Updated April 2026 · Based on roofing contractor surveys, financing platform dealer terms, and payment processor rate data
Roofing is one of the highest-ticket home service industries — average residential roof replacement: $10,000–$15,000, with premium materials or complex roofs reaching $25,000–$40,000+. At 2.6%–3.5% card processing, that's $260–$525 in fees on a single job. For a roofing company doing $2 million in annual revenue, 3% card processing costs $60,000/year — the equivalent of a full-time employee's salary. The payment mix matters more in roofing than almost any other trade because the dollar amounts are large enough to make percentage-based fees genuinely painful, and because insurance claims (which pay by check with zero processing fees) represent 50–70% of residential volume in hail and storm-prone regions.
The roofing payment landscape has three distinct channels: insurance claims (insurance company pays, often by check or ACH), retail/cash jobs (homeowner pays directly), and financed jobs (third-party lender pays you, homeowner repays the lender). Each channel has different cost structures, timelines, and cash flow implications. Smart roofing companies optimize across all three rather than defaulting to credit cards for everything.
| Method | Cost per $12,000 Job | Time to Receive | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance check (AOB/assignment) | $0 | 7–30 days after approval | Storm damage, hail claims, insurance restorations. 50–70% of residential revenue in storm markets. Payment comes from insurance company, not homeowner. Zero processing fees. The delay: insurance adjusters, supplements, and approval cycles can stretch payment to 30–90 days. Cash flow management is the primary challenge, not payment cost. |
| ACH bank transfer | $0–$5 | 2–5 business days | Deposits and final payments on retail jobs. Invoice platforms (Jobber, ServiceTitan, CompanyCam) support ACH. Customer enters bank account info or pays via bill-pay. Minimal friction for large amounts — homeowners are more comfortable with bank transfers for $10K+ than credit cards. No percentage-based fees. |
| Check | $0 | Same day (in hand) to 5 days (mail + deposit) | Still common in roofing, especially for older homeowners and final payments. Zero cost. Risk: bounce rate (1–2%), mail delays, manual deposit. Mobile check deposit (bank app) reduces the deposit delay to 1–2 days. For insurance supplement checks that arrive after job completion, this is the default method. |
| Financing (GreenSky, Mosaic, Service Finance) | $360–$1,800 (3–15% dealer fee) | 2–5 business days after completion | Retail jobs where homeowner can't or won't pay upfront. Dealer fee varies by term and promotion: 0% for 12 months = 3–5% dealer fee, 0% for 36 months = 8–12%, reduced rate for 60+ months = 12–15%. The homeowner finances the job; you receive the full amount minus dealer fee. Increases close rate 15–30% on retail jobs because it removes the "I can't afford it right now" objection. |
| Credit card | $312–$420 (2.6–3.5%) | 1–2 business days | Convenience-driven payments, deposits, and homeowners who want rewards points. Fast settlement. The percentage fee is the most expensive option for large jobs. At $12,000: $312 (interchange-plus at 2.6%) to $420 (flat-rate at 3.5%). Consider surcharging: passing the fee to the customer (legal in 48 states) or offering a cash/ACH discount. |
| Credit card with surcharge | $0 (customer pays fee) | 1–2 business days | Legal in 48 states (not Connecticut or Massachusetts). Add 3–4% surcharge to card payments, disclosed at point of sale. Effective cost to you: $0. Most homeowners choosing card on a $12,000 job will switch to ACH or check when they see the $360–$480 surcharge. Surcharging is a behavioral nudge toward lower-cost payment methods, not primarily a revenue tool. |
In storm-prone markets (Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Florida, the Midwest hail belt), insurance claims represent the majority of residential roofing revenue. The payment flow is fundamentally different from retail:
Offering financing isn't just about getting paid — it's about winning the job. Homeowners facing a $12,000 retail roof replacement (no insurance) often stall or choose the cheapest (often worst) option. Offering "$199/month for 60 months" converts hesitant homeowners into immediate buyers. The dealer fee (3–15%) is a sales cost, not a payment cost. Calculate it against customer acquisition cost: if your average marketing cost to generate a roofing lead is $150–$400, and financing converts 15–30% more leads into signed contracts, the dealer fee is the most efficient sales tool in your budget.
| Platform | Dealer Fee Range | Customer APR | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| GreenSky | 3–15% | 0–26.99% | The largest home improvement financing platform. Wide range of promotional offers (0% for 12–24 months). Fast approval (60 seconds). $55,000 max loan. The industry standard for roofing, HVAC, and home services. Dealer portal integrates with most CRM/estimating tools. |
| Mosaic | 4–12% | 4.99–17.99% | Solar and home improvement specialist. Longer terms available (up to 25 years for qualifying improvements). Lower dealer fees on longer terms compared to GreenSky. Strong in the solar-plus-roofing combo market. Digital-first application process. |
| Service Finance | 3–14% | 0–24.99% | Home services generalist (roofing, HVAC, plumbing). Competitive dealer fees, especially on shorter promotional terms. Parent company: Truist Bank. Reliable funding (2–5 business days). Good option for contractors who want a single financing partner across multiple service lines. |
| Hearth | 2–10% | Varies by lender | Financing marketplace — connects homeowners with multiple lenders for competitive rates. Lower dealer fees because it's a marketplace, not a single lender. Trade-off: the homeowner sees multiple offers and may choose a lender with terms you didn't select. Best for: contractors who want to offer financing without committing to one platform's fee structure. |
| Enerbank (Regions) | 4–16% | 0–19.99% | Established in home improvement lending. Same-as-cash options (0% for 12–18 months). Higher dealer fees on longer promotional terms. Regions Bank backing provides stability. Common in the Southeast US. Longer funding timeline (3–7 business days). |
Insurance claims (50–70% of storm-market revenue): check/ACH from insurance company — $0 processing fees. Retail jobs: ACH bank transfer for deposits and final payment — $0–$5 per transaction vs $312–$420 in card fees on a $12,000 job. Financed jobs: financing platforms (GreenSky, Mosaic) pay you directly — 3–15% dealer fee but increases close rate 15–30%. Credit cards: fast but expensive — 2.6–3.5% on every dollar. Consider surcharging (passing fee to customer) or offering a 3% cash/ACH discount to steer homeowners away from cards.
On a $12,000 roof: $312–$420 per job at 2.6–3.5%. Annual impact at $2 million revenue: $52,000–$70,000 if all payments are card. Realistic impact: $15,000–$30,000/year (assuming 30–50% of revenue is card, remainder is insurance checks, ACH, and financing). Reduction strategies: ACH for deposits (saves $94–$210 per job on a 30% deposit), surcharging (legal in 48 states, saves the full fee), financing instead of card (dealer fee may be similar but increases close rate), and negotiating interchange-plus pricing (saves 0.3–0.5% vs flat-rate processors).