Short answer: As of September 2026, the five highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Syracuse, NY metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are Michael C. Graham & Son Construction (93.9), Van Derhoof Roofing Co., Inc. (89.9), Blue Collar Roofers (84.7), Comfort Windows, trading as Comfort Windows & Doors (84.5), CNY Complete Contracting, LLC (70.6). All of them carry a verifiable manufacturer certification, every rating here was cross-checked against an independent record, and no money changed hands for any placement.
The Roofing Brief scored 9 certified roofing contractors serving the Syracuse metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top five individually to confirm its record. Four of Syracuse’s five ranked contractors are based in the city itself, which is unusual: in most metros this size the certified depth sits in the suburbs. New York issues no statewide roofing licence and Onondaga County runs no licensing bureau, so unlike Nassau, Suffolk or Westchester there is no register to check here at all. Manufacturer certification and the BBB complaint record are the only external checks that exist. What Syracuse does have is snow: ice damming and snow load drive as much roof failure here as any storm, and ventilation and ice-and-water-shield detailing matter more than shingle brand.
Wind, terrain and the Syracuse housing stock
Syracuse is the snowiest large city in the country, with a long-term normal near 128 inches a year, and that single fact outranks everything in its storm file. Heavy, wet lake-effect snow loads a roof for weeks rather than hours, and the freeze and thaw that follows builds ice at the eaves. New York’s residential code requires ice-barrier underlayment from the eave edge to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line here, and the rest of the defence is attic insulation and balanced ventilation that keep the deck cold.
The summer record is thinner but not empty: 474 severe wind reports across Onondaga, Oswego and Madison counties over the decade, 64 hail reports topped by 2.5-inch stones at two Oswego County locations on 18 May 2017, and six weak tornadoes. July is the peak month and 2024 the busiest year. A 78-knot gust at Halfway in July 2022 is the strongest measured event in the file.
Because snow decides roof life here, the questions that matter are structural rather than cosmetic. How many layers are coming off, whether the decking is sound after decades of ice damming, what the ventilation calculation is, and whether ice-barrier membrane runs into the valleys as well as the eaves. A quote that only names a shingle line has not engaged with the local problem at all.
There is no licence to check in this metro. New York issues no statewide roofing credential and Onondaga County runs no licensing bureau, unlike Nassau, Suffolk or Westchester, so manufacturer certification, insurance certificates and the BBB complaint record are the whole external toolkit. The City of Syracuse does require a building permit for a full tear-off and replacement, with inspections, and the surrounding towns each run their own code office; that permit is the one piece of independent oversight your job will get, so make sure the contractor pulls it.
The 5 best roofers in Syracuse, NY
Scored 2026-09-21. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Syracuse is 4.822, across a pool of 9 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael C. Graham & Son Construction | 93.9 | President’s Club | 5.0 (132) | 4.951 | not published | Syracuse, NY |
| 2 | Van Derhoof Roofing Co., Inc. | 89.9 | President’s Club | 4.8 (328) | 4.803 | not published | Syracuse, NY |
| 3 | Blue Collar Roofers | 84.7 | Master Elite | 5.0 (222) | 4.967 | not published | Syracuse, NY |
| 4 | Comfort Windows, trading as Comfort Windows & Doors | 84.5 | President’s Club | 4.6 (881) | 4.612 | 1979 | Syracuse, NY |
| 5 | CNY Complete Contracting, LLC | 70.6 | Master Elite | 4.7 (106) | 4.739 | 2014 | Brewerton, NY |
1. Michael C. Graham & Son Construction — TRB Score 93.9
Michael C. Graham & Son Construction is based in Syracuse, NY, Not accredited; BBB states it lacks sufficient information to issue a rating, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 38.0 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 10.8 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 93.9 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Not BBB accredited; BBB states it has insufficient information to rate the business. BBB
- 4.9 across 135 reviews. Birdeye
- Listed in The Blue Book construction network as a subcontractor, a commercial-trade listing rather than a consumer directory. The Blue Book
- Rated 4.8 overall on Angi. Angi
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing and construction across Onondaga County.
Why it ranks here. A clean 5.0 across 132 registry reviews with President’s Club certification, corroborated at 4.9 and 4.8 on two independent platforms, and a commercial-trade listing indicating it is hired by other builders as well as homeowners.
Best fit for: Syracuse homeowners generally, and work where a builder-grade contractor matters.
What we would want clarified. Not BBB accredited and the BBB has issued no rating, so there is no complaint record to read. In a state with no licensing that removes the main external check; ask for the certificate of insurance from the insurer directly. 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 (315) 457-7663, 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.
2. Van Derhoof Roofing Co., Inc. — TRB Score 89.9
Van Derhoof Roofing Co., Inc. is based in Syracuse, NY, BBB accredited, A+ rating, one settled complaint, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 32.1 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 12.8 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 89.9 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- A+ rated BBB accredited business with one complaint on file, settled. BBB
- 4.8 across 340 reviews. Birdeye
- Listed on Houzz with a project portfolio. Houzz
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing across the Syracuse area.
