Malarkey Roofing Products® is dedicated to working with roofing contractors to improve the ease of product installation in addition to manufacturing sustainable, performance-driven roofing products for our customers. For instance, 20 years ago we created The Zone®, a patented wide nailing area that greatly reduces the chances of a misplaced nail during shingle installation. Through our Certified Residential Contractor Program, we provide training and detailed installation guides to roofing contractors. Additional ideas will emerge in tandem with product innovations and programs as well as partnership with developers of digital tools.

Today, the Malarkey product catalog is available to the digital measurement tools, iRoofing and Hover. Both tools are applications for mobile devices such as phones and tablets contractors can use outside their office. While iRoofing focuses specifically on roofing, Hover provides additional capabilities for other components of a building’s exterior. Malarkey has partnered with both applications to ensure we can easily provide product information to a variety of contractors during the many phases of their roofing projects.

On the Job Site

While assessing the scope of the project, roofing contractors need tools beyond the website visualizer. A first step is accurate roof measurement because contractors must determine the amount of material needed for the project. This is where the digital measurement tools iRoofing and Hover come into use, and how:

Accurate measurements in minutes. With digital roof measurement software, contractors can instantly obtain accurate and unlimited measurements without climbing atop the roof and pulling out a measuring tape. Instead, they simply input several pieces of data into the application and in just a few short minutes – less than the time to pull a ladder off a truck – the applications can calculate complete roof dimensions.

Measure roofs using satellite, drone, mobile device photography. Digital roof measurement tools are also designed to let contractors measure buildings using satellite, drone or ground-level photography. iRoofing has an exclusive aerial roof measurement and roof inspection option called, Clearoof^ä, which allows users to select from seasonal photos. This feature is helpful when contractors need roof images unobscured by springtime tree foliage, for example. For new construction, blueprints can be uploaded to the application for easy measurement right from architects’ drawings.

Visualizing the finished product. Showing homeowners what their roof will look like with a new roof is often a key step in making it a reality. By using the digital library within these tools, contractors can place the desired Malarkey shingle and color on the image of the home prior to physically doing so. The digital app even simulates how the new roof will look in different lighting conditions throughout the day or year.

Digital product images and custom price input. Roofing software can also make it easy to produce a roofing estimate for the homeowner. In addition to product images, these digital tools can access information on which Malarkey roofing products are presently available in the area and their pricing. This information, along with contractor pricing for labor and extras, can quickly be combined to produce a polished, professional estimate including detailed diagrams, roof measurements, itemized price list, and images of the roofing material. The custom-designed estimate with company branding can be printed out or emailed to the customer directly from the app.

Secure jobs on-the-spot with digital contracts. By improving transparency in the project estimating process, the homeowner will be better informed to make an educated decision for beginning the roofing project on their home. Digital applications can also house contractual agreements, so when the homeowner is ready to move forward, all they have left to do is sign on the dotted line using nothing but their finger. The applications provide contractors the ability to collect data, consult, and get contracts signed, all within the  time it would typically take to measure one aspect of the roof with ladder and tape.

Order Malarkey materials straight from the app. Another time-saving benefit of using a mobile roofing software solution is materials can be ordered from local distributors within the app. Since the contractor has accurate measurements and detailed material requirements, this information can be immediately placed into an order which eliminates lag time from contract signing to project start.

Manage customer records. Digital applications can also provide instant access to past projects including property pictures and locations. When consulting customers on future projects, this feature can allow contractors to identify completed projects nearby for customers to reference.

Digital measurement applications are important to tools for the modern, professional roofing contractor. They can save time and money, while also increasing transparency in the roofing process for customers. Furthermore, data collected through using the application can also improve a contractor’s ability to reference past work and earn the confidence of homeowners for future projects. Innovations in the roofing industry can happen in all aspects of the business, from sustainable product development to mobile applications, and Malarkey is proud to be an active participant.