by Justin Shirley | RCAW President, State Roofing & Exteriors

Just a few weeks ago, many parts of Washington were still seeing snow in April. Now we are suddenly staring at 80-degree days and full schedules across the state. That dramatic shift is a reminder of how quickly things move in the Pacific Northwest, especially in the roofing industry.

For contractors, suppliers, manufacturers, and crews, the change in weather marks the beginning of one of the busiest times of the year. Phones start ringing, production schedules tighten up, bids accelerate, and homeowners begin moving forward with projects they delayed through the winter months.

Roofing season is here. The question is: are you prepared?

Prepared does not just mean having enough work on the board. It means having the crews, systems, communication, safety standards, and operational discipline to handle the pace that comes with the season. It means making sure quality does not drop when volume increases. It means making sure customer service stays strong when schedules tighten and pressure builds.

A better question may be this: what improvements have you made to your operations since this time in 2025? Have you improved communication between your office and field teams? Have you strengthened your safety processes? Have you invested in training? Have you improved scheduling, estimating, production tracking, or customer communication? Have you built systems that allow your company to handle growth without sacrificing quality? Every busy season exposes operational weaknesses. The companies that prepare during the slower months are usually the ones that perform best when demand returns.

As an industry, we continue facing labor shortages, increasing costs, insurance pressures, and rising customer expectations. Those challenges are real, but so is the opportunity in front of us. Strong contractors who focus on professionalism, accountability, training, and operational discipline will continue separating themselves in the marketplace.

That is also why organizations like Roofing Contractors Association of Washington remain important. Our industry becomes stronger when contractors work together to raise standards, improve education, support workforce development, and protect the reputation of roofing professionals across Washington State.

The RCAW wishes every member a safe and successful year. Please reach out for any support we can offer to you and your team. Let’s get some roofs on!

Justin Shirley  RCAW President, State Roofing & Exteriors justin@stateroofing.com