Short answer: As of September 2026, the five highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are Southern Premier Roofing of North Carolina, LLC (98.9), On Tops Roofing (97.1), Carolina Roofing & Vinyl Siding, LLC (85.9), The Shingle Master, LLC (84.9), K&D Roofing, LLC (83.6). Each is certified by a manufacturer whose register we checked by hand, each rating has been tested against a source outside that register, and nobody bought a place on this page.
The Roofing Brief scored 9 certified roofing contractors serving the Raleigh metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top five individually to confirm its record. North Carolina requires a general contractor licence with the S (Roofing) classification for any roofing project of $40,000 or more, and a full Triangle replacement routinely clears that threshold. Worth knowing before you read the list: two of the five companies below carry published complaints specifically about warranty claims being denied or ignored after installation. That pattern matters more here than a star rating, because the manufacturer warranty is the main thing certification is supposed to buy you.
What a Raleigh roof is up against
North Carolina sets its contractor licence threshold by job value, and it moved recently: a general contractor licence, with the roofing specialty classification, is required once the work reaches $40,000, up from $30,000 in October 2023. Below that line a residential roofer needs no state licence at all, which covers a large share of ordinary replacements in this metro. Ask what the contract value is and which side of the line it falls on, and if it is above, ask for the licence number and check it with the Licensing Board for General Contractors.
Permitting follows a similar logic, and it varies by jurisdiction within the metro. Straight covering replacement that does not touch decking or structure is often treated as exempt, while work that replaces decking, rafters or other structural components requires a permit. Raleigh, Wake County, Durham and the smaller towns each administer this themselves, so ask the contractor which authority they will file with and what triggers a permit for your job. Where no permit applies, nobody inspects the work, so put the deck repair allowance and underlayment specification in the contract.
The storm record is unusual: $141.3 million in reported property damage over the decade, high for a metro with only 149 hail reports and 12 tornadoes, because the damage is concentrated in a handful of events rather than spread across many. On 13 May 2019 a supercell dropped 2.75-inch hail across southern Wake County and produced an EF2 tornado near Knightdale; the same size hail had fallen at Fuquay-Varina in September 2017. July is the peak month and 2019 the busiest year.
Wind and water arrive together here in tropical systems that reach the Piedmont as rain and gusts rather than as hurricanes. That makes underlayment and flashing more important than impact rating for most Raleigh houses, and it makes attic ventilation worth asking about, because humidity trapped under a hot roof deck shortens shingle life in this climate. Ask each contractor what ventilation the roof has now, whether it meets the ratio the code expects, and what they would change.
The 5 best roofers in Raleigh, NC
Scored 2026-09-16. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Raleigh is 4.933, across a pool of 9 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Premier Roofing of North Carolina, LLC | 98.9 | President’s Club | 5.0 (430) | 4.993 | not published | Raleigh, NC |
| 2 | On Tops Roofing | 97.1 | President’s Club | 5.0 (615) | 4.995 | 1991 | Cary, NC |
| 3 | Carolina Roofing & Vinyl Siding, LLC | 85.9 | President’s Club | 4.8 (140) | 4.835 | not published | Clayton, NC |
| 4 | The Shingle Master, LLC | 84.9 | Master Elite | 4.9 (554) | 4.903 | 2019 | Raleigh, NC |
| 5 | K&D Roofing, LLC | 83.6 | Master Elite | 4.9 (311) | 4.905 | 2017 | Raleigh, NC |
1. Southern Premier Roofing of North Carolina, LLC — TRB Score 98.9
Southern Premier Roofing of North Carolina, LLC is based in Raleigh, NC, BBB accredited since 16 January 2020, A rating, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 39.7 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.2 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 98.9 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Accredited since 16 January 2020 with an A rating. BBB
- NCLBGC licence 87951, valid to 31 December 2026. North Carolina licence
- 258 reviews. Birdeye
What they actually do. Residential roofing from four offices across Raleigh, Wilmington, Point Harbor and Meridian, Idaho.
Why it ranks here. A clean 5.0 across 430 registry reviews with a published, currently valid North Carolina licence number. Reviews also describe the owner personally correcting shingle problems inside a week ahead of a house closing.
Best fit for: Homeowners on a deadline, where responsiveness to a snag matters.
