Short answer: As of September 2026, the five highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are A Plus Roofing (97.4), All Of Us Roofing & Restore (96.7), Providence Roofing (92.7), Campbell’s Precision Roofing (91.8), MBA Roofing (70.9). 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 12 certified roofing contractors serving the Hickory metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top five individually to confirm its record. Hickory’s certified pool is unusually strong at the top: four of the twelve contractors here hold GAF’s President’s Club tier and all four carry a perfect 5.0. What it does not have is licensing. North Carolina requires a general contractor licence only once a project reaches $40,000, a threshold raised from $30,000 on 1 October 2023, and a like-for-like reroof on a single-family house is exempt from permitting altogether under G.S. 160D-1110(c), which the state Fire Marshal’s own guidance confirms covers replacement. Only one of the six contractors we examined holds a licence on the state register. So in a metro designing to a 115 mph wind speed, with 42 percent of its housing built before 1980, the manufacturer certification and the insurance certificate are doing nearly all the work.
The conditions a Hickory roof has to be specified for
The four counties logged 125 hail reports across 2016 to 2025, 72 of them an inch or larger, against 234 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 16 tornado events, with $4.2 million in reported property damage. Counting severe-weather reports of every kind together, July leads with 112, then August with 61 and June with 56, so this is a high-summer convective season rather than a spring one. The largest hail on the local record is a 2.00 inch stone on the north side of Hickory on 21 July 2018, logged by NOAA as event 775527. Two inch hail bruises asphalt shingles and will usually support a claim, but this is not a five inch hail market like Lubbock or Greeley; the more consistent threat here is summer wind, and Catawba County designs to a 115 mph ultimate wind speed, the default the 2018 North Carolina Residential Code applies to counties not separately listed in its Table R301.2(4).
Two administrative facts will save you time. First, the City of Hickory does not run building inspections for this work: the city’s own permit centre states that Catawba County enforces the North Carolina Building Code within Hickory’s jurisdiction, so the county is the authority to call even for an address inside the city. Second, where a permit is required, Catawba County charges a flat re-roof fee rather than a percentage of the job, at $60 for residential work under Schedule F of its 2026/27 fee schedule, against a $90 minimum building permit fee generally. That is a small, knowable number, so a quote treating permitting as a significant line item deserves a question.
The permitting exemption is the part most homeowners get wrong, so here it is precisely. G.S. 160D-1110(c) exempts work costing $40,000 or less from the permit requirement, and the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal’s engineering guidance of 19 October 2023 confirms directly that the roofing exception in subsection (5) is intended to cover the replacement of roofing, together with up to 15 percent of the existing roof deck, on projects at or under that figure. Above $40,000, or where more than 15 percent of the decking is being replaced, a permit is required and so is a licensed general contractor: the NCLBGC threshold was raised to $40,000 effective 1 October 2023 by an amendment to G.S. 87-1. The practical result on a typical Hickory house is that nobody from the county will look at the work, and the only person checking the nailing pattern and the underlayment is the contractor. That is the argument for weighting certification and warranty as heavily as this page does.
The housing tells you what to expect when the old covering comes off. The median year built in Catawba County is 1984, but that median hides a much older tail: 30,468 of the county’s 72,028 housing units, 42.3 percent, were built in 1979 or earlier, and 4,102 of those predate 1939. Furniture manufacturing is still a substantial local employer, with 101 private establishments and 7,831 jobs in the county under the furniture manufacturing classification in 2024, and the industry’s long presence is the usual explanation for the age and density of the housing around Hickory. On a house from the 1960s or earlier the decking, the fastening schedule and the ventilation were all decided long before modern shingle warranties existed, so ask explicitly what happens if the deck will not hold new fasteners, and whether that work is inside the quote or outside it.
The 5 best roofers in Hickory, NC
Scored 2026-09-30. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Hickory is 4.842, across a pool of 12 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Plus Roofing | 97.4 | President’s Club | 5.0 (168) | 4.964 | 2021 | Hickory, NC |
| 2 | All Of Us Roofing & Restore | 96.7 | President’s Club | 5.0 (140) | 4.958 | 2023 | Hickory, NC |
| 3 | Providence Roofing | 92.7 | President’s Club | 5.0 (262) | 4.975 | 2020 | Statesville, NC |
| 4 | Campbell’s Precision Roofing | 91.8 | President’s Club | 5.0 (151) | 4.961 | 2016 | Denver, NC |
| 5 | MBA Roofing | 70.9 | Certified | 4.9 (147) | 4.885 | 2007 | Hickory, NC |
1. A Plus Roofing — TRB Score 97.4
A Plus Roofing is based in Hickory, NC, in business since 2021, led by Jason A. Harris, Owner and Founder; Leslie Harris joined as owner in August 2023, BBB accredited since 15 December 2021, A+ rating; business start date 29 October 2021, zero complaints, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: President’s Club (GAF), VELUX Certified Installer, confirmed on VELUX’s own locator, Catawba County Chamber of Commerce member. 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 | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 38.5 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 13.8 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 97.4 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- VELUX’s own locator page for A Plus Roofing at 652 10th Avenue Drive SE, Hickory, lists it as a certified installer.. VELUX America contractor locator
- Lists A Plus Roofing, LLC of Hickory as accredited since 15 December 2021 with an A+ rating and a business start date of 29 October 2021.. BBB business profile
- Lists A Plus Roofing in its member directory under construction, roofing, guttering and sheet metal.. Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
What they actually do. Residential roof replacement and repair, shingle and metal roofing, storm and hail damage, seamless gutters and gutter guards, and skylight installation.
