Storm season partnership: How better distributor relationships give you an edge
Steven Lord · May 11, 2026
Storm season isn’t coming; it’s here.
For every roofing contractor, this is the pressure test. Leads go up fast. So does demand on your suppliers. The contractors who stay ahead are not the ones just getting through the season. They are the ones getting better information, better communication, and better support through a stronger relationship with ABC Supply.
In 2026, the stakes are higher. Between new tariffs on metal and manufacturers like GAF and Owens Corning hiking prices by 5–8% every few months, your net margin is under pressure. If your buying strategy is weak, you are losing profit on every job.
Here is how a proactive distributor partnership helps you stay ahead, protect margin, and earn a 5% rebate rate through Nexus GPO.
The reality of roofing material price trends in 2026
Stop waiting for prices to "normalize." They will not.
Current roofing material price trends show a 15–25% increase across the board compared to just two years ago. Metal roofing is the hardest hit, with costs up nearly 60% due to doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum. Even standard asphalt shingles are up more than 10%.
If you are quoting jobs today based on last month’s pricing, your margin is exposed.
Step 1: Get advance notice
Most contractors find out about a price increase when they walk into ABC Supply and see the flyer on the counter. By then, your contracts are signed and your margins are locked.
A better model is simple: stronger partnership upstream. At Nexus GPO, we help members get advance notice on price increases, allocation issues, and supply shifts before the general market catches up. When CertainTeed or Atlas plans a hike, our members are in a better position to hear about it early and act on it.
This allows you to:
- Pre-purchase inventory at the lower rate.
- Update your estimates immediately so you aren't stuck with "old price" contracts.
- Communicate urgency to your customers to close deals before the hike hits.
Step 2: Turn volume into better support
When materials get tight during peak storm season, the contractors with the best information and strongest distributor support make better decisions faster.
If you are a
This is not about pushing against your distributor. It is about having a procurement partner in your corner. Better partnership leads to better visibility. Better visibility protects margin.
Step 3: Keep your suppliers and strengthen the partnership
One of the biggest mistakes contractors make is thinking they have to switch suppliers or play hardball with their rep to get better results during storm season.
No switching required. You stay with the reps you know and the distributor you trust: ABC Supply.
That is the point. Nexus GPO is built to strengthen the relationship you already have. You keep buying through the same branches, working with the same reps, and getting the same deliveries. But now your purchases are backed by collective volume and a 5% rebate rate that helps improve returns, information flow, and overall support. Same workflow. Better results.
Step 4: Protect cash flow with quarterly ACH deposits
In the middle of storm season, cash is king. You have crews to pay, permits to pull, and suppliers to satisfy.
Our platform tracks every dollar you spend at participating suppliers in real time. No manual entry. No claiming. Every quarter, we deposit your earned rebates directly into your bank account via ACH.
These deposits help protect margin. When unexpected costs pop up on a job site, that 5% rebate rate paid back to you can be the difference between a profitable month and a break-even one.
The "No-nonsense" storm season checklist
If you want to protect your business this season, do these three things:
- Shorten quote validity: Don't let a quote sit for 60 days. In this market, 15–30 days is the max.
- Use a "tariff clause": Include language in your contracts that allows for material price adjustments if a major tariff or manufacturer hike hits before the project starts.
- Join a GPO: Stop buying alone. There is zero cost to join Nexus GPO because we are funded by vendor administrative fees. You get the 5% rebate rate, advance notice, and the tracking dashboard without changing how you buy from ABC Supply.
The bottom line
Storm season is busy, but your buying strategy should be proactive. By leveraging collective buying power and stronger distributor relationships, you can get better visibility, better support, and better control over roofing material price trends.
You already buy the materials. You already use ABC Supply. Nexus GPO helps you get more value from that same relationship.
Ready to turn your material spend into quarterly cash deposits while keeping your ABC Supply relationship working harder for your business? Visit nexusgpo.com.