Why it ranks here. 328 registry reviews at 4.8 corroborated by 340 reviews at 4.8 on a second platform, with A+ accreditation and a single settled complaint on the whole file. In a metro with no licence to check, an accredited record with a documented complaint outcome is the strongest available evidence.
Best fit for: Syracuse homeowners who want an accredited record with the complaint history visible.
Verify the certification yourself on the GAF registry listing. The number carried on that listing is (315) 475-9541, 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. Blue Collar Roofers — TRB Score 84.7
Blue Collar Roofers is based in Syracuse, NY, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: Master Elite (GAF), VELUX certified installer. 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 | 38.7 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 12.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 84.7 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Listed with GuildQuality, which surveys customers directly rather than collecting volunteered reviews. GuildQuality
- Listed VELUX skylight installer for Syracuse. VELUX
- Listed on HomeAdvisor with a review history. HomeAdvisor
What they actually do. Roofing and skylight installation across Syracuse, Fairmount, Salina, DeWitt, Clay and Cicero.
Why it ranks here. A clean 5.0 across 222 registry reviews with GuildQuality participation, so its feedback is solicited from every customer rather than volunteered. VELUX certification matters here specifically: skylights are the first thing to leak under snow load, and a manufacturer-certified installer is the difference between a flashing kit fitted properly and one fitted approximately.
Best fit for: Roofs with skylights, and homeowners who want surveyed rather than self-selected feedback.
What we would want clarified. No BBB rating or accreditation was locatable. 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 (315) 720-6665, 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. Comfort Windows, trading as Comfort Windows & Doors — TRB Score 84.5
Trades as Comfort Windows, trading as Comfort Windows & Doors; listed on the GAF registry as Comfort Windows.
Comfort Windows, trading as Comfort Windows & Doors is based in Syracuse, NY, in business since 1979, BBB accredited since 4 September 1985, A+ rating, five-time BBB Torch Award winner, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 24.5 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 15.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 84.5 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- A+ rated and accredited since 4 September 1985, a 41-year unbroken record, 47 years in business. BBB
- Winner of a fifth BBB Torch Award for Ethics, reported by WSYR. Local news
- Listed on Houzz with a project portfolio. Houzz
What they actually do. Windows, doors, roofing and siding across upstate New York.
Why it ranks here. 881 registry reviews, by far the deepest evidence base in the metro, alongside 41 years of unbroken A+ accreditation and five BBB Torch Awards for Ethics. The Torch Award is judged on ethical conduct rather than customer satisfaction and is given to very few companies; winning it five times is the strongest conduct record of any contractor in this batch.
Best fit for: Homeowners weighting demonstrated ethics and the largest verifiable record in the metro, and combined roof and window work.
What we would want clarified. At 4.6 this is the lowest rating in the top five against a metro mean of 4.82, and this is a windows-first business that also roofs rather than a roofing specialist. 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 (315) 457-0022, 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. CNY Complete Contracting, LLC — TRB Score 70.6
CNY Complete Contracting, LLC is based in Brewerton, NY, in business since 2014, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 29.6 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 10.3 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 6.7 | 10 |
| Total | 70.6 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Listed with GuildQuality, which surveys customers directly. GuildQuality
- 4.9 across 47 reviews on an independent aggregator and 72 reviews on another. Reviews
- Established 2014, serving Brewerton, Clay, Cicero, Liverpool, Phoenix, Central Square and the northern suburbs. Company
What they actually do. Roofing across the northern Onondaga and southern Oswego County corridor.
Why it ranks here. The only ranked contractor covering the northern suburbs and the Oneida Lake corridor, with GuildQuality participation and 106 registry reviews.
Best fit for: Brewerton, Cicero, Clay and northern Onondaga County homeowners.
What we would want clarified. No BBB rating or accreditation was locatable, and at 4.7 this is a lower rating than the four contractors above it. Thirteen miles from the metro centre. 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 (315) 247-8906, 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.
The 474 wind reports that shape a Syracuse 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 Syracuse, NY statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 64 hail reports, 474 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 6 tornadoes. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $2.9 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Syracuse in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2017 | 2.5 in | Volney | Oswego |
| 18 May 2017 | 2.5 in | Clifford | Oswego |
| 18 May 2017 | 2.5 in | Wellwood | Oswego |
| 18 May 2017 | 2.0 in | Mt Pleasant | Oswego |
| 18 May 2017 | 1.75 in | Brewerton | Onondaga |
| 18 May 2017 | 1.75 in | Brewerton | Onondaga |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 18 May 2017 near Volney, measured at 2.5 inches. That is hen-egg sized. Two inches is the threshold at which insurers expect functional damage and full replacement claims.
Wind. The strongest thunderstorm gust logged in the metro was 78 knots, about 90 mph, near Halfway on 13 July 2022. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
Tornadoes. 6 tornadoes touched down in these counties over the decade, the strongest rated EF1 near Georgetown on 22 August 2017.
