UPDATED FOR 2026
How to Choose a Roofing Contractor on Long Island
Choosing a roofing contractor on Long Island? County Roofing Systems explains what to look for, what to avoid, and why certifications, experience, and honest answers matter.
Key Takeaways:
- Not all certifications are equal. GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, and CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster are the highest tiers from the three major manufacturers.
- The contractor on your roof matters more than the brand on the shingle. A premium shingle installed incorrectly will fail faster than a mid-range shingle installed right.
- Get everything in writing before work begins.
- Check multiple review platforms, not just one. Google reviews, BBB ratings, Angi profiles, and manufacturer review pages each tell a different story.
- Your contractor should pull the permits, not you. Both Nassau County and Suffolk County require building permits for roof replacements.
- Ask about their process, not just their price. The best contractors can walk you through every step of what’s going to happen on your roof from tear-off to final cleanup.
Choosing a roofing contractor on Long Island sounds simple until you start looking.
There are hundreds of contractors serving Nassau County and Suffolk County. Some are excellent. Some are adequate. And some will take your deposit and deliver headaches.
The challenge for homeowners isn’t finding a contractor. It’s knowing how to tell the good ones from the rest. This guide breaks down exactly what to look for so you can make that call with confidence.
County Roofing Systems team repairing and replacing roofs throughout Long Island.
Start with Certifications (and Understand What They Actually Mean)
Every roofing company will tell you they’re certified. The question is certified by whom and at what level.
The three major shingle manufacturers in the U.S. are GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed. Each runs its own certification program with multiple tiers. The highest tiers from each are:
- GAF Master Elite (top 2% of contractors nationally)
- Owens Corning Platinum Preferred (top 1%)
- CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster (top 1%)
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These certifications matter because they’re the only way to access each manufacturer’s best warranty packages. A GAF Golden Pledge warranty, for example, includes 50-year non-prorated material coverage and 25-year workmanship coverage. But it’s only available through a GAF Master Elite contractor. A standard installer physically cannot offer it.
These certifications matter because they’re the only way to access each manufacturer’s best warranty packages. A GAF Golden Pledge warranty, for example, includes 50-year non-prorated material coverage and 25-year workmanship coverage. But it’s only available through a GAF Master Elite contractor. A standard installer physically cannot offer it.
Here’s the thing most homeowners don’t realize: very few contractors hold more than one of these top-tier certifications. Most are certified by a single manufacturer, which means your material options and warranty options are limited to that one brand.
Finding a contractor who holds all three gives you the widest selection of products and the strongest warranty coverage regardless of which manufacturer’s shingles you choose.
Verify Licensing and Insurance (and Know What to Look For)
New York doesn’t have a statewide roofing license. Licensing is handled at the county and municipality level. Both Nassau and Suffolk County require contractors to be properly licensed, bonded, and insured.
Ask for proof of:
- General liability insurance (minimum $1 million coverage is standard)
- Workers’ compensation insurance (this is non-negotiable in New York)
- A current contractor license for the municipality where the work will be done
Don’t just take their word for it. Call the insurance company on the certificate to confirm the policy is active. Expired or cancelled policies are more common than you’d think, and if a worker gets hurt on your property with no active workers’ comp, you could be liable.
Check Reviews Across Multiple Platforms
A contractor’s Google review count is a useful starting point, but it’s not the full picture. Look at their profiles across several platforms to get a more accurate read.
Google Reviews show volume and recency. Are they getting consistent reviews from recent customers, or did they get a burst of reviews two years ago and nothing since?
BBB accreditation shows whether they’ve committed to a basic standard of business practice and how they handle complaints.
Angi (formerly Angie’s List) and HomeAdvisor show verified project reviews from homeowners who actually hired the contractor.
The manufacturer’s own website (GAF, Owens Corning, CertainTeed) lists certified contractors with customer reviews that the manufacturer has verified against completed projects.
If a contractor has strong reviews on all of these platforms, that’s a much more reliable signal than a high count on just one.
Ask Who’s Actually Doing the Work
This is the question most homeowners forget to ask. Many roofing companies, including some well-known ones on Long Island, use subcontractors for the actual installation. That means the crew on your roof might not be the same people the company trained, insured, or built its reputation on.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with subcontractors in every industry. But in roofing, the quality of the installation is everything. A misplaced nail, a skipped ice-and-water shield layer, or a poorly sealed flashing joint can void your warranty and cause leaks that don’t show up for years.
Ask directly: does your company use its own crew or subcontractors? If they use subs, ask who they are and whether they carry their own insurance.
The safest answer is a contractor who employs their own installers, trains them in-house, and has the same team on every project.
Understand the Estimate Before You Sign It
A professional roofing estimate should be detailed enough that you can compare it apples-to-apples with another contractor’s quote. That means it should break down:
- The specific materials being used (brand, product line, and color)
- The scope of work (full tear-off vs. overlay, number of layers being removed)
- Underlayment, ice-and-water shield, flashing, and ventilation components
- Permit costs
- Cleanup and disposal
- Warranty terms (both manufacturer and workmanship)
If a quote shows up as a single line item that says “roof replacement: $15,000,” that’s not an estimate. That’s a guess. And it gives you no way to evaluate whether you’re comparing the same scope of work when you get your next quote.
