Short answer: As of October 2026, the four highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Kenosha, WI metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are Benjamin Brothers Roofing & Exteriors (86.0), BNW Installations (81.7), Ridge Top Exteriors (75.6), Mather’s Improvement Service (71.2). Each is certified by a manufacturer whose register we checked by hand, each rating has been tested against a source outside that register, and nobody bought a place on this page.
The Roofing Brief scored 10 certified roofing contractors serving the Kenosha metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top four individually to confirm its record. Kenosha is a border market: most of the certified roofers who work here are based in Illinois, where a roofer needs an exam-based, bonded state licence, but the moment a crew crosses the line the rules change to Wisconsin’s, where the permit gate is a continuing-education certificate and a $5,000 bond. Storms ignore the line too, as the 2020 tornado that started in Lake County and peeled shingles at Camp Lake showed. Thirteen certified firms appear in the directory for Kenosha; three publish no Kenosha coverage and are excluded, and the four our research could verify are ranked.
Hail, codes and what they cost a Kenosha homeowner
Wisconsin has no roofing-specific licence. To pull a permit for work on a one- or two-family home a contractor must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification from the Department of Safety and Professional Services and hold or employ a certified Dwelling Contractor Qualifier (SPS 305.31). The certification requires a bond of at least $5,000 or liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence; a bond under $25,000 limits the contractor to jobs no larger than the bond. The Qualifier needs 12 hours of approved coursework, not a trade exam. An owner who lives in the home can pull their own permit.
Across the state line, Illinois licenses roofers directly: under 225 ILCS 335 no roofing work may be done except by a licensed roofing contractor, whose qualifying party has passed a state exam, backed by a $10,000 or $25,000 bond, and the licence number must appear on every contract and advert. Three of the ranked and listed firms here hold an active Illinois licence, which is checkable on the state’s open register.
Whichever state a crew comes from, Wisconsin’s storm-claim law governs a Kenosha roof. Wis. Stat. 100.65 bars a contractor from promising to pay or rebate your deductible, including through any discount, gift or referral fee, and from negotiating your claim for you; it requires a cancellation form, and lets you cancel before the end of the third business day after a written denial of all or part of the claim. Violations carry forfeitures of $500 to $1,000 each.
Across 2016 to 2025 Kenosha County logged 17 hail reports, 10 of an inch or larger and two of two inches or more, 30 thunderstorm wind reports and two tornadoes, with $420,500 of storm damage recorded. The costliest weather row of the decade was the lake itself: in January 2020 near-record water levels and 10 to 15 foot waves did $3.3 million of shoreline damage, including at Kemper Center and the harbour walls. The city’s median home was built in 1970, a fifth of its homes predate 1940, and 41.3 percent of its occupied homes are rented.
The 4 best roofers in Kenosha, WI
Scored 2026-10-07. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Kenosha is 4.692, across a pool of 10 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benjamin Brothers Roofing & Exteriors | 86.0 | President’s Club | 4.9 (164) | 4.851 | 2005 | Oakwood Hills, IL |
| 2 | BNW Installations | 81.7 | President’s Club | 4.7 (46) | 4.696 | 1993 | Sturtevant, WI |
| 3 | Ridge Top Exteriors | 75.6 | Master Elite | 4.8 (165) | 4.775 | not published | Gurnee, IL |
| 4 | Mather’s Improvement Service | 71.2 | Master Elite | 4.7 (168) | 4.698 | 1966 | Burlington, WI |
1. Benjamin Brothers Roofing & Exteriors: TRB Score 86.0
Benjamin Brothers Roofing & Exteriors is based in Oakwood Hills, IL, in business since 2005, led by Matt Benjamin and Cody Benjamin, partners, BBB accredited since 25 February 2019, A+ rating, no complaints closed in three years, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 34.1 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.4 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 2.5 | 10 |
| Total | 86.0 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Benjamin Brothers Construction Inc holds an active unlimited roofing contractor licence, 104-017244, issued March 2016, with no discipline recorded.. Illinois IDFPR roofing licence register
- Accredited since February 2019 with an A+ rating; business started 4 December 2005; partners Matthew and Cody Benjamin; no complaints closed in three years.. BBB business profile
What they actually do. Asphalt shingle replacement, wood shake, composite, metal and low-slope roofing, siding, gutters and insurance claim work.
Why it ranks here. The top-scoring firm in the pool, at GAF’s President’s Club tier with 164 reviews averaging 4.9, run by brothers Matt and Cody Benjamin since 2005 from Oakwood Hills, with a shop in McHenry. It holds an active Illinois unlimited roofing licence with no discipline, and its BBB file is clean. Its claim on Kenosha is the weakest of the four, though: its site says it works across the Chicagoland suburbs into southern Wisconsin but names only Illinois towns, and it is about 30 miles from Kenosha.
