Roofing Sales Glossary: 50+ Terms Every New Salesperson Needs

Hiring a new sales rep or office manager who's never been in roofing? They need to sound credible the first time a homeowner asks about ridge vents or pitch. Print this and have it on every new hire's desk on day 1.

Measurement Terms

Square (or "sq"): 100 square feet of roof surface. A 25-square roof = 2,500 sqft. We price by the square.

Pitch (or slope): How steep the roof is, expressed as rise/run — "6/12" means 6 inches of rise per 12 inches of run. 8/12+ requires fall protection and adds labor cost.

Facet (or plane): One flat surface of the roof. Simple gable = 2 facets; hip = 4-6; complex hip-and-valley can have 12+. More facets = more labor + more material waste.

Ridge: Horizontal peak where two slopes meet at the top.

Valley: Internal V-angle where two slopes meet downward. Where most leaks happen — flash properly.

Hip: External angle where two slopes meet at a corner. Hip caps cost more than ridge caps per linear foot.

Rake: Slanted edge of a gable roof — needs drip edge.

Eave: Horizontal edge of a roof that overhangs the wall. Gutter mounts here.

Fascia: Flat vertical board running along the eave behind the gutter.

Soffit: Underside of the eave. Ventilation intake lives here.

Materials

Architectural (dimensional) shingle: Multi-layer asphalt, standard product. 25-30 yr lifespan. Brands: GAF Timberline HDZ, CertainTeed Landmark, Owens Corning Duration.

3-tab shingle: Single-layer asphalt. Cheaper, ~20 yr lifespan. Most companies have phased it out — don't lead with it on quotes.

Designer (luxury) shingle: Premium asphalt — CertainTeed Grand Manor, GAF Camelot. 50-yr warranty. $200-400/sq upcharge over standard architectural.

Metal roofing: Standing seam (premium) or corrugated (budget). 40-70 yr lifespan.

TPO / EPDM / PVC: Flat-roof membranes for commercial and some residential flat sections.

Underlayment & Accessories

Synthetic underlayment: Plastic-based, industry standard in 2026. Replaces felt paper.

Felt paper (tar paper): Old-school underlayment. Avoid except for budget-constrained jobs.

Ice & water shield: Self-adhering waterproof membrane in valleys and along eaves. Code-required in cold climates. Add full coverage to "Better/Best" tier pricing.

Drip edge: Metal flashing along eaves and rakes — code-required almost everywhere now.

Flashing: Metal seal around chimneys, vents, valleys, walls. Where 80% of leaks start when poorly installed.

Ridge vent: Continuous vent at the ridge for attic exhaust. Pairs with soffit vents for balanced ventilation.

Pipe boot: Rubber/metal seal around plumbing vents. ~$15 material, replace on every reroof.

Components

Deck (sheathing): Plywood or OSB layer the roof is built on. Replacement: $70-150 per 4'x8' sheet.

Rafters / trusses: Wooden structural members. Rafter = stick-built; truss = pre-engineered.

Dormer: Vertical window structure projecting from a sloped roof. Adds labor + valley count.

Gable: Triangular wall section at the end of a pitched roof.

Installation Terms

Tear-off: Removing all existing roofing material down to deck. Standard spec in 2026.

Overlay (roof-over): New shingles installed over existing roof. Cheaper short-term, voids most manufacturer warranties. Most codes limit to 2 layers max.

Squares per day: Crew productivity. 4-person crew = 15-30 sq/day on a typical residential job.

Bundle: Shingle packaging unit. ~3 bundles per square (varies by weight).

Exposure: Visible portion of each shingle after the next course is laid (typ. 5-5/8" for architectural).

Damage Terms (For Inspections)

Hail damage: Bruising or cracking from hail impact. Often insurance-claimable. Test squares help document.

Wind damage: Lifted, creased, or missing shingles from high wind. Insurance-claimable if winds exceeded threshold (often 50-60+ mph).

Granule loss: Surface granules wearing off — sign of an aging roof. Quantify via gutter scrape during inspection.

Curling / cupping: Shingle edges turning up or down from age + heat.

Blistering: Small bubbles on shingles. Manufacturing defects or trapped moisture.

Algae streaks (Gloeocapsa magma): Cosmetic black streaks. Sell algae-resistant shingles as upgrade.

Business / Sales Terms

EagleView: Premium third-party measurement report. Gold standard for insurance work, $30-60/report.

Supplements: Additional line items added to insurance scope after initial adjuster estimate. Where the real margin lives.

Adjuster: Insurance company rep who inspects to determine payout. Meet them on-site — it changes outcomes dramatically.

Scope of work (scope): Insurance-approved list of repairs.

Deductible: Homeowner's out-of-pocket share. Never offer to cover it — that's insurance fraud in most states.

Workmanship warranty: Your warranty on the labor (5-25 yrs typical).

Manufacturer warranty: Shingle maker's warranty on materials (25-50 yr or "lifetime").

System warranty: Extended warranty when all components (shingles, underlayment, ridge vents, drip edge, ice & water) are same brand. Sell this as the "Best" tier upgrade.

Software / Tech Terms

Lead-capture widget: Embedded tool on your website where homeowners enter an address and get an instant quote. Captures the lead before they bounce.

Satellite measurement: Roof area derived from satellite imagery + property records. ±3-5% accuracy on typical residential.

CRM: Customer Relationship Management. Where all leads, jobs, and customer history live.

Kanban pipeline: Visual lead/job board with columns (New → Quoted → Signed → Scheduled → Complete). Drag cards through stages.

Branded PDF estimate: Your logo, colors, pricing — exported as PDF to send to homeowners.

Give every new hire this glossary on day one. Two weeks later, quiz them. By day 30 they should sound like they've been roofing for 5 years.

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