Short answer: As of September 2026, the five highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are BSW Roofing and Solar (80.6), Kern County Roofing Inc (65.4), Superior Roofing Inc (57.8), Big Builders Inc (50.5), SoCal Construction (50.0). Every one holds a manufacturer certification that can be verified independently, every rating below has been corroborated against at least one source outside the certification registry, and no company paid to appear here.
The Roofing Brief scored 8 certified roofing contractors serving the Bakersfield metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top five individually to confirm its record. Bakersfield posts one of the lowest average contractor ratings in this programme. The mean across its certified pool is 4.38, against 4.96 in Worcester and 4.89 in Baton Rouge. That is not a reason to distrust the market, but it does mean the spread between the top contractor and the middle of the pool is unusually wide here, and the score gap below reflects it. California’s licensing regime is the counterweight: a C-39 roofing licence requires four years of journey-level experience and two exams, and the CSLB record carries full complaint and disciplinary history. In this metro, checking the CSLB record matters more than almost anywhere.
Why a Bakersfield roof fails slowly rather than suddenly
Bakersfield has one of the quietest storm records in this programme: seven hail reports across the decade, 15 severe wind reports and two brief tornadoes for the whole of Kern County. Nothing about roofing here is driven by storms. It is driven by heat. Summer highs above 100 degrees for weeks at a time cook asphalt shingles, cycle the deck and fasteners daily, and age underlayment faster than any weather event in the file, so ventilation and material choice do the work that impact resistance does elsewhere.
California’s energy code makes that concrete. Bakersfield sits in climate zone 13, one of the zones where a prescriptive cool-roof requirement applies to re-roofing a single-family home on both steep-slope and low-slope roofs, meaning the replacement product must meet minimum solar reflectance and thermal emittance values unless the design takes one of the alternative compliance routes, such as added ceiling insulation or a radiant barrier. Ask which route your quote uses; the answer changes both the material and the price.
The licence threshold in California is low and the lookup is good. Any job above $500 in combined labour and materials requires a state contractor licence, and roofing is the C-39 classification, which takes four years of documented journey-level experience and two exams. The CSLB record shows the licence status, the bond, workers compensation and any complaint or disciplinary history, and it is the most informative public record available in any state in this programme.
Permits are required for re-roofs in both jurisdictions that matter here: the City of Bakersfield for addresses inside the city and Kern County Public Works for the unincorporated areas around it. This is also a thin certified market, with a metro mean rating of 4.4, well below the national picture, and only one contractor scoring above 70. Read the ranked five below as a shortlist to interview rather than a field of equals.
The 5 best roofers in Bakersfield, CA
Scored 2026-09-18. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Bakersfield is 4.375, across a pool of 8 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BSW Roofing and Solar | 80.6 | Master Elite | 4.9 (190) | 4.791 | not published | Bakersfield, CA |
| 2 | Kern County Roofing Inc | 65.4 | Master Elite | 4.8 (31) | 4.538 | 2013 | Bakersfield, CA |
| 3 | Superior Roofing Inc | 57.8 | Certified | 4.6 (140) | 4.541 | not published | Bakersfield, CA |
| 4 | Big Builders Inc | 50.5 | Certified | 4.5 (47) | 4.436 | not published | Bakersfield, CA |
| 5 | SoCal Construction | 50.0 | Certified | 4.5 (42) | 4.432 | not published | Bakersfield, CA |
1. BSW Roofing and Solar — TRB Score 80.6
BSW Roofing and Solar is based in Bakersfield, CA, Not BBB accredited, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 31.6 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 15.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 80.6 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Licence 828481, classifications B, C-39 and C-46, original licence date 16 December 2003, status CLEAR, expiring 31 December 2027. CSLB
- Averaging 4.8 across Google, Yelp and the BBB. Reviews
- Listed with GuildQuality, which surveys customers directly. GuildQuality
What they actually do. Roofing, solar and air conditioning; residential and commercial, C-39 roofing plus C-46 solar and B general building.
Why it ranks here. A CSLB record showing status CLEAR with no adverse conditions, holding three classifications including solar, and 190 registry reviews at 4.9 against a metro mean of 4.35. The lead is wide: the second-placed contractor scores 15.2 points lower.
Best fit for: Roof-and-solar projects, and homeowners who want the CSLB record to be clean rather than merely present.
