Warranties
Material, system and workmanship coverage are different things, and conflating them is how buyers get burned. Two minutes here saves an argument later.
When a roofer says 'it comes with a 30-year warranty', ask one question: whose warranty, covering what?
Covers the product itself against manufacturing defects. It does not cover installation mistakes, and installation mistakes cause most early failures. Every shingle brand offers one; on its own it says nothing about the company nailing it down.
Stronger coverage offered when a certified contractor installs the manufacturer's complete system: the underlayment, ventilation and accessories engineered to work together, not just the shingles. GAF's top-tier system warranties can only be registered by Master Elite contractors. This is the practical reason certification matters to you rather than just to us.
The contractor's own promise on the installation, and the one that depends entirely on the company still existing when you need it. Storm-chasers offer lifetime warranties on companies that live for a season. BSW has answered the same phone since 1942; our workmanship terms are stated in writing on every quote, and we are around to honor them.
The manufacturer covers the product; the contractor covers the installation. Most roof failures in the first years are installation issues, which is why who installed it matters as much as what was installed.
Every BSW quote states its coverage before you sign. That should be table stakes everywhere.