By Emma Peterson. 

Contractors from Greater American Roofing and Weatherguard, Inc. discuss why DaVinci products have become a go-to solution for their clients. 

In a new episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth sat down with Crystal Watterson, CFO of Greater American Roofing, and Trent Lovewell, VP of sales and operations at Weatherguard, Inc., to hear why their companies install DaVinci Roofscape’s composite roofing products.  

For Crystal and the team at Greater American Roofing, DaVinci composite roofs have been in their portfolio since 2021. And in the five years since they started installing DaVinci, they’ve seen a distinct shift in their clients towards using composite. Crystal explained, “If you had asked me in 2020 how many asphalt roofs we were doing, it would have been 95% of our work. And now looking at last year, I think I did five asphalt roofs total.”  

The reason Greater American Roofing’s clients are largely making this shift is simple – composite performs better for longer. Crystal shared some thoughts about this, saying, “The longevity is unmatched. We installed our first DaVinci roof in January 2021 and when I go back and look at it today, it looks just as beautiful today as it did the day that we put it on.” She went on, “And it’s not just that the roof has lasted that long, it’s also that it lasts long with low maintenance. I think out of all the products we offer, DaVinci is the lowest maintenance.”  

As for Trevor and Weatherguard, DaVinci has been one of their offerings since 2005. In that time, they’ve installed countless squares of DaVinci composite products. He shared, “We’ve installed composite on everything from million-dollar homes to pump houses for swimming pools.” And for the main reason Weatherguard has used DaVinci on all of these different projects over the years, Trevor cites that same longevity that Crystal mentioned, “We install other materials beside composite and nothing really compares to the longevity of composite.” 

Want to learn more about composite roofing? Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording on YouTube.  

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

A roofer’s guide to winning campus projects with composite slate and shake.

Educational institutions ask more of a roof. A campus project may need to preserve a historic skyline, support a new building’s architectural vision, withstand severe weather and reduce maintenance demands — all while staying practical to install. For roofers, that combination creates an opportunity: recommend a product that solves the owner’s problems and helps your crew deliver a roof built to serve generations of students.

DaVinci® Roofscape’s composite slate and shake products bring authentic character together with Class A fire and Class 4 impact ratings, resistance to severe weather and strong winds, low-maintenance performance and a 50-year limited warranty. Across the country, universities, colleges and schools are using these products on historic renovations, residence halls, learning centers, laboratories, athletic facilities and highly visible mansard roofs.

Why roofers should bring davinci to the table

• Win specification conversations: Offer the look of natural slate or shake with performance features campus decision makers value.
• Protect historic character: Match traditional architecture with realistic profiles, textures, edges and color blends.
• Address structural concerns: Provide a lightweight alternative where natural slate may be too heavy.
• Reduce owner headaches: Support long-term planning with low-maintenance materials and a 50-year limited warranty.
• Build confidence in severe-weather regions: Lead with Class 4 impact and Class A fire ratings.
• Improve jobsite efficiency: Pre-coordinated bundles can reduce hand mixing and installation labor.
• Create repeat campus work: A successful first building can become the standard for future reroofing projects.

Features roofers can turn into owner benefits

Proof on campus: Projects that make the case

Utah State University: One successful roof becomes a campus standard

• Challenge: Deteriorating cedar shakes on landmark Quad buildings dating to 1889 and 1918.
• Solution: Consistent DaVinci composite shake style and color across the Geology building, Old Main and the Ray B. West building.
• Contractor lesson: Deliver architectural continuity and reliable performance on the first project and the recommendation can carry across an entire campus.

University of Notre Dame: The slate look without the slate weight

• Challenge: A residential-style learning center could not support traditional slate.
• Solution: DaVinci Multi-Width Slate delivered a natural-slate appearance that blended with surrounding campus buildings.
• Owner priority: A long-term product aligned with the university’s sustainability goals.
• Proof of confidence: The university project manager later selected the product for his own home.