What we would want clarified. Not BBB accredited. The company’s own materials variously describe 72 and 83 years in the San Joaquin Valley, while the current CSLB licence dates from 2003; the older figures presumably refer to a predecessor business. Reviews include reports of slow response and follow-up on repair work. 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 (661) 327-7663, 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. Kern County Roofing Inc — TRB Score 65.4
Kern County Roofing Inc is based in Bakersfield, CA, in business since 2013, led by Michael Adam Monclova, President; Michelle Monclova, Co-Owner, BBB profile on record, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 21.5 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 9.9 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 65.4 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Licence 980186, C-39 Roofing Contractor, first issued 12 January 2013, valid through 28 February 2027, with an active surety bond and active workers compensation coverage and no adverse conditions on record. CSLB
- BBB business profile listing Michael Adam Monclova as President. BBB
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing under a dedicated C-39 roofing classification.
Why it ranks here. The bond and workers compensation are both independently confirmed active, which is the check most homeowners skip and the one that decides who pays if a worker is hurt on your roof. A dedicated C-39 rather than roofing performed under a general B licence.
Best fit for: Homeowners who want bond and workers compensation verified before work starts.
What we would want clarified. Thirty-one registry reviews is a thin base for a company thirteen years old. 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 (661) 319-2118, 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. Superior Roofing Inc — TRB Score 57.8
Superior Roofing Inc is based in Bakersfield, CA, BBB profile on record, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 21.6 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.1 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 57.8 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Active California contractor licence 867069. CSLB
- Registered with the California Department of Industrial Relations under number 1000011676, which permits work on publicly funded projects. DIR
- BBB business profile on record. BBB
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing across the Bakersfield area, including publicly funded work.
Why it ranks here. DIR registration is a meaningful extra filter. Public-works registration requires certified payroll reporting and prevailing wage compliance, which are audited. A contractor carrying it has an administrative discipline most residential-only roofers do not.
Best fit for: Homeowners who value audited compliance, and schools, churches or public buildings.
What we would want clarified. No BBB rating or accreditation date was locatable, and 140 registry reviews at 4.6 sits below the leader. 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 (661) 679-6923, 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. Big Builders Inc — TRB Score 50.5
Big Builders Inc is based in Bakersfield, CA, led by Jose Luis Aguilar, Owner, BBB accredited since 21 April 2014, A+ rating, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 17.4 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 11.1 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 50.5 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- A+ rated and BBB accredited since 21 April 2014. BBB
- California contractor licence 921695. CSLB
- BuildZoom score of 97, the top 18 per cent of California licensed contractors. BuildZoom
What they actually do. Roofing and general construction across Kern County.
Why it ranks here. Twelve years of unbroken A+ accreditation with a named owner on the BBB record and a licence number that checks out. In a metro where the average rating runs low, an accredited A+ record with a verifiable licence is worth more than a marginal rating difference.
Best fit for: Homeowners who want an accredited A+ contractor with the licence traceable to a named individual.
What we would want clarified. Forty-seven registry reviews at 4.5, the lowest raw rating 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 (661) 374-8991, 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. SoCal Construction — TRB Score 50.0
SoCal Construction is based in Bakersfield, CA, led by Frank Solman, President; Lasha Mikhelidze, General Manager, BBB profile on record, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 17.3 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 10.7 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 50.0 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- BBB business profile listing Frank Solman as President and Lasha Mikhelidze as General Manager. BBB
What they actually do. Roofing, general contracting, remodelling and HVAC.
Why it ranks here. A multi-trade contractor, which is useful when a roof replacement runs into ventilation or HVAC work on the same roof deck rather than requiring a second company.
Best fit for: Projects combining roofing with HVAC or wider remodelling work.
What we would want clarified. No BBB rating and no CSLB licence number was independently locatable for this trading name. Ask for the licence number in writing and check it on the CSLB record before signing. This is the thinnest verification 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 (661) 348-4797, 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.
21 severe weather reports in a decade, and why that matters in Bakersfield
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 1 county of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 7 hail reports, 15 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 2 tornadoes. The database’s property-damage fields are left blank for most of these reports, so it carries no usable loss total for this metro and we do not quote one.
The biggest hail to fall on Bakersfield in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 June 2023 | 1.75 in | Cable | Kern |
| 5 June 2023 | 1.5 in | Cable | Kern |
| 24 April 2016 | 1.0 in | Green Acres | Kern |
| 25 May 2019 | 1.0 in | Lakeview | Kern |
| 2 June 2019 | 0.75 in | Bodfish | Kern |
| 5 May 2016 | 0.75 in | Maricopa | Kern |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 5 June 2023 near Cable, measured at 1.75 inches. That is ping-pong-ball sized, enough to bruise asphalt shingles and shorten a roof’s life without necessarily looking dramatic from the ground.
Wind. The strongest thunderstorm gust logged in the metro was 57 knots, about 66 mph, near Kern on 21 May 2023. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
Tornadoes. 2 tornadoes touched down in these counties over the decade, the strongest rated EF0 near Ridgecrest Arpt on 16 April 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 3 September 2017 event near Calders Corner, reproduced verbatim:
California Highway Patrol reported power lines downed across Stockdale Highway west of Rosedale from strong thunderstorm winds.
