How to compare roofing companies — including us
Two roofing bids can differ by thousands of dollars and both be completely honest. They are describing different work. Here is what actually separates them, and the questions that reveal it — which work just as well on us as on anyone else.
What actually separates two roofing bids
Ten things worth checking before you sign anything. The first two are the ones that can cost you the most if you get them wrong.
License & classification
California requires a C-39 for roofing specifically. A general handyman license is not the same thing.
- The lowest online bid
- Varies. Often unverified, and sometimes the wrong class for roofing work.
- The national franchise
- Yes. Licensed, though the classification and who holds it varies by franchisee.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. CA Lic. #812250 — CSLB class B (General Building) and C-39 (Roofing).
Workers' comp & liability
If an uninsured worker is injured on your roof, the claim can land on your homeowner's policy.
- The lowest online bid
- No. Frequently carries neither, which quietly transfers the risk to you.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Carried at the corporate level, but crews are often subcontracted.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. Bonded, with workers' compensation and general liability coverage.
Manufacturer certification
Manufacturers restrict their strongest warranties to contractors they have certified. It is a gate, not a sticker.
- The lowest online bid
- No. None — which closes the door on every manufacturer-backed warranty.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Depends entirely on what the individual franchisee has earned.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. GAF Master Elite® — the top 2% of US roofers — plus Malarkey Emerald Premium and CertainTeed ShingleMaster.
Workmanship warranty
Most roof failures are installation errors, not material defects. This is the warranty that covers them.
- The lowest online bid
- No. Verbal at best, and worth nothing once the crew stops answering.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Set by the franchise agreement, and tied to that office staying open.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. 25 years, in writing, and transferable when you sell the house.
Manufacturer warranty
The long warranties in the brochures are only available through certified installers.
- The lowest online bid
- No. Not eligible to register one.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Only if that office holds the certification the warranty requires.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. GAF Golden Pledge® Warranty and Malarkey Emerald Premium Warranty
A written scope up front
Two bids can differ by thousands and both be honest — they are describing different work. Without a scope you cannot tell.
- The lowest online bid
- No. A number, not a scope. Whatever it leaves out comes back later as a change order.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Usually standardized package pricing rather than your roof's specifics.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. A written scope before we start, with no high-pressure sales.
Class A fire rating
Much of Marin and Sonoma sits in a Wildland-Urban Interface zone, where the roof assembly's fire rating is not optional.
- The lowest online bid
- Varies. Rarely priced in, because it costs money the low bid does not include.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Depends on whether the local office knows the county's WUI maps.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. Standard practice on North Bay roofs — we work in these zones every week.
Permits & Title 24
Unpermitted roofing becomes your problem at resale, and California's Title 24 energy rules apply to re-roofs.
- The lowest online bid
- Varies. Often skipped entirely, which leaves the paperwork gap with you.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Handled when the local office is current on California code.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. Pulled and compliant as part of the job, not an upsell.
Who answers when you call
The real test of a warranty is who picks up the phone three years later.
- The lowest online bid
- No. Often nobody, once the invoice is paid.
- The national franchise
- Varies. Typically a call center that routes you to whoever is on rotation.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. The family that owns the company. Our main line is answered 24/7 for roofing emergencies.
Local track record
Roofing is regional. Experience on North Bay houses, in North Bay weather, is not interchangeable.
- The lowest online bid
- No. No local history to check, and often no fixed address.
- The national franchise
- Varies. As long as that particular franchisee has been open.
- Northern Pacific Roofing
- Yes. 3,000+ roofs since 2002, rated 4.7 out of 5.
The two comparison columns describe common industry patterns, not any specific company — there are excellent roofers in both categories, and we have followed plenty of good work. Everything in the Northern Pacific column is something you can verify before you sign, and we would rather you check it than take our word for it.
Six questions to ask any roofer
Ask all six of every company you are considering, us included. A good contractor will answer them without hesitating, and the answers make two bids comparable for the first time.
