By Emma Peterson.

Check out the different legal topics highlighted in this month’s Cotney Brief.

Every month, Trent Cotney of Adams & Reese sends out a newsletter, the Cotney Briefs, discussing legal insights and advice for contractors. These topics can range from code changes and contract provisions to supreme court cases and more. Here’s what he talked about in his most recent newsletter.

1 – Federal DBE program changes

At the end of September, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) finalized significant changes to their Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. This program was historically created to “to increase participation by disadvantaged businesses in federally assisted highway, transit and airport projects.” This status as “disadvantaged” was previously determined based on a variety of factors, including race, ethnicity and sex. The new changes eliminate these demographic factors and instead require business owners to demonstrate “social and economic disadvantage through a personal narrative describing specific economic hardships, social barriers or denied opportunities that impeded their education, employment or business success.”

It is important to note that this change impacts both businesses already holding a DBE certification and those applying. The DOT has established December 24, 2026, as the deadline for re-evaluations of businesses already holding a DBE certification.

What this means for contractors: For contractors working on federally assisted transportation projects, it is important to review “existing DBE relationships and monitor the certification status of subcontractors.” DBE-certified contractors should promptly review the new requirements and submit documentation for re-evaluation.

2 – Venegas v. Homan case update

In the case Venegas v. Homan, Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen employed in residential construction in Alabama, is filing a lawsuit based on the actions of Department of Homeland Security officers. During two instances, Leonardo was detained while working at a construction site that the DHS officers entered without warrants. Further, on both occasions Leonardo presented his Alabama REAL ID but officers “continued holding him while attempting to verify his immigration status.”

On September 21, 2026, Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock of the Southern District of Alabama ruled in Leonardo’s favor and stayed three DHS policies. As Trent explained it:

1. Immigration officers generally cannot enter nonpublic areas of private construction sites without a warrant, consent or another recognized legal justification.
2. Officers cannot detain construction workers solely based on generalized assumptions about immigration status without reasonable suspicion specific to the individual.
3. Officers cannot continue detaining workers under the challenged policy after they provide sufficient evidence of citizenship or lawful presence.

What this means for contractors: This is still a preliminary ruling, but it does reinforce that construction sites are not automatically open to DHS officers and that workers on the sites retain constitutional protections during immigration investigations. Contractors should train their teams and establish procedures for responding to immigration officers attempting to enter a jobsite, such as verifying warrants, establishing nonpublic work areas and documenting encounters.

3 – Granule loss disclaimer

In recent years, contractors have reported an uptick of homeowner complaints, warranty claims and disputes related to shingle granule loss. The granules in question are the mineral granules used on asphalt shingles to protect the asphalt from ultraviolet exposure and weathering. And, while some granule loss is natural, excessive loss is an issue that is often not connected to the installing contractor.

What this means for contractors: Contractors should ensure that their contracts explain what normal granule shedding is, what might be installation-related and what is manufacturer defects. This helps avoid unnecessary callbacks related to normal shedding and also helps establish clear responsibility for abnormal scenarios. Trent recommends including a provision like this one:

Owner acknowledges that some granule loss or shedding is a normal characteristic of asphalt shingles, particularly during and following installation and as a result of ordinary weathering and aging. Contractor does not manufacture the shingles and makes no independent warranty regarding granule adhesion or retention. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Contractor disclaims liability for any excessive or premature granule loss (“Loss”). The Loss shall be governed exclusively by the manufacturer's written warranty, which shall constitute Owner's sole and exclusive remedy against Contractor for such product defects.

4 – AI job screening disclosures

Last but not least, Trent shared information about AI. Specifically, he shared insights into the New York Senate Bill S10290, known as the Bossware and Oppressive Technology Act. This bill would require employers using “covered automated decision-making tools,” aka AI systems, to notify applicants and employees of their use of the technology 10 business days prior to using it. Within that notice, the employer would need to “identify the use of the technology, explain the qualifications and characteristics being evaluated and describe the information the system analyzes.”

