Short answer: As of October 2026, the three highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Dalton, GA metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are Hernandez Roofing & Construction (72.3), RainMan Roofing and Restoration (68.3), Aultman Roofing (67.0). All of them carry a verifiable manufacturer certification, every rating here was cross-checked against an independent record, and no money changed hands for any placement.
The Roofing Brief scored 3 certified roofing contractors serving the Dalton metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top three individually to confirm its record. Dalton is the carpet capital, but the roof story here is Murray County’s manufactured-home belt: on Easter Sunday 2020 an EF2 destroyed at least eight double-wides on Deer Park Drive and killed eight people, in a county where 27 percent of homes are mobile homes. Hail is minor and Georgia licenses no roofers. Six certified firms appear in the directory for the area; three are excluded, one on a BBB F rating and two for publishing no Dalton coverage or no verifiable record at all, so three are ranked.
Quick picks for Dalton:
- Hernandez Roofing & Construction: best overall (TRB Score 72.3). Verified services: commercial roofing, metal roofing, siding, gutters.
- RainMan Roofing and Restoration: best for storm restoration (TRB Score 68.3). Verified services: roof replacement, roof repair, storm damage work, gutters.
- Aultman Roofing: best for a top-tier credential (TRB Score 67.0). Verified services: roof replacement, roof repair, storm damage work, gutters, commercial roofing.
What a Dalton roof is up against
Georgia does not license roofers: roofing is a specialty trade exempt from the state’s residential and general contractor licences, and the state’s own consumer guidance tells homeowners to check the roofer holds the required local licence instead. The exemption has a ceiling. A roofer may take on other licensed work only where it is incidental to the roof and worth no more than $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract, whichever is greater; beyond that it needs a contractor licence.
Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 you can cancel an insurance-funded roofing contract before midnight on the fifth business day after your insurer says in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered, and the roofer may not demand payment in that window except for emergency work you acknowledged. The same law bars roofers from negotiating your claim. Separately, O.C.G.A. 33-23-43(c)(4) makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of your insurance deductible, including a discount for displaying a yard sign (HB 423, 2012).
Whitfield County’s inspections division handles building permits for the City of Dalton; Murray County’s covers the unincorporated county and Eton, while Chatsworth runs its own. A Dalton-based roofer needs a city occupational tax certificate, $200 plus $20 per employee, and door-to-door sellers need a solicitor’s permit. Georgia’s 2024 residential code has been the mandatory statewide minimum since 1 January 2026, though Murray County’s own page still lists the 2018 code; ask which edition your permit is issued under.
Across 2016 to 2025 Whitfield and Murray counties logged 12 hail reports, the largest 1.5 inches, 159 thunderstorm wind reports and three tornadoes, with $1.26 million of recorded damage. The strongest gust, about 75 mph near Rocky Face in May 2016, brought trees down on homes across Dalton. Snow and ice are occasional, most recently in January 2025. Mobile homes are 17 percent of the metro’s housing but under 2 percent inside the city, where 47.6 percent of homes are rented.
The 3 best roofers in Dalton, GA
Scored 2026-10-09. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Dalton is 4.917, across a pool of 3 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hernandez Roofing & Construction | 72.3 | Certified | 4.9 (302) | 4.902 | 2019 | Dalton, GA |
| 2 | RainMan Roofing and Restoration | 68.3 | Certified | 5.0 (259) | 4.987 | not published | East Ellijay, GA |
| 3 | Aultman Roofing | 67.0 | Certified | 4.8 (98) | 4.839 | 2015 | Dalton, GA |
1. Hernandez Roofing & Construction: best overall (TRB Score 72.3)
Hernandez Roofing & Construction is based in Dalton, GA, in business since 2019, led by Victor and Mayra Hernandez, owners, BBB accredited since 23 January 2024, A+ rating, no complaints, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 36.1 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.3 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 72.3 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Hernandez Roofing & Construction of Dalton, LLC: accredited since January 2024 with an A+ rating; LLC formed June 2019; owners Victor and Mayra Hernandez; no complaints. BBB records a Tennessee contractor licence for its Tennessee work.. BBB business profile
- Based in Dalton; serves north Georgia, Chattanooga, Knoxville and north-east Alabama; residential, commercial and church roofing, metal roofs, pole barns, siding, decks and gutters.. Company website
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing, metal roofs, pole barns, siding, decks and gutters.