Why it ranks here. The top score in the metro on President’s Club certification and a clean 5.0 across 168 reviews, based in Hickory itself with a matching address on its own site, the BBB and the chamber. Its VELUX certification is confirmed on the manufacturer’s own locator rather than self-declared, which makes it one of the few checkable non-GAF credentials on this page and the relevant one if you have skylights, a common feature on the ranch housing here.
Best fit for: The default first call in Catawba County, and skylight work in particular.
What we would want clarified. The business is four years old, with a BBB start date of 29 October 2021; the founder’s own stated experience since 2006 is personal rather than corporate history. It holds no North Carolina general contractor licence on the state register, which is expected below the $40,000 threshold but does mean there is nothing to look up if your job goes above it. We could not check its corporate record because the North Carolina Secretary of State’s register refused every request. 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 (828) 851-6440, 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. All Of Us Roofing & Restore — TRB Score 96.7
All Of Us Roofing & Restore is based in Hickory, NC, in business since 2023, led by Brevan Mcalpin, Owner, BBB accredited since 29 August 2025, A+ rating; business start date 1 January 2023, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 38.3 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 13.3 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 96.7 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Lists All Of Us Roofing and Restore, LLC at 719 Old Lenoir Rd, Hickory, as accredited since 29 August 2025 with an A+ rating, a business start date of 1 January 2023 and Brevan Mcalpin as owner.. BBB business profile
- GAF lists All Of Us Roofing and Restore of Hickory, NC in its residential contractor directory at President’s Club level.. GAF contractor directory
What they actually do. Roof replacement, roof repair and storm damage restoration across Western North Carolina.
Why it ranks here. President’s Club certification with a clean 5.0 across 140 reviews, based in Hickory, and BBB accredited at A+. On the two components that carry most weight in our formula, certification tier and rating, it is level with the leader.
Best fit for: A straightforward replacement from a Hickory-based firm with an unblemished record.
What we would want clarified. This is the thinnest public record of the five ranked here, and the reason is the company’s own website, which is built entirely in JavaScript so that nothing beyond its trading name and a general Western North Carolina service description could be read from it. That leaves the BBB as its only independent source. It publishes no founding year of its own, no manufacturer credential outside GAF, and no service-area detail, so confirm it covers your address. It is also the youngest firm on this page, with a 2023 start date, and its accreditation dates only from August 2025. 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 (855) 766-3268, 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. Providence Roofing — TRB Score 92.7
Providence Roofing is based in Statesville, NC, in business since 2020, led by Deborah P. Hull and Preston A. Hull, company principals per the BBB, BBB accredited, A+ rating, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: President’s Club (GAF), DaVinci Roofscapes certified contractor. 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 | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 39.0 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 15.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 3.7 | 10 |
| Total | 92.7 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Lists Providence Roofing, LLC at 1544 E Broad St PMB 109, Statesville, as accredited with an A+ rating, and lists Hickory first among the markets it serves.. BBB business profile
- GAF lists Providence Roofing LLC of Statesville, NC in its residential contractor directory at President’s Club level.. GAF contractor directory
What they actually do. Roof replacement and repair, storm and hail damage, roof inspections, shingle, metal and commercial roofing, and seamless gutters and gutter guards.
Why it ranks here. The deepest customer record in the metro at 262 reviews, on a clean 5.0 with President’s Club certification. Hickory coverage is documented on both sides: its own site carries a dedicated Hickory service area in its navigation, footer, Western North Carolina contact page and FAQ, and the independent BBB profile lists Hickory first among its markets. It is also the only contractor here certified by DaVinci Roofscapes, the relevant credential if you want a synthetic slate or shake roof rather than asphalt.
Best fit for: Synthetic slate or shake, and homeowners who want the largest verified review base in the metro.