Phillips Exeter Academy: Modern performance, old world character

• Challenge: Failing natural slate across a historic New England campus of 147 brick buildings.
• Solution: Inspire® Slate on Wheelwright Dormitory, followed years later by Wetherell Dining Hall, Merrill Dormitory and Langdell Dormitory.
• Performance story: Textured surfaces and deckled edges modeled from natural slate, plus lightweight construction, Class 4 hail performance and a Class A fire rating.
• Contractor lesson: Restoration expertise is stronger when preservation goals are paired with improved long-term functionality.

Georgia Tech: A high-stakes roof for a wet laboratory

• Challenge: A failing roof over the Daniel Environmental Engineering Laboratory, where leakage could create serious contamination and public-risk concerns.
• Design constraint: Natural slate weight was a concern, but the new roof still had to complement a historic slate-roofed campus.
• Solution: DaVinci Single-Width Slate in a custom blend of 70% Evergreen and 30% Light Purple.
• Decision drivers: Class 4 impact resistance, Class A fire performance and historic aesthetic appeal.

Mississippi State University: Crew-friendly installation

• Project: Slate Gray DaVinci synthetic slate on the four-story Old Main Academic Center.
• First-time installer result: The Graham Roofing team found the product more contractor friendly than other brands it had installed.
• Labor advantage: Pre-coordinated bundles eliminated hand mixing and the tiles did not require corner bending before installation.

More campus proof points

• William Penn Charter School, Pennsylvania: DaVinci Single-Width Slate helps a modern athletic and wellness center blend with a 330-plus-year-old campus.
• The College of New Jersey: A roofer recommendation led to DaVinci Slate installations on a residence hall and an aquatic center.
• Brownell Talbot, Nebraska: DaVinci Multi-Width Slate answered hail exposure, warranty and color-matching needs across five campus buildings.
• University of Minnesota: DaVinci Multi-Width Slate was selected for Pioneer Hall for its authentic appearance, value, low maintenance and impact and fire resistance.
• Thomas Edison State College, New Jersey: DaVinci Slate delivered a thick traditional profile, reflectance value and Castle Gray color coordination for a new nursing education center.
• Washburn University, Kansas: DaVinci synthetic slate has been used on the alumni center, field house and art museum — demonstrating the potential for ongoing reroofing work.
• Primrose School of Blue Valley, Kansas: A repeat owner chose DaVinci Single-Width Slate after a similar roof at another school performed well for six years.

Mansard roofs: Turn the roof into the campus façade

On mansard applications, roofing becomes one of the most visible architectural surfaces. Eight residence-tower buildings at the State University of New York use DaVinci Multi-Width Slate in a European blend across nearly four stories of steep mansard roofing. At Butler Community College in Kansas, 16 structures received DaVinci slate after severe hail damaged 95% of campus roofing.

A simple playbook for the next campus opportunity

1. Start with the building. Identify historic character, structural limits, roof visibility and the consequences of failure.
2. Connect local risks to tested performance. Discuss hail, fire, wind and weather conditions in terms the facilities team can use.
3. Bring visual options early. Help the architect compare profiles, widths and color blends against surrounding campus roofs.
4. Quantify installation advantages. Explain how product handling and pre-coordinated bundles can affect labor and scheduling.
5. Sell the campus portfolio — not just one roof. Show how a successful installation can establish a repeatable standard across multiple buildings.
6. Document the long-term value. Pair low-maintenance performance with the 50-year limited warranty and the institution’s capital plan.

Own the next campus opportunity.

Recommend DaVinci composite slate and shake to give educational institutions the authentic character they want, the tested performance they demand and the long-term value they need. Deliver the first roof with confidence — and position your company as the trusted roofing partner for the next building, the next phase and the campus-wide standard.

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

Why mountain roofers are turning homeowners toward composite roofing for HOAs, townhomes and condos.

Mountain roofing is not easy work. Snow stacks up. UV beats down. Wind pushes hard. Freeze-thaw cycles test every fastener, flashing detail and roof plane. That is why more condo associations, townhome communities and property managers in mountain markets are asking for roofing products that do more than just look good on day one.

They want long-term performance. They want fire resistance. They want fewer callbacks. And they want roofs that still fit the high-end character of resort communities. For roofers, that creates an opportunity.