Services we could verify: commercial roofing, metal roofing, siding, gutters.
Why it ranks here. A Dalton family firm with 302 GAF reviews averaging 4.9, BBB accreditation since January 2024 and no complaints. The company dates from 2019; its site’s claim of 15 years of roofing experience refers to the owners. It is the highest-scoring firm here with a clean record.
Best fit for: Dalton homeowners who want a local roofer with a deep review base, or metal roofing and outbuilding work.
What we would want clarified. It holds GAF’s entry Certified tier and its BBB accreditation is recent; the Tennessee licence BBB records could not be checked on that state’s register. 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 (706) 847-0729, 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. RainMan Roofing and Restoration: best for storm restoration (TRB Score 68.3)
RainMan Roofing and Restoration is based in East Ellijay, GA, led by Jarrod Holmes, owner, BBB accredited since 10 February 2020, A+ rating, no complaints, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 39.5 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 13.9 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 2.9 | 10 |
| Total | 68.3 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Accredited since February 2020 with an A+ rating; owner Jarrod Holmes; no complaints. Its service area lists ten north Georgia counties including Murray and Whitfield.. BBB business profile
- Based in Ellijay; roof repair, shingle replacement and insurance claim help across north Georgia; says it has more than 20 years of experience.. Company website
What they actually do. Shingle replacement, storm and insurance restoration, roof repair and gutters.
Services we could verify: roof replacement, roof repair, storm damage work, gutters.
Why it ranks here. An Ellijay roofer about 28 miles from Dalton with a perfect 5.0 across 259 GAF reviews, BBB accreditation since 2020 and no complaints. Its BBB service area names both Whitfield and Murray counties. BBB gives a 2016 start while its site claims two decades, so we give no founding year.
Best fit for: Murray County and Chatsworth homeowners, nearer its base, who want a storm restoration firm with a spotless review record.
What we would want clarified. It is based outside the metro and holds GAF’s entry Certified tier. 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 (762) 210-6618, 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. Aultman Roofing: best for a top-tier credential (TRB Score 67.0)
Aultman Roofing is based in Dalton, GA, in business since 2015, led by Dennis and Micah Aultman, owners, Not accredited, A+ rating, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: Certified (GAF), Owens Corning Platinum Preferred. Certification by more than one manufacturer is uncommon and requires meeting each programme’s separate standards for insurance, training and track record.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 33.6 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 11.5 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 67.0 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Listed as an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor, Owens Corning’s top tier, at E Emery St in Dalton.. Owens Corning contractor locator
- Not accredited, A+; business started January 2015 and LLC formed October 2016; owners Dennis and Micah Aultman; four employees; service area includes Whitfield, Murray and other north-west Georgia counties.. BBB business profile
- Calls itself Dalton’s trusted roofing contractor; residential and commercial roofing, insurance storm claims and full replacements.. Company website
What they actually do. Insurance storm claims, full replacements, repairs, gutters and attic ventilation.
Services we could verify: roof replacement, roof repair, storm damage work, gutters, commercial roofing.
Why it ranks here. A small Dalton family firm, a few blocks from downtown, with 98 GAF reviews averaging 4.8. It is the only firm here holding Owens Corning’s top Platinum Preferred tier, confirmed on Owens Corning’s own locator, alongside its GAF certification. BBB dates it to 2015.
Best fit for: Dalton homeowners who want a local family roofer with a top-tier manufacturer credential.
What we would want clarified. It is not BBB accredited, and we could not retrieve its BBB complaint page. 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 (706) 529-8136, 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 Dalton
Three certified firms are ranked here. This firm is based in Dalton with an Owens Corning credential and BBB accreditation. It is not scored and we are not recommending it. We left out a Chatsworth roofer with an Owens Corning credential because BBB rates it F for unauthorised use of the BBB name.
| Company | Verified credential |
|---|---|
| Celta Roofing and Restoration LLC | Owens Corning Preferred Contractor on N Glenwood Ave in Dalton; BBB accredited since August 2024, rated A only for its short time in business; trading since February 2024. |
Roof replacement and repair in Dalton, GA
Short answer: In Dalton, Hernandez Roofing & Construction is the strongest pick, a local family firm with 302 reviews at 4.9 that also handles metal roofs and outbuildings; RainMan Roofing and Restoration suits storm restoration, especially in Murray County, and Aultman Roofing holds Owens Corning’s top Platinum Preferred tier. The rule that matters most: Georgia licenses no roofers, but you can cancel an insurance-funded roofing contract within five business days of a written claim denial.