Additionally, the legislation would require independent impact assessments of these tools to evaluate for “potential discriminatory effects and other risks associated with the technology.” This is a similar requirement to the ones established under New York’s Local Law 144 from 2023, which required “employers using qualifying automated employment decision tools for hiring or promotion to conduct independent bias audits and provide advance notice to affected applicants and employees.”

What this means for contractors: Although this bill is still in committee and not yet a law, it reflects the growing legislative interest in the ways AI is being used in workplaces. Contractors should review their hiring and background screening practices, as well as those of third-party platforms they use, to understand when they might need to send notices under a law like this. Employers should also “ensure that qualified personnel independently review employment decisions rather than relying exclusively on automated recommendations” as AI-related employment legislation continues to develop.

Read more of Trent’s newsletters!

By The Coffee Shops®. 

Takeaways from the Alabama immigration case Venegas v. Homan that contractors should pay attention to. 

Last month, an Alabama federal court made a ruling in the case of Venegas v. Homan. This case arose from two encounters involving Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen who builds homes in Baldwin County, Alabama. During the first encounter, armed officers entered a posted jobsite, detained Leonardo and questioned the validity of his Alabama STAR ID before confirming his citizenship. Less than a month later, an officer entered a nearly completed home where Leanardo was working and again detained him. 

The ruling that the court made, led by Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock, rejected the government’s argument that construction sites should be treated as open fields that officers may enter without warrants and reinforced jobsite protections. This ruling specifically temporarily stayed three Department of Homeland Security enforcement policies (found in Section 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act):  

1. Entering private construction sites without consent or a warrant 
2. Detaining workers without individualized suspicion that they are unlawfully present 
3. Continuing to detain workers after they provide evidence of citizenship or lawful status 

Overall, the court distinguished active, private workplaces marked by fencing and “No Trespassing” signs from abandoned or undeveloped property. It also recognized that employees may have a reasonable expectation of privacy in nonpublic work areas. They further found that officers must have reasonable suspicion based on specific facts before detaining someone to investigate immigration status.  

What does this mean for contractors? Law firm Adams & Reese’s Mary Kate Fernandez and Trent Cotney wrote an article breaking down the key takeaways from this case for construction contractors. This includes that “job sites are not ‘open fields,’ workers have Fourth Amendment rights on the job, REAL ID-compliant identification carries weight and site access controls matter.”  

Learn more about this case and what it means for you and your crew.

By Emma Peterson.

Learn how proactive planning can help contractors protect their people, assets and operations when disaster strikes.

With over a month left of hurricane season and storm systems cropping up left and right in the Pacific, understanding how to prepare for the next storm is still just as important as it was at the start of the season. To learn more about consistently navigating storms, Karen Edwards spoke to Chris Kane, a lawyer at Adams & Reese and the head of their disaster recovery and preparedness team, during an episode of Roofing Road Trips®.

Chris emphasized one thing that he considered the best thing we can do going into each storm season: preparing a solid storm plan. He explained, “Preparedness is key. From an insurance perspective, if you’re going to make a claim, you need to have baseline documentation of the assets you have. For contractors, this is everything from your tools to your materials.” And when you’re assembling that information, make sure it’s backed up outside of the office or home. Chris has seen firsthand how people struggle to piece things together after a storm due to the damage done to their office and storage.

Another preparedness point he made was to have a communication plan that is continuously updated throughout the year. He gave some examples of what should be included in this plan, saying, “The plan should outline who the decision makers are, who’s authorized to make decisions at certain levels and give autonomy to your leaders in your organization.” This is important because, when disaster strikes, you don’t want to be playing telephone trying to figure out who’s in charge of what!

And the last, but certainly not least, a critical necessity Chris brought up was checking your insurance plan. Many people don’t review their insurance plans every year; they just renew for the same amount. And while having any insurance in place is great, this leaves them exposed. Chris explained why, “A lot of times people just go through the renewal process for their insurance and they just do the same thing they did last year. The issue with that is that inflation has impacted everything.” He went on, “Think about replacement of materials alone, not even facility replacement. Costs for materials have gone way up and if you’re doing the same plan from five years ago, that’s not going to cover the modern cost.”

Want more insight into preparing your business for success in a storm season? Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording!

By Emma Peterson.