What we would want clarified. It is based in Statesville, in Iredell County outside this metro, and its Hickory presence is a published service area rather than a local office; its registered address is also a private mailbox rather than a yard or premises. It holds no North Carolina licence on the state register, and its 2020 start makes it five years old. We could not check its corporate record because the state’s business register was unreachable. 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 (704) 883-6052, 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. Campbell’s Precision Roofing — TRB Score 91.8
Campbell’s Precision Roofing is based in Denver, NC, in business since 2016, led by Daniel H. Campbell, Managing Member and the licence qualifier on the state register, BBB accredited since 7 July 2016, A+ rating, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: President’s Club (GAF), North Carolina general contractor licence L.101889, Limited, Residential, Active, verified on the NCLBGC register, VELUX Certified Installer, confirmed on VELUX’s own locator. 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 | 35 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 38.4 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 13.5 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 4.9 | 10 |
| Total | 91.8 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Returns licence L.101889 for Campbell’s Precision Roofing, LLC, Limited limitation, Residential classification, first issued 7 November 2023 and expiring 31 December 2026, status Active, with Daniel H. Campbell as qualifier.. North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors public register
- Lists Campbell’s Precision Roofing, LLC of Denver, NC as accredited since 7 July 2016 with an A+ rating.. BBB business profile
- VELUX’s locator page for Campbell’s Precision Roofing lists it as a certified installer.. VELUX America contractor locator
What they actually do. Roof replacement, repair and new installation, gutter installation and repair, and skylight installation.
Why it ranks here. The only contractor in this metro holding a North Carolina general contractor licence that we could confirm on the state board’s own register: L.101889, Limited limitation with a Residential classification, active to the end of 2026, with the managing member named as its qualifier. In a metro where the licence threshold is $40,000 and most reroofs fall below it, that is the credential that matters if your job goes above the line or turns out to need substantial decking work. It also carries President’s Club certification, a clean 5.0 across 151 reviews, BBB accreditation at A+ since 2016, the longest here, and a VELUX certification confirmed on the manufacturer’s locator.
Best fit for: Any job likely to exceed $40,000, and the strongest licensing position in the metro.
What we would want clarified. It is based in Denver, in Lincoln County outside this metro, roughly 30 miles from Hickory, though Catawba County is explicitly inside its published territory: its areas served page names Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Catawba, Iredell and Cleveland counties, gives Hickory its own section, and places Sherrills Ford in Catawba County. Its address differs between the state register and the VELUX listing, so confirm which premises you are dealing with. 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 (704) 280-5996, 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. MBA Roofing — TRB Score 70.9
MBA Roofing is based in Hickory, NC, in business since 2007, led by Emmett W. Eagle, President, with sons Matt, Brant and Alex Eagle, BBB accredited, A+ rating; business start date 1 January 2007, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: Certified (GAF), Owens Corning Preferred Contractor (company statement), Catawba County Chamber of Commerce member. 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 | 35.4 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 13.5 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 70.9 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Lists MBA Roofing of Hickory at 2622 20th Street Ln NE as accredited with an A+ rating and a business start date of 1 January 2007.. BBB business profile
- Lists MBA Roofing at 2622 20th St Ln NE, Hickory, in its member directory.. Catawba County Chamber of Commerce
What they actually do. Residential roof replacement, commercial roofing, roof repair, metal and asphalt shingle roofing, low-slope and flat roofing, and vinyl siding and windows.
Why it ranks here. The longest-established business on this page at eighteen years, family owned and operated by Emmett Eagle and his three sons since 2007, with the founding year agreeing between the company’s own account and the BBB record. It is based in Hickory, is a Catawba County Chamber member, and is the only contractor ranked here offering low-slope and flat roofing alongside pitched work, plus a second manufacturer credential from Owens Corning.
Best fit for: A flat or low-slope section, and homeowners who want the longest continuous local trading history.
What we would want clarified. It holds base-tier GAF Certified status rather than President’s Club, which is why it ranks fifth despite the local history, and its 4.9 across 147 reviews, while strong, is below the four perfect 5.0 records above it. Its Owens Corning credential is described on its own site only as Preferred Contractor and we could not confirm the tier, because the manufacturer’s profile page renders client-side. It holds no North Carolina licence on the state register, and its service area extends well beyond the metro to Statesville, Mooresville and the Charlotte area. 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 (980) 241-1152, 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.
The 234 wind reports that shape a Hickory 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 4 counties of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 125 hail reports, 234 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 16 tornadoes. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $4.2 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Hickory in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2018 | 2.0 in | Hickory | Catawba |
| 6 July 2022 | 1.75 in | Burke Chapel | Burke |
| 21 July 2018 | 1.75 in | Bethlehem | Alexander |
| 26 May 2022 | 1.75 in | Granite Falls | Caldwell |
| 29 June 2016 | 1.75 in | Hickory | Catawba |
| 1 March 2017 | 1.5 in | Oyama | Catawba |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 21 July 2018 near Hickory, measured at 2.0 inches. That is hen-egg sized. Two inches is the threshold at which insurers expect functional damage and full replacement claims.
