Expertise: Roofing

A project in Cape May is unique due to the town's historical presence with more than 300 years of history, stemming back to the early 1600's. While Cape May is well known for its rich history and architecture reflecting the Victorian Age, it also played a pivotal role during the Civil War. Designated as a National Historic Landmark on May 11, 1976, many of its buildings are original and often new homes are reflective of a traditional style.

Every part of a home – even a historical home like those in Cape May – is open to renovations, and decisions are carefully made to include style and functionality. There is one part of the home however that is often overlooked, despite its large importance and looming presence – the roof.

There are plenty of options available in terms of roofing including different colors and materials that can truly make or break the exterior design and effectiveness of a home. Furthermore, a solid roof can prevent catastrophic financial issues steaming from leaks, collapses, increased heating and air conditioning bills and more.

All of these considerations were carefully planned out by the team at Daniel Robert Remodeling when working on their recent roofing project in Cape May.

House & Home spoke to Frank Redrow, Vice President of Daniel Robert Remodeling to learn more about their process and the often under-discussed world of roofing design.

How did Cape May's distinctive aesthetics play into your project recommendations?
A roofing project, especially in a town like Cape May, is much more than slapping on a few shingles and calling it a day. There are numerous decisions that need to be made. For example, shingles can be installed in unique color patterns or chosen to highlight the specific details of the house.

Some historical homes have blue tile roofs that can be replaced with an Atlantic Blue architectural shingle. This keeps in with the theme of home, provides better ventilation when installed correctly, increases property value, and can be seen dotting the New Jersey shoreline on many of the historical or historical-look homes.

For this particular home, the architectural shingle and color was picked to keep with the traditional look of the home and with the original siding color while pulling in the view of the bay.

What other options for shingles do homeowners have?
There are many colors shingles can come in from the Atlantic Blue architectural shingle to asphalt shingles meant to resemble wood. Max Definition shingles are architectural shingles that contain color variations that give a three-dimensional look to the roof - almost like it's popping out at the viewer.

Can a historical society or a town affect your roof?
A town and even a historical society may publish certain guidelines that need to be followed on roof color, appearance and even materials.

In terms of functionality, why are properly installed shingles important?
Unless they own a historical home which traditionally uses Cedar Shake shingles, most homes use asphalt shingles which need to be vented. To accomplish this, some homes have a ridge vent that goes on the peak of the house and pulls air up and out of the attic. Other homes have an edge vent or a soffit vent which pulls the air through the edge of the roof. A hip roof, where all four sides gently slope down, will require an attic fan because the ridge lines on the house are not enough to keep up with the gutter lines of the house.

If a home does use Cedar Shake shingles, it's important to regularly maintain them or else a build of moisture can occur and encourage mold growth.

Because of the potential for error, it's important to work with a trusted and experienced company that will guide you through the process.

Daniel Robert Remodeling
(833) 326-4350
DanielRobertRemodeling.com

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 24, Issue 7 (June 2024)
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