What we would want clarified. Rated A rather than A+, and a published one-star review states the company’s Golden Pledge warranty proved worthless and that it was unresponsive to all warranty calls. That directly contradicts the reason to hire a certified contractor. Ask who administers warranty claims and get the escalation path in writing. We publish this because a ranking that only prints the flattering findings is an advertisement, not an assessment.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (984) 200-3308, which is the registry’s contact line and is often a directory tracking number rather than the contractor’s own: take the number from the company’s own website and compare the two.
2. On Tops Roofing — TRB Score 97.1
On Tops Roofing is based in Cary, NC, in business since 1991, BBB accredited since 10 December 2020, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 39.8 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 15.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 7.3 | 10 |
| Total | 97.1 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Accredited since 10 December 2020. BBB
- Holds a North Carolina General Contractor licence, with active insurance and bonding. Licensing
- GAF Master Elite plus President’s Club and Triple Excellence awards, serving the Raleigh-Durham Triangle and Wilmington since 1991. Awards
What they actually do. Roof replacement and exterior work across the Triangle and coastal North Carolina.
Why it ranks here. A clean 5.0 across 615 registry reviews, one of the highest scores recorded in this programme at 99.3, and a Triple Excellence award covering workmanship, skill and consumer protection together. Trading since 1991.
Best fit for: Triangle homeowners wanting the strongest combined record in the metro.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (919) 639-4981, which is the registry’s contact line and is often a directory tracking number rather than the contractor’s own: take the number from the company’s own website and compare the two.
3. Carolina Roofing & Vinyl Siding, LLC — TRB Score 85.9
Carolina Roofing & Vinyl Siding, LLC is based in Clayton, NC, BBB accredited since 23 April 2015, A+ rating, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 33.4 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 11.6 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 5.9 | 10 |
| Total | 85.9 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- A+ rated and accredited since 23 April 2015, 12 years in business, holding NCLBGC licence 74711 valid to 31 December 2026. BBB
- 4.9 on HomeAdvisor and 4.7 across 145 Birdeye reviews. Cross-platform reviews
What they actually do. Commercial and residential roofing and vinyl siding across central North Carolina, employing over 20 people.
Why it ranks here. Eleven years of unbroken A+ accreditation with a published licence number carrying a verifiable expiry, and no warranty complaints on the public record, which distinguishes it from two others in this top five.
Best fit for: Johnston County and south-east Triangle homeowners.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (919) 553-7663, which is the registry’s contact line and is often a directory tracking number rather than the contractor’s own: take the number from the company’s own website and compare the two.
4. The Shingle Master, LLC — TRB Score 84.9
The Shingle Master, LLC is based in Raleigh, NC, in business since 2019, BBB accredited since 19 September 2019, A+ rating, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: Master Elite (GAF), HAAG certified, Licensed all-lines adjuster. Certification by more than one manufacturer is uncommon and requires meeting each programme’s separate standards for insurance, training and track record.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 36.1 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.8 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 84.9 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- A+ rated and accredited since 19 September 2019, trading from 1 July 2019. BBB
- North Carolina licensed general contractor, HAAG certified, and a licensed all-lines adjuster. Credentials
What they actually do. Roofing, leak detection, roof inspection, gutters, gutter guards, chimney caps, siding and windows.
Why it ranks here. Holds both HAAG certification and an all-lines adjuster licence, which is an unusual combination: it means the company can read a claim from the insurer’s side of the table as well as the homeowner’s.
Best fit for: Contested insurance claims where the adjuster’s scope is being disputed.
What we would want clarified. Despite the A+ rating, published reviews describe a roof leaking after every storm with the warranty claim denied and the company declining to repair, plus a separate report of an incomplete project. Given the whole point of certification is warranty backing, weigh this heavily and get warranty terms in writing before any deposit. We publish this because a ranking that only prints the flattering findings is an advertisement, not an assessment.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (919) 373-7663, which is the registry’s contact line and is often a directory tracking number rather than the contractor’s own: take the number from the company’s own website and compare the two.
5. K&D Roofing, LLC — TRB Score 83.6
K&D Roofing, LLC is based in Raleigh, NC, in business since 2017, BBB accredited since 22 March 2018, A+ rating, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: Master Elite (GAF), IBHS FORTIFIED certified. Certification by more than one manufacturer is uncommon and requires meeting each programme’s separate standards for insurance, training and track record.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 36.2 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 13.4 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 83.6 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- A+ rated and accredited since 22 March 2018. BBB
- Holds North Carolina General Contractor licence 84720 and Residential licence 101285. NC Licensing Board
- Certified to install FORTIFIED roof systems under the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety programme. FORTIFIED
What they actually do. Residential roofing including FORTIFIED roof systems, veteran owned.
