers compete against private equity-backed giants?
A: By focusing on specialization and personal service. Custom, local, and high-skill roofing projects—like historic restorations or premium installations—will remain beyond the reach of corporate efficiency.
Topic: Finance-Accounting
Q: Why are public roofing companies part of Adam’s vision?
A: Going public allows companies to access capital, reward employees with shares, and create sustainable growth without selling to private equity. It’s about long-term ownership instead of short-term exit.
Topic: Customer-Service
Q: How will customer interactions change in the AI era?
A: Customers will expect instant answers and seamless scheduling through digital assistants. Personal communication will shift from human-to-human to AI-to-AI, but responsiveness and trust will remain critical.
Topic: Legal-Compliance
Q: What happens to the insurance restoration model?
A: Expect insurers to partner with large, tech-enabled roofing networks that use AI for drone inspections and instant claim approvals. Independent adjusters and smaller contractors may be squeezed out.
Topic: Niche Services
Q: What roofing sectors will still require human expertise?
A: Specialty and custom projects—copper, slate, green roofs, and historic renovations—will remain human-led due to complexity, craftsmanship, and aesthetic requirements.
Topic: Education-Training
Q: What should contractors learn now to stay relevant?
A: Learn automation tools, CRM integration, and AI basics. Understanding how to implement and supervise technology will separate the next generation of leaders from those left behind.
Topic: Operations-Management
Q: What’s the “labor arbitrage” Adam refers to?
A: Labor arbitrage is the advantage gained when technology allows fewer people to produce more output. Roofers using AI to increase revenue per employee will dominate in efficiency and profit.
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