In his September 2026 newsletter, Trent Cotney highlights legal cases and changes contractors need to be aware of.

Every month, Trent Cotney, a partner and roofing litigation/arbitration expert at the Adams and Reese law firm, releases a Cotney Brief newsletter. These newsletters share key insights from Trent on the legal state of the industry, complete with advice and provisions that professionals can incorporate into their own operations. Here’s the main topics he pointed out in the most recent, September 2026, brief.

1 – The EPA’s PFAS designation

At the end of August, the D.C. Circuit unanimously upheld Environmental Protections Agency (EPA)’s designation of PFOA and PFOS as “hazardous substances” under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or also commonly known as Superfund). They further clarified that CERCLA “does not require certainty that a substance will cause substantial harm” and in place of this the EPA makes the call.

What this means for contractors: Contractors working in demolition, remediation, waste handling and other possibly contaminated areas should pay extra attention to “PFAS exposure, disposal practices, indemnity provisions and environmental risk allocation.”

2 – Suquilanda v. Skyway Roofing, Inc.

In this case, a roofer employed by the subcontractor MBT Construction Corp. suffered catastrophic injuries due to a fall while replacing shingles on a project. He sued the main contractor, Skyway Roofing, for negligence under the argument that “Skyway controlled jobsite safety and knew MBT had prior OSHA fall-protection citations.”

Recently, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that Skyway “does not owe a subcontractor's employee a duty of care under the retained-control doctrine unless the general contractor retains or exercises control over the injury-producing work or safety practices.”

What this means for contractors: The court determined that the general contractor owed no safety duty to the subcontractor’s injured employee. Contractors should take note of this case and review contract language and safety provisions to ensure that operational control over a subcontractor’s work remains the subcontractor's responsibility.

3 – Testing and investigating provision

When issues arise related to defects or water intrusion, the next step is often testing, core cuts, probes, tear-offs and other investigations. These are good steps, but they are also considered destructive investigation, can be quite expensive and are unfortunately often demanded prematurely, before anyone knows whether the issue is actually caused by the contractor’s work.

What this means for contractors: Contractors should ensure they have a provision in their contract that addresses these investigation and testing situations. More specifically, they should make it clear who is paying for the investigation. Trent recommends a provision that shifts those costs based on the outcome. In his words, “If the investigation establishes defective or nonconforming contractor work, the contractor bears the reasonable cost. If the contractor's work complies with the contract requirements, the owner bears the investigation and restoration costs.” Here’s an example of what that provision might look like:

If Owner, Architect, Consultant or any other party acting on Owner's behalf requests testing, destructive investigation, exploratory openings, core samples, removal of completed Work or other investigation to determine whether Contractor's Work is defective or nonconforming, Owner shall initially bear all costs associated with such investigation, including testing, consultants, access, removal, protection and restoration.*

• Read the whole provision online.

4 – OSHA renews National Emphasis Program (NEP)

OSHA’s NEP program focuses on safety in warehousing and distribution center operations. By renewing this program (through the revised directive CPL 03-00-026), OSHA is signaling the continuation of their scrutiny of workplace safety practices for another five years.

The reason for this extension was the injury statistics they uncovered during the first run of the program, “OSHA reports that during the first 18 months of the original warehouse NEP, inspectors identified more than 1,700 violations and removed approximately 37,410 workers from hazardous conditions.”

While still the same program, the 2026 renewed version does come with a few changes. Notably, OSHA removed high-injury-rate retail establishments from the scope of the program and eliminated mandatory screening requirements for ergonomic and heat hazards.

What this means for contractors: For those managing warehouses and distribution factors, the renewal of NEP should encourage them to audit their operations with special focus given to “forklift operations, material storage, walking-working surfaces, emergency exits, fire protection, heat procedures, ergonomics and OSHA recordkeeping.” These professionals also should ensure that their employees know what to do when OSHA compliance officer show up on site.

Read more of the September 2026 brief and find Trent’s other newsletters online!

By Emma Peterson. 

Insights on navigating consolidation, managing risk and building the operational discipline needed to succeed in today’s roofing industry.  