Best fit for: Kenosha and Pleasant Prairie homeowners who want a high-volume, Illinois-licensed roofer with the deepest review record in the pool.
What we would want clarified. About 30 miles away and names no Wisconsin town, so confirm it will take a Kenosha job and ask for its Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor numbers. Its site offers to review adjusters’ estimates; in Wisconsin a contractor may not negotiate your claim for you. 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 (847) 533-5505, 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. BNW Installations: TRB Score 81.7
BNW Installations is based in Sturtevant, WI, in business since 1993, led by William Wendt and Renne Wendt, owners, BBB accredited since 16 March 1999, A+ rating, no complaints closed in three years, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 27.8 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 10.8 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 8.1 | 10 |
| Total | 81.7 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Accredited since March 1999 with an A+ rating; business started 1993; owners William and Renne Wendt; service area roofs, gutters, siding and general contracting in Kenosha and Racine counties; no complaints.. BBB business profile
- Contact page headed Serving Kenosha; family owned, with residential and commercial roofing, siding, gutters and storm repair.. Company website
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing and reroofs, siding, gutters and storm repair.
Why it ranks here. The longest BBB accreditation in the pool, since March 1999, with an A+ rating and no complaints, and GAF’s top President’s Club tier. A family firm run by William and Renne Wendt from Sturtevant, about eight miles north of Kenosha, and the only ranked firm whose Kenosha coverage is confirmed by two sources: BBB names Kenosha and Racine counties, and its own contact page is headed Serving Kenosha. Roofing is its core trade. It is also ranked on our Racine page.
Best fit for: Kenosha homeowners who want a Wisconsin-based, roofing-first family firm with more than 25 years of clean BBB history.
What we would want clarified. A moderate review base of 46, and its founding year rests on BBB alone. Wisconsin’s credential search was unreachable, so confirm its Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier numbers on the permit. 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 (262) 859-3566, 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. Ridge Top Exteriors: TRB Score 75.6
Ridge Top Exteriors is based in Gurnee, IL, led by Larry Gebhart, President, BBB accredited since 6 April 2005, A+ rating, 15 complaints closed in three years, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 31.0 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.4 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 6.2 | 10 |
| Total | 75.6 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Ridge Top Exteriors Inc holds an active unlimited roofing contractor licence, 104-016252, issued July 2012, with no discipline recorded.. Illinois IDFPR roofing licence register
- One file for the whole company, headquartered in Madison: accredited since April 2005 with an A+ rating and 15 complaints closed in the last three years.. BBB business profile
- Communities served from Gurnee include Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Racine, Bristol, Salem, Trevor and Camp Lake.. Company website, Gurnee office
What they actually do. Asphalt shingle and flat roofing, siding, windows, gutters and a roof maintenance plan.
Why it ranks here. A multi-state exterior company with seven offices across Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Florida, serving Kenosha from Gurnee, about 15 miles south, whose location page names Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Bristol, Salem and Camp Lake. It holds an active Illinois unlimited roofing licence with no discipline and GAF Master Elite status, with 165 reviews averaging 4.8. BBB has accredited it since 2005, but its single company-wide file shows 15 complaints closed in three years, the highest count among the ranked firms; complaints are allegations, not findings, and the count reflects a large multi-office operator. Its founding year conflicts (BBB says 1995, the company 2002), so we record none.
Best fit for: Homeowners who want a large operator with explicit Kenosha coverage, an Illinois licence and a maintenance plan after the job.
What we would want clarified. Fifteen BBB complaints in three years across the company; read them, and ask who manages the Gurnee office and its crews. 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 (815) 900-5144, 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. Mather’s Improvement Service: TRB Score 71.2
Mather’s Improvement Service is based in Burlington, WI, in business since 1966, led by Benjamin M. Zusan, owner, BBB accredited since 25 January 2024, A+ rating, no complaints closed in three years, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 27.9 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.4 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 4.8 | 10 |
| Total | 71.2 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Accredited since January 2024 with an A+ rating; business started 1982; owner Benjamin M. Zusan; service area names Kenosha County among others; no complaints.. BBB business profile
- Founded in Burlington in 1966 by Robert Mather and his brother, passed to the second generation in 1982 and now run by third-generation owner Ben Zusan.. Company website, Who We Are
What they actually do. Roofing, siding, gutters, windows and doors, soffit and fascia, and awnings.
