What a roofer actually does

Roofers install, repair, and replace roofs on buildings. The trade splits into steep-slope work, common on houses, and low-slope work, common on commercial and many industrial buildings. The work is physical, seasonal, and safety-critical: climbing, bending, kneeling, lifting, heat exposure, and fall risk are part of the job.

Residential roofing

Residential roofing is steep-slope work on houses and small buildings, usually using asphalt shingles, metal panels, wood shakes, slate, or tile. It is the most visible part of the trade and often involves tear-off, deck repair, flashing, ventilation, and leak diagnosis rather than large membrane systems.

  • Best fit: crews that move fast, work on pitched roofs, and handle customer-facing service calls.
  • Skills that matter: shingle installation, flashing details, underlayment, attic ventilation, and clean workmanship.
  • Common reality: smaller jobs, more individual home-owner interaction, and more weather-driven scheduling.

Commercial roofing

Commercial roofing is usually low-slope roof work on offices, schools, retail centers, and warehouses. It often uses single-ply membranes such as TPO, EPDM, or PVC, plus built-up roofing, modified bitumen, insulation systems, drainage design, and coatings.

Commercial work tends to be more technical than residential work because the roof system must manage water over large flat surfaces, support rooftop equipment, and coordinate with building operations. Ohio legislative analysis notes that commercial roofing can be subject to state licensing rules, while residential roofing is treated differently under that report’s summary of Ohio regulation.

  • Best fit: roofers who can read plans, follow specifications, and work around occupied buildings.
  • Skills that matter: membrane welding, seam detail, insulation layout, flashing to curbs and penetrations, and repair documentation.
  • Common reality: fewer but larger jobs, more inspections, and more formal bidding and compliance.

Industrial roofing

Industrial roofing is the heavy end of commercial work: factories, plants, warehouses, and distribution centers. The roofs are often large, low-slope systems with equipment loads, chemical exposure, vibration, drainage challenges, and stricter maintenance demands.

  • Best fit: roofers who are comfortable with bigger crews, complex site conditions, and maintenance contracts.
  • Skills that matter: safety planning, leak tracing, membrane repair, metal details, edge systems, and coordination with plant operations.
  • Common reality: more preventive maintenance, emergency repairs, and work around production schedules.

Money, demand, and training

The BLS reports a median annual wage of $50,970 for roofers in May 2024, or $24.51 per hour. Employment is projected to grow 6% from 2024 to 2034, with about 12,700 openings per year on average, mostly from replacement needs and retirements.

There are typically no formal education requirements, but many roofers enter through apprenticeships. That matters because the trade rewards speed, safety habits, and repetition more than classroom theory.

Safety and hard-won career advice

OSHA treats roofing as a high-risk trade because falls remain the main killer in construction. OSHA’s construction fatality data show that falls, slips, and trips are the leading cause of death in construction, and roofing is one of the occupations most exposed to that hazard. In plain terms: if you cannot work safely at height every day, this is not the trade for you.

  • Learn fall protection until it is automatic.
  • Master the basics before chasing specialty systems.
  • Residential teaches speed, commercial teaches systems, industrial teaches discipline.
  • The best roofers can diagnose leaks, not just install materials.

If you want long-term value in the trade, aim to understand all three specializations. A roofer who can move from shingles to membranes to industrial maintenance is more employable and harder to replace.