A roof in this metro is built against events like that one, as recorded by the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in September (11), June (5), May (3). The worst years on record were 2017 (10), 2019 (5), 2023 (4). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Bakersfield, 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 Bakersfield. Weight your decision toward wind rating, ventilation and flashing detail rather than paying extra for impact-rated shingles.
What a Bakersfield homeowner should ask for in writing
Licensing is required in CA. California requires a Contractors State License Board licence for any job where labour and materials combined reach $1,000 or more, a threshold raised from $500 by Assembly Bill 2622 on 1 January 2025. The exemption never covers a reroof, because the Board treats any work that needs a permit as requiring a licence whatever its value. Roofing is the C-39 classification; a B General Building licence can also cover it.
A C-39 qualifier must document at least four years of journey-level experience and pass both a trade examination and a law and business examination. Every active licence carries a $25,000 contractor’s bond, and C-39 roofing licensees must carry workers’ compensation whether or not they have employees: roofing is one of the few classifications that cannot file the no-employee exemption.
Check here: CSLB Check a License. The CSLB record also shows complaint and disciplinary history, including citations and accusations. Treat any status other than Active as disqualifying.
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 Bakersfield market behind this ranking
8 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area, of which 0 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 494 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.375. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 922,529, a change of 1.46% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Bakersfield rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA 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 8 certified contractors, of whom 0 hold President’s Club standing and 2 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.375. The top five were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. Where that research turned up something awkward it is on the page, and no placement was paid for.
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: 2026-09-18. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
Common questions about roofers in Bakersfield
Who is the best roofer in Bakersfield, CA?
BSW Roofing and Solar of Bakersfield, CA scores highest in the Bakersfield metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 80.6 out of 100 as of September 2026. It holds Master Elite certification with a 4.9 rating across 190 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the four companies behind it score within 30.6 points.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Bakersfield?
8 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area as of September 2026, of which 0 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Bakersfield get?
The Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area recorded 4 hail reports of 1 inch or larger and 0 of 2 inches or larger between 2016 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Events Database. The largest hailstone reported measured 1.75 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 Bakersfield in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 1.75 inches, reported near Cable on 5 June 2023. That is ping-pong-ball sized, enough to bruise asphalt shingles and shorten a roof’s life without necessarily looking dramatic from the ground. Across the decade the metro recorded 7 hail reports. The database’s property-damage fields are left blank for most of these reports, so it carries no usable loss total for this metro and we do not quote one.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Bakersfield?
Severe-weather reports in the Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area cluster in September, June, May, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. Outside those months local crews are not triaging storm damage, so lead times are shorter and scheduling is easier.
Do roofers need a licence in CA?
California requires a Contractors State License Board licence for any job where labour and materials combined reach $1,000 or more, a threshold raised from $500 by Assembly Bill 2622 on 1 January 2025. The exemption never covers a reroof, because the Board treats any work that needs a permit as requiring a licence whatever its value. Roofing is the C-39 classification; a B General Building licence can also cover it. A C-39 qualifier must document at least four years of journey-level experience and pass both a trade examination and a law and business examination. Every active licence carries a $25,000 contractor’s bond, and C-39 roofing licensees must carry workers’ compensation whether or not they have employees: roofing is one of the few classifications that cannot file the no-employee exemption.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Bakersfield?
The CSLB record also shows complaint and disciplinary history, including citations and accusations. Treat any status other than Active as disqualifying.
Is Bakersfield a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Bakersfield posts one of the lowest average contractor ratings in this programme. The mean across its certified pool is 4.38, against 4.96 in Worcester and 4.89 in Baton Rouge. That is not a reason to distrust the market, but it does mean the spread between the top contractor and the middle of the pool is unusually wide here, and the score gap below reflects it. California’s licensing regime is the counterweight: a C-39 roofing licence requires four years of journey-level experience and two exams, and the CSLB record carries full complaint and disciplinary history. In this metro, checking the CSLB record matters more than almost anywhere.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Bakersfield?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Bakersfield-Delano, CA statistical area logged 15 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 4 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 Visalia, CA, about 69 miles from Bakersfield
- Best roofers in Oxnard, CA, about 80 miles from Bakersfield
- Best roofers in Santa Maria, CA, about 85 miles from Bakersfield
- Best roofers in San Luis Obispo, CA, another CA metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Los Angeles, CA, another CA metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Albuquerque, NM, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in McAllen, TX, a metro of comparable size
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 Bakersfield, CA: 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.