Your Time Off the Job Site Has to Count

Contractors do not have unlimited days to spare. Every day you are away from your business is a day your team is running without you, your pipeline is moving on its own, and your calendar is blocked. The events you choose to attend in 2026 need to justify that cost with a real return.

Two conferences are competing for your attention this year: RoofCON and the International Roofing Expo (IRE). This is a straight comparison of both so you can decide where to invest your time.

Focus: What Each Event Is Actually Built For

RoofCON is built around one goal: helping roofing contractors grow their business. Every session, every speaker, and every networking opportunity is designed to help you sell more, lead better, and build a company that runs without you being the bottleneck. Business growth, leadership development, and sales training are the core of what RoofCON delivers.

IRE is a trade show. The core product is the trade show floor, where manufacturers display products and distributors connect with buyers. Education sessions exist on the margins. If you are in procurement or sourcing materials, IRE serves that function. If you want to grow your operation, the focus is not there.

Speakers: Who Is on the Stage

RoofCON 2026 speaker lineup:

• Tim Tebow - Heisman Trophy winner, bestselling author, entrepreneur
• Ed Mylett - Peak performance coach, one of the top business podcasters in America
• John Maxwell - The most cited leadership expert alive
• Kevin Harrington - Original Shark Tank investor, inventor of the infomercial
• Tom Bilyeu - Co-founder of Quest Nutrition, founder of Impact Theory
• Jesse Itzler - Entrepreneur, co-founder of Marquis Jet, author of Living with a SEAL
• Craig Groeschel - One of the most followed leadership communicators in the world
• Sam Taggart - Founder of D2D Experts, elite sales trainer for contractors
• Hunter Ballew - RoofCON founder, roofing industry growth leader

These are keynote speakers. People who have built something real and can tell you exactly how they did it.

IRE features manufacturer representatives, association panelists, and industry committee members. Useful for technical and regulatory content. Not the lineup that changes how you think about your business.

Who Is in the Room

RoofCON draws owners, sales reps, production managers, and ops teams who are actively working to grow their roofing companies. The people in the room have the same problems you have and are looking for the same solutions. That peer-to-peer dynamic is one of the most valuable parts of the event.

IRE draws a broad mix that skews heavily toward manufacturers and distributors. There are contractors in the room, but you are not surrounded exclusively by people running roofing businesses. The networking dynamic is different when a significant portion of the crowd is there to sell you something.

Price: What You Will Actually Pay

RoofCON general admission is free. Zero dollars. You register at roofcon.com, get your ticket, and show up. A VIP experience is available for $395 per month for those who want premium access, front-row placement, and exclusive content.

IRE charges for registration. Depending on when you register and what package you select, costs can run several hundred dollars per person before you factor in travel and hotel. If you are sending a team, that adds up fast.

Energy and Culture: What the Event Feels Like

RoofCON is a high-energy conference built to keep you engaged for three full days. The production, the speaker format, the crowd energy, and the intentional networking structure are all designed to create momentum. People leave RoofCON with notes, action plans, and connections that turn into real partnerships.

IRE has trade show energy. That is not a criticism of IRE doing what it is supposed to do. But walking a trade show floor, collecting branded merchandise, and sitting through vendor-led demos is a different experience than sitting in a room with 5,000 contractors who are all trying to grow. The energy is different. The output is different.

Location and Dates

RoofCON 2026: Oklahoma City Convention Center, November 10-12, 2026.

Oklahoma City is a central location with direct flights from most major markets and affordable hotel rates compared to the coastal cities where many industry events land. Three days is enough time to get real value without being away from your business for a full week.

The Verdict

If you need to source materials, evaluate new products, or meet with manufacturers, IRE serves that purpose. Go if that is your goal.

If you want to grow your roofing business, develop your sales team, invest in your own leadership, and spend three days around thousands of contractors who are all pushing in the same direction, RoofCON is the clear choice. It is the only roofing conference where the speakers, the content, and the culture are built entirely around helping you build a better company.

And it is free.

Get Your Free RoofCON Ticket

RoofCON 2026 is November 10-12 at the Oklahoma City Convention Center. General admission is free. VIP access is $395 per month.

Register now at roofcon.com. Seats fill up. Lock in yours today.