Short answer: As of October 2026, the three highest-scoring roofing contractors in the Traverse City, MI metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score are Summit Point Roofing (81.7), Story Roofing Company (78.8), F S Roofing & Construction (68.1). Every one holds a manufacturer certification that can be verified independently, every rating below has been corroborated against at least one source outside the certification registry, and no company paid to appear here.
The Roofing Brief scored 3 certified roofing contractors serving the Traverse City metro on a published, reproducible formula, then researched each of the top three individually to confirm its record. Traverse City roofs are built for 60 pounds per square foot of snow, more than double Jackson’s, in lake-effect country where the city averages 101 inches a year and parts of Leelanau County over 140. Nearly one home in five across the metro sits empty for the winter as a seasonal home, so a roof can carry a season’s load with no one watching it. Michigan licenses every roofer. Three manufacturer-certified roofers with five or more reviews serve the metro, all licensed, and all three are ranked, one with a predecessor company’s licence suspension disclosed.
The conditions a Traverse City roof has to be specified for
Michigan requires a licence from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for residential work of $600 or more, held by the company itself through a qualifying officer, with a branch office licence for each extra place of business. Unlicensed residential work carries a fine of $5,000 to $25,000 and up to a year in jail. Michigan’s door-to-door sales law gives you until midnight of the third business day to cancel; we found no Michigan law on insurance deductibles or storm contracts.
In Grand Traverse County the county building department issues building permits everywhere except Garfield Township, which runs its own. The minimum building permit is $165, including one inspection, and most projects also need a township land use permit. The county says the 2015 Michigan Residential Code remains in effect until further notice, following a July 2025 court order pausing the 2021 edition.
The 2015 code sets a 60 psf ground snow load for all four metro counties, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau, and requires an ice barrier on every new shingle roof, from the eaves to at least 24 inches inside the wall line, or 36 inches along the slope on roofs of 8:12 or steeper.
Across 2016 to 2025 the four counties logged 35 hail reports, 24 of an inch or larger, topped by three-inch stones at Glen Arbor in July 2016 that broke windows and skylights, plus 66 thunderstorm wind reports and one brief tornado. The region’s costliest storm fell just before that window: on 2 August 2015 winds over 80 mph crossed southern Leelanau County, damaging or destroying about 1,100 buildings. The metro’s median home was built in 1985.
The 3 best roofers in Traverse City, MI
Scored 2026-10-08. The metro mean rating used as the Bayesian prior for Traverse City is 4.733, across a pool of 3 certified contractors.
| Rank | Company | TRB Score | Certification | Rating (reviews) | Adjusted | In business since | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summit Point Roofing | 81.7 | Master Elite | 4.9 (75) | 4.833 | 2015 | Traverse City, MI |
| 2 | Story Roofing Company | 78.8 | President’s Club | 4.5 (90) | 4.583 | not published | Buckley, MI |
| 3 | F S Roofing & Construction | 68.1 | Certified | 4.8 (92) | 4.777 | not published | Traverse City, MI |
1. Summit Point Roofing: TRB Score 81.7
Summit Point Roofing is based in Traverse City, MI, in business since 2015, led by John VanWylen, co-owner, BBB accredited since 3 June 2016, A+ rating, no complaints, and holds Master Elite standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 24 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 33.3 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.3 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 81.7 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- Summit Point Roofing LLC holds Residential Builder company licence 2102210005 at its Ada head office, issued June 2015 and current to May 2027. We found no branch office licence for the Traverse City office.. Michigan LARA licence register
- Head office in Ada, second location on N Garfield Rd in Traverse City; accredited since June 2016 with an A+ rating; business started February 2015; no complaints.. BBB business profile
- Traverse City office serving Traverse City and northern Michigan with residential, commercial flat and multi-family roofing.. Company website, Northern Michigan
What they actually do. Residential roof replacement, commercial flat roofing in TPO, EPDM and PVC, multi-family and condominium roofing, standing seam metal and gutters.