Why it ranks here. A three-generation family firm from Burlington in western Racine County, about 21 miles from Kenosha, at GAF Master Elite with 168 reviews averaging 4.7. Its 1966 founding is consistent with BBB’s 1982 start date, which matches the company’s account of the handover to the second generation. BBB’s service area names Kenosha County explicitly, though the firm’s own site speaks only of southeast Wisconsin and Racine County. It is an exterior remodeller with roofing one of several trades, and is also ranked on our Racine page.
Best fit for: West-county homeowners around Paddock Lake, Salem and Twin Lakes who want a long-established Wisconsin family firm.
What we would want clarified. Its Kenosha coverage rests on the BBB record, and roofing is one of several exterior trades. Ownership passed to the third generation in 2024, when its BBB accreditation also began. Confirm its Dwelling Contractor numbers on the permit. 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 (262) 763-7884, 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.
Other roofers serving Kenosha
Four certified firms are ranked here. These four are based in or serve Kenosha County with a verifiable credential. They are not scored and we are not recommending them; ask each for its Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor numbers, which the state’s search would not let us check.
| Company | Verified credential |
|---|---|
| Dick’s Roof Repair Service, Inc. | Owens Corning Platinum Preferred on 75th St in Kenosha, the only Kenosha-based Platinum firm on Owens Corning’s locator; trading since 1957; BBB A+, not accredited, no complaints. |
| Shingles Etc., Inc. | Owens Corning Preferred on Old Green Bay Rd in Pleasant Prairie; BBB accredited since 2002 at A+, trading since 1995; no complaints. |
| A-Tech Roofing Systems | Owens Corning Preferred on 71st St in Kenosha; BBB accredited since 2014 at A+, trading since 2012; no complaints. |
| Perkins All Star Exteriors & Construction | Active Illinois unlimited roofing licence 104-016600, based in Antioch with a second BBB file in Bristol, Kenosha County; GAF Certified; BBB A+, accredited only since 2025. |
What 2.9 inch hail does to a Kenosha 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 1 county of the Kenosha, WI statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 17 hail reports, 30 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 2 tornadoes. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $420,000; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Kenosha in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 2018 | 2.9 in | Twin Lakes | Kenosha |
| 15 May 2025 | 2.0 in | Downtown Kenosha | Kenosha |
| 15 May 2025 | 1.75 in | South Kenosha | Kenosha |
| 15 May 2025 | 1.25 in | South Kenosha | Kenosha |
| 15 May 2025 | 1.25 in | South Kenosha | Kenosha |
| 7 May 2024 | 1.0 in | Pleasant Prairie | Kenosha |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 2 May 2018 near Twin Lakes, measured at 2.9 inches. That is baseball sized, comfortably past the point where a roof is written off rather than repaired.
Wind. The strongest thunderstorm gust logged in the metro was 65 knots, about 75 mph, near Twin Lakes on 22 June 2024. 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 EF1 near Wilmot on 10 August 2020.
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 22 June 2024 event near Twin Lakes, reproduced verbatim:
Random pockets of tree damage blown down in a divergent pattern on the west side of Lake Mary and Elizabeth Lake . Powerlines down as well.
That account is the design case for a roof here, and it comes from the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in May (12), August (11), June (9). The worst years on record were 2025 (9), 2020 (8), 2017 (7). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Kenosha, 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 Kenosha. Weight your decision toward wind rating, ventilation and flashing detail rather than paying extra for impact-rated shingles.
Illinois crews, Wisconsin rules
Kenosha’s certified roofer pool leans south. Of the firms we researched for this page, most have Illinois business addresses, in Oakwood Hills, Gurnee, Mundelein, McHenry and Antioch, and the Wisconsin firms that serve the city are based mostly in neighbouring Racine County. Three of the Illinois firms publish service areas that never reach Kenosha, which is why they are excluded below.
The licensing systems on the two sides of the line are very different. Illinois requires a state roofing licence for any roofing work in the state, with a qualifying party who has passed an exam that includes Illinois roofing law, a continuous bond of $10,000 for residential work or $25,000 unlimited, and the licence number printed on every contract and bid. In Wisconsin the permit gate is the Dwelling Contractor certification, which the code itself describes as proof of continuing education, backed by a bond that can be as low as $5,000. A municipality cannot add stricter licensing on top: the annotation to Wis. Stat. 101.654 notes that local ordinances demanding more than the state are preempted.
Storms cross the line as easily as crews. On 10 August 2020 an EF1 tornado began in northwest Lake County, Illinois, damaged houses just south of the border, crossed into Kenosha County near Wilmot, snapped and uprooted hundreds of trees at Promised Land camp and left shingle damage on houses near Camp Lake over a 4.5 mile path.
