If there is one thing sure to damage your reputation as a contractor, it’s overpromising and underdelivering. And one of the biggest areas where contractors overpromise? It’s the project schedule.
Though most contractors and customers understand the need for a timeline contingency, not everyone understands just what goes into making sure a project can be delivered on time. In this article, our team at 1st Coast Metal Roofing Supply wants to explain what you should plan for. Why? Because when you do, you’ll switch from underdelivering to overdelivering.
Why Are Supply Chain Delays Still Affecting Roofing Contractors?
Conditions have improved considerably since the height of the supply chain disruptions in 2021, but that doesn’t mean every order arrives exactly when you want it. Manufacturers juggle production schedules, transportation networks experience their own slowdowns, weather events shift regional demand overnight, and busy seasons stretch everyone thin. Any one of these factors can influence material availability. Contractors who plan ahead feel these delays the least.
1. Longer Lead Times for Specialty Products
When materials become popular, supply and demand may work in your favor. But custom panel lengths, specialty finishes, and less common profiles? Not so much.
When a specification falls outside standard stock, production time gets added to the schedule before anything ships. If your project calls for something out of the ordinary, place that order as early as possible so the wait happens before your crew is standing on the jobsite.
2. Last-Minute Changes to Material Orders
Customers are known to change their minds. You’ve probably done it, too. So, go into the project knowing that something might need to get adjusted along the way. A customer changes their color choice. A design revision alters panel quantities. Someone realizes the project needs additional trim or flashing. Change orders happen, but each one can push a production run back and shift the delivery date. Locking in specifications with your customer before the order goes in protects the schedule far better than scrambling to adjust it afterward.
3. Delivery Scheduling Conflicts
During busy construction seasons, delivery windows fill up fast. And then you need to add in the challenge of coordinating multiple trades on an active jobsite. This means a missed delivery slot can upset the plans for the entire week.
Consistent communication between contractors and suppliers keeps everyone working from the same calendar, so materials arrive when the site is actually ready to receive them.
4. Weather Can Affect More Than Installation
Every Florida contractor knows a storm can shut down a jobsite. Fewer account for what severe weather does to the supply chain itself. Hurricanes drive regional demand through the roof as repairs begin, transportation routes slow down or close, and manufacturing facilities can experience interruptions of their own. Building extra flexibility into project timelines during peak weather seasons gives you room to absorb these disruptions.
5. Missing Accessories Can Delay an Entire Project
Panels get all the attention, but there are just some things that a roofing project can’t move forward without.
- Trim
- Fasteners
- Underlayment
- Sealants
- Closures
- Flashings
A single missing component can bring installation to a halt while everyone waits on a small box of parts. Before the crew arrives, verify that every item on the material list is accounted for and on site.
6. Inaccurate Material Takeoffs
Hands down, your material takeoff needs to be accurate. But quite often, we see the following issues:
- Ordering too little material
- Specifying incorrect panel lengths
- Underestimating trim and waste
And here’s the thing. All of this leads to a second order and a second delivery. And you guessed it. This means extra time and extra money. So, here’s where you need to remember that old construction proverb “Measure twice and cut once.” Why? Because careful measurements and a double-checked takeoff reduce delays before they happen.
7. Waiting Until the Last Minute to Place Orders
Waiting until the last minute might get you a good deal on a vacation to an exotic destination, but it doesn’t usually work that way in the roofing materials space. When peak season arrives, production schedules get packed fast. So if you wait until the last minute, you’re likely to find yourself at the back of the line.
Ordering early does more than secure your materials. It gives you greater scheduling flexibility, better product availability, and a buffer if anything unexpected comes up between order and delivery.
How Can Contractors Stay Ahead of Supply Chain Challenges?
We always recommend working through the project schedule earlier rather than later. Work with your end customers on their color and specification choices before placing orders. Be sure to double-check your takeoffs and the needed accessories. And communicate, communicate, communicate.
When communication mechanisms are in place, they can help avoid disappointment and manage expectations throughout every stage of the building process. And this includes working with a supplier who provides clear communication on product availability, lead times, and delivery scheduling.
That said, no contractor can avoid every delay. But supply chain? This is something that can be anticipated early on and can be built into the project schedule with the appropriate contingencies layered in. And so, planning ahead, communicating early, and verifying material needs before production begins can help keep roofing projects on schedule and customers satisfied.
If you’re planning upcoming commercial or residential roofing projects, the team at 1st Coast Metal Roofing Supply can help you coordinate material orders, discuss lead times, and schedule deliveries that align with your construction timeline. Contact us to learn more about our metal roofing products and contractor support services.
