Imagine John, a roofing salesperson. He’s been working in this industry for many years. He brought in big paychecks that made him proud. But then he struggled to earn much at all. He knew the roofing company needed a fair & motivating sales commission plan.
He sat down with his boss and proposed new commission plans. These plans promised rewards for every deal closed. They also offered bonuses for hitting bigger targets. John felt hopeful. His boss has now finalized a new roofing sales commission plan that promises everyone a steady income. John knows exactly what he could earn as a roofing salesperson in the US.
Your roofing sales teams become better performers if they get a favorable commission plan. Let’s go over three proven plans that fit roofing companies of all sizes.
What’s Roofing Sales Commission?
Sales commission is the extra pay a roofing salesperson earns after closing a job. This pay adds on top of their base salary, rewarding motivated workers. For instance, if a roofing job costs $20,000 and has a commission rate of 10%, the salesperson earns $2k from that job. You can better understand these issues after learning the key terms we use to calculate the roofing sales commission.
- Base Salary: It’s a fixed amount that gives steady income to your sales reps. They use it to cover their basic expenses and have some financial security.
- Commission Rate: This is the percentage of the job’s contract value they bring to you. It tells salespeople how much money they have made from each deal.
- Tiers: Commission rates change based on how much your rep sells. A rep might make 5% on the 1st $50k on sales, and then 8% on everything beyond that.
- Bonuses: This is the extra money you pay your salespeople when they meet special goals by learning roofing sales secrets. Like closing many deals or getting high customer satisfaction scores.
- Draw Advances: These are early payments made to sales reps before they can fully earn a commission. You can deduct these advances from their future commissions.
Why Align Your Commission Plans with Company Goals?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 166,700 jobs in 2024. With a job growth rate of 5.8%, this field has an average salary of over $45k. A roofing sales commission plan motivated sales reps to work harder. When the plan matches company goals, your reps know what to focus on.
This alignment makes them not feel frustrated or confused. Salespeople perform best when they know how their pay is linked to their work. That’s why your sales reps must trust the commission plan. If a plan is confusing or seems unfair, your reps may lose their drive to sell and leave. When they know what to expect, they work harder and stick around longer.
Plan 1: Straight Commission
This straight commission plan pays a fixed percentage on every deal your reps close. If the rate is 10%, a $15,000 roofing job will pay $1,500 to your salesperson.
Pros
- This method is very simple & clear, as your reps will understand how much they’ll earn
- You can reward skill & hard work with this method; the more your reps sell, the more they earn
- It costs your roofing company money only when reps close the job
Cons
- Your reps’ income can swing widely from month to month
- They may focus only on getting big jobs to earn higher commissions
- You may find them rushing deals to make quick bucks
You can make this method work with these tips:
- Set fair commission rates that fit the company’s profit margins
- Offer bonuses to reward quality work and good customer feedback
- Provide ongoing training to ensure reps close solid, profitable jobs
- Keep sharing clear sales goals and earnings reports to motivate reps
Plan 2: Base Salary Plus Commission
This plan is a blend of steady base pay with a commission on sales. Your reps can make $1,500 per month plus a 6% commission of the roofing jobs they sell.
Pros
- This method provides a steady income to your sales reps during off-season months
- It keeps them loyal to your company by giving them job security
- Your reps spend more time caring for their customers instead of rushing sales
- You can encourage them to do work consistently with a balanced sales approach
Cons
- This roofing sales commission method raised fixed payroll costs
- You need to set commission rates carefully so everyone is happy
If you want to do justice to this commission plan, follow these best practices:
- Set your reps’ base salaries high enough to cover their living costs
- Adjust their commission rates based on their profit goals & workload
- Keep tracking job closings and customer satisfaction to balance volume with quality
- Reward upsells and early contract signings to encourage extra sales effort
Plan 3: Tiered Commission
Tiered plans pay increasing commission rates to your sales reps as they hit higher sales targets. They earn 5% on their first $50,000 in sales, and then 8% on all sales above $50k.