Why it ranks here. The top-scoring firm in the metro, at GAF Master Elite with 75 reviews averaging 4.9: a Grand Rapids-area company founded in 2015 with a Traverse City office in Garfield Township. Its licence, BBB file and founding year agree, and BBB has accredited it since 2016 with no complaints. Michigan requires a branch office licence for each extra place of business, and we found none for the Traverse City office, which is a register observation rather than a finding. It handles condominium and flat roofs as well as houses.
Best fit for: Homeowners and condominium associations who want a firm with both residential and low-slope commercial experience.
What we would want clarified. Headquartered in Ada, near Grand Rapids, about 140 miles south; ask who manages the Traverse City office and crews, and whether that branch is licensed. 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 (231) 299-0079, 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. Story Roofing Company: TRB Score 78.8
Story Roofing Company is based in Buckley, MI, led by Ted Allen, President, BBB accredited since 17 October 2006, A+ rating, two complaints closed in three years, and holds President’s Club standing on the GAF certification registry.
Certifications held: President’s Club (GAF), Owens Corning Platinum Preferred 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 | 23.3 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 14.9 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 5.5 | 10 |
| Total | 78.8 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- The licence is held by ABSR Inc, which BBB lists as Story Roofing’s alternate name: Residential Builder company licence 2102197855, issued April 2010, current to May 2028. No licence is registered under the Story Roofing name.. Michigan LARA licence register
- Story Roofing Company, Inc.: accredited since October 2006 with an A+ rating; brand dating from 1971, current corporation from January 2006; alternate name ABSR, Inc; two complaints in three years, one resolved and one answered.. BBB business profile
- Listed in Buckley at Owens Corning’s top Platinum Preferred tier, membership 220694.. Owens Corning contractor locator
What they actually do. Residential and commercial roofing, metal roofing and flat roofing.
Why it ranks here. A northern Michigan brand dating from 1971, at GAF’s top President’s Club tier with 90 reviews and Owens Corning’s top Platinum tier, so it holds the highest level from two manufacturers. The current corporation dates from 2006, so 1971 is the brand’s start rather than this company’s, and its state licence is held under the name ABSR Inc, which BBB confirms as an alternate name. Its office is in Buckley, Wexford County, about 18 miles south and just outside the metro’s four counties, though BBB’s service area covers them. It also advertises work in southwest Florida.
Best fit for: Homeowners who want the highest manufacturer tiers available in the region, particularly for a metal roof.
What we would want clarified. Its licence is held under a different company name, so check ABSR Inc on the register and on your contract; its 4.5 rating is the lowest of the three, and BBB shows two complaints in three years. 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 (231) 269-3210, 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. F S Roofing & Construction: TRB Score 68.1
F S Roofing & Construction is based in Traverse City, MI, led by Engracia Saavedra, Jesus L. Flores and Jaime L. Flores, co-owners, BBB accredited since 6 April 2024, A+ rating, no complaints, and holds Certified standing on the GAF certification registry.
| Score component | Points | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Certification tier | 12 | 35 |
| Adjusted rating | 31.1 | 40 |
| Review corpus depth | 15.0 | 15 |
| Metro proximity | 10.0 | 10 |
| Total | 68.1 | 100 |
Independently corroborated:
- F S Roofing & Construction LLC holds Residential Builder company licence 262500293, issued 24 March 2025, current to May 2028. The earlier company, F S Roofing LLC, holds a Maintenance and Alteration roofing licence the register marks ‘Section 2405 Suspension’, without giving a reason.. Michigan LARA licence register
- Accredited since April 2024 with an A+ rating; incorporated November 2022, business started March 2023; three co-owners; no complaints.. BBB business profile
What they actually do. Residential shingle and metal roofing, inspections, and storm and insurance restoration.
Why it ranks here. A young Traverse City firm in Blair Township, with 92 GAF reviews averaging 4.8 and a clean BBB record. Its current trading company has held an active builder licence only since March 2025. The predecessor company, whose name its website still uses, holds a roofing licence the register marks as suspended under Section 2405, the provision that suspends a company licence when its qualifying officer’s licence lapses or the officer leaves; an individual roofing licence held by one of the owners lapsed in May 2025. The register gives no reason, so we report it as a status, not as discipline. Its site says it was established in 2018, which no record supports.