-
What's your CSLB license number, and does it include a C-39?
You can verify it yourself in about a minute on the CSLB website. Any legitimate roofer expects this question.
-
Are your workers covered by workers' compensation?
Ask for the certificate, not a yes. This is the answer that protects your homeowner's policy.
-
Which manufacturer warranties can you actually register?
If a contractor is not certified by the manufacturer, the long warranty in the brochure is not available on your roof.
-
What does your workmanship warranty cover, and does it transfer?
Installation errors cause most roof failures. A warranty that dies when you sell is worth less than one that transfers.
-
Is the tear-off included, or are you going over the existing layers?
This single line can account for most of the gap between two bids.
-
Who pulls the permit, and is Title 24 compliance included?
Unpermitted work becomes the seller's problem later. You want this in writing now.
Go deeper on any of it
No sales pitch in these — just the detail behind the rows above.
Why AI doesn't know your roof price
If one of your numbers came from ChatGPT, start here.
Read the guideGAF Master Elite vs. a standard contractor
What the certification actually changes about your warranty.
Read the guideClass A fire-rated roofs in WUI zones
Why your address decides which roof assemblies are even legal.
Read the guideTitle 24 and your roof replacement
The energy rules that apply the moment you re-roof.
Read the guideWhat a roof replacement costs here
Real ranges for Marin and Sonoma, and what moves the number.
Read the guideProud to give back to the North Bay
A roofing company should strengthen the community under every roof it builds. Beyond the job site, founder Barry Murrin leads and serves with several local and international organizations across Marin, Sonoma & the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Mission San Rafael Rotary Club
Past President · Current Board of Directors
Local service projects, youth leadership development, and international humanitarian work.
San Rafael Elks Lodge #1108
Past Exalted Ruler (Lodge President)
Veterans' services, youth programs, and local charitable giving across Marin.
Petaluma Moose Lodge #475
Current President
Support for Mooseheart & Moosehaven and Petaluma community events.
Melissa Prandi Children Foundation (MPCF)
Long-Term Sponsors
Child sponsorship in Uganda — funding education, nutrition, and medical care.
Marin IJ Readers’ Choice Award — 2025
Honor Award for Best Roofer — voted by the community we serve.
Fair questions about this page
- Isn't this comparison biased? You wrote it.
- Of course it is — we're a roofing company and we'd like your business. That's exactly why every claim in our column is one you can check without asking us: the license number is public on the CSLB website, the manufacturer certifications are listed on GAF's and Malarkey's own contractor directories, and the warranty terms are in the written proposal before you sign anything. Don't take our word for any of it. The questions above work just as well on us as they do on anyone else.
- Why won't you name the companies you're comparing yourself to?
- Because it would be unfair and not very useful. There are genuinely good roofers working under national franchise brands, and there are careful independents who happen to be the low bid on a given day. The patterns above are real, but they're patterns — not a verdict on any particular company. If you're weighing a specific estimate, send it to us and we'll talk about that estimate instead of a category.
- Is the cheapest bid ever the right choice?
- Sometimes, yes. If two contractors are both licensed, both insured, both certified for the warranty you want, and both scoped the same work in writing, then the lower number is simply the better deal and you should take it. The problem is that the cheapest bid usually differs from the others because it contains less work — a skipped tear-off, no permit, thinner underlayment — and the price gap disappears once you line the scopes up.
- What if I've already signed with someone else?
- Then we'd genuinely rather you got a good roof than a second sales pitch. If something in the scope worries you, the questions above are the ones to take back to your contractor. Most reputable roofers will answer all six without hesitation, and a good answer should reassure you.
Ready for a roof done right?
Every project starts with a free, no-pressure estimate — installed to manufacturer specification so your warranty holds, and finished with the cleanest jobsite in the North Bay.
— Barry usually picks up
- Contact within 24 business hours
- Licensed, Bonded & Insured
- GAF Master Elite Certified
- Free, no-pressure estimates