Common Mistakes in Roofing and Siding Materials—and How to Avoid Them
🏚️ One Wrong Move Can Wreck a Project
Roofing and siding materials might look straightforward—shingles, panels, boards—but managing them incorrectly can lead to massive losses. These products are often exposed to the elements, heavy, breakable, and jobsite-sensitive.
Even small mistakes in handling, inventory, or shipping can result in damage, returns, or installation failures.
❌ Mistake #1: Improper Storage
Roofing shingles can warp or stick together if stored in overly hot or humid environments. Metal panels can scratch or corrode if stacked without separators. Fiber cement siding can crack if leaned against uneven supports.
How to Avoid: Use your ERP to define and track proper bin locations, pallet types, and handling instructions per SKU. Include storage checklists during receiving.
❌ Mistake #2: Incorrect Bundling or Missing Accessories
A contractor receiving metal siding without trim, J-channels, or starter strips can’t complete the job. Missing one small accessory means a call back, a return, and a lost day of labor.
How to Avoid: Use ERP-based kitting features to ensure accessory SKUs are included automatically when core materials are ordered.
❌ Mistake #3: Delivering to the Wrong Jobsite or Wrong Crew
Roofing crews often move between jobs. If you deliver to yesterday’s address, or the wrong site entrance, materials can get stolen, rained on, or refused.
How to Avoid: Store jobsite delivery notes and maps in ERP-linked customer profiles. Use mobile GPS validation to confirm drop-offs.
❌ Mistake #4: SKU Mislabeling or Substitutions
Substituting a slightly different shingle type or siding profile might seem minor—but to a contractor, it can delay the entire job due to aesthetic mismatch or code violations.
How to Avoid: Implement barcode scanning and enforce SKU-level matching in your picking workflows. Use ERP alerts for similar SKUs to flag accidental swaps.
✅ The ERP Advantage
Your ERP can actively prevent these issues by:
Logging damaged returns by category to flag weak processes
Creating digital pick/pack checklists
Managing serial numbers or lot tracking for warranty purposes
Need to eliminate material mistakes from your warehouse to jobsite flow? Talk to us about smarter ERP workflows for roofing and siding.