Best fit for: Traverse City homeowners who want a local, owner-run firm for a shingle or metal reroof.
What we would want clarified. A short licensed history and a suspended licence on the predecessor company: make sure your contract is with F S Roofing & Construction LLC and carries licence 262500293. 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 (231) 463-1821, 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 licensed roofers serving Traverse City
Three certified firms are ranked here. These five are based in the metro, hold a current Michigan company licence and are BBB accredited with no complaints. They are not scored and we are not recommending them.
| Company | Verified credential |
|---|---|
| Bloxsom Roofing & Siding Co. | Maintenance and Alteration company licence covering roofing, siding and gutters; on Blair Townhall Rd in Traverse City, trading since 1925; BBB accredited since 1999 at A+. Strong in single-ply flat roofing. |
| Mariage Roofing Co., Inc. | Maintenance and Alteration company licence with roofing, issued 1978; based in Williamsburg; BBB accredited since 2002 at A+; residential and light commercial. |
| Preferred Roofing Services LLC | Residential Builder company licence since 2017 plus a licensed Charlevoix branch; on Keystone Rd N in Traverse City; BBB accredited since 2016 at A+. |
| Northshore Exteriors LLC | Residential Builder company licence since 2015; on Cass Rd in Traverse City; BBB accredited since 2016 at A+; serves all four metro counties. |
| Absolute Building Solutions LLC | Residential Builder company licence since 2013; in Kingsley; BBB accredited since 2018 at A+; metal, shingle and slate roofing and skylights. |
The 24 inch-plus hail reports behind a Traverse City 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 Traverse City, MI statistical area over ten years, with the dates, the stone sizes and the towns they landed on. Over that decade the metro logged 35 hail reports, 66 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports and 1 tornado. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $411,000; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
The biggest hail to fall on Traverse City in a decade
| Date | Stone size | Reported near | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 July 2016 | 3.0 in | Empire | Leelanau |
| 8 July 2016 | 1.75 in | Darragh | Kalkaska |
| 21 June 2025 | 1.75 in | Bingham | Leelanau |
| 8 July 2016 | 1.5 in | Darragh | Kalkaska |
| 8 July 2016 | 1.5 in | Bocus | Leelanau |
| 27 April 2024 | 1.5 in | Houseman | Kalkaska |
The largest stone on record for this metro fell on 8 July 2016 near Empire, measured at 3.0 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 58 knots, about 67 mph, near Acme on 3 August 2023. Asphalt shingles begin lifting at roughly 67 mph when they are correctly nailed, and considerably below that when they are not.
Tornadoes. 1 tornado touched down in these counties over the decade.
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 28 August 2018 event near Leland, reproduced verbatim:
A line of severe thunderstorms crossed northern Michigan during the very early morning hours of the 28th. These storms produced areas of wind damage, and in some places that damage was considerable.
A roof in this metro is built against events like that one, as recorded by the agency that recorded it rather than by a contractor selling the repair.
When it happens. Severe weather reports cluster in July (31), August (27), June (19). The worst years on record were 2021 (19), 2023 (14), 2016 (13). If you are scheduling non-urgent work in Traverse City, 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 Traverse City. Weight your decision toward wind rating, ventilation and flashing detail rather than paying extra for impact-rated shingles.
Built for 60 psf, often with no one home
Michigan’s code sets a ground snow load of 60 pounds per square foot for all four counties of the Traverse City metro, more than double the 25 psf set for Jackson County. NOAA’s normals explain why: the Munson station in Traverse City averages 101.0 inches of snow a year, and Maple City in Leelanau County 143.3.
The snow stays. Traverse City averages 102.5 days a year with at least an inch on the ground and 30.8 days with ten inches or more. NOAA filed 115 winter weather entries across the four zones in 2016 to 2025, from 45 separate storm episodes, and the strongest gust in the decade’s zone record, 70 mph at Cherry Capital Airport, came in a December 2021 cyclone.
Long snow cover with freeze and thaw is what builds ice dams, which is why the code requires an ice barrier at the eaves of every new shingle roof, running further up the slope on steeper roofs. Getting that detail and the attic ventilation right matters more here than almost anywhere in the state.
