Once thought to be somewhat insulated from the effects of artificial intelligence (AI), manual labor industries like roofing are now seeing a massive uptick in AI tech adoption and implementation. According to data from Research and Markets, published by Yahoo Finance , the AI in construction market grew from approximately $864 million in 2024 to more than $1 billion in 2025. It's expected to exceed $5 billion by 2032.

If you're planning roofing work, you'll probably come across some form of AI in the process. To help make sense of what that means, Yahoo Local spoke with seven roofing industry experts who shared a range of perspectives. Their insights show that while AI offers clear benefits for roofing customers, there are also some risks to keep in mind. This guide will help you understand what to expect.

How modern roofers use AI today

"Artificial intelligence is transforming how roofing companies deliver accuracy, speed and transparency to homeowners," said Joshua Coffey, regional vice president of Home Genius Exteriors . Some roofers have started slow, incorporating basic tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini for administrative tasks, while others have gone all-in with AI-powered roof inspections, estimates and more.

Jeff Berzolla, founder and CEO of Instant Roofer , a popular AI-powered roofing estimate service, has his finger on the pulse of AI integration in roofing. "We've seen explosive adoption," Berzolla told Yahoo Local. "Roofers are realizing that AI is not a gimmick. It saves them time, saves them money, improves safety, increases accuracy and helps win more business."

Here's a look at the specific ways roofing contractors are incorporating AI technology into their work.

AI-powered drone measurements and roof inspections

By combining drone technology with AI imagery, some roofers are streamlining the process of measuring and inspecting roofs, a historically complex and time-consuming process. "What used to take hours of manual measurements and guesswork can now be modeled in minutes with AI-driven 3D imaging and predictive tools," said Coffey.

Berzolla agrees. "Our AI can measure a roof in seconds with the same accuracy that used to take a human hours," he said. "That single change has completely transformed how roofers quote and sell jobs." Based on internal data, Berzolla said his company's service has generated more than 650,000 instant roof measurements in the past year alone. About 2,500 contractors currently use the service.

Roofers aren't just using AI for roofing measurements because it saves time, though. A.J. Altman, founder and CEO of Hover , another popular AI-powered construction measurement and project coordination tool, said "the accuracy of AI-powered visualization and measurements can significantly reduce errors, site revisits and rework." In Altman's experience, AI saves roofers and contractors both time and labor, which translates to money and stress saved for customers, too.

For roof inspections , AI-powered drone software can help analyze roof conditions, said Michael Feazal, co-founder and CEO of Roof Maxx , a national roof restoration company based in Ohio. "It can even generate repair or replacement recommendations based on what it sees," he said. While thorough roof assessments should always include manual inspections too, some roofers are finding that incorporating AI technology helps streamline and improve the process.

Improving safety conditions in a dangerous industry

"Roofers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations, as well as one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities," according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Slips and falls from scaffolding, ladders and roofs are a major contributor.

By reducing the need for manual inspections (especially on roofs with dangerous slopes), AI-powered drone imagery helps improve safety conditions for roofers, said Feazal.

As we will discuss in more detail below, roofing estimates and assessments that don't include a manual inspection may lack accuracy compared to traditional methods. However, these technological advancements certainly provide an important safety alternative.

Faster (or even instant) roofing estimates

For prospective customers, AI-generated roofing quotes are likely the first way you will encounter this technology as you prepare for roof repairs or replacement . Services like Instant Roofer and Hover offer easy online quotes using AI imagery, which can help you get an idea of how much to expect to pay for roofing work. Both platforms also help connect customers with available contractors.

"AI can assist with estimating and streamlining quotes to ensure more accurate bids are presented quicker," said Feazal. However, while the hope is that these AI-generated quotes are as accurate as manual roof quotes (if not more so), this isn't always the case.

"Many people don't realize that AI tools can't detect what's happening underneath the shingles," said Eric Moore, founder and CEO of First City Roofing in Vincennes, Ind. "That creates real risks when contractors rely on AI alone," Moore said, since the cost of a roofing project can change significantly once these underlying issues are revealed.

We will discuss the limitations of AI-generated roofing quotes in more detail later in the article.

AI-generated roof design images

"With 74% of pros reporting homeowners now expect design visualization upfront, AI-powered tools have become critical," said Altman, who refers to this modern wave of consumers as the "show-and-sell generation."

"Homeowners raised on Pinterest, TikTok and Instagram [...] need to see their renovation before they'll commit," said Altman. "And they're forcing construction to evolve." Using generative AI, contractors can easily create visual examples of a roofing project, for example, so customers can see and understand what they're investing in.

As far as Hover is concerned, this new approach is paying off. According to Hover's internal survey data, shared with Yahoo Local by Altman, 65% of surveyed contractors said that AI-enhanced design improves client communication, and 31% report increased revenue using AI-powered design apps.

Matching homeowners with available roofing companies

If you book roofing work online, there's a chance you'll be using an AI-powered tool to do so. Popular platforms like Instant Roofer , Hover and RoofHero use AI to connect prospective customers with roofers and contractors offering the right services and availability.

