Roofing lead follow-up script: call within 5 minutes, confirm the roof problem, offer two inspection times; text if no answer
By Sharrk Team · October 28, 2026
A good roofing lead follow-up script calls the new lead within 5 minutes, confirms the roof problem in one question, and offers two specific inspection times; if nobody answers, it leaves a short voicemail, sends a text right away, and keeps calling, texting and emailing for about two weeks. Sharrk runs that whole cadence automatically: its AI agents reply to new roofing leads in under 30 seconds and keep following up by call, text and email until the homeowner replies, has a real conversation with the AI or asks you to stop.
This guide covers the multi-day follow-up for a fresh lead (web form, Angi, Thumbtack, Networx or ad lead) who hasn't answered or booked. The questions for the first conversation are in the roofing lead call script, and the timing data in roofing lead response time.
Why do the first 5 minutes matter for a roofing lead?
The best-known data is older, general research, not roofing-specific. In a 2007 lead response study by InsideSales.com and Dr. James Oldroyd, the odds of contacting a lead were 100 times greater when the first call was made within 5 minutes rather than 30 minutes, and the odds of qualifying the lead were 21 times better.
A 2011 Harvard Business Review article by Oldroyd, Kristina McElheran and David Elkington, "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads," audited 2,241 US companies: 37% answered a web lead within an hour, 23% never responded, and the average response was 42 hours. In a separate set of 1.25 million leads, firms that reached out within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify the lead as those that waited an hour longer.
What should a roofing lead follow-up cadence look like?
Keep calls and texts inside 8am to 8pm in the homeowner's time zone. A lead who writes in at night can get one text or email right away; calls wait for morning.
| When | Channel | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Within 5 minutes | Call | Call script below; offer two inspection times |
| Right after a missed call | Voicemail + text | Voicemail 1 and Text 1 |
| Same day, 1 to 2 hours later | Call | Second try, no voicemail |
| Day 1, late afternoon | Text | Text 2 (ask for a photo or one detail) |
| Day 2, morning | Call + email | Voicemail 2 if no answer; Email 1 |
| Day 4 | Call | Try a different time of day |
| Day 7 | Text | Text 3 (one simple question) |
| Day 10 to 14 | Text + email | Text 4 and a final email, then stop |
That is about 5 calls, 4 texts and 2 emails over two weeks.
What do you say when the roofing lead answers?
"Hi, is this Jordan? This is Alex with Ridgeline Roofing (sample). You asked about your roof a few minutes ago. What's going on up there? (Listen, then ask the one middle question for that job from the table below.) Got it. The next step is a free inspection so we can see it in person. I have Thursday at 10am or Friday at 3pm. Which works better? (Confirm address and best phone.) You're set for Thursday at 10. You'll get a text confirmation."
Keep qualification short; the goal is the booked inspection. The full question list is in the roofing lead call script. Say "free inspection" only if you offer one.
What is the one question to ask for each roofing job?
| Lead says | Middle question | What to offer |
|---|---|---|
| Leak | "Is water coming in right now, and where: ceiling, attic or wall?" | The earliest slot |
| Storm or hail damage | "When was the storm, and have you talked to your insurer yet?" | A time near the adjuster visit; see the insurance claim call script |
| Full replacement | "About how old is the roof, and what's on it now?" | Time for a full measure |
| Gutters | "Overflowing, pulling away, or new gutters?" | A visit that checks the roof edge too |
| Web form, no details | "What made you reach out: a leak, storm damage, or thinking about a new roof?" | Then use the matching row |
What voicemail should you leave a roofing lead?
Voicemail 1 (first missed call):
"Hi Jordan, Alex with Ridgeline Roofing (sample). You asked about your roof, and I have inspection times open this week. I'm texting you from this number now, so just reply there with a time that works. Talk soon."
Voicemail 2 (day 2): the same message, adding "If water's getting in, we'll get you in first." Keep each under 20 seconds.
What texts should you send a roofing lead who hasn't answered?
Text 1 (right after the missed call): "Hi Jordan, it's Alex with Ridgeline Roofing (sample). Got your roof request. I have Thu 10am or Fri 3pm for a free inspection. Which works? Reply STOP to opt out."
Text 2 (day 1): "If it's easier, send a photo of the spot you're worried about and I'll tell you what we'd check."
Text 3 (day 7): "Still need someone to look at the roof, or did you get it handled?"
Text 4 (day 10 to 14): "I'll close out your request for now. If anything changes, reply here and we'll get you on the schedule."
What should the follow-up email say?