Hail is the main roof threat in the county record. On 2 May 2018 a supercell dropped stones of two to 2.9 inches near Twin Lakes, damaging siding and windows. On 15 May 2025, during what NWS called one of the bigger tornado events for southern Wisconsin in 10 to 15 years, two-inch hail fell in downtown Kenosha and 1.25 to 1.75 inch hail in south Kenosha.
For a Kenosha homeowner the practical upshot is to ask an Illinois-based roofer for two sets of numbers: its Illinois roofing licence, which proves a tested qualifying party and a bond, and its Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor and Qualifier numbers, which it needs to pull your permit. Then remember that Wisconsin’s storm-claim rules apply: no deductible deals, and no roofer negotiating your claim.
Two states’ rules and Kenosha’s storm record
| Item | Figure or rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois roofing licence | Required; exam-qualified; $10,000 or $25,000 bond | 225 ILCS 335/3, 3.5 and 9 |
| Illinois licence number on contracts and adverts | Required | 225 ILCS 335/5 |
| Wisconsin permit credential | Dwelling Contractor plus Qualifier | Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.31 |
| Wisconsin minimum bond | $5,000, limiting jobs to the bond amount | Wis. Stat. 101.654(2) and (2m) |
| Cancellation after a claim denial | Before the end of the third business day | Wis. Stat. 100.65(5) |
| Hail reports, Kenosha County, 2016 to 2025 | 17; largest 2.9 inches, Twin Lakes, 2 May 2018 | NOAA NCEI Storm Events |
| Cross-border tornado, 10 August 2020 | EF1, 4.5 miles in Kenosha County; shingle damage at Camp Lake | NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan via NOAA NCEI |
| Lakeshore flood, 11 January 2020 | $3.3 million | NOAA NCEI Storm Events |
| Median year built, City of Kenosha | 1970 | ACS 2020 to 2024, B25035 |
| Renter-occupied homes, City of Kenosha | 41.3 percent | ACS 2020 to 2024, B25003 |
Source: 225 ILCS 335 (Illinois Roofing Industry Licensing Act) and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation open licence register; Wis. Stat. 100.65 and 101.654; Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.31, 305.315 and 321.28; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (Kenosha County and forecast zone rows) and NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan narratives; Owens Corning contractor locator; BBB business profiles; US Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024.
How to check a Kenosha roofer in ten minutes
Licensing is required in WI. Wisconsin does not issue a roofing-specific licence, but anyone pulling a building permit for work on a one- or two-family dwelling must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification from the Department of Safety and Professional Services, and the company must also hold or employ a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. An owner who lives in the home may pull their own permit.
The Qualifier credential requires at least 12 hours of an approved course in dwelling construction, with course tests, and renews every two years on 12 hours of continuing education; the code describes its purpose as proof of continuing education. The business certification requires general liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence or a surety bond: $25,000 for an unrestricted certification, while a smaller bond, down to $5,000, limits the contractor to jobs no larger than the bond. Under Wis. Stat. 100.65 a contractor may not promise to pay or rebate your insurance deductible, may not negotiate your claim for you, and must give you a cancellation form; you may cancel within three business days of a written denial of all or part of the claim. Each violation carries a forfeiture of $500 to $1,000.
Check here: Wisconsin DSPS Dwelling Contractor information. Ask for both credentials: a Dwelling Contractor certification without a Qualifier cannot legally pull your permit. The Uniform Dwelling Code requires ice dam protection on shingle and shake roofs only where the slope is 4:12 slope or less over heated space, running at least 30 inches up the slope and 12 inches past the inner face of the wall, so on steeper roofs it is a choice, not a rule.
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 shape of the Kenosha contractor market
10 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Kenosha, WI statistical area, of which 2 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 829 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.692. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 168,754, a change of -0.24% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Kenosha rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Kenosha, WI 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 10 certified contractors, of whom 2 hold President’s Club standing and 5 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.692. The top four were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. Anything unflattering that research surfaced appears above alongside the rest, and no company bought its position.
Set aside in Kenosha. Contractors that would otherwise have scored into the top four were removed for the reason stated. The score is computed from public data, but where the research pass finds evidence undermining an input to that score, the score is set aside.
- Custom Installations, which scored 74.5: Excluded on service area. Its own published list of communities covers the Illinois North Shore and the Milwaukee suburbs but no town in or near Kenosha County. We also found no Illinois roofing licence under its name.
- KM Construction of Illinois Inc, which scored 67.1: Excluded on service area. It holds an active Illinois roofing licence, but the only service area it publishes is McHenry County and surrounding areas, and no source names Kenosha or Wisconsin.
