Cotney Consulting Group

06/18/2026

Estimating challenges aren’t just about numbers—they’re about process and planning.

In this RoofersCoffeeShop article, John Kenney breaks down the top estimating challenges roofing contractors face and explains how better discipline and risk awareness lead to more accurate bids and stronger project outcomes.

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By Jobba. After conducting a survey of our user database, here are the top challenges contractors have when it comes to their estimation processes. Here at Jobba Trade Technologies, we like to get some input from roofing contractors about the challenges they face when estimating. We gather this info...

06/16/2026

Operational Tuesdays – Superintendents
Productivity is influenced more by sequencing than speed.
Order of operations matters.
Poor sequencing creates congestion, delays, and rework.

06/15/2026

🏗️ This Week in Roofing History
📍 Hartford, Connecticut | Early 1900s
This illustration shows workmen applying Carey’s Magnesia Flexible Cement Roofing, marketed and distributed by John B. Clapp & Son, one of many regional firms representing Carey roofing products.
At the time, this was cutting-edge.
Long before acrylics, silicones, or urethanes:
• Roofing manufacturers promoted fluid-applied systems
• Products were sold as waterproof, fire-resistant, and insulating
• Application was manual and labor-intensive
• Performance depended heavily on surface prep and workmanship
• Manufacturers offered free samples to drive adoption
The ad promises:
“No leaky roofs from spring rains.”
“Withstands all the elements.”
Those claims sound familiar—because they are.
This was an early example of manufacturers shaping both roofing methods and messaging, positioning coatings as solutions for owners and opportunities for contractors.
It also highlights an enduring truth:
Fluid-applied systems have always lived or died by how they’re applied, not just what’s in the pail.
More than a century later, coatings remain powerful tools—but only in trained hands.
History reminder:
The tools change.
The responsibility doesn’t.

06/14/2026

A lot of jobsite issues come down to communication.
When expectations are clear and information flows the right way, crews can do their job much more effectively.

06/13/2026

🎨 Surface Coating Deterioration: Restore Protection Before Exposure Wins ☀️

When surface coatings start to break down, the membrane underneath doesn’t have much time. The fix isn’t complicated—but it is procedural.

Here’s the correct field approach:

• Thoroughly broom-clean the membrane to remove dirt and debris
• Remove any unbonded coating using a scrubber or low-pressure washing (keep it under 800 psi to avoid membrane damage)
• Allow the surface to fully dry before moving forward
• Reinspect for additional loose coating and repeat cleaning if needed
• Prime where required and reapply a compatible coating that bonds to both the existing coating and the membrane

Coatings fail slowly. Leaks don’t.

File this one away—small details prevent big leaks.

06/12/2026

Growth brings opportunity—but it also brings risk if it isn’t managed properly.

In Florida Roofing Magazine, Part One of “Managing a Successful Roofing Company” looks at the operational realities roofing contractors face as they expand into new markets, take on larger projects, or add new services.

Strong leadership and planning are critical to long-term success.
https://issuu.com/roofingflorida/docs/december_2022
📖 Florida Roofing Magazine — December 2022, pg. 30

06/11/2026

Tool safety doesn’t stop with training—it requires follow-through.

In Part Two of this RoofersCoffeeShop article, John Kenney explains how inspections, supervision, and consistent enforcement help turn hand and power tool safety into a daily habit on roofing jobsites.

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By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. It's important to make sure you're properly handling and caring for your power tools. John Kenney gives his best advice for tool safety. In part one of this series, we reviewed some of the most common pitfalls and misuses of hand tools and how to avoid ...

06/09/2026

Operational Tuesdays – Project Management
Schedules don’t fail in the field—they fail in the office.
When manpower planning is vague, production suffers.
Labor misalignment quietly erodes productivity.

06/08/2026

🏗️ This Week in Roofing History
📍 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | 1910s
This handwritten invoice documents repair work performed by William Hone, whose scope included tin, slag, and cement roofing—along with related repair services.
This wasn’t new construction.
It was diagnosis and repair.
In this period:
• Roofing contractors handled ongoing maintenance and leak repair
• Slag and tin roofs required regular inspection and patching
• Repairs were carefully measured, described, and priced
• Labor and materials were itemized by task
• Payment followed completed, documented work
The handwritten notes tell the real story:
Areas inspected.
Sections repaired.
Flashing addressed.
Back buildings included.
Costs totaled line by line.
This is early service estimating, done without photos, moisture scans, or software—just experience, observation, and accountability.
The contractor who inspected the roof was the same one writing the scope and standing behind the repair.
That connection mattered then.
It still does now.
History reminder:
The tools change.
The responsibility doesn’t.

06/04/2026

Hand and power tools are part of everyday roofing work—but they’re also a common source of injuries.

In this MetalCoffeeShop article, John Kenney explains why consistent training, inspection, and safe-use habits are essential for protecting crews and maintaining productivity.

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By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group. It's important to make sure you're properly handling and caring for your power tools. John Kenney gives his best advice for tool safety. The goal of this two-part safety series on hand and power tools is twofold. To serve as a safety reminder to the ...