The 4 Roofing Company Processes Worth Automating
Not every process in a roofing business is worth automating. These four are. They are repetitive, rule-based, and they happen on every single job — which means the compounding effect of getting them right is enormous.
1. Estimate Follow-Up Automation
The manual reality is brutal: sales reps send estimates during a busy week and follow up sporadically — or not at all. A prospect who got three quotes and heard from two contractors every few days will not wait for the third to get around to calling. The roofing industry's average close rate on estimates sits at 25–30% for companies without systematic follow-up. With a consistent, multi-touch follow-up sequence, that number climbs to 35–40%.
The revenue math: At $12,000 average job value, moving from a 25% to a 30% close rate on 20 monthly estimates means one additional job per month. That is $144,000 in additional revenue per year — from a one-time automation build, not a new salesperson.
Automated estimate follow-up does not replace your sales team. It makes sure no prospect falls through the cracks between the estimate and the yes.
Step 1 Estimate sent in JobNimbus or AccuLynx → Day 2 SMS — "Do you have any questions about your estimate?" → Day 5 Email with financing option (if available) → Day 10 Final follow-up call reminder to rep + automated SMS → Day 21 Long-term nurture email ("still here when you're ready") → Stops when lead responds or books
2. Insurance Claim Coordination
Insurance roofing jobs are high-value and high-anxiety. Between filing the claim, scheduling the adjuster, receiving the report, getting approval, ordering materials, and booking the install date, there are 8–12 touchpoints spread over weeks. At every gap, homeowners wonder what is happening and reach for the phone. The average insurance roofing job generates 6–8 inbound status calls from homeowners — each one pulling a production manager or office admin away from actual work.
The scale problem: A company handling 30 insurance jobs per month at an average of 7 status calls each is fielding 210 inbound calls per month that could be replaced by automated milestone updates. That is 35+ hours of staff time on calls that answer questions automation can handle in seconds.
Milestone-based automation sends each homeowner the right update at the right stage — without anyone manually triggering it. Every message includes what happened and what to expect next, which is all they actually need.
Claim filed Automated update to homeowner — claim number and next steps → Adjuster visit Scheduled — date, time, and what to expect → Report received Update sent with approval timeline → Approval status Approved or supplemental update → Materials ordered Notification with estimated delivery → Install date confirmed Crew and date confirmed → Job complete Completion notification + next steps
3. Post-Job Review Request
Online reviews are the most valuable marketing asset a roofing company has — and the most consistently neglected. According to BrightLocal's 2024 Consumer Review Survey, 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. A homeowner deciding between three roofing contractors after a storm event is going to choose the company with 4.9 stars and 300 reviews over the one with 4.2 stars and 30 reviews, almost without exception.
The compounding effect: A roofing company that systematically collects reviews after every job does not just look better — it dominates local search for storm damage, insurance roofing, and roof replacement queries. The gap between 30 reviews and 300 reviews is not cosmetic. It is the difference between appearing on page one of Google Maps and not appearing at all.
The review request sequence runs automatically when a job is marked complete — no one has to remember to send it, and unhappy customers are routed to a private feedback form before they reach Google.
Step 1 Job marked complete in CRM → 48hrs SMS — "We loved working with you — would you leave us a quick review?" → Happy customers Direct Google review link → Unhappy customers Routed to private feedback form → Day 7 Follow-up SMS for non-responders
4. Lead Response Automation
Storm damage leads are time-critical in a way that few other service businesses match. When hail hits a neighborhood, every homeowner in that area is making calls within hours. Industry data consistently shows that 78% of jobs go to the first contractor to make contact. If a lead submits a form on your website at 7pm and you respond the next morning, it is already too late.
Automated lead response ensures that every inquiry — whether from a website form, a storm canvass card, or a paid ad — gets an instant, professional response 24 hours a day. The lead is created in your CRM, the salesperson is notified with the address and contact details, and a follow-up fires automatically if no one has touched the lead in 24 hours.
Step 1 Lead form submitted (website, storm canvass, or ad) → Instant SMS + email sent to prospect — "We'll be in touch within the hour" → Step 3 Lead created in CRM with name, address, and contact info → Step 4 Salesperson notified via SMS with lead details → 24hrs Automated follow-up if salesperson has not made contact
What Does Roofing Automation Cost?
Every build at Aplos AI is priced at a flat rate of $150/hr, scoped in hours before we start. No hourly surprise bills. No ongoing monthly retainers. You pay once for the build; you own it.
| Automation | Estimated Hours | Flat-Rate Range |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate Follow-Up Sequence | 25–35 hrs | $3,750–$5,250 |
| Insurance Claim Coordination | 35–50 hrs | $5,250–$7,500 |
| Post-Job Review Request | 20–25 hrs | $3,000–$3,750 |
| Lead Response Automation | 20–30 hrs | $3,000–$4,500 |
Payback timeline: One additional estimate close per month at $12,000 average job value pays back the entire estimate follow-up build in the first month it runs. Most roofing companies see that result within 30–60 days of the automation going live.
Does This Replace JobNimbus or AccuLynx?
No. We connect to what you already use. If you have JobNimbus and Gmail and Twilio, we build the layer that makes them talk to each other automatically. You keep your logins, your existing subscriptions, and your existing data. You do not need to migrate to a new platform or learn new software.
The automation layer runs on n8n — an open-source workflow automation tool that bridges your CRM to SMS, email, and any other tool in your stack. It connects to JobNimbus and AccuLynx via API, so every trigger fires the moment a status changes in your CRM — not on a delay, not on a batch schedule. Data stays in your systems. Nothing is locked inside a proprietary vendor you cannot control.
The automations we build are documented, diagrammed, and handed off to you fully. If you want to change a message, adjust a delay, or add a new step, you can — or we can handle it for you.
What Delivery Looks Like
From signed scope to live automation, most roofing builds are delivered in 1–2 weeks. Here is exactly what that includes:
Loom video walkthrough — recorded for your team so anyone can understand how the automation works, step by step. Your office manager, production coordinator, and sales reps can all watch it on their own time.
Written handoff document — covers how each automation works, how to troubleshoot common issues, what to do if something breaks, and where to find the logic if you want to modify a message or timing.
Full access — everything runs in your accounts, on your infrastructure. There are no proprietary portals to log into. You own the automation outright and can modify it at any time.
On your end, we need: API access to your CRM (JobNimbus, AccuLynx, or HubSpot), Twilio credentials for SMS, and approximately one hour for a final walkthrough to confirm everything is firing correctly with your data.
Frequently Asked Questions
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