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth and Trent Cotney sat down for a conversation about the current state of the roofing industry and how contractors can navigate a market that is increasingly less forgiving of error. Trent is a partner at the Adams and Reese law firm with over 30 years of experience counseling roofers, giving him a firsthand seat to how the struggles of contractors have shifted over the years.  

Looking at the industry today, Trent says that operational excellence is even more important than it has always been. He shared, “Having that operational excellence is always something that that we advocate for, but it’s even more key as our market tightens and there is less and less room for error.”  

What is causing this tightening industry? Trent points out how the competition and market landscape are constantly shifting due to consolidation. As he put it, “We're continuing to see consolidation among the industry that's created a lot of uncertainty. It goes two ways. One, you have your competitor down the street and if they join a bigger company and suddenly have a lot more market capability overnight, that’s hard to navigate.” He went on, “On the flip side, some of these consolidations are backfiring. There’s a handful of examples of people getting into the business and not understanding the nuances of roofing and suddenly there’s a gap in the market from a business closing down.”  

Trent’s best advice for navigating this highly uncertain market? Run a tight ship and lean on trusted resources. He explained, “In roofing, the market is tight. There will be 10 contractors that go under today and 20 new ones tomorrow, and that’s just how it is... How do you avoid being one that goes under? Get as much information you can.”  

Take the time to read articles from experts like Trent (which you can find here on RoofersCoffeeShop), check out the resources from industry associations like National Roofing Contractors Association and talk to your peers in the industry at events and gatherings. As Trent put it, “Find a really solid group of people that you can talk to and learn from. Even if they’re your competition in some spots, this is really a great industry. Most people want to help; I know I’m always happy to answer questions no matter if I’m on the road or sitting at my computer. That community is how you survive an unstable market like we have today.” 

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more!  

By Emma Peterson. 

Monica Murphy shares why the relationships, education and opportunities gained through NRCA's premier legal event can have a lasting impact. 

On October 7 and 8, 2026, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) will be hosting their live LEGALCon event! This is the association’s premier legal event and aims to “equip roofing professionals with the insights they need to navigate the current complex business environment with confidence.” To learn more about the event and why contractors and professionals should attend, we spoke to Monica Murphy of Ray Nolan Roofing for a LEGALCon-focused episode of Roofing Road Trips®. 

Monica opened with some background information on the event, saying, “This is more than just a legal conference. Our scope covers everything from insurance and risk to AI and contract provisions.” As such, the event’s speaker list includes both attorneys and other industry leaders. She shared, “We have a lot of attorneys, a big one is Trent Cotney from Adams and Reese who is also the general counsel for NRCA. We also have non-attorneys, like Mark Graham with the NRCA who will be giving a technical update and Adrianne Anglin, also with the NRCA, who will be speaking on fleet safety.” 

In addition to the expanded scope, Monica and the NRCA team have worked to ensure that there are both formal and informal learning opportunities at the conference so that every attendee walks away with key knowledge and strategies that can be applied as soon as they return to their office. She explained:  

Attendees can of course get incredible information during their official talks, but sometimes you have questions that maybe wouldn't have been applicable to raise your hand during the seminar to ask in front of everybody. To make sure those questions also get answered, we've also planned breaks between each speaker where people can either network with your peers that are sitting around your table or to go ask the speaker that one-on-one question. 

Overall, LEGALCon 2026 is a two-day event that is a must-attend for anyone in the roofing industry. As Monica put it, “I really cannot express enough how valuable this event is... These roofing contractors, these speakers, we all want to help each other out and we all want to elevate our industry. And our business has really prospered because of opportunities that have come directly from LEGALCon.” 

If you haven’t already, register to attend LEGALCon 2026! The event is planned for October 7-8, 2026, at the Omni Hotel in Chicago, Illinois with registration closing on October 1, 2026. Want to learn more about the conference? Listen to the whole podcast or Watch the recording with Monica! 

By Emma Peterson.

Get ready for the largest roofing contractor conference in Texas!

