A “shingle master company” is a roofer that holds a shingle manufacturer’s top contractor credential, such as CertainTeed’s ShingleMaster or Owens Corning’s Platinum Preferred. It is worth hiring one, with two caveats: verify the credential in the manufacturer’s own directory, and still check the local license, the written scope and who installs your roof. A credential tells you a manufacturer vetted the company. It does not tell you who will be on your roof next Tuesday.
What a credential is good for
- A second set of eyes on the company. Manufacturers check things a homeowner cannot easily see, such as insurance and track record, before they put their name next to a contractor’s.
- Access to stronger warranties. Some enhanced roofing system warranties can only be offered and registered by contractors at certain credential levels, and they often require matching components (underlayment, starter, hip and ridge) rather than shingles alone.
- Installation to the manufacturer’s instructions. The building code treats the manufacturer’s installation instructions as part of the code, and a credentialed contractor’s work is held to them.
What it does not prove
- That the crew on your roof is the company’s own, or that someone supervises them.
- That the company is licensed where you live. A manufacturer program is not a building department license.
- That the bid includes everything your roof needs. Two credentialed roofers can price very different scopes.
Badges are also easy to put on a website or a truck, which is why the directory check matters more than the logo.
How to check one in five minutes
- Ask which manufacturer and which level, and when it was last renewed.
- Find the company in that manufacturer’s contractor directory. Owens Corning’s contractor locator shows the level on each profile.
- Ask which warranty they will register for you, what it covers (materials only, or materials and workmanship), for how long, and what components it requires. For one example read line by line, see the Owens Corning Platinum Protection warranty requirements.
- Get the warranty name and the registration step written into the contract.
Questions the badge cannot answer
Use these with any contractor, credentialed or not:
- Who supervises my job, and will I meet them?
- Is this your crew?
- What is in your written installation standard? Ours is the Integrity Roofing System.
- Can I see a roof you finished nearby?
For more on judging the people, not the paperwork, read how to tell a roof expert from a salesman and how to evaluate a local roofing company. In Colorado Springs, follow the seven steps to choose a roofer; in Denver, see what local knowledge changes on a Denver roof; in Austin, start with why a local Austin roofer matters and how to choose the best roof for an Austin home.
Our credential
Integrity Roofing and Painting is an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, BBB accredited with an A+ rating, with 650+ Google reviews. We register your manufacturer warranty as part of the final walkthrough. See the Owens Corning products we install, then call Colorado Springs (719) 488-2800, Denver (303) 209-0152 or Austin (512) 610-5897, or book a free roof inspection. We reach out the same business day.
Sources: Owens Corning, contractor locator and roofing warranties (Platinum Protection must be installed by a Platinum contractor); City and County of Denver, Roofing Guide and Checklist (manufacturer's installation instructions are part of the IRC and IBC); Pikes Peak Regional Building Department, Roofing Contractors: Common Licensing Questions.