Hail is minor here: from 2016 to 2025 Whitfield and Murray counties logged 12 hail reports, the largest 1.5 inches, against 159 thunderstorm wind reports and three tornadoes. Wind and trees do the damage. The strongest gust, about 75 mph near Rocky Face in May 2016, brought trees down on homes across Dalton, and on Easter Sunday, 12 April 2020, an EF2 with peak winds of 135 mph crossed Murray County, destroying at least eight double-wide manufactured homes on Deer Park Drive and killing eight people. Murray County’s housing is 27.1 percent mobile homes, so ask whether a roofer works on manufactured homes at all, and check the tie-downs at the same time.
Whitfield County’s inspections division handles building permits for the City of Dalton; Murray County’s covers the unincorporated county and Eton, while Chatsworth runs its own. Georgia’s 2024 residential code has been the mandatory statewide minimum since 1 January 2026, though Murray County’s page still lists the 2018 code, so ask which edition your permit is issued under. Under 2024 IRC R908.3 a replacement removes all existing layers down to the deck, with narrow exceptions, and R908.4 bars a recover over a water-soaked or deteriorated roof, over slate, clay, cement or asbestos-cement tile, or where two or more layers exist. Nothing ties a repair to a percentage of the roof.
Georgia exempts roofers from its residential and general contractor licences, and a roofer may add other licensed work only where it is incidental and worth no more than $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract, whichever is greater. A Dalton-based roofer needs a city occupational tax certificate, $200 plus $20 per employee, and door-to-door sellers need a solicitor’s permit. Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 you can cancel an insurance-funded roofing contract before midnight on the fifth business day after your insurer denies all or part of the claim in writing, and the roofer may not negotiate your claim. O.C.G.A. 33-23-43(c)(4) makes promising to pay or rebate a deductible a misdemeanor.
Hernandez Roofing & Construction, accredited since January 2024 with no complaints, covers residential and commercial roofing, metal roofs, pole barns, siding and gutters. RainMan Roofing and Restoration, based in Ellijay about 28 miles away, lists shingle replacement, roof repair, storm restoration and gutters, and its service area names both Whitfield and Murray counties. Aultman Roofing, a small Dalton family firm, lists full replacements, repairs, storm work, gutters and attic ventilation, and holds Owens Corning Platinum Preferred status, though it is not BBB accredited. Celta Roofing and Restoration, an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor in Dalton accredited since August 2024, is listed but not ranked.
| Rule | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State roofing licence | None; roofing is an exempt specialty | O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(f) |
| Non-roof work a roofer may add | Incidental work up to $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract, whichever is greater | O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(f) |
| Dalton occupational tax certificate | $200 plus $20 per employee for a Dalton-based roofer | City of Dalton fee schedule |
| Building permit | Whitfield County inspections for Dalton; Murray County for unincorporated areas and Eton; Chatsworth runs its own | Whitfield and Murray counties |
| Cancellation after claim denial | Before midnight on the fifth business day after a written denial; roofer may not negotiate the claim | O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 |
| Deductible rebates | Advertising or promising to pay or rebate a deductible is a misdemeanor | O.C.G.A. 33-23-43(c)(4) |
| 25 percent rule | No statewide 25 percent roof rule; nothing ties a repair to a percentage of the roof | 2024 IRC with Georgia amendments |
Related guides: roof replacement cost in Georgia; the 25% roofing rule in Georgia and every other state; how to decide between roof repair and replacement; how to read and compare a roof replacement quote; how to compare roof repair quotes; what homeowners insurance covers on a roof.