The 2026 annual Texas Roofing Conference is coming up at the end of October (10/21/26-10/23/26 to be precise). This conference is organized by the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas (RCAT) and provides attendees with the opportunity to attend cutting-edge educational sessions, explore a two-day expo featuring the latest roofing products and network at a variety of fun events!

Experience incredible education

This year’s show boasts a variety of industry-leading speakers for its education program. Whether you’re a commercial contractor or residential roofer, attending these courses is a sure-fire way to find new ideas to build your business!

Here’s a few sessions The Coffee Shops® has bookmarked:

• The 5 Revenue Drivers Behind High-Performing Roofing Service Division: This session will be taught by Chad Westbrook of Service Alignment on Thursday, October 22. In the session, Chad will explain how contractors can “turn service work into dependable, profitable revenue.”
• OSHA Defense Mastery: also on October 22, this session will be taught by the incredible Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese. During the 50-minute session, Trent will cover a practical roadmap for handling OSHA inspections. This is the perfect sessions for those wanting “a better understanding of how to reduce exposure before an incident occurs and how to respond if OSHA knocks.”
• NRCA update on roofing industry technical issues: in this session, the National Roofing Contractors Association’s Mark Graham will give attendees an update on building code changes, FM guideline revisions and other technical details that “change how roofing contractors design, bid and install roof systems.”
• Leadership, Performance, Teamwork, Resilience and Accountability: This session is actually the keynote of the 2026 show! It is taught by Clint Bruce, who is a former NFL linebacker, a Navy SEAL veteran and business founder. His presentation will draw on his experiences and focus on the role of leadership, performance, teamwork, resilience and accountability in success.

See the full schedule of sessions!

Explore innovations on the expo floor

The expo floor (which will be open 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. on 10/22 and 10 a.m - 2 p.m. on 10/23) will host more than 150 manufacturers, suppliers, software and service providers such as ABC Supply, QXO, Polyglass, Tamko, Malarkey Roofing Products, Owens Corning, MetalVue by Sherwin-Williams, SRS Distribution, GAF, READYSLATE, JobNimbus, Eagleview and Johns Manville! Each exhibitor booth will showcase the newest, more innovative products and services in the roofing material and technology market.

There are also some fun prize opportunities! On October 22, door prize drawings will kick off at 2 p.m. (you must be present to win). As for October 23, there will be a $5,000 RCAT Raffle Winner drawing at 1:30 p.m.!

Attend events and make connections

And if the education opportunities and expo weren’t enough to keep you busy, RCAT has also planned a few special events during the 2025 Texas Roofing Conference:

• RCAT Annual Golf Tournament: hosted at the Cowboys Golf Club 1600 Fairway Dr, Grapevine, Texas 76051), this is your opportunity for some friendly competition! Players must register an advance.
• Welcome Reception: kick off the show by attending the welcome reception at the Gaylord Texan Mission Plaza. This event runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is open to all fully registered conference attendees and exhibitors.
• Awards Luncheon: take a break from attending education sessions and exploring the expo floor with RCAT’s Annual Business Meeting & Awards Luncheon!

These are not just a great opportunity have some fun, but also to network with their peers and make connections with industry leaders that will last beyond the show!

The 2026 show will be hosted at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. Make sure you have your tickets!

Por Emma Peterson, traducido por Alberto Torres. 

El evento de este año se acerca rápidamente, con el primer día programado para el 27 de septiembre de 2026, y queremos ayudarte a crear la agenda ideal para aprovechar al máximo tu experiencia. 

El Western Roofing Expo (WRE), patrocinado por la Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA), es uno de los eventos más importantes de la industria del techado y la impermeabilización. No solo está lleno de actividades reconocidas, como la competencia de instalación de tejas Roofing Games™ y la subasta en vivo, sino que también cuenta con 28 sesiones educativas, dos almuerzos con conferencias y mucho más. 

Es una gran cantidad de actividades para solo tres días (el evento de 2026 se llevará a cabo del 27 al 29 de septiembre), por eso queremos compartir algunas de las sesiones y actividades que no te puedes perder. 