DaVinci® Roofscapes composite shake and slate products give contractors a premium solution to recommend. They deliver the authentic look of cedar or slate without the same maintenance, fire, pest and breakage concerns of the natural materials.

Why composite roofing fits mountain communities

Traditional materials can be beautiful. However, they can also be fragile. Cedar can rot, crack, curl and attract insects. It can also create fire concerns in forested areas. Concrete tiles can be heavy and vulnerable to impact. Natural slate can be costly, difficult to source, brittle and hard to replace.

DaVinci composite roofing gives roofers another way to provide the look of those products without the problems. The synthetic tiles are made with virgin resins, UV and thermal stabilizers and fire retardants. They are engineered for lasting color, impact and fire resistance, plus severe-weather durability.

The benefits? These composite roofing tiles...

• Help reduce long-term maintenance demands for associations and homeowners.
• Support fire-resistant roofing goals in wildfire-prone areas.
• Work with engineered snow retention systems in snow country.
• Provide the look of cedar shake or slate without the same vulnerabilities.
• Preserve curb appeal in luxury mountain communities.

The mountain roofing challenge
 

Story 1: Sunrise Ridge Condos, Big Sky, Montana

At Sunrise Ridge Condos in Big Sky, Montana, the roof has to take on roughly 257 inches of snow each year. That is more than 21 feet landing on the community in one season. When the association planned to replace real cedar roofing on 58 homes, leaders wanted longer life, lower fire concern and better value.

“Our condos are in an area with extreme climate conditions that’s tough on roofs,” says Charles Dubroff, the association’s lead board of directors member on the re-roofing project. “We wanted a roofing product with a long life and warranty. Plus, we also desired positive environmental aspects and fire-resistancy.”

• Roof Top Solutions helped the community test DaVinci synthetic shake products on several buildings.
• After the trial, the association selected DaVinci Multi-Width Shake roofing in Tahoe for the condos and clubhouse.
• The finished roof delivered authentic shake appeal with Class A fire and Class 4 impact ratings.

“I couldn’t be happier about our choice of roofing companies or roofing products,” says Charles. “We’re looking at these roofs lasting us many decades.”

Story 2: Royal Elk Villas, Avon, Colorado

Royal Elk Villas in Beaver Creek Village had a familiar problem. Heavy snow and intense sun had worn down the roofs on 15 luxury townhomes. Ascent Building Consulting recommended DaVinci Single-Width Slate because the product had already performed well on other mountain projects.

“This was a fairly easy product recommendation,” says Steve R. Bunn, RRC, RRO, president of Ascent Building Consulting, Inc. “I’ve selected and specified DaVinci Roofscapes synthetic shake and slate products on multiple projects for a number of years. That’s mostly due to the continued success with the products.”

Steve selected DaVinci synthetic slate for freeze-thaw resistance, fire performance and long-term track record.

• J&K Roofing installed the composite roof system.
• The project also included more than 4,500 copper snow guards from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards.

The result was a roof built for beauty, managed snow release and long-term reliability.

Story 3: Buckhorn - Bachelor Gulch Townhomes, Avon, Colorado

At Buckhorn - Bachelor Gulch, OAC Management helped evaluate roofing options for two dozen townhomes. The community wanted the look of natural cedar shake. It also wanted fewer worries about fire, insects, maintenance and freeze-thaw stress. OAC Management used a comparative analysis and cash model. DaVinci Multi-Width Shake rose to the top because of its appearance, warranty, testing, certifications and mountain-weather performance.

“We typically do a comparative analysis whenever asked to coordinate replacement products for a community,” says Erik Peterson, owner and president of OAC Management. “We list out all the attributes of each product, evaluate the manufacturers, look at product costs and then determine which product rises to the top.”

• Umbrella Roofing installed more than 77,000 square feet of DaVinci Multi-Width Shake roofing in the Autumn blend.
• Custom copper flat seam roofs were included.
• A full snow-retention plan helped address mountain safety concerns.

“Our team has installed more than 100 DaVinci roofs in the Aspen and Vail areas,” says Trevor H. Cannon, owner of Umbrella Roofing. “When homeowners in this area want peace-of-mind plus a sensational looking imitation shake or slate roof, they come to us!”

