Commercial roofing recruiters serving Washington, DC.
Standard DC roofing foremen run 18% above national. Federal-contract estimators command a published 30% premium - the GSA's building modernization pipeline needs that experience specifically.
A real baseline premium, plus a federal procurement specialty tier.
Commercial roofing foremen in the DC metro command a wage premium about 18% above the national average.
Foremen and estimators with GSA-spec and federally-funded project experience are the exception. The metro's own data names this directly: federal-contract estimators command a published 30% premium, tied to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements and GSA procurement rules.
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial roofing contractors in DC, and we verify real GSA-spec or federally-funded project history rather than a line on a resume.
The story behind the scarcity.
A multi-year federal building modernization pipeline, alongside hospital and waterfront redevelopment.
-
GSA building portfolio modernization carries substantial roofing scope tied to federal procurement rules and Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
-
Multi-system hospital expansion through 2028, adding hospital-grade roofing scope.
-
Mixed-use waterfront redevelopment through 2030, adding specialty commercial roofing demand.
What commercial roofing roles pay in Washington, D.C..
In the Washington, D.C. metro, BLS puts the median for roofers at $58,340 a year, 5% above the $55,440 national median. Among the 104 metros BLS publishes for this occupation, Washington, D.C. ranks 35th on pay. Most of the market sits between $47,210 and $79,600. Of the other field roles, sheet metal worker pays the most locally, at a $61,270 median. National benchmarks by role are in the 2026 Commercial Roofing Salary Guide.
| Role | Washington, D.C. median | Typical range | National median | vs. national | Employed locally |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial RooferRoofers (47-2181) | $58,340 | $47,210–$79,600 | $55,440 | +5% | 1,940 |
| Roofing HelperHelpers--Roofers (47-3016) | $47,090 | $31,260–$54,030 | $44,160 | +7% | 90 |
| Sheet Metal WorkerSheet Metal Workers (47-2211) | $61,270 | $43,780–$85,780 | $61,800 | −1% | 1,840 |
| Roofing ForemanFirst-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers (47-1011) | $83,540 | $60,720–$129,260 | $79,920 | +5% | – |
| EstimatorCost Estimators (13-1051) | $89,330 | $53,890–$142,310 | $78,740 | +13% | – |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Washington, D.C. metro. Range is 10th to 90th percentile. Headcount is shown for field occupations only; management, estimating and supervisory codes are counted across every industry in the metro.
What candidates expect. What credentials matter. What kills offers.
We don't tell prospective clients who their competitors are hiring - that's a discipline our clients value, and we'll honor it on a call. What we will share publicly: how the DC commercial roofing hiring game actually plays out in 2026. The five things below are what we tell every DC roofing client at intake.
Why GSA-spec roofing experience is the scarcest credential
DC's own market data names federal building and GSA-spec roofing as being in tight supply, tied directly to the GSA's multi-year building modernization pipeline and its Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
Where DC commercial roofing talent comes from
We recruit across the full org chart for commercial roofing contractors in the DC metro. Standard foreman-level talent draws on a genuinely available regional pipeline, priced above national given the metro's cost structure. GSA-experienced foremen and estimators are the harder fill, tied to federal procurement rules specifically.
Credentials worth filtering for
What actually separates candidates in DC: verified GSA-spec or federally-funded roofing project history and familiarity with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements - the specific experience the metro's own market data flags.
What candidates expect from a DC roofing offer in 2026
Standard foreman comp runs about 18% above national. Federal-contract estimators command a published 30% premium - the metro's own data shows this is genuinely the steepest specialty tier in the market.
Realistic timelines, by role
Standard foreman roles: 4-6 weeks intake to signed offer. GSA-experienced estimators and foremen run longer, given how specifically federal procurement rules and Davis-Bacon requirements call for that experience. First slate of vetted candidates within 48 hours regardless.
The roofing positions we fill, most often.
Across all DC commercial roofing clients, these are the highest-volume roles we've recruited for in the last 24 months. GSA-experienced estimators and foremen are the role in genuine short supply - everything else draws on the metro's own available regional pipeline.
- Commercial roofing foreman
- Foreman (GSA/federal-spec experienced)
- Federal-contract commercial estimator
- Roofing crew lead
- Roofing safety manager
For the broader picture across every commercial trade in DC, see the Washington DC metro overview. To learn more about commercial roofing generally (across all 100+ markets we serve), see our Commercial Roofing industry page.
How we recruit commercial roofing in Washington, D.C., plainly.
Same approach we use in every market - but tuned for what works in DC's commercial roofing segment specifically:
- Same-day intake call. We get the role, the project context, the budget, your dealbreakers. For DC roofing, we also confirm whether the role needs GSA-spec or Davis-Bacon experience specifically, since that changes both the sourcing pool and the offer math.
- Candidate sourcing within 48 hours. We pull from our existing DC commercial roofing candidate network for standard roles. For GSA-experienced roles, we draw on candidates with verified federally-funded project history specifically.
- Vetted short list (week one for standard roles). Three to five candidates. We verify real project-delivery history and federal-procurement familiarity rather than a line on a resume.