Domingo, 27 de septiembre de 2026 

El primer día del evento estará enfocado principalmente en establecer conexiones con expertos y colegas de la industria. Hay varias actividades opcionales, como el Bob Porter Golf Tournament y el Sporting Clays Tournament, pero el evento principal del día será la bienvenida y subasta de WRE. Patrocinado por GAF,  este evento no solo marca el inicio de WRE 2026, sino que también recauda fondos para la Davis Memorial Foundation, la organización benéfica de WSRCA.

Lunes, 28 de septiembre de 2026 

El lunes comienza la acción con una agenda llena de más de una docena de sesiones educativas. Estas son algunas de las sesiones que recomendamos: 

• Tendencias importantes en la industria del techado: Heidi J. Ellsworth, de RoofersCoffeeShop®, presentará las tendencias que están marcando la industria. Esta sesión ofrecerá a los asistentes información valiosa sobre dónde ha estado la industria del techado y hacia dónde se dirige.  
• ¿Listo o no?: Nuestros amigos Trent Cotney y Benjamin Briggs, de Adams and Reese, hablarán sobre las redadas de ICE, las auditorías I-9 y cómo los contratistas de techado pueden gestionar su exposición ante el panorama migratorio actual.  
• De contratar rápido a contratar bien: En esta sesión en español, Amparo Sancen, de Latinos En Roofing, explorará cómo formar un equipo de techado que contribuya al éxito de tu negocio.  
• Uso de la IA en la estimación de proyectos de techado: John Kenney, de Cotney Consulting Group, compartirá información sobre el uso de la inteligencia artificial (IA) en las operaciones de techado, específicamente en los procesos de estimación.  

Además de estas oportunidades educativas, el lunes habrá dos opciones de almuerzos educativos, tres demostraciones y el esperado evento Roofer’s Feud. Aquí te contamos un poco más: 

• Almuerzos: El lunes habrá dos oportunidades para aprender durante el almuerzo. Una será para profesionales de habla hispana y contará con Victor Maya (Advantage Roofing, GAF), quien hablará sobre cómo maximizar las reclamaciones de seguros para techos comerciales. La otra contará con Craig Brightup (corresponsal político de WSRCA) y Chad Collins (presidente de la junta directiva de la National Roofing Contractors Association), quienes ofrecerán una actualización sobre temas políticos.
• Demostraciones: Habrá tres demostraciones el lunes. La primera comenzará a la 1:30 p.m. y estará a cargo de Polyglass U.S.A. La segunda, que comienza a las 2:30 p.m., será presentada por TAMKO Building Products, y la última demostración del día será a las 3:30 p.m. con Johns Manville.  
• Roofer’s Feud: Para cerrar las actividades del lunes llega Roofer’s Feud. Patrocinado por CertainTeed, será una excelente oportunidad para poner a prueba tus conocimientos y disfrutar de una competencia amistosa.  

Martes, 29 de septiembre de 2026 

¡Pero todavía hay más! Comienza el martes con un desayuno y conversaciones en mesas con el equipo de National Women in Roofing a las 7 a.m. (ten en cuenta que esta actividad requiere un registro adicional de $55). Después del desayuno, será momento de regresar directamente a las sesiones educativas. Algunas de las que recomendamos para el martes incluyen: 

• Mesa redonda sobre techado: Organizada por el Comité de Jóvenes Profesionales del Techado de WSRCA y dirigida por Rachel Garcia, de Malarkey Roofing Products, esta sesión se enfocará en cómo formar equipos multigeneracionales. 
• Estado de la industria: Trent Cotney regresa para otra sesión, esta vez para analizar desde una perspectiva legal lo que está sucediendo en la industria.  
• Salud mental y adicción en el lugar de trabajo de la industria del techado: Paul Reed, de Roofers in Recovery, dirigirá esta sesión sobre cómo los contratistas pueden apoyar mejor la salud mental de sus cuadrillas.  
• El costo de la desconexión: En esta sesión en español, Monica Vornbrock, de The GLO Group, analizará cómo las fallas en la comunicación después de una venta pueden afectar la confianza de los clientes y los ingresos de los contratistas.  
• Diseño de techos duraderos para climas fríos: En esta sesión, Mindy Dahlquist, de TRA Snow and Sun, analizará el papel de los sistemas de retención de nieve en el diseño de techos para climas fríos.  
• De un servicio reactivo a uno proactivo: En la última sesión de nuestra lista, Tracey Donels, de Service First Solutions, hablará sobre cómo crear un crecimiento empresarial más predecible a través de los servicios que ofrece una compañía.  

