If It’s Good Enough for Frank Lloyd Wright …
Roofer Randy Miller sees a growing trend in his marketplace. Homeowners want the look of cedar shake roofing, but not the maintenance hassles. That desire opens the door for Miller. He can introduce them to impact-resistant composite shake roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes.
“Recently we had DaVinci Single-Width Shakes approved for use on a home designed and built in 1905 by architect Frank Lloyd Wright,” says Miller, owner of Allrite Home & Remodeling in Milwaukee. “That is a big deal. Getting composite roofing approved on a historic riverfront home is impressive. In addition, this house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin!”
Why Composite Roofing?
Since the Frank Lloyd Wright project, Miller and his team are seeing an increase in composite roofing business.
“Once one home in a neighborhood moves ahead with a composite roof, many others quickly follow,” says Miller. “We tailor our business to customers who appreciate the attributes of composite and other high-end roofing products.”
What makes DaVinci special? All DaVinci roofing products are made of virgin resins, UV and thermal stabilizers. In addition, they also have a highly specialized fire retardant added in. The result is a composite roofing product that is Class A fire rated. In addition, it’s Class 4 impact rated. Each piece resists severe weather and high winds. The tiles resist insects and algae. Therefore, the roofing tile handles any climate.
Farewell Dilapidated Cedar
One recent roofing project for Miller’s company involves a home in the town of Delafield, Wisconsin. The brick house includes a mother-in-law suite. There are also a variety of attractive dormer windows.
“We’re very proud of this project,” says Miller. “The homeowners had a dilapidated, old cedar shake roof. There were restrictions in the neighborhood for what types of replacement roofing could be used. Because they liked the look of cedar, but were tired of the maintenance, we guided them toward DaVinci Shake.”
After gaining approval for the composite shake, the Allrite team got to work. The dormer siding was tight to the roof. Therefore they had to cut it back in some cases. Snow guards were added to help melting snows slide off the roof. The finished product of the Mountain blend of colors beautifully complements the home exterior.
“In our opinion, the DaVinci product has the most natural look to it,” says Miller. “Compared to any of its competitors, this product most closely resembles natural cedar.
“We’ve been using DaVinci for more than 10 years. We are very pleased with how it looks. It lays well. In addition, we’re pleased with how it performs over time. We stand behind the DaVinci product and its warranties.”
What Sways a Homeowner
Along with the appearance of the DaVinci composite roofing, Miller says there are other factors that swayed this homeowner into selecting the DaVinci Shake tiles.
“The Class A fire rating is important,” according to Miller. “Because of the flame resistance of the product, the homeowner’s insurance premiums are dropping. The impact resistancy of the tiles also cause the rates to drop. That’s important to this area where hailstorms are frequent.
“Homeowners investing in DaVinci products find it’s a one-two punch of satisfaction. First, the appearance is incredible. Then, there’s the peace-of-mind and savings that come with this manmade roofing product. That’s a winning combination for any homeowner.”