The 159 wind reports that shape a Dalton 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 2 counties of the Dalton, GA statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 12 hail reports, 159 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 3 tornadoes. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $1.3 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Dalton in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 August 2024 | 1.5 in | Five Springs | Whitfield |
| 21 July 2020 | 1.5 in | Keiths Mill | Whitfield |
| 21 March 2017 | 1.25 in | Gordon Spgs | Whitfield |
| 2 May 2025 | 1.0 in | Spring Place | Murray |
| 8 May 2024 | 1.0 in | Spring Place | Murray |
| 10 April 2025 | 1.0 in | Mount Vernon | Whitfield |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 17 August 2024 near Five Springs, measured at 1.5 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 65 knots, about 75 mph, near Rocky Face on 30 May 2016. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
Tornadoes. 3 tornadoes touched down in these counties over the decade, the strongest rated EF2 near Treadwell on 12 April 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 30 May 2016 event near Rocky Face, reproduced verbatim:
The Whitfield County Emergency Manager reported numerous trees blown down, some on structures, across the Dalton area. Some locations include Red Clay Avenue, Lake Katherine Road, Bayleaf Avenue, Beverly Drive, West Woodland Drive, East Willow Park Drive, West Crawford Street and West Matilda Street.
That is the kind of damage a roof in this metro has to be specified against, described by the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in June (42), May (34), August (31). The worst years on record were 2024 (42), 2023 (33), 2025 (30). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Dalton, 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 Dalton. Weight your decision toward wind rating, ventilation and flashing detail rather than paying extra for impact-rated shingles.
Easter 2020 and the manufactured-home belt
On Easter Sunday, 12 April 2020, an EF2 with peak winds of 135 mph tracked almost nine miles across Murray County, from Mitchell Bridge Road near the Indian Trace Golf Course to Sumac Ridge, at times half a mile wide. It reached EF2 strength almost at once along Deer Park Drive, where the Weather Service found at least eight double-wide manufactured homes completely destroyed; more were destroyed on Ridgeview Lane and Fieldview Court.
Eight people were killed and about two dozen injured between Fullers Chapel Road and Jim Petty Road. On Highway 225 a small house was left with only a couple of interior walls standing, and four large chicken houses on Jim Petty Road were wrecked, their debris thrown hundreds of yards. NOAA records just $500,000 of property damage for the tornado, a reminder that its damage figures are rough and understate losses to manufactured housing.
Murray County is where the metro’s mobile homes are: 27.1 percent of its housing, against 13.0 percent in Whitfield County, 1.7 percent inside Dalton and 5.6 percent nationally. The same storm system dropped 4 to 6 inches of rain on Dalton, with water rescues on Mill Creek and Cleveland Highway and a house on Mark Brown Road badly damaged by wind.
It was the third tornado in three years. On 1 March 2017 an EF1 crossed northern Chatsworth, peeling back an industrial roof and leaving an apartment complex with significant shingle damage, and on 24 May 2017 another EF1 snapped trees and rolled a camper north-east of Dalton off the Cleveland Highway.
For an owner of a manufactured home, the roof is only part of the question: ask the roofer whether it works on manufactured homes at all, and check the tie-downs at the same time. For everyone, Georgia’s protections after a storm are the five-day cancellation right on insurance contracts and the local licence; there is no state roofing register to check.
Murray County’s tornado record and the rules on a reroof
| Item | Figure or rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Easter EF2, 12 April 2020 | 135 mph; 8.9 miles; 8 killed, 24 injured | NWS survey via NOAA NCEI |
| Manufactured homes destroyed, Deer Park Drive | At least eight double-wides | NWS survey |
| Recorded damage for the tornado | $500,000 | NOAA NCEI Storm Events |
| Chatsworth EF1, 1 March 2017 | 85 to 90 mph; industrial roof peeled back | NOAA NCEI Storm Events |
| Mobile homes | 27.1% Murray County; 1.7% City of Dalton | ACS 2020 to 2024, B25024 |
| Largest hail, 2016 to 2025 | 1.5 inches | NOAA NCEI Storm Events |
| State roofing licence | None; roofing is an exempt specialty | O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(f) |
| Non-roof work a roofer may add | Up to $10,000 or 25% of the contract | O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(f) |
| Cancellation after claim denial | Five business days | O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 |
| Dalton occupational tax certificate | $200 plus $20 per employee | City of Dalton fee schedule |
Source: National Weather Service storm surveys and NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (Whitfield and Murray counties and zone rows); O.C.G.A. 43-41-17 and 10-1-393.12; Georgia Department of Law consumer guidance; Georgia Department of Community Affairs code pages; City of Dalton licensing and fee schedule; Whitfield and Murray county building pages; Owens Corning contractor locator; BBB business profiles; US Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024.