Al igual que el lunes, el martes habrá dos opciones para aprender durante el almuerzo y varias actividades que no te puedes perder: 

• Almuerzos: Imelda Perez, de CertainTeed, estará a cargo del almuerzo en español del martes. La otra opción será en inglés y contará con la oradora motivacional Shereen Thor.  
• Escenario: Después del almuerzo, el equipo de RoofersCoffeeShop® tomará el escenario de demostraciones para una interesante conversación con el presidente de WSRCA, Stan Robinson, y el próximo presidente de WSRCA, Ron Lloyd.  
• Roofing Games™: ¡Y para cerrar el día llega la esperada competencia de instalación de tejas! Patrocinada por Malarkey Roofing Products, esta es una excelente oportunidad para reunir a la comunidad y quizás hasta ganar algunos premios.  

Estas listas son solo una pequeña muestra de todo lo que encontrarás en el Western Roofing Expo de este año. 

¡Consulta la agenda completa y regístrate para asistir a WRE 2026! 

By Emma Peterson.

This year’s show is coming up fast with the first day being September 27, 2026 and we wanted to help you build the ultimate attendee schedule.

The Western Roofing Expo (WRE), which is sponsored by Western States Roofing Contractors Association (WSRCA), is one of the premier events in the roofing and waterproofing industry. Not only is it chock full of iconic moments, like the Roofing Games™ shingling competition and the live auction, but it also boasts 28 educational sessions, two keynote luncheons and more!

That’s a lot of programming for just three days (the 2026 show will be held from 9/27/26 to 9/29/26), which is why we wanted to break down some of our must-attend sessions and events!

Sunday, September 27, 2026

The first day of the show will mostly be networking with industry experts and peers. There are a few events you can opt to attend, such as the Bob Porter Golf Tournament and Sporting Clays Tournament, but the main event of the day is the WRE Welcome event and auction. Sponsored by GAF, this event not only marks the beginning of the 2026 show, but also raises funds for the Davis Memorial Foundation, WSRCA’s charitable organization.

Monday, September 28, 2026

Monday is when things get really busy with a stacked schedule of more than a dozen education sessions. Here’s our shortlist of must-attend sessions from this day:

• Roofing Trends That Matter: RoofersCoffeeShop®’s own Heidi J. Ellsworth will be presenting about roofing trends! This presentation will give attendees valuable insight into where the roofing industry has been and where it’s moving towards.
• Ready or Not: our friends Trent Cotney and Benjamin Briggs of Adams and Reese will be diving into ICE raids, 1-9 audits and managing roofing contractor exposure in our current immigration landscape.
• From Hiring Fast to Hiring Right: in a Spanish-language session, Amparo Sancen of Latinos En Roofing explores how to build a roofing team that will help your business win.
• Using AI in Roofing Estimating: John Kenney of Cotney Consulting Group shares insight into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in roofing operations, specifically related to estimating.

In addition to those education opportunities, Monday boasts two luncheon options, three demonstrations and the much-anticipated Roofer’s Feud event. Here’s a bit about those options:

• Luncheons: there are two lunch learning opportunities on Monday. One is for Spanish-speaking professionals and features Victor Maya (Advantage Roofing, GAF) discussing how to maximize commercial roofing claims. The other features Craig Brightup (WSRCA political correspondent) and Chad Collins (chairman of the National Roofing Contractors Association board) as they give a political update.
• Demonstrations: as we mentioned, there are three demos on Monday. The first kicks off at 1:30 p.m. is hosted by Polyglass U.S.A. The second (which starts at 2:30 p.m.) is from TAMKO Building Products and the last demo of the day is at 3:30 p.m. and features Johns Manville.
• The Roofer’s Feud: closing out the Monday schedule is the Roofer’s Feud. Sponsored by CertainTeed, this is a great chance to test your trivia knowledge and enjoy some friendly competition.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