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 13 July 2022 event near Halfway, reproduced verbatim:
A strong thunderstorm strengthened just northwest of Skaneateles at around 530 PM. The storm generated a hail core with 65 dBZ around 20k feet and 50 dBZ around 25k feet around 540 PM. Dry air entrainment in the mid levels and steep low level lapse rates allowed the core of the storm to accelerate towards the ground and led to a significant microburst just NW of Marcellus between 545 PM and 550 PM. Downed trees and corn stalks on the north side of the damage area were largely orientated in a NNE direction and on the south side of the damage in a SSE direction indicating divergent flow at the surface. Large healthy trees near the center of the microburst were snapped near the base or half…
That is the kind of damage a roof in this metro has to be specified against, described by the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in July (168), August (133), May (91). The worst years on record were 2024 (106), 2017 (86), 2025 (85). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Syracuse, 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. Hail is not the governing risk in Syracuse. Weight your decision toward wind rating, ventilation and flashing detail rather than paying extra for impact-rated shingles.
What to verify before a Syracuse contractor starts
There is no state roofing licence in NY. New York issues no statewide roofing licence and no statewide general contractor licence. Roofing is licensed locally, and whether a licence exists at all depends on which county or city the work happens in.
New York City requires a Home Improvement Contractor licence from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, involving a written exam, proof of workers’ compensation cover, either enrolment in the Home Improvement Business Trust Fund or a $20,000 surety bond, a sales tax Certificate of Authority, and EPA lead-safe certification or a signed affirmation that it is not needed. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties, and the City of Buffalo, run their own separate licensing bureaus. Statewide, General Business Law 771-b governs roofing contracts paid from insurance: it bars a roofer from rebating your deductible or adjusting your claim, and lets you cancel within three business days of an insurer’s denial.
That absence is the most important fact on this page. Where a state issues no credential, a manufacturer certification that can be revoked is the only quality signal a homeowner can actually check, which is why this ranking is built on certification rather than star ratings.
Check here: NYC DCWP Home Improvement Contractor licence. Confirm the contractor is licensed in the specific county where your home sits, not merely somewhere in the metro. A Westchester licence does not authorise work in Nassau.
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.
The Syracuse market behind this ranking
9 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Syracuse, NY statistical area, of which 3 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 1,952 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.822. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 655,189, a change of -1.04% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Syracuse rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Syracuse, NY 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 2 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.822. The top five were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. Good and bad findings are published together, and no contractor paid for a place here.
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: 2026-09-21. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
What Syracuse homeowners want to know
Who is the best roofer in Syracuse, NY?
Michael C. Graham & Son Construction of Syracuse, NY scores highest in the Syracuse metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 93.9 out of 100 as of September 2026. It holds President’s Club certification with a 5.0 rating across 132 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the four companies behind it score within 23.3 points.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Syracuse?
9 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Syracuse, NY statistical area as of September 2026, of which 3 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Syracuse get?
The Syracuse, NY statistical area recorded 46 hail reports of 1 inch or larger and 4 of 2 inches or larger between 2016 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Events Database. The largest hailstone reported measured 2.5 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 Syracuse in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Syracuse, NY statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 2.5 inches, reported near Volney on 18 May 2017. That is hen-egg sized. Two inches is the threshold at which insurers expect functional damage and full replacement claims. Across the decade the metro recorded 64 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $2.9 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Syracuse?
Severe-weather reports in the Syracuse, NY statistical area cluster in July, August, May, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. Scheduling discretionary work away from that window tends to get you a better crew and a faster start, because nobody is juggling emergency callouts.
Do roofers need a licence in NY?
New York issues no statewide roofing licence and no statewide general contractor licence. Roofing is licensed locally, and whether a licence exists at all depends on which county or city the work happens in. New York City requires a Home Improvement Contractor licence from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, involving a written exam, proof of workers’ compensation cover, either enrolment in the Home Improvement Business Trust Fund or a $20,000 surety bond, a sales tax Certificate of Authority, and EPA lead-safe certification or a signed affirmation that it is not needed. Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties, and the City of Buffalo, run their own separate licensing bureaus. Statewide, General Business Law 771-b governs roofing contracts paid from insurance: it bars a roofer from rebating your deductible or adjusting your claim, and lets you cancel within three business days of an insurer’s denial.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Syracuse?
Confirm the contractor is licensed in the specific county where your home sits, not merely somewhere in the metro. A Westchester licence does not authorise work in Nassau.
Is Syracuse a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Four of Syracuse’s five ranked contractors are based in the city itself, which is unusual: in most metros this size the certified depth sits in the suburbs. New York issues no statewide roofing licence and Onondaga County runs no licensing bureau, so unlike Nassau, Suffolk or Westchester there is no register to check here at all. Manufacturer certification and the BBB complaint record are the only external checks that exist. What Syracuse does have is snow: ice damming and snow load drive as much roof failure here as any storm, and ventilation and ice-and-water-shield detailing matter more than shingle brand.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Syracuse?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Syracuse, NY statistical area logged 474 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 46 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 Utica, NY, about 46 miles from Syracuse
- Best roofers in Binghamton, NY, about 66 miles from Syracuse
- Best roofers in Rochester, NY, another NY metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Albany, NY, another NY metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Palm Bay, FL, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Wichita, KS, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Buffalo, NY, also scored, about 138 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 Syracuse, NY: 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.