Why it ranks here. The only contractor in this top five holding both a North Carolina General Contractor licence and FORTIFIED certification. FORTIFIED matters here because North Carolina insurers apply premium discounts to certified roofs, so the certification can pay for part of itself. 311 registry reviews at 4.9, veteran owned, based in Raleigh.
Best fit for: Homeowners wanting an insurance premium reduction alongside the replacement, and anyone whose job crosses the $40,000 general contractor threshold.
What we would want clarified. Nine years trading, the shortest record in this top five. We publish this because a ranking that only prints the flattering findings is an advertisement, not an assessment.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (919) 977-4074, which is the registry’s contact line and is often a directory tracking number rather than the contractor’s own: take the number from the company’s own website and compare the two.
What 2.75 inch hail does to a Raleigh roof
Aggregate hail counts tell you very little about a specific roof. These are the individual events: every severe-weather report logged by the National Weather Service across the 3 counties of the Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 149 hail reports, 574 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 12 tornadoes. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $141.3 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Raleigh in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2017 | 2.75 in | Fuquay Spgs | Wake |
| 13 May 2019 | 2.75 in | Williams Xrds | Wake |
| 25 September 2020 | 2.25 in | Newhill | Wake |
| 13 May 2019 | 2.0 in | Williams Xrds | Wake |
| 25 September 2020 | 2.0 in | Carpenter | Wake |
| 25 September 2020 | 2.0 in | Morrisville | Wake |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 1 September 2017 near Fuquay Spgs, measured at 2.75 inches. That is baseball sized, comfortably past the point where a roof is written off rather than repaired.
Wind. The strongest thunderstorm gust logged in the metro was 66 knots, about 76 mph, near Wake on 8 September 2023. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
Tornadoes. 12 tornadoes touched down in these counties over the decade, the strongest rated EF2 near Knightdale Wndll Arp on 13 May 2019.
What the National Weather Service wrote about it
The NWS logs a written account of each severe-weather episode. This is its description of the 8 September 2023 event near Wake, reproduced verbatim:
An upper-level trough over the southern Appalachians combined with a surface trough over the eastern Piedmont and an inland penetrating sea breeze to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms over the eastern Sandhills, Coastal Plain, and eastern Piedmont. Several of the storms produced damaging winds and hail along and east of the US-1 Corridor.
That account is the design case for a roof here, and it comes from the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in July (158), May (155), June (101). The worst years on record were 2019 (113), 2022 (104), 2020 (98). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Raleigh, the months outside that window are when crews are least stretched and least likely to be triaging emergency callouts ahead of your job.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, county-level detail files 2016 to 2025, filtered to the counties of this statistical area by The Roofing Brief. Damage figures are as reported to the NWS and undercount insured losses.
What to do with this. Raleigh sees enough damaging hail that a Class 4 impact-rated shingle is worth pricing, though not automatically worth buying. Get both quotes and weigh the premium against any insurance discount.
How to check a Raleigh roofer in ten minutes
Licensing is required in NC. North Carolina has no state roofing licence as such. A general contractor licence from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, carrying the Building, Residential or S (Roofing) classification, is required for any roofing project costing $40,000 or more.
The $40,000 threshold rose from $30,000 effective 1 October 2023. Contracting without a licence at or above that value is a Class 2 misdemeanour under NCGS 87-13. Exams are administered by PSI.
Check here: NCLBGC licensee search. Below $40,000 no state licence is needed, and most single-family reroofs cost less than that, so many local roofers lawfully hold none. If your job is at or above $40,000, check the licence on the Board’s search; below it, check insurance certificates with the insurer, and note that North Carolina has no statute banning deductible rebates or giving a cancellation right on insurance-funded roof contracts.
Four checks to run before you sign anything, in any state.
- Verify certification at the source. Use the GAF verification tool rather than trusting a badge image on a company website.
- Get the certificate of insurance from the insurer, not the contractor, and confirm general liability and workers compensation are both active on the day work starts.
- Confirm who pulls the permit. If a contractor asks you to pull it as the homeowner, that moves liability onto you. Decline.
