Roofers build or reinstall roofing systems, which are possibly the most important part of any structure, be it a shed, a small house, a warehouse, or an industrial-sized building. Roofers can work hand in hand with architects and structural engineers to determine the kind of roof to construct on a home, whether it should be based on conventional roofing materials and technology to contemporary or high-tech emergent technologies. Before contacting a roofing contractor or roofer, one needs to determine the kind of roof to be built, as well as the kind of roofing system to be implemented. Other factors to be taken into account are the budgetary and structural limitations of building your desired type of roof.
Residential and commercial roofers tend to specialize in different roofing systems, materials, and technologies, as the structures they construct roofs for often have widely varying purposes. Homes normally use conventional technologies developed to work with traditional climate control systems, for example, clay or slate tile roofing systems provide adequate temperature insulation for the inside of the house, and may be supplemented with a basic air conditioning and heating system. Industrial structures, such as warehouses and arenas, for example, may need more sophisticated materials and roofing systems for the purposes of housing multitudes of materials or people, and protecting these from the elements. Some of the newer roofing materials utilized by a commercial roofer may include lightweight fiberglass or thermoplastics, which offer excellent protection against moisture or extreme heat and cold, as well as easy transport and construction.