Before you sign anything in Dalton
There is no state roofing licence in GA. Georgia does not require a state roofing licence. The State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors treats roofers as an exempt specialty contractor, so no state licensure is needed for residential or commercial roofing work.
Some Georgia roofers voluntarily hold a Residential Basic Contractor, Residential Light Commercial or General Contractor licence, or join the Georgia Roofing Contractors Association, as a credibility signal. Without one, a roofer may take on other licensed work only where it is incidental to the roof and worth no more than $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract, whichever is greater (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(f)). Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 a homeowner may cancel an insurance-funded roofing contract before midnight on the fifth business day after the insurer says in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered, the roofer may not demand payment in that window except for emergency work, and it may not negotiate the claim. Separately, O.C.G.A. 33-23-43(c)(4) makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of your insurance deductible, including a discount for displaying a yard sign (HB 423, 2012). Local city and county licensing requirements still apply.
That absence is the most important fact on this page. Where a state issues no credential, a manufacturer certification that can be revoked is the only quality signal a homeowner can actually check, which is why this ranking is built on certification rather than star ratings.
Check here: Georgia State Licensing Board. Because the state exempts roofers, check the county or municipal business licence where the work will happen, and lean harder on manufacturer certification.
For what a full replacement costs across Georgia, including state labor rates and permit rules, see our Georgia roof replacement cost guide.
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.
How deep the Dalton certified market really is
3 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Dalton, GA statistical area, of which 0 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 659 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.917. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 146,386, a change of 2.48% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Dalton rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Dalton, GA 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 3 certified contractors, of whom 0 hold President’s Club standing and 0 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.917. The top three were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. Good and bad findings are published together, and no contractor paid for a place here.
Set aside in Dalton. Contractors that would otherwise have scored into the top three 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.
- Southern Roofing & Exteriors, which scored 73.1: Excluded on record. Based in Dalton, but BBB rates it F for failing to hold a required competency licence (BBB points to Tennessee, where it advertises work) and for not answering a complaint. That August 2024 complaint, still unanswered, alleges an insurance-funded reroof left with open soffits and fascia, followed by an unexplained $4,401.05 invoice and a lien threat; it is an allegation, not a finding.
- Hardcore Roofing, which scored 60.7: Excluded on service area. A Ball Ground and Talking Rock roofer about 35 miles away whose BBB service area lists ten towns toward Atlanta and the mountains and none in Whitfield or Murray County; its website says only that it serves north Georgia.
- Sharptop Roofing & Exteriors, which scored 60.6: Excluded on evidence and service area. A Talking Rock listing with 31 GAF reviews for which we found no BBB profile, no website and no other directory record; the sharptoproofing.com domain belongs to an unrelated Texas roofer. Nothing it publishes shows it serves the Dalton metro.
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: 2026-10-09. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
The questions that come up most in Dalton
Who is the best roofer in Dalton, GA?
Hernandez Roofing & Construction of Dalton, GA scores highest in the Dalton metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 72.3 out of 100 as of October 2026. It holds Certified certification with a 4.9 rating across 302 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the two companies behind it score within 5.3 points.
What is the 25% rule for roofing in Georgia?
Georgia has no statewide 25 percent roof rule. Since 1 January 2026 the state minimum code for one and two family homes is the 2024 International Residential Code with Georgia amendments, which do not change the reroofing section, and nothing ties a repair to a percentage of the roof. The only 25 percent figure in Georgia roofing law is the limit on incidental non-roof work a roofer may take on.
Who does roof repair in Dalton, GA?
RainMan Roofing and Restoration lists roof repair and shingle replacement and names Whitfield and Murray counties in its service area. Aultman Roofing, a Dalton family firm, lists repairs, full replacements, gutters and attic ventilation.
