The National Roofing Contractors Association's 2002-03 Annual Market Survey revealed an overall confidence that bodes well for 2003.

The Gary Siegel Organization, a Chicago-based independent opinion research firm, conducted the study. As in previous years, survey questions addressed a wide range of issues related to low-slope (commercial) and steep-slope (residential) sales, equipment purchases and material preference, among other topics.

According to the returned questionnaires, contractor¡¯s sales volume projections for 2003 generally were optimistic---42 percent of respondents expect higher sales volumes this year; 42 percent expect comparable sales volumes; and 16 percent anticipate declines.

For the fourth consecutive year, the survey revealed a near-study ratio of low- to steep-slope sales: 64.2 percent to 35.8 percent, respectively. (For survey purposes, low-slope roofing refers to roof slopes of 3-in-12---14 degrees or less)

Within low-slope roofing, the ratio of new construction to reproofing to repair/maintenance is virtually the same as it was in 2001 at 25.3 percent, 61.1 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively. For steep-slope roofing, as well, the ratio of new construction to reproofing to repair/maintenance is holding steady at 30.1 percent, 59.2 percent and 10.7 percent, respectively.

With regard to materials, fiberglass asphalt shingles once again dominate the steep-slope material market, accounting for 44.2 percent of sales for new construction and 53.3 percent for reproofing.

For low-slope roofing, EPDM is once again the material to beat, claiming 27.9 percent of new construction sales and 22 percent of reproofing sales. The next favorite, SBS-modified bitumen, garners 11.6 percent and 13.7 percent market shares, respectively.

In 2002, as in the year before, polyisocyanurate was the most popular choice for low-slope insulation, boasting 55.6 percent of the market and clear dominance in all regions. Running a distant second among low-slope insulation materials, wood fiberboard (12.2 percent) edged out perlite (12.1 percent).

As for factors affecting the decision of which material to use, contractors gave the following order of importance: track record, manufacturer service, price, ease of installation, availability and warranty. Track record and manufacturer service retained their first- and second-tier positions from the previous year¡¯s survey, but suppliers, take note, price moved into third position, ahead of ease and availability, up from fifth place.

Original:Professional Roofing (April 2003)