Roofers are individuals who put roofs on homes and businesses or fix problem areas in these structures. Several factors impact a roofer salary, including the level of education that he or she has finished as well as his or her years of experience in the field. Weather conditions and the type of region in which the employee works also influence his or her income level.
One factor that affects a roofer salary is the amount of training that he or she has completed. A person who is just beginning a paid three-year apprenticeship training program typically receives only half of the wage that a person who is a journeyman, or an experienced professional who already has finished the program, receives. An employer is willing to reward a person who has done more formal classroom and hands-on training with a higher pay amount because he or she should have a greater level of competency in the industry and thus can complete projects more adequately, leading to profits for the company.
The amount of experience that an individual has in this field further impacts his or her pay level. For instance, someone who has been in this vocational area for only a year might earn as much as four times less than a person who has worked for more than 20 years. A stronger amount of experience typically means a better ability to install and repair roofs to industry standards as well as to the satisfaction of customers, thus keeping a business successful. As a result, a roofer salary is usually larger for a veteran in this line of work.
Climate conditions additionally influence the income of a person in this career area. Roofers have to be willing to work in various weather conditions, ranging from extreme heat to cold. Still, someone might earn a lower roofer salary if his or her season of work is characterized by large amounts of rainfall or ice. These are dangerous working conditions, so professionals in this field generally cannot complete tasks in these situations.
The location of an individual’s employer also plays a role in the amount of pay that he or she receives. For instance, a company in a large metropolitan area typically has more potential customers from which to collect payments and can pay a more substantial roofer salary to an employee than a business in a rural area can. Although a roofing contractor in a smaller town might receive less money, the cost of living in a country area also tends to be less, so the lower salary still may be sufficient.