JUMP TO A SECTION
- 01 Compare the named products, not whole manufacturers
- 02 Make differences in the work visible
- 03 Keep a product claim attached to its source
- 04 Read the offered warranty, then ask who handles it
- 05 Confirm availability and changes before deciding
- 06 Compare the written totals with their actual scope
- 07 Questions before choosing
A brand comparison becomes useful when it starts with the offers in front of you. Write down the full shingle name on each bid, then keep the rest of the scope visible. If one offer names a product and another only names a manufacturer, the missing information is a question to resolve before you compare the totals.
Macomb Roofing Pros does not claim an affiliation, endorsement or certification from GAF, Owens Corning or CertainTeed on this page. This is a method for comparing proposals, not an installer test, a brand ranking or a confirmation of a particular contractor warranty offer.
01 /Compare the named products, not whole manufacturers
A label such as architectural shingles describes a category. It does not tell you which product is on the proposal, which document belongs with it or whether two bids are describing the same material. Ask each bidder to complete the manufacturer and product-name lines before treating the offers as alternatives.
The manufacturer resources linked below are starting points for locating the proposed product. They do not establish that a line is available through your contractor, or that every product sold by different manufacturers has equivalent performance or warranty terms.
| MANUFACTURER ON THE BID | FIRST COMPARISON TASK |
|---|---|
| GAF | Identify the complete proposed product and request the literature the bidder used. |
| Owens Corning | Keep the exact line or variant name with its documents rather than shortening it to the manufacturer name. |
| CertainTeed | Keep the whole product name; for a Landmark proposal, use the dedicated document guide. |
For a CertainTeed offer, the Landmark proposal guide works through the family-name problem in detail. Manufacturer product resources for GAF, Owens Corning and CertainTeed can help identify the relevant material; confirm the particular offer with the bidder.
02 /Make differences in the work visible
Put the product name alongside the work being proposed. Ask what each bid includes for removal of the old roof, the deck, underlayment, flashing, accessories, ventilation, permits and cleanup. These are comparison headings, not an instruction that the same installation detail fits every property.
Where the quotes differ, ask what that difference means for this job. Do not assume a missing line is included, and do not assume every price difference proves missing work. Ask for clarification or a revised scope so you can see what is actually being compared.
The estimate line-by-line guide supplies more context for reading a bid. Use the roofing quote comparison for the wider worksheet. This page stays with the product and document differences that can disappear behind a manufacturer logo.
03 /Keep a product claim attached to its source
When a salesperson discusses wind, impact or another performance feature, ask which exact product document supports that statement and which conditions accompany it. Save the reference with the quote. Similar-looking labels are not a basis for declaring two products equal.
This comparison does not supply numeric wind or impact ratings, rank products for Michigan weather or prescribe an installation. Current technical instructions and an assessment of the actual property are needed for those decisions. No manufacturer name settles them by itself.
04 /Read the offered warranty, then ask who handles it
Ask each bidder to identify the warranty document being offered, rather than comparing only a headline word such as lifetime. Keep the edition or issue date, the issuer and the named products with the proposal. Read the conditions of that offer instead of assuming the same qualification or registration rule applies across brands.
Ask who will handle any required registration and how you will know it has been completed. If a manufacturer designation is part of the pitch, ask the bidder to identify it precisely and explain how it can be verified. This site does not verify a bidder status or promise that a badge activates a particular warranty.
Record any separate contractor workmanship promise as a separate document. Questions about eligibility, transfer or an eventual claim belong with the applicable document and its issuer. This guide does not interpret an individual warranty or predict how a dispute will be decided.
05 /Confirm availability and changes before deciding
Ask each bidder which complete product and color they can supply for the proposed project. A manufacturer web page is not a report of local inventory. This site has not verified stock for these three brands, a delivery schedule or a replacement product for your order.
If a bidder proposes a different product later, compare the revised written offer and its documents. Keep track of what changed in the material, scope, warranty offer and price. Do not treat a substitute as equivalent simply because the manufacturer stayed the same.
06 /Compare the written totals with their actual scope
No brand-specific price or premium is assigned here. Ask what each written total includes and what remains an allowance or an open question. A proposal that costs more is not automatically more complete, and a lower total is not by itself evidence of a defect.
For an initial budget reference, the existing cost calculator uses the published site assumptions; it does not price a particular brand or replace a quote for the property. A roof replacement inquiry can begin with the project location and the product or scope question you need clarified.
- Name the proposed product on every bid before comparing manufacturers.
- Keep the scope of work and the product documents together.
- Ask for the actual warranty offer and the party responsible for each step.
- Confirm product and color availability for the job; this guide is not a local stock report.
- Evaluate the written price with its stated scope rather than inferring quality from the total.
Questions we hear most
This guide does not rank whole manufacturers for a particular property. Compare the complete proposed products, their current documents and the work on each bid, then resolve technical suitability questions with the person assessing the roof.
Do not assume it does. Ask the bidder to identify the current designation, the exact warranty offer and its requirements, and how any necessary registration will be handled. This page does not verify contractor status or individual warranty eligibility.
The total alone does not establish quality or completeness. Compare the named products and the included work, ask about allowances and omissions, and get a revised written scope where the offers differ.
- Manufacturer technical and warranty literature for the major asphalt shingle lines: GAF (gaf.com), Owens Corning (owenscorning.com), and CertainTeed (certainteed.com).
- CertainTeed US Landmark product page. CertainTeed US Landmark product page
- CertainTeed US Landmark PRO product page. CertainTeed US Landmark PRO product page
- CertainTeed US Landmark ClimateFlex product page. CertainTeed US Landmark ClimateFlex product page