- Offer and close. Standard foreman roles close in 4-6 weeks. We help with offer math against DC's own wage table.
Washington, D.C. runs 29% fewer commercial roofing workers per job than the country as a whole — well below the national concentration. Fewer per job means the people you want are already working, and usually for someone who would rather keep them.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 , Roofers. Metro-wide figures for the base occupation; the wage table above is role-specific and commercial.
How Washington, D.C.'s commercial roofing market compares
In 2023 the Washington, D.C. metro had 90 nonresidential roofing contractors (counted by business location), with about 2,343 people on their payrolls. Average pay at those firms was $74,537, in line with the national average of $74,959 for the same kind of employer. That works out to 1.4 per 100,000 residents against 1.8 nationally. Fewer local employers means experienced people are easier to identify, but many work for firms based outside the metro.
Among the 95 metros we cover with published BLS figures, Washington, D.C. ranks 14th for headcount, 33rd for median pay and 67th for concentration for roofers.
What this means for hiring:For commercial roofing employers in Washington, D.C., the headline number is misleading. About 1,940 roofers work here, one of the larger workforces we cover, but relative to the size of the local economy the trade is thinner than average, so every other employer is drawing on the same people. Expect to recruit people who are already employed, and to make the case for moving.
Sources: BLS QCEW 2023 annual averages and BLS OEWS May 2025, Washington, D.C. metro. Employers are counted by business location.
How Washington, D.C.'s commercial roofing market has changed since 2018.
The number of nonresidential roofing contractors in Washington, D.C. rose from 89 in 2018 to 90 in 2023, up 1%, behind the 10% growth nationally.
| Measure | 2018 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresidential roofing contractors: business locations | 89 | 90 | +1% |
| Nonresidential roofing contractors: employment | – | 2,343 | – |
| Nonresidential roofing contractors: average annual pay | – | $74,537 | – |
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, private employers, annual averages. A dash means BLS did not publish the figure.
Frequently asked — commercial roofing hiring in Washington, D.C..
Why is GSA-spec roofing experience the scarcest credential in DC roofing?
The GSA's multi-year federal building modernization pipeline carries substantial roofing scope tied to Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements and federal procurement rules. That combination is why the metro's own data names GSA-spec roofing as being in tight supply.
What major projects are driving commercial roofing demand in DC?
The GSA's federal building modernization pipeline (scale not independently verified), $2.5B in hospital expansion at Inova's Franconia-Springfield campus, and the $1.5B Naval Yard/Anacostia waterfront redevelopment all carry substantial roofing scope.
Are DC commercial roofing wages higher than the national average?
Yes - foremen run about 18% above national, and federal-contract estimators run about 30% above, reflecting the metro's cost structure and Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements.
What do roofers earn in Washington, D.C.?
BLS puts the Washington, D.C. median for roofers at $58,340 a year, 5% above the $55,440 national median. That ranks 35th of 104 metros with published figures, in the middle of the pack. Most of the market sits between $47,210 and $79,600, a 1.7x gap and a moderate spread, so a few thousand dollars over the median buys real experience.
Is it hard to hire roofers in Washington, D.C.?
Yes. Washington, D.C. has 29% fewer roofers per job than the country as a whole, roughly 1,940 in the metro, so most of the people worth hiring are already employed. The 90 nonresidential roofing contractors here average about 26 employees per location.
Which commercial roofing roles pay the most in Washington, D.C.?
Of the roles we recruit for, Estimator pays the most in Washington, D.C., a $89,330 median (BLS measures that occupation across all industries in the metro). Among field roles the top earner is Sheet Metal Worker at $61,270, 31% below it. Roofing Helper is the lowest-paid field role at $47,090. Relative to national pay, Estimator is the strongest-paying role here (13% above).
How many nonresidential roofing contractors operate in Washington, D.C.?
BLS counted 90 nonresidential roofing contractors in Washington, D.C. in 2023, employing about 2,343 people between them. That is roughly where the count stood in 2018 (89). That averages 26 people per location. They pay about the national average of $74,959.
Which nearby metros compete with Washington, D.C. for roofers?
The closest metros we cover with published figures are Baltimore (36 miles, about 890, $56,390 median), Lancaster (88 miles, about 370, $52,640 median) and Richmond (95 miles, about 330, $48,050 median). Washington, D.C. out-pays Lancaster and Richmond, an advantage when recruiting from there.
We have not closed a commercial roofing search in Washington, D.C. yet. Here is what we have closed.
These are other trades in the same market. We would rather show you the searches we have actually run in Washington, D.C. than imply a record in this trade that we do not have yet.
- Dispatcher / Service CoordinatorA coordinator used to 80-100 calls a day and 20-30 technicians, placed in twelve days.
- Commercial HVAC TechnicianRooftop units, VAV boxes, air handlers and water source heat pumps - covered in twelve days.
- IT TechnicianEarly-career IT talent with a fresh degree, placed into a technician seat with room to grow.
Hiring commercial roofing talent in Washington, DC?
Tell us the role. We'll tell you wages, timeline, and where we'd source the candidate - in under 30 minutes.