Story 4: Highlands Slopeside, Beaver Creek, Colorado

At Highlands Slopeside in Beaver Creek, 26 years of Colorado weather had taken a toll on a five-story condo complex. The renovation included windows, siding, masonry and more than 500 squares of DaVinci Multi-Width Slate roofing. Arapahoe Roofing & Sheet Metal worked under tight summer windows, limited roof access and crowded scaffolding. Crews put in long days to keep the project moving.

“We were permitted to work on the composite roof for seven weeks during two separate summer timeframes in 2016 and 2017,” says Mark Bellitt, president of Arapahoe Roofing & Sheet Metal, Inc. “Our crews worked 12-hour days, six days a week to meet the tight deadline.”

• The project included more than 540 squares of DaVinci Multi-Width Slate.
• It also included copper standing seam roofing, heated eaves, copper gutters, snow fences and more than 2,500 snow guards.
• The roofing work earned Arapahoe Roofing the Colorado Roofing Association Job of the Year Award in 2017.

Why roofers can recommend DaVinci with confidence

Mountain projects are high-visibility jobs. They often include steep slopes, copper details, tight schedules, HOA review, snow retention layouts and demanding owners. That makes product confidence important. DaVinci gives roofers a premium story to tell. It is about natural beauty, tested performance, reduced maintenance and long-term value.

As Karla Ferguson of J&K Roofing put it, "The DaVinci product went up smoothly. It’s a good product to work with and we’ve had strong success with DaVinci in the past.”

Key takeaways for roofers

• Lead with the mountain problem. Then show how composite roofing solves it.
• Recommend DaVinci when clients want the look of natural shake or slate with less maintenance burden.
• Use Class A fire and Class 4 impact-rated options to support performance conversations.
• Always discuss snow retention as part of the roofing system.
• Point to Montana and Colorado success stories when HOA boards need proof.
• Talk Total Cost of Ownership, not just initial material cost.

Trevor H. Cannon of Umbrella Roofing summed it up perfectly: “Quite simply, this is the only synthetic roof we install. The track record we have with this polymer roofing product is very impressive.”

The bottom line

Mountain communities do not need ordinary roofs. They need roofs built for snow, sun, fire exposure, impact, wind and architectural expectations. DaVinci Roofscapes composite shake and slate tiles give roofing contractors a product they can sell with confidence. The products look right for mountain homes. They perform in difficult conditions. And they help roofers give customers a premium answer to a very real problem.

For roofers serving mountain condo, townhome and HOA communities, composite roofing is no longer just an alternative. It has become a preferred recommendation.

By Emma Peterson. 

With more homeowners researching roofing systems before making a purchase, contractors must be ready to provide deeper insights and expert guidance. 

In the last few years, more and more homeowners have begun doing their own research about roofing materials and products. This is in large part due to the rise of digital literacy and the development of new research tools like artificial intelligence. To learn how this impacts roofing contractors in the field, we sat down with Scott Kim of WGM Contracting and Brian Ricci of Adco South Roofing for a Roofing Road Trips® all about customer education. 

Scott shared his initial thoughts on how pre-research changes his homeowner interactions, saying, “Sometimes the internet leads them to misinformation, other times they come knowing more and it makes our job easier. Overall, I think this rise of research is nice, because it gives us a starting point to supplement their knowledge and give more in-depth knowledge.”   

This type of supplementing information is something that Brian also incorporates into his homeowner interactions. He shared, “The key to working with clients is working with what they know. Sometimes I’ll ask them point blank, ‘What do you do for a living?’ and then bring roofing into their world to better explain it.”  

What comes up the most in these types of educational conversations? Scott said he spends a lot of time talking about return on investment (ROI):  

I get a lot of calls from homeowners who have asphalt roofing and they're debating whether to transition to something high-quality like a DaVinci composite. And as we all know it's about three to four times higher cost compared to traditional shingles. So, they’re hesitant. What a lot of them don’t realize is that with that extra cost, you are buying a longer-lasting roof and ultimately saving money. 

