Roofing Industry Outlook 2026: A Q&A with Scope Technologies CEO Jerod Raisch

2026 isn’t a soft market; it’s a separating market. Insurance is tighter, margins are tighter, labor is tighter, and private equity is raising expectations across the board. Contractors can’t afford inefficiency anymore. The companies that win this year won’t be the ones with the most leads; they’ll be the ones with the most operational discipline. Accuracy matters. Speed matters. Margin protection matters. That’s healthy for the industry.

What stands out isn’t a single product — it’s the system. We didn’t build another report; we built a connected workflow that moves from measurement to quote to material list to PO to signed agreement to documentation. That’s what contractors actually need. We continue momentum by solving real problems: faster cash cycles, cleaner material lists, fewer reorders, and better gross margin visibility. We don’t chase headlines. We build infrastructure that makes contractors more profitable.

There are three major shifts happening. Insurance carriers are tightening standards and increasing scrutiny. Manual estimating is being replaced by workflow automation, a crucial factor for retail success. And private equity is demanding visibility and accountability at scale. This is no longer about convenience — it’s about control. Data isn’t optional anymore. It’s foundational to running a disciplined operation.

Indirectly, yes. When material costs rise and labor tightens, contractors feel margin pressure immediately. And when margins shrink, measurement mistakes become expensive. Volatility increases the value of precision. In uncertain environments, accuracy and speed aren’t luxuries — they’re safeguards. That’s exactly where we operate.

Yes — as long as optimism is paired with discipline. Optimism without systems is risky. The contractors who are optimistic and operationally tight will grow. The ones who aren’t will feel pressure. The industry is professionalizing quickly, and that’s exciting. There’s a new level of seriousness around KPIs, workflow, and margin control that didn’t exist five years ago.

Gross margin control will matter more than top-line revenue. Material volatility, insurance friction, and labor costs mean contractors must price accurately, order accurately, and eliminate waste. Operational discipline is the differentiator in 2026. Companies that can protect margin while maintaining speed will outperform consistently.

Integrated workflow platforms excite me the most. AI is powerful. Automation is powerful. But integration is transformational. When measurement, quoting, ordering, and documentation are connected in one system, friction disappears. That’s where real profitability gains happen. The future isn’t about isolated tools — it’s about connected infrastructure.

We welcome it. Private equity brings expectations around standardization, reporting clarity, and operational accountability. That aligns directly with what we’ve built. Data and workflow discipline level the playing field, whether you’re a three-branch independent contractor or a 50-branch platform. Scale requires systems, and we support both large platforms and disciplined independents equally.

Yes, but they’re infrastructure-driven, not cosmetic. We’re continuing to expand Scope API, deepen our Property Intelligence layers, invest in AI automation, and strengthen distributor and carrier integrations. Our focus is durability, not noise. We want to build systems that contractors can rely on for the next decade, not features that trend for six months.

Complacency. Contractors deserve tools that genuinely improve profitability, not just marketing claims. Our responsibility is to maintain accuracy, protect trust, and execute at scale without sacrificing quality. The industry is evolving quickly, and staying disciplined and customer-focused is everything.