Pros
- Reps get the encouragement to surpass their sales goals
- You can reward your top performers with higher pay potential
- This plan encourages long-term growth with increased sales volume
Cons
- This method is a bit complex and requires proper explanation
- You need to set realistic sales targets to avoid discouraging your reps
- Your salespeople might lose motivation if they see tiers as unattainable
You can make this roofing sales commission plan successful by:
- Using your past sales data to set achievable & fair sales tiers
- Keep your reps well-informed with regular updates on their progress
- Tie all commission tiers to job quality and customer care (discouraging rushed work)
- Adjust these tiers over time as your business conditions change (and your team becomes more skilled)
Other Roofing Sales Commission Plans
Experts believe that roofing is one of the best occupations to break into as a beginner. Offering something around $30 an hour, this niche attracts the best talent from all over the country. But you can make roofing sales more attractive to sales reps by offering them unique commission plans. Some unique plans are as follows:
10/50/50 Split
A 10/50/50 split pays a roofing salesperson from the job profit after taking ten percent off the top. First, take 10% of the contract price for company overhead. Next, subtract actual job costs from what remains. That leaves profit. The salesperson gets 50% of that profit. The company keeps the other 50%. Think of it like this: 10% off the top, then split the profit down the middle.
Example:
Job sells for $10,000. Company takes $1,000 (10%) for overhead. That leaves $9,000. Job costs total $7,000. Profit equals $2,000. Sales commission equals $1,000 (half the profit).
Some companies tweak the split based on responsibilities. A rep who only sells may get a smaller split; a rep who measures, writes scope, manages adjuster meetings, and handles materials may get the full split. Hook Agency also flags risks with paying 50% of profit and suggests alternatives like 7–12% of total collected or a fixed share of profit after an overhead factor, depending on your goals.
Draw Against Commission
A draw against commission means you pay your reps before they earn this pay from sales. Think of it as an early paycheck based on what you expect them to sell. This plan stabilizes your sales reps’ income so they pay their bills and feel financially secure (even when sales slow down). You may even set a fixed amount called the “draw” that your sales reps regularly get in their bank accounts.
When your reps later earn their commissions from sales, you can subtract the draw money from their commission pay. If your reps have sold a lot, they’ll get all the commission over the draw amount. If they don’t sell enough, it means they owe you money and must pay it back later.
Team-Based Commission
Some roofing jobs require a team effort for big projects. Team-based commission will split your commission money among everyone who has helped close the deal. This plan encourages your sales reps and their coworkers to work together. They don’t compete against each other.
It pushes them to support the sale as they are now sharing the rewards. Sharing commissions builds team spirit and keeps everyone motivated, and you don’t have to spend much on marketing.
Quality and Performance Bonuses
The basic commission is one thing; you may also pay bonuses to your sales reps. When they achieve goals beyond their normal objectives, they deserve a bonus! Bonuses reward salespeople who close their deals quickly than peers and enable roofers to finish projects on time. These bonuses promote sales and service quality. They push reps to not just sell, but to give customers a great experience.
Some Tips for Choosing the Right Commission Plan for Your Roofing Business
Consider These Factors
- Small teams benefit from base salary + commission (but larger teams may prefer tiered or straight plans)
- Longer sales need plans that reward a salesperson’s steps before deal closure
- You should choose a roofing sales commission plan that fits your company’s financial health
- Experienced sales reps thrive on earning straight commissions
- Your sales plans should match your company’s core goals
Avoid These Pitfalls
- Don’t overcomplicate your roofing commission plans
- Your plans should not encourage rushed, low-quality sales
- Talk about your plans openly and honestly with your salespeople
- Always review your commission plans regularly and keep adjusting them
The Bottom Line on Roofing Sales Commission
Good sales commissions in roofing do more than pay sales reps. They inspire. When commissions reward hard work fairly and clearly, reps feel motivated and valued.
Every roofing business is different. Some thrive on straight commission plans that reward every deal. Others benefit from base salaries with commission, offering steady income plus incentives. Tiered plans push ongoing growth and reward top performers. The best commission structure fits your company’s size, sales process, long-term objectives, and financial health.
It stays clear, fair, and flexible to grow with your business. When done right, commissions empower sales teams to focus on craftsmanship and customer relationships. For roofers ready to simplify sales, speed communication, and close more jobs, ProLine delivers powerful tools.
From AI calling to quoting and invoicing, we free contractors to focus on what matters most.Book a demo with ProLine and see how smart roofing companies are closing more jobs without losing their nights and weekends. Start selling more roofing jobs today!