How exactly does paying more up front equate to saving money? Someone who paid more up front for composite won’t have to reroof for probably 50 years. In that same time, someone who chose an asphalt roof because it’s cheaper will have had at least one roof replacement. And that replacement will be at a higher price tag than their first asphalt roof because of inflation. When you do the math, paying for that composite up front is far more economical than buying the same roof twice.  

By taking the time to educate homeowners and clients about this type of consideration, roofers like Brian and Scott are able to build trusting relationships that turn into high-value sales.  

Learn more about the value of providing homeowners with deeper insights and expert guidance by Listening to the whole episode or Watching the recording. 

By Rocky Mountain Snow Guards.

DuraShield Roofing & Contracting installs No-Flash II Snow Fence System on custom roof

Anthony Walsh, president of DuraShield Roofing & Contracting, is accustomed to incorporating snow guards into his Wisconsin roofing projects. Especially those replacements jobs using slick surface products, like synthetic slate or shake from DaVinci® Roofscapes.

“DaVinci products bring realistic-looking beauty to a roof, but composites are slippery materials when wet, and they release snow quickly,” says Anthony whose company is headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin. “For the safety of our customers, we use Rocky Mountain Snow Guards with these synthetic roof projects.”

First-time snow fence installation

However, for a recent re-roof project in Madison, Walsh’s customer had a different idea. She requested more snow retention protection than just strategically spaced snow guards… she wanted snow fences placed around the perimeter of her entire home. And she specifically requested two levels of snow fences above her three-car garage.

“This was our first time working with snow fences,” says Anthony. “We immediately turned to the experts at Rocky Mountain Snow Guards for support. They reviewed the roof measurements and diagrams. Then their team provided a free layout, along with installation instructions for their No-Flash II snow retention system.”

The aluminum 2-pipe No-Flash II snow retention system involves a bolt-down bracket and galvanneal steel baseplate. For this home, recommended positioning called for placement starting on the third course of DaVinci Multi-Width Slate shingles with baseplates spaced 18-inches on center.

To complement the Castle Gray color of the DaVinci tiles, a custom color of powder coated Liberty Gray was ordered for the No-Flash II system.

Win-win job

The DuraShield Roofing & Contracting team found installation of the snow fence to be fairly straightforward. As Anthony put it:

The product is very sturdy and we were impressed by it. In the end, the homeowner loves her new DaVinci roof and has great confidence in the snow retention system, so it’s a win-win all the way around.For us, we’ve always been a dedicated Rocky Mountain Snow Guard customer for our snow guard needs with synthetic roofing projects. Now we’ll add snow fences to that list!

By Rocky Mountain Snow Guards.

1,398 RG16 Snow Guards on stunning DaVinci® Province Slate roof.

White Castle Roofing has swept the “Outstanding Residential Projects” categories in the 2026 “Show Us Our Snow Guards Contest” with wins for projects using both Rocky Mountain Snow Guards and S-5! ColorGard® 2.0 products.

The Nebraska-based roofer installed 1,398 Rocky Guard RG16 snow guards from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards on the roof of a custom home in Lincoln, Nebraska to become the Outstanding Residential Snow Guards Project Winner. The 6,000-square-foot new construction property belongs to homeowners Dane and Brook Hansen and features a DaVinci® Province Slate roof in Slate Gray.

“We wanted a slate-looking roof for our home without the maintenance hassles and weight of natural slate,” says Dane. “White Castle Roofing helped us decide on the DaVinci® Roofscapes composite tiles and the snow guards. We really like the look and functionality of both products. We’ve had some good snows since we moved in, and we have not noticed any avalanching.”

Snow guards are typically recommended for synthetic roofing due to its slick surface and inability to absorb moisture. As heat from the home’s interior combined with the sun warms the roof surface, snows can “release” collectively from the roof. Snow guards hold back the snow, allowing it to melt slowly, which helps prevent it from falling on people and property below.