Do I need a permit to replace a roof in Dalton?
Building permits for the City of Dalton are handled by Whitfield County’s inspections division. In Murray County the county covers the unincorporated area and Eton, while Chatsworth runs its own, and Murray County’s page still lists the 2018 code, so ask which edition your permit is issued under.
How do I know if a roofer in Dalton is good?
With no state roofing licence, check that a Dalton-based roofer holds its city occupational tax certificate, and look at manufacturer certification and the BBB record. On this page one Dalton roofer was excluded because BBB rates it F, which shows why the Bureau file is worth reading before you sign.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Dalton?
3 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Dalton, GA statistical area as of October 2026, of which 0 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Dalton get?
The Dalton, GA statistical area recorded 11 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 1.5 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 three.
What was the worst hailstorm in Dalton in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Dalton, GA statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 1.5 inches, reported near Five Springs on 17 August 2024. 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 12 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $1.3 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Dalton?
Severe-weather reports in the Dalton, GA statistical area cluster in June, May, August, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. Scheduling discretionary work away from that window tends to get you a better crew and a faster start, because nobody is juggling emergency callouts.
Do roofers need a licence in GA?
Georgia does not require a state roofing licence. The State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors treats roofers as an exempt specialty contractor, so no state licensure is needed for residential or commercial roofing work. Some Georgia roofers voluntarily hold a Residential Basic Contractor, Residential Light Commercial or General Contractor licence, or join the Georgia Roofing Contractors Association, as a credibility signal. Without one, a roofer may take on other licensed work only where it is incidental to the roof and worth no more than $10,000 or 25 percent of the contract, whichever is greater (O.C.G.A. 43-41-17(f)). Under O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.12 a homeowner may cancel an insurance-funded roofing contract before midnight on the fifth business day after the insurer says in writing that all or part of the claim is not covered, the roofer may not demand payment in that window except for emergency work, and it may not negotiate the claim. Separately, O.C.G.A. 33-23-43(c)(4) makes it a misdemeanor for anyone to advertise or promise to pay or rebate any part of your insurance deductible, including a discount for displaying a yard sign (HB 423, 2012). Local city and county licensing requirements still apply.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Dalton?
Because the state exempts roofers, check the county or municipal business licence where the work will happen, and lean harder on manufacturer certification.
Easter 2020 and the manufactured-home belt?
On Easter Sunday, 12 April 2020, an EF2 with peak winds of 135 mph tracked almost nine miles across Murray County, from Mitchell Bridge Road near the Indian Trace Golf Course to Sumac Ridge, at times half a mile wide. It reached EF2 strength almost at once along Deer Park Drive, where the Weather Service found at least eight double-wide manufactured homes completely destroyed; more were destroyed on Ridgeview Lane and Fieldview Court.
Is Dalton a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Dalton is the carpet capital, but the roof story here is Murray County’s manufactured-home belt: on Easter Sunday 2020 an EF2 destroyed at least eight double-wides on Deer Park Drive and killed eight people, in a county where 27 percent of homes are mobile homes. Hail is minor and Georgia licenses no roofers. Six certified firms appear in the directory for the area; three are excluded, one on a BBB F rating and two for publishing no Dalton coverage or no verifiable record at all, so three are ranked.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Dalton?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Dalton, GA statistical area logged 159 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 11 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 Southern Roofing & Exteriors not on this list?
Excluded on record. Based in Dalton, but BBB rates it F for failing to hold a required competency licence (BBB points to Tennessee, where it advertises work) and for not answering a complaint. That August 2024 complaint, still unanswered, alleges an insurance-funded reroof left with open soffits and fascia, followed by an unexplained $4,401.05 invoice and a lien threat; it is an allegation, not a finding..
Roofer rankings for other metros
The Roofing Brief scores certified roofing contractors in U.S. metropolitan and micropolitan areas on the same formula.
- Best roofers in Chattanooga, TN, about 26 miles from Dalton
- Best roofers in Cleveland, TN, about 29 miles from Dalton
- Best roofers in Gainesville, GA, about 73 miles from Dalton
- Best roofers in Atlanta, GA, another GA metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Athens, GA, another GA metro on the same formula
See the full index of 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 Dalton, GA: 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.