Roofing companies can partner with these platforms to find relevant leads, and homeowners can save time by booking this way. However, you should always thoroughly research and vet a roofing company before hiring, even if it comes recommended by one of these services.

The benefit of using Yahoo Local's roofing company recommendations is that they're backed by extreme transparency about our research and vetting process. Our team even reaches out directly to each of our top featured roofing companies to source up-to-date pricing details and ensure quality customer service. This in-depth explainer on our methodology provides more details.

Reducing the burden of daily administrative tasks

Like most modern businesses, roofing companies have started incorporating AI into daily workflows to help streamline scheduling, note-taking, bookkeeping and more.

"I use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to help draft or clean up emails, take meeting notes, summarize spreadsheets and generate quick reports," said Nathan Borntreger, a licensed roofing contractor and the owner of SonShine Roofing in Sarasota, Fla. "It's surprisingly reliable for this kind of behind-the-scenes work, and the improvements over the last few years have been huge."

Borntreger also uses AI for digital content creation, which he said has carried the biggest return on investment so far. "Things like captioning videos, writing keyword-optimized blogs and designing infographics are all huge time sinks when done alone," he said. "By using AI to automate the boring parts of content creation, my team can focus more on real-world outreach instead of staring at screens all day."

While SonShine Roofing hasn't integrated AI into its actual roofing work, Borntreger said AI has helped him succeed as a small-business owner. "I think AI has really leveled the playing field in roofing," he said. "Smaller companies can now use it to handle calls, set appointments, send quotes and stay organized — things that used to take a full office staff."

Where AI falls short in the roofing industry

Without a doubt, AI is transforming the roofing industry in positive ways, helping roofers work faster and more efficiently. However, AI roofing technology has some serious limitations that shouldn't be overlooked — and the costs tend to fall on homeowners.

AI-powered roof inspections tend to be incomplete

"While AI platforms like Eagleview, Hover, Xactimate and xBid are revolutionizing roofing accuracy, many roofs are still being misjudged," said Moore, citing things like soft roof decking, poor ventilation and flashing failures as some of the issues AI roof inspections can't spot. "That gap is costing homeowners time and insurance money when unseen problems show up months later," he said.

Moore stands out as a roofer who embraces AI in his business while remaining aware of its limitations and risks. "We rely on AI to measure and map roofs faster than ever," said Moore. "But those scans don't tell you if a roof will survive a freeze-thaw cycle or if the ventilation's wrong. The tech can't smell mold."

To bridge this gap, Moore and his company combine AI data with hands-on inspections. "This keeps the homeowner protected and the estimate honest," he said.

Accurate roof inspections are especially important heading into winter, said Moore, "when undetected ventilation or structural issues can quickly turn into leaks, ice dams or mold."

Roofing estimates generated by AI may be inaccurate

"AI platforms are great for measurements and surface-level estimates," said Moore, but they shouldn't be relied upon for exact roofing quotes. This is because many of the factors affecting roofing costs can't be detected from the surface.

For example, if your roof decking is rotting and needs to be replaced, this is more likely to be caught during a hands-on inspection than a virtual one. Unfortunately, if you work with a roofing company that relies too heavily on AI imaging and offers a non-binding estimate, this could lead to significant unexpected price increases as the project progresses.

Virtual inspections and estimates are areas "where the tech has real value," said Moore, but it "still needs to be paired with hands-on expertise."

AI roofing technology can't replace human expertise

"Skilled trades like roofing and siding depend on precise data and measurements, which AI can significantly enhance," said Altman. However, "the unpredictable realities of physical construction, where site conditions vary, unexpected issues arise, and trust must be built in real time, remain things AI can't replicate."

While AI can certainly help support the roofing and construction industries, "human experience is still extremely critical," said Feazal.

Moving forward, it's unlikely that AI technology will ever entirely replace human-powered roofing work and knowledge. Regardless, both roofers and homeowners can safeguard themselves by understanding where the line is between AI costs and AI benefits.

What will the future of AI in roofing look like?

"This is only the beginning," said Berzolla. "In a few years, replacing a roof will feel more like ordering a product online than managing a construction project," he said. Berzolla cites Computer Aided Design (CAD) roof designs and AI-powered 3D roof modeling as some of the advancements he foresees in the near future.

That said, Altman thinks "the future of construction work won't be defined by AI alone, but by whether we use it to amplify human expertise or not."

Others take a more skeptical view, like Dan Staupe, the co-owner of Compass Exteriors near Minneapolis. "I don't see AI taking over roofing anytime soon," he said. "It's just not going to happen." This is a common sentiment in hands-on industries like roofing, where human labor and expertise are indispensable. "But I'm not saying it's not possible to make smart use of AI in the roofing industry," Staupe added.

Among the roofing professionals we spoke with, one throughline held strong: AI is not replacing the importance of people and customer service in roofing. In fact, some roofers, like Borntreger, are using the time-saving benefits of AI to invest even more in the people side of the business.

"We've started focusing even more on customer experience, with real conversations, personal attention and local relationships," said Borntreger. "AI handles plenty of background tasks for us, but we've found time and time again that the human side of our business is what keeps people coming back," he said. 

"That's something no bot can replace, in my opinion."

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