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Make Sure They Pull the Permits
Both the Town of Hempstead, Town of Oyster Bay, Town of North Hempstead, Town of Babylon, Town of Islip, Town of Smithtown, and every other municipality across Nassau and Suffolk County require building permits for roof replacements.
The permit process exists to protect you. It ensures the work will be inspected for code compliance, which matters for your home’s structural safety and for your insurance coverage.
A contractor who suggests skipping the permit to save you money is actually saving themselves time and avoiding the accountability that comes with a code inspection. That’s not a contractor you want on your roof.
Your contractor should handle the entire permit process as part of the project. Filing, inspections, and closeout should all be managed without you having to visit the building department.
Ask About Their Process
A good contractor should be able to walk you through exactly what happens on your roof from the moment the crew arrives until they leave. Here’s what a thorough process looks like:
Pre-project: On-site inspection, written estimate, material selection, permit filing, and a scheduled start date with clear expectations on timeline.
Day of installation: Full tear-off of existing materials down to the deck. Inspection of all sheathing with replacement of any compromised sections. Installation of ice-and-water shield at eaves and valleys (products like GAF WeatherWatch or Owens Corning WeatherLock). Synthetic underlayment across the full deck. Starter strip at all eaves and rakes. Field shingles installed to manufacturer nailing specifications. Ridge vent installation for proper ventilation. Ridge cap shingles at all peaks and hips.
Post-project: Final walkthrough with the homeowner, magnetic nail sweep of the entire property, gutter cleaning, debris removal, and documentation of the completed work for your records.
If a contractor can’t describe their process in this level of detail, they probably don’t have one.
The Long Island Factor
Long Island isn’t a generic roofing market.
The housing stock across Nassau and Suffolk County spans postwar capes and ranches from the 1940s and 50s, colonials and split-levels from the 60s and 70s, and newer construction from the last two decades. Each era of home has different roof framing, different ventilation needs, and different challenges.
Add in the climate: nor’easters, salt air on the South Shore and North Shore coastal areas, summer humidity that drives algae growth, and freeze-thaw cycles that test every flashing joint and shingle seal.
A contractor who has only worked in the city or only handled one type of roof isn’t equipped for the range of situations Long Island homes present.
Experience on Long Island specifically matters. Ask how long they’ve been working in your area and whether they can provide references from homeowners in your town.
Why County Roofing Systems
We wrote this guide to help Long Island homeowners make better decisions. We also know that if you apply every criterion on this list, you’ll end up with a very short list of contractors. And we’ll be on it.
County Roofing Systems is one of the only contractors on Long Island certified by all three major manufacturers at their highest levels: GAF Master Elite, Owens Corning Platinum Preferred, and CertainTeed SELECT ShingleMaster. That triple certification puts us in the top 3% of contractors nationally and gives you access to the best warranty packages available from every manufacturer.
Keith Schmied has been running this company for over 35 years. He’s on-site for every project. Our crews are County Roofing employees, not subcontractors. We pull every permit, we follow every manufacturer specification, and we handle the entire process from first phone call to final walkthrough.
We serve homeowners across Nassau County and Suffolk County, from Levittown to Huntington to Smithtown and everywhere in between. We’re also including free gutters and leaders with every new roofing system right now.
Call us at 631-400-7663 or click here to schedule your free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many estimates should I get before choosing a roofing contractor?
Three is a good minimum. It gives you enough data points to compare pricing, materials, and scope without overwhelming yourself. Focus on comparing the details of each estimate, not just the bottom line number.
What's the biggest red flag when hiring a roofer on Long Island?
A contractor who asks for full payment upfront before any work begins. A reasonable deposit structure is normal, but paying everything in advance gives you no leverage if the work isn’t completed properly.
How long should a roof replacement take on a typical Long Island home?
Most residential roof replacements on Long Island take one to two days for an average-sized home. Larger homes with complex rooflines, steep pitches, or dormer work may take three to four days. Weather delays can extend the timeline.
Does my Long Island roof replacement need a building permit?
Yes. Both Nassau County and Suffolk County municipalities require building permits for roof replacements. Your contractor should handle the permit process as part of the project. If they suggest skipping it, find a different contractor.
What's the difference between a workmanship warranty and a manufacturer warranty?
A manufacturer warranty covers defects in the shingle or roofing material itself. A workmanship warranty covers errors in how the material was installed. Both matter. The best contractors offer long-term workmanship coverage in addition to the manufacturer’s material warranty.
Should I choose a contractor based on the shingle brand they carry?
Not exclusively. The installation quality matters more than the brand on the shingle. That said, working with a contractor certified by multiple manufacturers gives you more options and ensures you’re not locked into a single brand’s product line.
How do I verify a contractor's certifications?
Visit the manufacturer’s website directly. GAF, Owens Corning, and CertainTeed all maintain searchable online directories of certified contractors. Enter the company name or your zip code and confirm the certification is current.
Keith Hutchinson Schmied
We Serve the Entire Long Island Area
We serve all of Long Island, from Nassau to Suffolk County. Whether you’re on the coast or in the city, we know the area’s local design preferences, construction needs, and climate challenges.
Call us today for a free estimate: (631) 400-7663