- Gen Ex, which scored 66.9: Excluded on service area. Every community on its published lists is in McHenry or western Lake County, Illinois; none is in Wisconsin.
Why this list stops at 4. Three of the certified firms in the top seven publish no Kenosha coverage and were set aside for the reasons above. The next firms down the pool are Illinois companies our research pass did not cover, so we rank the four we could verify rather than promote firms we have not checked.
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: October 2026. Scoring run: 2026-10-07. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
Common questions about roofers in Kenosha
Who is the best roofer in Kenosha, WI?
Benjamin Brothers Roofing & Exteriors of Oakwood Hills, IL scores highest in the Kenosha metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 86.0 out of 100 as of October 2026. It holds President’s Club certification with a 4.9 rating across 164 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the three companies behind it score within 14.8 points.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Kenosha?
10 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Kenosha, WI statistical area as of October 2026, of which 2 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Kenosha get?
The Kenosha, WI statistical area recorded 10 hail reports of 1 inch or larger and 2 of 2 inches or larger between 2016 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Events Database. The largest hailstone reported measured 2.9 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 four.
What was the worst hailstorm in Kenosha in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Kenosha, WI statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 2.9 inches, reported near Twin Lakes on 2 May 2018. That is baseball sized, comfortably past the point where a roof is written off rather than repaired. Across the decade the metro recorded 17 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $420,000; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Kenosha?
Severe-weather reports in the Kenosha, WI statistical area cluster in May, August, June, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. Booking non-urgent roof work outside those months usually means shorter lead times, because local crews are not simultaneously triaging storm callouts.
Do roofers need a licence in WI?
Wisconsin does not issue a roofing-specific licence, but anyone pulling a building permit for work on a one- or two-family dwelling must hold a Dwelling Contractor certification from the Department of Safety and Professional Services, and the company must also hold or employ a Dwelling Contractor Qualifier. An owner who lives in the home may pull their own permit. The Qualifier credential requires at least 12 hours of an approved course in dwelling construction, with course tests, and renews every two years on 12 hours of continuing education; the code describes its purpose as proof of continuing education. The business certification requires general liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence or a surety bond: $25,000 for an unrestricted certification, while a smaller bond, down to $5,000, limits the contractor to jobs no larger than the bond. Under Wis. Stat. 100.65 a contractor may not promise to pay or rebate your insurance deductible, may not negotiate your claim for you, and must give you a cancellation form; you may cancel within three business days of a written denial of all or part of the claim. Each violation carries a forfeiture of $500 to $1,000.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Kenosha?
Ask for both credentials: a Dwelling Contractor certification without a Qualifier cannot legally pull your permit. The Uniform Dwelling Code requires ice dam protection on shingle and shake roofs only where the slope is 4:12 slope or less over heated space, running at least 30 inches up the slope and 12 inches past the inner face of the wall, so on steeper roofs it is a choice, not a rule.
Illinois crews, Wisconsin rules?
Kenosha’s certified roofer pool leans south. Of the firms we researched for this page, most have Illinois business addresses, in Oakwood Hills, Gurnee, Mundelein, McHenry and Antioch, and the Wisconsin firms that serve the city are based mostly in neighbouring Racine County. Three of the Illinois firms publish service areas that never reach Kenosha, which is why they are excluded below.
Is Kenosha a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Kenosha is a border market: most of the certified roofers who work here are based in Illinois, where a roofer needs an exam-based, bonded state licence, but the moment a crew crosses the line the rules change to Wisconsin’s, where the permit gate is a continuing-education certificate and a $5,000 bond. Storms ignore the line too, as the 2020 tornado that started in Lake County and peeled shingles at Camp Lake showed. Thirteen certified firms appear in the directory for Kenosha; three publish no Kenosha coverage and are excluded, and the four our research could verify are ranked.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Kenosha?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Kenosha, WI statistical area logged 30 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 10 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.
Why is Custom Installations not on this list?
Excluded on service area. Its own published list of communities covers the Illinois North Shore and the Milwaukee suburbs but no town in or near Kenosha County. We also found no Illinois roofing licence under its name..
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 Racine, WI, about 10 miles from Kenosha
- Best roofers in Milwaukee, WI, about 33 miles from Kenosha
- Best roofers in Chicago, IL, about 53 miles from Kenosha
- Best roofers in Janesville, WI, about 58 miles from Kenosha
- Best roofers in Madison, WI, another WI metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Oshkosh, WI, another WI metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Terre Haute, IN, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Pueblo, CO, 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 Kenosha, WI: The Roofing Brief Contractor Score.” Published October 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.