Wind. The strongest thunderstorm gust logged in the metro was 80 knots, about 92 mph, near Piney on 10 April 2021. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
Tornadoes. 16 tornadoes touched down in these counties over the decade, the strongest rated EF2 near (Hky)Hickory Muni Ar on 23 October 2017.
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 10 April 2021 event near Piney, reproduced verbatim:
NWS storm survey reported a small area of downburst damage along Playmore Beach Rd. Numerous trees were snapped and/or uprooted from Braswell Place to just west of Celia Creek Rd.
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 July (112), August (61), June (56). The worst years on record were 2017 (75), 2016 (55), 2018 (47). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Hickory, 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. Hickory sees enough damaging hail that a Class 4 impact-rated shingle is worth pricing, though not automatically worth buying. Get both quotes and weigh the premium against any insurance discount.
What to verify before a Hickory contractor starts
Licensing is required in NC. North Carolina has no state roofing licence as such. A general contractor licence from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, carrying the Building, Residential or S (Roofing) classification, is required for any roofing project costing $40,000 or more.
The $40,000 threshold rose from $30,000 effective 1 October 2023. Contracting without a licence at or above that value is a Class 2 misdemeanour under NCGS 87-13. Exams are administered by PSI.
Check here: NCLBGC licensee search. Below $40,000 no state licence is needed, and most single-family reroofs cost less than that, so many local roofers lawfully hold none. If your job is at or above $40,000, check the licence on the Board’s search; below it, check insurance certificates with the insurer, and note that North Carolina has no statute banning deductible rebates or giving a cancellation right on insurance-funded roof contracts.
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.
Who else is certified in Hickory
12 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area, of which 4 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 1,265 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.842. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 373,031, a change of 2.12% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Hickory rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 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 12 certified contractors, of whom 4 hold President’s Club standing and 0 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.842. The top five 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.
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: 2026-09-30. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
What Hickory homeowners want to know
Who is the best roofer in Hickory, NC?
A Plus Roofing of Hickory, NC scores highest in the Hickory metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 97.4 out of 100 as of September 2026. It holds President’s Club certification with a 5.0 rating across 168 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the four companies behind it score within 26.5 points.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Hickory?
12 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area as of September 2026, of which 4 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Hickory get?
The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area recorded 72 hail reports of 1 inch or larger and 1 of 2 inches or larger between 2016 and 2025 in the NOAA Storm Events Database. The largest hailstone reported measured 2.0 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 Hickory in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 2.0 inches, reported near Hickory on 21 July 2018. That is hen-egg sized. Two inches is the threshold at which insurers expect functional damage and full replacement claims. Across the decade the metro recorded 125 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $4.2 million; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Hickory?
Severe-weather reports in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area cluster in July, August, June, 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 NC?
North Carolina has no state roofing licence as such. A general contractor licence from the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors, carrying the Building, Residential or S (Roofing) classification, is required for any roofing project costing $40,000 or more. The $40,000 threshold rose from $30,000 effective 1 October 2023. Contracting without a licence at or above that value is a Class 2 misdemeanour under NCGS 87-13. Exams are administered by PSI.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Hickory?
Below $40,000 no state licence is needed, and most single-family reroofs cost less than that, so many local roofers lawfully hold none. If your job is at or above $40,000, check the licence on the Board’s search; below it, check insurance certificates with the insurer, and note that North Carolina has no statute banning deductible rebates or giving a cancellation right on insurance-funded roof contracts.
Is Hickory a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Hickory’s certified pool is unusually strong at the top: four of the twelve contractors here hold GAF’s President’s Club tier and all four carry a perfect 5.0. What it does not have is licensing. North Carolina requires a general contractor licence only once a project reaches $40,000, a threshold raised from $30,000 on 1 October 2023, and a like-for-like reroof on a single-family house is exempt from permitting altogether under G.S. 160D-1110(c), which the state Fire Marshal’s own guidance confirms covers replacement. Only one of the six contractors we examined holds a licence on the state register. So in a metro designing to a 115 mph wind speed, with 42 percent of its housing built before 1980, the manufacturer certification and the insurance certificate are doing nearly all the work.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Hickory?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC statistical area logged 234 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 72 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 Charlotte, NC, about 46 miles from Hickory
- Best roofers in Winston-Salem, NC, about 64 miles from Hickory
- Best roofers in Spartanburg, SC, about 65 miles from Hickory
- Best roofers in Asheville, NC, about 70 miles from Hickory
- Best roofers in Greensboro, NC, another NC metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Durham, NC, another NC metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Atlantic City, NJ, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Ann Arbor, MI, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Johnson City, TN, also scored, about 72 miles away
- Best roofers in Kingsport, TN, also scored, about 87 miles away
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 Hickory, NC: 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.