Relying on RG16

Chosen for their functionality and aesthetics, the RG16 snow guards beautifully accent the Hansen home, making the project an award-winner. Each metal snow guard is 16-inches in overall length and is designed for installation on new natural and synthetic slate and shake roofs. A minimum of three ring-shank nails per snow guard are used to secure each RG16 to the roof.

White Castle Roofing relied on the free services of the Rocky Mountain Snow Guards experts to provide a layout and design for the placement of the snow guards on the Hansen’s roof. The RG16s were installed 12-inches on center starting on the third course of DaVinci Province Slate roofing. The steeper pitch roof sections called for an additional soldier row (12-inches on center) spaced 96-inches vertically, while the lower pitch roof sections had supplemental rows in a staggered pattern spaced 48-inches on center horizontally and 24-inches vertically.

Andy Hagberg, vice president of sales with White Castle Roofing, reflected on the project: 

We’ve purchased snow guards from Rocky Mountain Snow Guards for about 15 years. Each year we’re likely to do up to 15 projects with metal roofs or synthetic shingles requiring snow retention through our locations in Nebraska, Iowa and Colorado. We knew from the start that the Hansen project was going to be something special. It’s a steep and tall roof, which made it a bit challenging. But at the same time this makes it visually appealing.

By Kate Smith, Sensational Color.

Roof color affects curb appeal, resale value, how a house reads on its lot and how well it performs in its climate.

The roof makes up 30%-40% of a home's visible exterior — more surface area than the walls on many house styles. That makes it the single biggest color decision most homeowners will ever make, and one of the longest-lived. A composite shake or slate roof installed today will still be on the house in 25 to 50 years. Everything below comes back to that one fact.

Curb appeal starts at the top

Design tends to work top-down on a house. The roof sets the tone the rest of the exterior has to answer to — siding, trim, door and landscaping all read in relation to it, not the other way around. DaVinci's eBook series was built around exactly this challenge:

• Fresh Colors for Exteriors with Curb Appeal — The starting point for any home
• Fresh Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior — Matches color strategy to architectural style
• Fresh Colors for Homes with Brick or Stone — Coordinating a roof with masonry that can't be repainted

TrendLine by WRBP is worth a look, too, for homeowners who want to see combinations rather than just read about them.

Resale value: The return, and the fine print

A new composite roof is one of the few exterior investments with real numbers behind it.

• National cost-vs-value data consistently shows roof replacement recovering 60 to 70 percent of its cost at resale — a stronger return than most interior remodeling projects.
• DaVinci's composite roofing tiles carry a Lifetime Limited Material Warranty, transferable to a new owner up to two times within the first 10 years of installation.

A transferable material warranty is a real selling point that most asphalt roofs can't offer.

Proportion, cohesion and fitting the block

Beyond money, color changes how a house reads:

• Proportion — Dark roofs pull a house down toward the ground and feel grounded; light roofs lift a house visually and feel taller and airier.
• Cohesion — The roof ties siding, trim, doors, shutters and landscaping together; mismatched color pieces read as disjointed no matter how nice each one is individually.
• Neighborhood fit — A roof color far outside the local palette can make a property look like it doesn't belong on the block, which matters to future buyers as much as the homeowner living there now.

Does climate change the calculus?

Yes — and it's one of the most underused pieces of information in a roof color decision.

What about a trending color?

Buying into a trend is a real risk with a roof in a way it isn't with a front door — a color a homeowner can refresh for the cost of a gallon of paint. But the answer isn't a flat no. It depends on the color and the timeline. Timeless colors — the ones that can't go wrong, regardless of how old or new the house is:

• Charcoal
• Dark graphite gray
• Slate gray or blue

These have been safe, correct color choices for decades and show no sign of dating.

Current trends worth knowing, 2024–2026:

• Dark charcoal and near-black roofs remain heavily favored, especially on new construction
• Cool grays with a blue undertone have gained ground on contemporary and farmhouse styles
• Warm "weathered wood" blends suit craftsman and cottage-style homes
• Muted mossy greens are emerging on homes going for an organic, earthy look
• The "monochromatic envelope" — roof and siding in very close tones — is showing up on modern and transitional builds

Of these, charcoal and cool-gray trends carry the least risk since they're close cousins of the timeless colors above. Muted green is the one to be cautious about for a long-term stay — it's the furthest from a classic and the most likely to feel dated in 15 years.

