Six numbers run a roofing shop.Everything else is noise.
Most roofing dashboards track 30 metrics and tell you nothing. This guide narrows it to the six KPIs that actually predict whether your business grows, breaks even, or quietly loses money.
Executive summary
The short version for busy owners.
An owner needs to read the business in 60 seconds. Six KPIs do that. Anything beyond six is a research project, not a dashboard.
These six tell you whether marketing, sales, and operations are healthy. Each one points to a specific person who owns the fix.
Key takeaways
What to remember when this page closes.
- Track lead-to-appointment, appointment-to-inspection, and inspection-to-close.
- Watch cost per closed contract, not cost per lead.
- Average revenue per closed job tells you if your sales team is selling on price.
- Gross margin per job tells you if the office is bleeding the win.
- Review weekly. Decisions made monthly are made too late.
Section 1
The six KPIs that actually matter
- 1. Lead to appointment rate. Of every 100 leads, how many turn into a booked appointment.
- 2. Appointment to inspection rate. Of booked appointments, how many actually result in a roof being inspected.
- 3. Inspection to close rate. Of inspections, how many sign a contract.
- 4. Cost per closed contract. Total marketing and lead spend divided by signed contracts.
- 5. Average revenue per closed job. Total signed dollars divided by signed jobs.
- 6. Gross margin per job. Revenue minus material, labor, and direct cost, divided by revenue.
Section 2
What good looks like
| KPI | Below average | Healthy | Top performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead to appointment | Under 20% | 30 to 45% | Over 50% |
| Appointment to inspection | Under 60% | 70 to 85% | Over 90% |
| Inspection to close | Under 25% | 30 to 40% | Over 45% |
| Cost per closed contract | Over $1,200 | $500 to $900 | Under $400 |
| Average revenue per job (retail) | Under $9,000 | $11,000 to $15,000 | Over $18,000 |
| Gross margin per job | Under 30% | 35 to 45% | Over 48% |
Section 3
Where shops get the KPI work wrong
The most common mistake is tracking cost per lead instead of cost per closed contract. A cheap lead that never closes is not cheap. It is expensive in payroll, gas, and morale.
The second mistake is monthly review. A close rate that is sliding in week two should not be discovered in week five.
Three perspectives
How three honest reviewers would frame this.
Optimistic
Once owners track these six, they spot leaks fast. Most find a 15 to 25% gross profit lift within a quarter by fixing the worst KPI.
Balanced
These are the right six, but garbage data in is garbage out. Spend the first two weeks fixing your CRM hygiene before you trust any number.
Critical
Numbers cannot replace judgment. A shop with great KPIs and a weak owner still drifts. Use these to inform decisions, not to outsource them.
Decision framework
A practical way to choose.
Find the row that matches your situation. Use it as a starting point, not a verdict. A short strategy call will sharpen the answer for your specific market.
| If this describes you | Recommended path | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You do not track any of these today | Start with KPIs 1, 3, and 4 in a spreadsheet for 30 days. | Those three tell you whether your sales engine works. |
| You track them monthly | Move to weekly review with the sales lead. | Monthly is too slow to catch a slipping close rate. |
| You track them but never act on them | Set one KPI as the quarterly priority and assign one owner. | Dashboards do not change behavior. Accountability does. |
Questions answered
What contractors ask before they start.
- Why not track 20 KPIs?
- Because no one can act on 20 numbers each week. Six forces priorities.
- What is a healthy close rate for retail roofing?
- 30 to 40% inspection-to-close is healthy. Above 45% usually means the leads are pre-qualified.
- How do I calculate cost per closed contract?
- All marketing spend, plus lead purchases, plus appointment-setting cost, divided by signed contracts in the same period.
- What if my margin is below 35%?
- The leak is almost always in materials waste, labor overruns, or change-order discipline. Track gross margin per job, not blended.
- How often should owners review KPIs?
- Weekly for sales KPIs. Monthly for margin and cost per closed contract.
Related guides
Keep reading where it helps you decide.
Roofing Sales Pipeline
A 7-stage pipeline owners can actually run.
Read guide
Cost Per Roofing Appointment
What a qualified appointment really costs.
Read guide
Roofing Sales Process
From first call to signed contract, step by step.
Read guide
Roofing Lead Qualification
Score leads before your reps drive anywhere.
Read guide
Book your strategy call
See if your market is still open.
We work with one roofing company per metro. In 20 minutes we will review your service area, pricing, and capacity, then tell you straight whether we are a fit. No pressure, no contract on the call.