What are the best roofing, siding, and window brands for a Twin Cities home?
Modern Exterior Systems (Modex) publishes honest brand-vs-brand comparisons across roofing shingles, windows, siding, and gutter guards. We install CertainTeed, Malarkey, Atlas, LP SmartSide, James Hardie, ProVia, Kolbe, and Pella—and we deliberately don't carry GAF, Andersen, Marvin, or Milgard. Twelve detailed comparisons covering the brands most Twin Cities homeowners research.
Comparisons
Why we publish honest brand reviews
Most contractor websites promote only the brands they sell. Modern Exterior Systems (Modex) publishes brand-vs-brand comparisons because homeowners researching $14K–$90K exterior projects deserve a contractor's honest take—including on brands we don't install.
Browse every comparison
17 brand-vs-brand writeups across roofing, siding, windows, and gutters — filter by trade, brand, or search by name.
Filter by brand
Roofing
Architectural vs 3-Tab Shingles
Cost, lifespan, wind rating, and resale value for Minneapolis roofs. Modex installs architectural only — here's why.
Read comparison →
Roofing
Atlas StormMaster Shake vs CertainTeed Presidential Shake TL
Class 4 hail discount vs triple-laminated shake look — two ways to handle Twin Cities storms. We install both.
Read comparison →
Roofing
Atlas vs Owens Corning Shingles
Atlas Pinnacle vs Owens Corning Duration: warranty, impact rating, and Minneapolis-installed cost. Modex is Atlas Pro+ Silver Select.
Read comparison →
Windows
Bow Window vs Bay Window
Shape, panes, cost, and when each one works. Bay = 3 angled panes. Bow = 4–6 panes in a curved arc. We install both.
Read comparison →
Roofing
CertainTeed vs GAF Shingles
Warranty, impact rating, contractor certification, and Minneapolis cost. Modex is CertainTeed ShingleMaster certified.
Read comparison →
Roofing
CertainTeed vs Malarkey Shingles
CertainTeed Landmark vs Malarkey Legacy: standard asphalt vs SBS-modified rubber. Modex installs both lines.
Read comparison →
Roofing
DaVinci vs Brava Synthetic Slate
Class 4 hail rating, 50-year warranty, install cost, weight, and color palette — synthetic slate head-to-head.
Read comparison →
Roofing
DaVinci vs CeDUR Synthetic Shake
DaVinci Bellaforte vs CeDUR for Twin Cities homes: cost, color depth, weight, warranty, and hand-split look.
Read comparison →
Siding
LP SmartSide vs James Hardie
Engineered wood vs fiber cement for Minneapolis: cost, durability, warranty, and cold-climate fit. We install both.
Read comparison →
Roofing
Malarkey vs Owens Corning Shingles
Malarkey Legacy vs Owens Corning Duration: SBS modified rubber vs standard asphalt. Modex is Malarkey Emerald Pro.
Read comparison →
Gutters
MasterShield vs LeafFilter vs KleanGutter
Three micro-mesh gutter guards compared: ice-dam impact, debris handling, and cost. Modex installs MasterShield.
Read comparison →
Windows
ProVia vs Lindsay Windows
ProVia Endure vs Lindsay Pinnacle for Minneapolis: warranty, glass package, and installed cost.
Read comparison →
Windows
ProVia vs Milgard Windows
ProVia Endure vs Milgard Tuscany: warranty terms, cold-climate fit, and price. Modex installs ProVia.
Read comparison →
Windows
ProVia vs Pella Vinyl Windows
ProVia Endure vs Pella 250 vinyl: warranty, glass package, and cost. Modex installs both.
Read comparison →
Windows
ProVia vs Ply Gem Windows
ProVia Endure vs Ply Gem Mira: warranty, glass, hardware, and cost. Modex installs ProVia.
Read comparison →
Siding
Vinyl vs James Hardie Siding
$15K–$20K vinyl vs $22K–$32K Hardie on a 2,000 sq ft home. Lifespan, fire rating, and lifetime cost. We install both.
Read comparison →
Siding
Vinyl vs LP SmartSide
Vinyl vs LP SmartSide for Twin Cities homes: cost, lifespan, hail durability, and cold-climate fit. We install both.
Read comparison →
About these comparisons
How we approach brand comparisons
What we install, how we pick comparisons, and why we publish honest takes on brands we don't carry.
Which brands does Modex install?
We're certified for CertainTeed (ShingleMaster), Malarkey (Emerald Pro), and Atlas (Pro+ Silver Select) shingles. For siding, we install LP SmartSide and James Hardie. Our window brands are ProVia, Kolbe, and Pella. We deliberately don't carry GAF, Owens Corning, Andersen, Marvin, Milgard, Lindsay, or Ply Gem.
Aren't these comparisons biased toward what you sell?
We disclose what we install upfront so you can weight our perspective accordingly. Our comparisons evaluate brands we don't carry—CertainTeed vs GAF, Malarkey vs Owens Corning, ProVia vs Milgard—and we acknowledge where competing brands have real advantages. Transparent disclosure beats fake objectivity.
How do you choose which comparisons to publish?
We publish comparisons that match real homeowner research queries. Bow window vs bay window gets priority because it's a 1,600-monthly-search term. LP SmartSide vs James Hardie has been our top performer for years. We don't fabricate comparisons to fill space.
What's your highest-traffic comparison?
LP SmartSide vs James Hardie has driven the most traffic since publication. ProVia vs Pella Vinyl Windows ranks second consistently. Bow Window vs Bay Window targets the biggest unmet keyword opportunity and will likely lead once it ranks higher.
Do you compare brands you don't install?
Yes. We publish honest comparisons of GAF, Andersen, Marvin, and Milgard because homeowners deserve a contractor's real assessment of the full market. The honest take requires disclosing why we don't carry them—not pretending we have no preference.
Comparing options for your project?
Call Joe at 952-206-6339 or request a free quote — we'll walk the tradeoffs on your home, line by line.
Ready for an estimate?
We handle roofing, siding, windows, gutters, and storm work for the Minneapolis metro. One contractor, every trade, lifetime workmanship warranty.