Owens Corning Shingles 101: Why We're a Preferred Contractor
If you’ve been researching roofers in Spokane or North Idaho, you’ve probably noticed a lot of companies mention Owens Corning somewhere on their website. What most homeowners don’t realize is that simply installing Owens Corning shingles and being a certified Owens Corning Preferred Contractor are two very different things — and the difference directly affects what warranty protection you’re eligible for. Â
We’re proud to hold Owens Corning Preferred Contractor status, and we get enough questions about what that actually means that we figured it was worth a straight answer.Â
What “Owens Corning Preferred Contractor” Actually Means
Owens Corning runs a tiered network for the roofing contractors who install its products. At the base level, any contractor can register with Owens Corning’s Contractor Rewards program and start purchasing their materials — that alone doesn’t require meeting any particular standard.Â
Preferred Contractor status is different: it’s earned, not purchased. To be invited into the Preferred tier, a roofing company generally has to demonstrate things like:Â
- Proper licensing and a minimum level of general liability insuranceÂ
- A clean track record with no bankruptcies or major legal judgments in recent yearsÂ
- Good standing with the Better Business BureauÂ
- A consistent history of installing Owens Corning products correctlyÂ
- Ongoing, documented installer training across the crew — not just the ownerÂ
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It’s an invitation extended by Owens Corning’s local Area Sales Manager after a contractor has already shown a track record of reliability — not something a company can simply sign up for online.Â
Why This Matters for Your Warranty
This is the part that actually affects you as a homeowner. Owens Corning offers several tiers of roofing warranties, and the strength of warranty a contractor is allowed to offer you depends directly on their certification tier.Â
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As a Preferred Contractor, we’re able to register extended system warranties on qualifying roofs — going meaningfully beyond the basic manufacturer’s material-only warranty you’d get from a non-certified installer. That typically includes:Â
- Lifetime material coverage on the shingles themselves for the original homeownerÂ
- Extended workmanship coverage, meaning if something goes wrong due to an installation error (not just a manufacturing defect), it’s covered — not something every roofer can offerÂ
- System-level protection when qualifying Owens Corning components (underlayment, starter strip, hip-and-ridge) are installed together as a complete system, rather than warranty coverage on the shingles aloneÂ
A roofer who isn’t certified can still install Owens Corning shingles, but they typically can’t register you for anything beyond Owens Corning’s most basic, materials-only warranty — regardless of how good their installation work is.Â
Why We Chose to Pursue This Certification
Frankly, we could sell roofs without it. But the certification process forces a level of accountability we think homeowners deserve — documented training standards, insurance minimums, and a manufacturer that’s actively checking in on how contractors in their network are performing. It’s one more layer of verification beyond just taking our word for it. Â
You can verify our status directly on Owens Corning’s own site — we’re listed on their official contractor locator, which is worth checking for any roofer claiming certification, since it only takes a minute and confirms the claim is real rather than just marketing language.Â
What This Looks Like on an Actual Project
In practice, this certification shapes how we approach every roof we install:Â
- We use manufacturer-specified installation methods for every layer of the roofing system, not just the visible shinglesÂ
- We document jobs to the standard Owens Corning expects from Preferred Contractors, which also makes future warranty claims smoother if you ever need oneÂ
- We can walk you through exactly which warranty tier applies to your specific roof before work ever starts, so there’s no ambiguity laterÂ
Questions About Your Roof's Warranty Coverage?
Whether you’re planning a new roof or just want to understand what warranty coverage you currently have, our team is happy to walk through it with you. Palmer Construction is a family-owned roofing company based in Spokane Valley, proudly serving homeowners throughout Washington and North Idaho — including Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Cheney, Coeur d’Alene, and Post Falls.Â
đź“ž Call (509) 607-2487 or schedule a free roof inspection today.Â
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Owens Corning Preferred Contractor” mean?Â
It means a roofing company has been formally invited into Owens Corning’s certified contractor network after demonstrating proper licensing, insurance, a clean business record, and consistent, correctly documented installations — allowing them to register extended warranty coverage that non-certified installers cannot offer.
How do I verify a roofing contractor’s Owens Corning certification?Â
You can search any contractor directly on Owens Corning’s official contractor locator on their website. If a company claims certification but isn’t listed, that’s worth asking about directly before signing anything.c
What warranty comes with Owens Corning shingles installed by a Preferred Contractor?
Coverage varies by the specific product and system components used, but Preferred Contractor status generally allows for lifetime material coverage for the original homeowner plus extended workmanship coverage — well beyond the basic manufacturer’s defect-only warranty available through non-certified installers.Â