DaVinci's newest colors sidestep the trend question

Timber Black, Blonde Cedar, Rock Ridge and Aurora weren't created by chasing a seasonal palette — they were developed to replicate the specific way real cedar and real slate age and weather over time. A color modeled on how aged cedar or quarried Vermont slate actually looks doesn't go out of style the way a manufactured paint trend can, because it was never in style to begin with. It's simply what that material looks like in nature.

The composite slate and shake material itself is the more durable trend, regardless of color:

• Typically performs for 40 to 50 years
• Resists fading through UV-stabilized construction
• Won’t crack, curl, rot or grow moss the way natural wood and stone eventually do

A homeowner chasing a look that will still hold up in 20 years is better served by the durability of synthetic slate or synthetic shake than by any single-color choice.

The bottom (colorful) line

Roof color affects curb appeal, resale value, how a house reads on its lot and how well it performs in its climate — and it does all of that for decades at a stretch. Lean on timeless colors if in doubt; factor in climate before falling in love with a shade; and treat a passing trend as a bonus only if it happens to line up with a color that was already going to hold up on its own.

Ready to see how composite roofing colors might look on a real home? Try the free Design Tool from DaVinci Roofscapes to "try on" different composite slate and shake roofs before deciding.

By Emma Peterson. 

Kate Smith helps homeowners make roofing decisions that elevate both the appearance and the value of their homes. 

In a new Roofing Road Trips® episode, Kate Smith joins The Coffee Shops® for a conversation about how DaVinci Roofscapes connects homeowners with her for one-on-one roof color consultations. Kate is an internationally recognized color expert, the head of Sensational Color (a consulting service focused on helping explain color) and DaVinci Roofscape’s in-house color expert. She shared a bit about what her work with DaVinci entails, sharing, “In that role, I've written four eBooks along with dozens of articles and blog posts talking all about roofing and curb appeal. Additionally, I offer a color advice service directly to homeowners who seek insight when they're trying to select a roof.”  

Why is this such a valuable service? First and foremost, a roof is a large investment. Talking to an expert like Kate can give homeowners the reassurance they need to make that investment with confidence. Secondly, your roof color plays a huge role in your home’s value. Kate explained, “30-40% of what people see from the street is the roof, making it a really big factor in creating a home’s curb appeal, which is directly tied to property values.” 

So, how exactly do Kate’s consultations work? She explained:  

Either the roofer or the homeowner sends me photos of their home. And most of the time they ask general questions about product and color recommendations based on the style of the home... Some ask more specific questions and I’ll take them from the top-down (so starting at the roof) on what they could do with their home to increase curb appeal. 

After the consultation, which is free, the homeowner is given three to four different suggestions from Kate on what they could do with their home’s exterior – starting with the roof. How does Kate put together these recommendations? She looks at everything from the regional color popularity and environmental elements to the style of the home and any potential aesthetic requirements (think HOA or historic district).  

Overall, connecting homeowners and contractors to Kate’s services is just one of the ways that DaVinci helps every project succeed and every customer leave happy. As Kate put it, “A home is one of the most important aspect of people’s lives and through this service DaVinci is helping them feel confident in their decisions about the roof protecting the entire structure.”  

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more about Kate and the color services she provides through DaVinci. 

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

Going blonde with confidence.

Homeowners refresh their bathrooms. They change from carpet to hardwood flooring. They repaint rooms to create a distinctive new feeling. So why not help them rethink a roof when it no longer feels right for the home?

That was the opportunity on Andrew Easter’s Maryland home. He was ready to move away from asphalt and return to the cedar shake look his house originally had.

For roofing contractors, his experience is a useful reminder. Product performance matters. However, so does feeling comfortable with the visual appeal of a roof.

“I was no longer happy with the aesthetic aspect of my asphalt roof and was interested in bringing back the look of cedar shingles that the house originally had,” says Andrew. “I decided the sooner I made the change, the longer I could enjoy the new roof. And, knowing that I’d be using a synthetic shingle ensured this would be the last roof I’d ever put on my home.”