- Get warranty terms in writing before any deposit, and check the manufacturer warranty being promised actually requires the certification tier the contractor holds.
How many certified roofers Raleigh actually has
9 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area, of which 3 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 2,804 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.933. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 1,562,009, a change of 10.47% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Raleigh rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Raleigh-Cary, NC pool was scored out of 100 on four published components: certification tier, a Bayesian adjusted rating, review depth and distance from the metro centre. In this metro that meant scoring 9 certified contractors, of whom 3 hold President’s Club standing and 6 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.933. The top five were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. Anything unflattering that research surfaced appears above alongside the rest, and no company bought its position.
The full method, the weightings, what the GAF certification tiers actually mean, who is eligible to be ranked and what we do not claim are all set out on our roofer ranking methodology page. Last updated: September 2026. Scoring run: 2026-09-16. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
Raleigh roofing questions, answered
Who is the best roofer in Raleigh, NC?
Southern Premier Roofing of North Carolina, LLC of Raleigh, NC scores highest in the Raleigh metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 98.9 out of 100 as of September 2026. It holds President’s Club certification with a 5.0 rating across 430 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the four companies behind it score within 15.3 points.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Raleigh?
9 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area as of September 2026, of which 3 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Raleigh get?
The Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area recorded 114 hail reports of 1 inch or larger and 12 of 2 inches or larger between 2016 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Events Database. The largest hailstone reported measured 2.75 inches.
Did any contractor pay to appear on this list?
No. The Roofing Brief takes no placement fees, no lead fees and no affiliate commission from any roofing contractor. Ranking comes entirely from the published formula applied to public registry data, followed by an individual research pass on the top five.
What was the worst hailstorm in Raleigh in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 2.75 inches, reported near Fuquay Spgs on 1 September 2017. That is baseball sized, comfortably past the point where a roof is written off rather than repaired. Across the decade the metro recorded 149 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $141.3 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Raleigh?
Severe-weather reports in the Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area cluster in July, May, June, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. Booking non-urgent roof work outside those months usually means shorter lead times, because local crews are not simultaneously triaging storm callouts.
Do roofers need a licence in NC?
North Carolina has no state roofing licence as such. A general contractor licence from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, carrying the Building, Residential or S (Roofing) classification, is required for any roofing project costing $40,000 or more. The $40,000 threshold rose from $30,000 effective 1 October 2023. Contracting without a licence at or above that value is a Class 2 misdemeanour under NCGS 87-13. Exams are administered by PSI.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Raleigh?
Below $40,000 no state licence is needed, and most single-family reroofs cost less than that, so many local roofers lawfully hold none. If your job is at or above $40,000, check the licence on the Board’s search; below it, check insurance certificates with the insurer, and note that North Carolina has no statute banning deductible rebates or giving a cancellation right on insurance-funded roof contracts.
Is Raleigh a hard market to find a good roofer in?
North Carolina requires a general contractor licence with the S (Roofing) classification for any roofing project of $40,000 or more, and a full Triangle replacement routinely clears that threshold. Worth knowing before you read the list: two of the five companies below carry published complaints specifically about warranty claims being denied or ignored after installation. That pattern matters more here than a star rating, because the manufacturer warranty is the main thing certification is supposed to buy you.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Raleigh?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Raleigh-Cary, NC statistical area logged 574 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 114 hail reports of an inch or more between 2016 and 2025. Wind damage shows up at the rake, ridge and edge rather than across the field of the roof, so the fastening schedule and edge detail matter more here than the impact rating of the shingle.
Roofer rankings for other metros
The Roofing Brief scores certified roofing contractors in the 400 largest U.S. metropolitan and micropolitan areas on the same formula.
- Best roofers in Durham, NC, about 18 miles from Raleigh
- Best roofers in Fayetteville, NC, another NC metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Greensboro, NC, another NC metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Milwaukee, WI, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Oklahoma City, OK, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Jacksonville, NC, also scored, about 104 miles away
See the full index of all 400 metro roofer rankings, or read how to find and vet a roofing contractor anywhere in the country.
Cite this analysis
The Roofing Brief. “Best Roofers in Raleigh, NC: The Roofing Brief Contractor Score.” Published September 2026. Inputs: GAF certification registry; NOAA Storm Events Database 2016-2025; U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates; Better Business Bureau and independent review-platform records for each ranked contractor.