But wait, there’s more! Hit the ground running on Tuesday with breakfast and table talks with the National Women in Roofing team at 7 a.m. (please note, additional registration of $55 required for this event). After breakfast, it’s time to jump straight back into education sessions! Some of our must-attends for Tuesday include:

• The Roofing Roundtable: hosted by the WSRCA Young Roofing Professionals Committee and led by Rachel Garcia of Malarkey Roofing Products, this session is all about building multi-generational teams.
• State of the Industry: Trent Cotney is back for another session, this time exploring the legal perspective of what’s going on the industry.
• Mental Health and Addiction in the Roofing Workplace: Paul Reed of Roofers in Recovery takes the helm during this session about how contractors can better support the mental health of their crews.
• The Cost of Disconnection: for this Spanish-language session, Monica Vornbrock of the GLO Group dives into how post-sale breakdowns are costing contractors customer trust and revenue.
• Designing Durable Cold-Climate Roofs: in this session, Mindy Dahlquist of TRA Snow and Sun explores the role of snow retention in designing roofs in cold climates.
• Escaping Reactive Service: the last session on our shortlist is Tracey Donels (Service First Solutions) talk about creating predictable business growth through service offerings.

And just like on Monday, there are two options for lunchtime learning and some can’t miss events:

• Luncheons: Imelda Perez of CertainTeed will be hosting Tuesday’s Spanish-language luncheon. The other lunch option will be in English and features motivational speaker Shereen Thor.
• Sound stage: The RoofersCoffeeShop® crew will be taking over the demonstration stage after lunch for an insightful conversation with WSRCA President Stan Robinson and incoming WSRCA President Ron Lloyd.
• The Roofing Games™: and closing out the day is the much-anticipated shingling competition! Sponsored by Malarkey Roofing Products, this is a great opportunity to bring the community together and maybe even win some fun prizes!

These lists are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to everything going on at this year’s Western Roofing Expo!

See the whole schedule and register to attend the 2026 show!

By Jesse Sanchez.

Contractors can reduce liability, strengthen customer relationships and protect profitability by addressing the growing complexity of today’s rooftops. 

During this Coffee Conversations® sponsored by Anchor Products, Heidi J. Ellsworth joined Anchor Products founder Joel Stanley, attorney Trent Cotney of Adams and Reese and roofing technical expert Mark Graham to examine how contractors can better manage rooftop risks. Joel explained that managing rooftop risk requires contractors to look beyond the roofing system itself and consider how equipment, penetrations and other rooftop conditions can affect the overall performance of the building. As rooftops become more complex and more trades interact with them, clearly understanding those conditions can help contractors identify potential issues before they become larger problems. That broader responsibility is especially important from the building owner’s perspective. As Joel put it, “We can't keep pointing the finger at other people because, quite frankly, the building owner doesn't care. He wants water off the floor.” 

That makes planning and clearly defining project scope increasingly important. Trent stressed that contractors should understand their responsibilities before submitting a bid or signing a proposal, particularly as rooftop systems and code requirements become more complex. Pointing to a common weakness in project documentation, he explained, “Contractors do a great job at explaining what they are going to do. They do a horrible job at explaining what they are not going to do.” 

Documentation can provide another layer of protection, especially when equipment, penetrations or other rooftop components are added after a roofing contractor completes a project. Mark encouraged contractors to create a clear record of completed conditions, recommending, “We should be taking post installation photos.” Those records can help establish what was present when the contractor left the project and provide valuable context if questions or claims arise later. 

The panel also emphasized routine inspections, service and maintenance as opportunities to identify unsecured equipment, damaged supports and other developing hazards. By communicating those conditions to building owners, contractors can reduce risk, strengthen trust and uncover additional opportunities to provide valuable rooftop services. 

Safety remains central to that effort, particularly as more trades and building occupants access rooftops. Understanding responsibilities, documenting conditions and addressing hazards proactively can help contractors protect people, projects and profitability. 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the Webinar to learn more about how proactive planning and rooftop risk management can help contractors protect their work and strengthen long-term customer relationships!