In today’s roofing market, contractors face a common challenge: many homeowners want a quality roof but hesitate because of upfront costs and affordability. This hesitation isn’t just frustrating; it can cost contractors lost revenue and result in smaller project sizes, and delayed timelines.
Roofers offering financing to homeowners are no longer optional — it’s essential. Pitching the right financing plans can turn uncertainty into commitment, increase close rates by 18%, and even allow homeowners to upgrade to higher-quality materials without worrying about cash flow. But not all financing is created equal. The wrong lending partner or plan can lead to declined applications, frustrated homeowners, and wasted sales investments. That’s where Leap’s easy-to-work-with FinTech consulting team comes in. We help contractors strategically integrate financing into every sales conversation, maximize approval rates, and tailor solutions to each homeowner’s financial profile. With our guidance, contractors don’t just offer financing — they offer the right financing.
How Leap’s FinTech Team Helps Roofers
1. Build a Strategic Lender Waterfall
Not all homeowners qualify for the same financing, and nearly 40% of first-time applications are declined. Traditionally, contractors had to fill out a credit application, submit it to one lender, and if it is declined, awkwardly explain the situation to the homeowner and collect all their information again in the next lender portal. This process can create friction and, in many cases, lead to lost projects altogether.
Leap’s universal credit application (UCA) solves this. With our UCA, your team fills out one application, and if the homeowner is declined by the first lender, you can resubmit the same information to your next lender in your waterfall — without having to re-enter data or awkwardly inform the homeowner of the decline. The homeowner experience is seamless, and your approval rates increase.
With the UCA and guidance from Leap’s FinTech consulting team, contractors can:
- Tailor strategies to their business: Every contractor has unique projects, customer demographics, and market conditions. Leap’s consultants help customize your lender waterfall and plan offerings to match your business and homeowner needs.
- Increase project size and revenue: More approvals mean you can upsell premium materials and expand projects without losing homeowners to financing hurdles.
2. Recommended Lending Plans & How to Sell Them
Your Leap FinTech consultant can help you determine which plans to offer to which homeowner types and create a waterfall that maximizes approvals, ensuring you don’t leave revenue on the table. We’ve seen this flow work well for many of our contractors, but every business is unique.
| Lender | Why | Best For / How to Sell |
| GreenSky | Low dealer fees, competitive homeowner rates, high approval rates for prime to super-prime borrowers | Who to sell to: Homeowners looking for no-interest, no-payment upfront optionsPromotional Plans: 12 months no interest/no pay & 11.99% for 180 months — perfect for homeowners who can’t pay upfront |
| Pure Finance | A strong payment plan lender for prime or near-prime borrowers with an embedded flow down to second look lender | Who to sell to: Homeowners looking for payment-based plans across near-prime through super-primePayment Plans: Standard payment plans like 8.99%, 10.99%, or structured term plans based on project size with multiple zero dealer fees available up to 240 month terms |
| Foundation Finance | Best second-look lender for deeper-tier financing or lower FICO scores | Who to sell to: Homeowners with higher-risk profilesPlans: Buy-deeper options with slightly higher monthly payments to match riskier credit profiles (Tier 4 & Tier 5) |
3. Train Your Team to Sell Financing Strategically
Even the best financing options only drive results if your team knows how to present them confidently. Leap’s FinTech consultants work with your sales reps to ensure they can introduce, explain, and close financing options naturally as part of the sales conversation.
Key training areas include:
- Explain Monthly Payments in Plain Language: Homeowners often hesitate because they don’t understand how financing impacts their monthly budget. Your team will learn how to break down total project costs into clear, easy-to-understand monthly payments, making the decision feel manageable.
- Tie Financing Directly to Project Value: Financing isn’t just about making payments easier — it’s an opportunity to sell the value of your work. Consultants train your team to connect payment options to the benefits of premium materials, extended warranties, and the craftsmanship of your installation. Homeowners see the cost as an investment in quality, not just a price tag.
- Overcome Hesitation with Multiple Plans: Different homeowners have different budgets and credit profiles. Your team will learn to present a tailored set of options, from promotional rates for those who can’t pay upfront to structured monthly plans for mid-tier credit. This approach reduces objections, increases confidence, and ensures fewer lost opportunities.
- Role-Playing and Real-World Scenarios: Leap’s consultants provide hands-on practice through role-playing and realistic sales scenarios. Teams walk away knowing how to handle common objections, navigate awkward conversations around declined applications, and present financing as a seamless, value-added part of the project.
4. Use Technology to Close Faster
With digital tools like Leap’s UCA with integrated lender waterfalls, your team can streamline the financing process from application to approval. Leap FinTech consulting ensures you leverage technology effectively while staying compliant and following best practices:
- Instant Approvals Boost Confidence: Homeowners are far more likely to say “yes” when they receive immediate approval. UCA enables applications to be submitted to multiple lenders at once, reducing delays and removing the need for repeat information collection.
- Simplified Workflows Reduce Abandoned Projects: Paper applications, repeated data entry, and follow-ups are common pain points that slow down project starts. Leap’s digital workflows automate submissions, track approvals, and even resubmit declined applications — all while keeping the homeowner in the loop without awkward conversations.
- Data-Driven Insights to Improve Conversions: Beyond workflow setup, Leap FinTech consultants provide reporting and analytics. Teams can see which plans are most successful for specific homeowner profiles, track approval rates, and adjust their strategy to maximize revenue and project size.
By combining strategic training with technology, your team becomes not just a roofing expert but also a financing advisor — confidently guiding homeowners through affordable, flexible options while driving higher close rates.
Next Step: Unlock Your Financing Potential
Ready to turn more leads into committed projects? Book a demo to learn more about our Leap CRM and SalesPro.