The housing pattern adds a risk of its own. Of the metro’s 86,778 homes, 17,150, or 19.8 percent, are held for seasonal or recreational use, rising to 32.9 percent in Leelanau County. A summer cottage can carry a winter’s snow and ice with no one there to notice a leak until spring.
So the questions for a Traverse City roofer are about winter: how far the ice barrier will run, how the attic will be vented to keep the deck cold, whether the framing on an older or seasonal house will carry 60 psf, and, for a second home, what inspection or snow-removal arrangement it offers. Then check the company’s licence on the state register and who pulls the permit.
Snow design and the rules on a Traverse City reroof
| Item | Figure or rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ground snow load, all four metro counties | 60 psf | 2015 Michigan Residential Code, Table R301.2(5) |
| Ground snow load, Jackson County | 25 psf | 2015 Michigan Residential Code, Table R301.2(5) |
| Average annual snowfall, Traverse City | 101.0 inches | NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals, Munson station |
| Days with 10 inches or more on the ground | 30.8 a year | NOAA 1991 to 2020 normals |
| Seasonal homes, metro | 19.8 percent; 32.9 percent in Leelanau | ACS 2020 to 2024, B25004 |
| Ice barrier at eaves | Required; 24 inches inside the wall line | 2015 Michigan Residential Code, R905.1.2 |
| Largest hail, 2016 to 2025 | 3.0 inches, Glen Arbor, 8 July 2016 | NOAA NCEI Storm Events |
| Windstorm of 2 August 2015 | Over 80 mph; about 1,100 buildings damaged | NWS Gaylord via NOAA NCEI |
| Minimum building permit, Grand Traverse County | $165 | Grand Traverse County fee schedule |
| State licence | Required for work of $600 or more; company licence needed | MCL 339.2403 and 339.2405 |
Source: 2015 Michigan Residential Code Tables R301.2(1) and R301.2(5) and R905.1.2; NOAA 1991 to 2020 climate normals; NWS Gaylord narratives and NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties and zone rows); Grand Traverse County construction code and fee pages; MCL 339.2403 to 339.2405 and 339.601; Michigan LARA licence register; Owens Corning contractor locator; BBB business profiles; US Census Bureau ACS 2020 to 2024.
How to tell a Traverse City roofer’s claims from their record
Licensing is required in MI. Michigan requires a licence from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for any residential construction, alteration or repair with an aggregate contract price of $600 or more. Roofers may hold either a Residential Builder licence, which covers roofing, or a Maintenance and Alteration Contractor licence with the roofing classification. Contracting without a licence for residential work is a misdemeanour carrying a fine of $5,000 to $25,000 and up to a year in jail for a first offence (MCL 339.601(6)).
Applicants must complete a 60-hour state-approved prelicensure course and pass the state licensing exam. A Maintenance and Alteration licence is limited to the trade classifications its holder has passed, such as roofing; a Residential Builder licence covers residential construction as a whole.
Check here: Michigan LARA builder and M&A licence lookup. The $600 threshold means anyone contracting directly with a homeowner to reroof needs a licence. The exemptions are narrow: owners working on their own home or maintaining their own rental property, and crews working solely under contract to a licensed builder. A company must hold its own licence through a qualifying officer, so look up the business name, not just the owner’s individual licence, and check that it is active and, for a Maintenance and Alteration licence, that it carries the roofing classification.
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 Traverse City
3 certified roofing contractors serve the principal cities of the Traverse City, MI statistical area, of which 1 hold the top President’s Club tier. The pool carries 257 customer reviews between them at a mean rating of 4.733. The statistical area had a 2024 population of 156,634, a change of 2.07% against the 2020 census base, per the U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates.
How these Traverse City rankings were produced
Every contractor in the Traverse City, MI 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 1 hold President’s Club standing and 1 Master Elite, against a metro mean rating of 4.733. The top three were then researched individually against Better Business Bureau records, state licence registers and manufacturer directories. Where that research turned up something awkward it is on the page, and no placement was paid for.