Subject: Your roof inspection, two times this week
Hi Jordan, Thanks for reaching out to Ridgeline Roofing (sample). I tried you by phone today. I can inspect the roof Thursday at 10am or Friday at 3pm, and you'll get a written estimate with the scope, materials, timeline and price. Reply with the time that suits you, or call or text [number]. Alex, Ridgeline Roofing (sample), License #[number]
How do you handle common roofing objections in follow-up?
| Objection | What the source says | What to say |
|---|---|---|
| "I'm getting other quotes." | The FTC tells homeowners to get multiple estimates and says a written estimate should include the work, materials, completion date and price. | "Good idea. Our written estimate lists all of that, so it's easy to compare." |
| "A crew knocked after the storm and offered to start today." | The Arizona Attorney General warns that fraudulent contractors often go door to door (Sept. 2025); the FTC lists pressure for an immediate decision as a scam sign. | "Take your time. We'll put everything in writing before any work starts." |
| "I need to call my insurance first." | The Arizona Attorney General advises talking to your insurance company first after storm damage. | "Please do. Let's still hold an inspection time so you know what's up there." |
| "It's a small leak, it can wait." | The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. | "Small leaks spread. We can look this week before it soaks more." |
| "Do you want money up front?" | The FTC says not to pay the full amount up front; some states limit down payments. | State your real deposit policy. |
When should you stop following up a roofing lead?
Stop right away when the homeowner asks you to stop, books, or hires another roofer. Otherwise end the active cadence after about two weeks with no reply and move the lead to a slower list, where a reactivation campaign can pick it up later.
How does Sharrk follow up roofing leads automatically?
Sharrk connects to Angi, Thumbtack, Networx, ServiceTitan lead sources, web forms and custom webhooks (Meta lead ads arrive through Zapier or Make), and replies to each new lead in under 30 seconds by call, text or email. A Strike then runs the cadence above: AI voice calls, an AI text conversation, texts, emails and ringless voicemail drops, branching on whether the call was answered, went to voicemail or got booked. It stops when the lead asks to stop, replies or talks with the AI, and you can add a rule like "stop if the job is booked." Calls and texts stay inside 8am to 8pm; an after-hours lead still gets one immediate text or email. Every text carries "Reply STOP to stop or HELP for help."
The AI agent books the inspection onto Sharrk's calendar (confirmation email and text, 24-hour reminder), Calendly, Cal.com, or into ServiceTitan with real arrival windows, or warm-transfers the call to your estimator with a private whisper brief. A knowledge base with your services, areas and hours lets it answer questions the way your office would.
You build all of it with Mako, Sharrk's AI assistant. Tell it in plain English, typed or spoken, something like "follow up every new Angi roofing lead for two weeks, call within a minute, text if they don't answer, and stop if the job is booked." Mako drafts the agent from your website, builds the Strike, and shows every change on an Apply card that waits for your OK, with Undo.
Start on Sharrk Free with 2,500 credits to build and test, no card needed, or book a demo. Core is $99 a month.
Related on Sharrk: AI receptionist for roofing · Speed to lead · Lead reactivation · AI voice agent
Sources
- Electronics Cooling, "Increase Your Sales Effectiveness by 21x in 25 Minutes" (June 22, 2011), summarizing the InsideSales.com and James Oldroyd lead response study: https://www.electronics-cooling.com/2011/06/increase-your-sales-effectiveness-by-21x-in-25-minutes/ (checked October 28, 2026)
- BYU ScholarsArchive, "The Short Life of Online Sales Leads," Oldroyd, McElheran and Elkington, Harvard Business Review 89(3) (2011): https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/9711 (checked October 28, 2026)
- SmartCompany, "Are you letting online leads go cold?" (July 1, 2011), summarizing the HBR findings: https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=20719 (checked October 28, 2026)
- Federal Trade Commission, "How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam" (updated December 10, 2025): https://consumer.ftc.gov/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam (checked October 28, 2026)
- Arizona Attorney General, "Attorney General Mayes Issues Consumer Alert: Beware of After-Storm Fraud" (September 29, 2025): https://www.azag.gov/press-release/attorney-general-mayes-issues-consumer-alert-beware-after-storm-fraud (checked October 28, 2026)
- US EPA, "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home" (updated February 18, 2026): https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home (checked October 28, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How soon should you follow up with a new roofing lead?
Call within 5 minutes of the request. A 2007 InsideSales.com and MIT study found the odds of reaching a lead were 100 times greater at 5 minutes than at 30 minutes; it's older, general research, but it matches how fast roofing leads get claimed by other roofers.
How many times should a roofer follow up with a lead that hasn't booked?
About 5 calls, 4 texts and 2 emails over roughly two weeks is a practical cadence. Stop at once if the homeowner books, hires someone else or asks you to stop, then move quiet leads to a slower list.
What should a roofing follow-up text say?
Name yourself and the company, mention the roof request, and offer two inspection times. For example: "Hi Jordan, it's Alex with Ridgeline Roofing (sample). Got your roof request. I have Thu 10am or Fri 3pm for a free inspection. Which works? Reply STOP to opt out."
Should you leave a voicemail for a roofing lead?
Yes, on the first missed call and once more around day 2, kept under 20 seconds. Say who you are, that you have inspection times open, and that you're texting from the same number so they can reply there.
What hours can you call and text roofing leads?
Stick to 8am to 8pm in the homeowner's time zone. If a lead writes in late at night, send one text or email right away and save the calls for the morning.
Can Sharrk follow up roofing leads automatically?
Yes. Sharrk replies to new leads from Angi, Thumbtack, Networx, web forms and webhooks in under 30 seconds, then runs a Strike of AI calls, texts, emails and voicemail drops that stops when the lead asks, replies or talks with the AI, plus any rule you add such as "stop if the job is booked." You build it by telling Mako what you want in plain English.