Retail vs Storm Roofing: The Real Economics in 2026

Every residential roofer runs on a mix of retail and storm work. But the economics are wildly different, and most roofers do not know which one is actually profitable for them until year end. Here is the real math for 2026.

Retail roofing economics

• Average ticket: $12,000 to $22,000
• Sales cycle: 30 to 90 days
• Close rate on qualified appointment: 25 to 35 percent
• Gross margin: 30 to 45 percent
• Lead cost: $250 to $800 for exclusive appointments, $80 to $200 for shared marketplace leads
• Cost per signed job: $700 to $2,500

Storm restoration economics

• Average ticket: $18,000 to $45,000 (insurance ACV plus supplements)
• Sales cycle: 7 to 45 days
• Close rate on qualified appointment: 40 to 60 percent
• Gross margin: 25 to 40 percent (supplement dependent)
• Lead cost: $100 to $400 for cold called storm appointments, near zero for door knocking
• Cost per signed job: $300 to $1,200

The honest tradeoffs

• Storm is more profitable per job but seasonal, geographically volatile, and requires supplement chops.
• Retail is steadier and easier to scale operationally but lower ticket and slower to close.
• The best roofers we work with target a 60 to 70 percent storm, 30 to 40 percent retail mix in hail belt metros, and the opposite outside them.