One-on-one support starts the sale

Andrew has worked in construction for his entire career. He already knew DaVinci® Roofscapes composite roofing products had a strong reputation. Still, he did his homework. He researched DaVinci and other synthetic shingle manufacturers online. His first step was simple. He requested free product samples through the DaVinci website. That connected him with Inside Sales Project Specialist Jessica Baumli.

“I worked with Andrew as he asked for different samples and local installation sites he could visit to see the product installed,” says Jessica. “He was leaning toward our Black Oak color, but was concerned it was too dark. That’s when he expressed interest in using our ‘Ask Our Color Expert’ consulting service.”

Color confidence makes a difference

By the time Jessica connected Andrew with color expert Kate Smith with Sensational Color, he had narrowed his choices to DaVinci Select Shake in Black Oak or Aged Cedar. He sought Kate’s expert perspective on how each color would work with the stonework on his home.

“Andrew was concerned the Black Oak might appear overly dark and monochromatic in certain lighting,” says Kate, who has been offering one-on-one color advise to DaVinci customers for the past 15 years. “While he appreciated Aged Cedar, he also wanted the fresh look of new cedar shingles. And, at one point, he was even looking at the option of DaVinci Multi-Width Slate in various colors.”

Kate focused on two fixed elements: the stonework and the black metal roof over the porch. Andrew planned to keep both. She validated his concern that Black Oak could be too dark. She also agreed that Aged Cedar would complement the exterior. Then one more color became the standout: Blonde Cedar.

According to Kate, “The warm blend of tan, beige and brown provides a striking contrast to the metal roof on Andrew’s home while harmonizing with the stonework.”

Going blonde — Blonde cedar, that is

Blonde Cedar is versatile. It works with both warm and cool palettes. It also gives a home a relaxed, cottage-style feeling that is both inviting and stylish. The hue adds subtle golden tones and creates a comfortable, sun-kissed cedar look that can lighten the entire exterior.

“I was somewhat torn between Blonde Cedar and Aged Cedar,” says Andrew. “What really drew me to Blonde Cedar was the close replication of actual new cedar, which I think looks beautiful… just like the cedar roof on the house originally. Plus, the Blonde Cedar contrasts well with the black metal low roofs and seems to really blend and complement the natural stone walls on the house.”

Success — Down to the blonde cedar roots!

To bring the project to life, Andrew worked with Blank Quality Builders out of Oxford, Pennsylvania.

“You could tell as we were installing the DaVinci Select Shake that the Blonde Cedar was the perfect color for this home’s exterior,” says Daniel Blank. “Based on this experience, I’d recommend this color and this product to other homeowners.”

For Andrew, the finished Cedar Blonde roof met his expectations, “Now that the roof is installed, I truly appreciate the color variations — not only from shingle to shingle, but within each individual shingle. I’ve also found that lighting has an impact on the appearance depending on the time of day and the differing conditions. This adds interest to the roof’s appearance.”

Composite shake versus natural shake: Features contractors can explain to homeowners
 

Contractor takeaway

For roofing contractors, this project shows the value of pairing premium products with a guided selection process. Samples, local project references and color consultations can help homeowners move from interest to confidence to purchase.

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

Upselling composite roofing.

What’s the best return on investment you can offer your customers on a roof? A lifetime warranty? Promise of low maintenance? Peace of mind against storm damage? What about fire, hail and wind resistance?

Return on investment in roofing isn’t always about the upfront sales number. For many homeowners, it shows up over time --- in fewer repairs, insurance considerations and the confidence that the roof can handle day-to-day, real world events.

Watch this short video as roofers across the nation explain how they’re upselling composite roofing from DaVinci Roofscapes to homeowners who want to invest in their future.

“The ROI on this DaVinci roof for this homeowner is going to raise the property value a lot. If they’re ever looking to sell, they’re really going to have a roof that will last a lifetime.  
     - Louie Echeverria, Final Touch Construction & Design

“You can’t bring a dollar amount to peace of mind.” 
     - Eliot Emann, Washington Roofing & Construction