The full method, the weightings, what the GAF certification tiers actually mean, who is eligible to be ranked and what we do not claim are all set out on our roofer ranking methodology page. Last updated: October 2026. Scoring run: 2026-10-08. Corrections go to the editor and are actioned on verification.
Traverse City roofing questions, answered
Who is the best roofer in Traverse City, MI?
Summit Point Roofing of Traverse City, MI scores highest in the Traverse City metro on The Roofing Brief Contractor Score, at 81.7 out of 100 as of October 2026. It holds Master Elite certification with a 4.9 rating across 75 reviews. Highest-scoring is not the same as best fit for your specific job, and the two companies behind it score within 13.6 points.
How many certified roofing contractors serve Traverse City?
3 contractors on the GAF certification registry serve the principal cities of the Traverse City, MI statistical area as of October 2026, of which 1 hold President’s Club status.
How much damaging hail does Traverse City get?
The Traverse City, MI statistical area recorded 24 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 3.0 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 three.
What was the worst hailstorm in Traverse City in the last ten years?
The largest hailstone logged by the National Weather Service in the Traverse City, MI statistical area between 2016 and 2025 measured 3.0 inches, reported near Empire on 8 July 2016. That is baseball sized, comfortably past the point where a roof is written off rather than repaired. Across the decade the metro recorded 35 hail reports. Reported property damage from hail, severe wind and tornado over that decade totalled $411,000; flood and winter-storm losses are counted separately and are not included.
When is the worst time of year for roof damage in Traverse City?
Severe-weather reports in the Traverse City, MI statistical area cluster in July, August, June, on the NOAA record for 2016 to 2025. Outside those months local crews are not triaging storm damage, so lead times are shorter and scheduling is easier.
Do roofers need a licence in MI?
Michigan requires a licence from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs for any residential construction, alteration or repair with an aggregate contract price of $600 or more. Roofers may hold either a Residential Builder licence, which covers roofing, or a Maintenance and Alteration Contractor licence with the roofing classification. Contracting without a licence for residential work is a misdemeanour carrying a fine of $5,000 to $25,000 and up to a year in jail for a first offence (MCL 339.601(6)). Applicants must complete a 60-hour state-approved prelicensure course and pass the state licensing exam. A Maintenance and Alteration licence is limited to the trade classifications its holder has passed, such as roofing; a Residential Builder licence covers residential construction as a whole.
What should I check before hiring a roofer in Traverse City?
The $600 threshold means anyone contracting directly with a homeowner to reroof needs a licence. The exemptions are narrow: owners working on their own home or maintaining their own rental property, and crews working solely under contract to a licensed builder. A company must hold its own licence through a qualifying officer, so look up the business name, not just the owner’s individual licence, and check that it is active and, for a Maintenance and Alteration licence, that it carries the roofing classification.
Built for 60 psf, often with no one home?
Michigan’s code sets a ground snow load of 60 pounds per square foot for all four counties of the Traverse City metro, more than double the 25 psf set for Jackson County. NOAA’s normals explain why: the Munson station in Traverse City averages 101.0 inches of snow a year, and Maple City in Leelanau County 143.3.
Is Traverse City a hard market to find a good roofer in?
Traverse City roofs are built for 60 pounds per square foot of snow, more than double Jackson’s, in lake-effect country where the city averages 101 inches a year and parts of Leelanau County over 140. Nearly one home in five across the metro sits empty for the winter as a seasonal home, so a roof can carry a season’s load with no one watching it. Michigan licenses every roofer. Three manufacturer-certified roofers with five or more reviews serve the metro, all licensed, and all three are ranked, one with a predecessor company’s licence suspension disclosed.
Is wind or hail the bigger risk to a roof in Traverse City?
Wind, by a wide margin. The Traverse City, MI statistical area logged 66 severe thunderstorm and high wind reports against 24 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 Muskegon, MI, about 110 miles from Traverse City
- Best roofers in Green Bay, WI, about 118 miles from Traverse City
- Best roofers in Saginaw, MI, another MI metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Grand Rapids, MI, another MI metro on the same formula
- Best roofers in Bangor, ME, a metro of comparable size
- Best roofers in Hattiesburg, MS, 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 Traverse City, MI: 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.