Roof Construction Laborer Job Description
Because roofs are the highest point of most buildings, they suffer from exposure to heat, rain, snow and other elements of weather more than any other structural components. They require constant maintenance and repair if they are to continue protecting the occupants of structures. Roof construction laborers, more succinctly known as roofers, provide these tasks to keep roofs structurally sound.
Roofing construction laborers first inspect roofs to find the cause of any problems, with the help of information supplied by building occupants. They find the best solutions, such as repair or replacement, and calculate the amount of needed materials, such as asphalt, wood, slate and steel. They apply vapor barriers or insulation on the roof boards before installing any roofing materials and may cut materials to fit around windows, doors and skylights and to cover odd corners. They primarily work outdoors during the daylight hours and in most kinds of weather, except during snow or when it is very cold.
Most roof construction laborers learn their trade informally while working as helpers with more experienced workers. Within a few months, they can perform basic tasks independently, such as measuring and cutting materials. However, learning all advanced applications, such as applying solar tiles, may take several years. Some roofers undergo three-year apprenticeships, which are sponsored by unions and contractor associations, and where they receive salaries that are a percentage of independent journeymen. Minimum requirements include a high school diploma and the physical ability to do the work. Each year of a program mandates at least 144 hours of related classroom training and 2,000 hours of practical experience.
As of May 2011, roof construction laborers averaged $38,570 per year, or $18.54 per hour. The lowest paid 10 percent received less than $22,430 yearly, or $10.79 hourly, while the best paid 10 percent earned annual salaries of more than $60,090, or $28.89 per hour. About 88,910 out of the 95,840 roofers worked for foundation, structure and building exterior contractors to make a mean salary of $38,350 per year, or $18.44 per hour. Other big employers were residential building construction, building finishing contractors and nonresidential building construction. The highest-paying employers were lumber and other construction material wholesalers, which paid $58,470 yearly, or $28.11 hourly.
Roof construction laborers are expected to see job increases of 18 percent, which is less than the 23 percent projected for all construction trades workers, but greater than the 14 percent predicted for all occupations in all industries. Areas of the country with inclement weather and severe storms, such as the Northeast, will provide more job opportunities because roofs there deteriorate more quickly. However, opportunities depend on the economy. When times are good, more construction and repair occurs and employment rises. When times are bad, repair is deferred and construction decreases, which depresses the number of jobs.
Aurelio Locsin has been writing professionally since 1982. He published his first book in 1996 and is a frequent contributor to many online publications, specializing in consumer, business and technical topics. Locsin holds a Bachelor of Arts in scientific and technical communications from the University of Washington.