Roofing companies that consistently offer financing close 20–35% more jobs than those that don't — not because they lower their prices, but because they give homeowners a path forward when the total price feels out of reach. Here's how to implement financing as a sales tool, not just a billing option.
Why Most Contractors Don't Offer Financing (And Why They Should)
The resistance to financing usually comes from one of three places:
"It's too complicated to set up"
Applying to be a merchant for GreenSky or Hearth takes a business day and basic documentation. Once approved, your reps can initiate applications from their phones. The setup complexity is overstated — it's a one-time process, not an ongoing burden.
"I don't want to deal with the debt"
You're not the lender. When a homeowner uses financing, the lender pays you directly — usually within 1–3 business days of funded loan. You get paid the same as cash (minus the dealer fee). The homeowner repays the lender. Their debt is not your risk.
"My customers don't want financing"
This is typically an assumption, not a data point. Most contractors who say this have never systematically offered financing to every customer. When you consistently introduce the option, a meaningful percentage — often 20–40% of customers — take it. They wanted the option; it just wasn't offered.
Introduce Financing Early, Not as a Last Resort
The most common mistake contractors make with financing is introducing it when the homeowner balks at the price. This frames financing as a consolation prize — "you can't afford it, so here's a payment plan." That framing is uncomfortable for everyone.
Instead, introduce financing as a standard option during the proposal presentation — before they see the total price:
"We work with a couple of financing partners that a lot of our customers find really useful. I'll show you the total price and your monthly payment option side by side — that way you can decide which works best for your situation."
Now financing is a feature, not a fallback.
The Three-Option Close
Present three payment options with every proposal:
- Cash/Check: Full amount, often with a discount for customers who pay this way
- 12-month same-as-cash: Show the monthly payment at 0% interest. "That's $X per month for 12 months, no interest if paid in full."
- 60-month: Show the lower monthly payment for a longer-term loan. "Or $X per month over 5 years."
When the homeowner sees all three options together, the monthly payment option often looks more accessible than the lump sum they were initially focused on. Many homeowners decide to finance jobs they could have paid cash for — because the monthly payment fits their budgeting preference.
Numbers: The Close Rate Impact
The data from roofing companies that have measured this consistently shows:
- Close rate improvement when financing is offered: 15–35% depending on market and sales process
- Average job value is typically higher on financed jobs — homeowners approve full scope more readily when focused on monthly payment
- Time-to-decision is faster — fewer "let me think about it" delays when the monthly payment makes the decision simple
A realistic scenario: 30 estimates per month, 35% close rate without financing = 10.5 jobs. At 42% close rate with financing = 12.6 jobs. At a $12,000 average job value, that's 2.1 more jobs per month = $25,200 in additional monthly revenue. The dealer fee on financed jobs (say 30% take financing at 8% fee) costs $12,000 × 30% × 8% = $288/month. Net gain: approximately $24,900.
Training Your Reps on the Conversation
Financing conversations only work if reps are comfortable having them. Key training points:
Know the product cold
Every rep should be able to answer: What is same-as-cash? What happens if they don't pay it off in time? How long does approval take? What credit score is typically needed? A rep who doesn't know the answers will avoid the conversation.
Practice the intro sentence
The most awkward moment is introducing financing for the first time. Have a standard sentence everyone on the team uses. Practice it until it sounds natural, not like a sales script.
Handle "I don't want to go into debt"
A good response: "Totally understand. A lot of our customers feel that way and still use the 12-month option because they're planning to pay it off within a few months anyway — they just prefer to spread out the payments while they're doing other things. But there's no pressure; cash or check works just as well for us."
Tracking Financing Performance
In your CRM, track:
- How many proposals included a financing offer
- How many financed vs. paid cash
- Close rate for proposals where financing was offered vs. not offered
- Average job value for financed vs. cash jobs
After 30–60 days of consistent data, you'll have real numbers on the impact financing is having on your business. If your reps are inconsistent in offering it, you'll see it in the data — some reps will have 40% financing adoption, others 5%. That's a coaching opportunity.
Common Mistakes
- Only offering financing to "struggling" homeowners: Offer it to everyone. You can't tell from the outside who will use it.
- Not having a funded loan before starting: Confirm the loan is funded and you're cleared to start before mobilizing. This protects you.
- Forgetting the dealer fee in pricing: If you're not pricing to account for the dealer fee, you're giving that 7–8% away on every financed job.
- Using only one financing product: Some homeowners won't qualify for same-as-cash but will qualify for interest-bearing. Having a backup option closes jobs that would otherwise fall through.
Further Reading
- Offering Financing to Roofing Customers — Full guide to setting up and positioning financing as a close tool, not an afterthought
- How to Integrate Financing Into Your Proposal — The three-option price block and how to present it in person to maximize adoption
- How to Write a Roofing Proposal That Closes — The full proposal structure that financing fits into