The Shake Guys build solid growth with DaVinci®

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

Surpassing 33,000 squares installed, the Illinois and Wisconsin contractor shows how meeting customer demand for authentic looks, durability and reduced maintenance can expand composite roofing business.

For roofing contractors, a major installation milestone tells two stories: how much material a company has installed and why customers keep choosing it. For The Shake Guys, surpassing 33,000 squares of installed DaVinci® composite slate and shake roofing marks a significant achievement—and illustrates how answering customer needs has helped grow its composite roofing business.

DaVinci® Roofscapes, a division of Westlake Royal Building Products™, is recognizing The Shake Guys in 2026 as one of just four contractors nationwide honored for sustained product expertise and significant use of its roofing products. Since beginning DaVinci installations in 2017, the company has served homeowners, businesses and community landmarks throughout the greater Chicagoland suburbs and Wisconsin. Its experience offers fellow roofers a practical example of building a growing product category around the concerns property owners bring to the roof replacement conversation.

Customer needs drive the growth

The clearest measure of DaVinci’s growing role at The Shake Guys is its share of roof replacement projects. According to owner Chad Janisch, DaVinci products represented roughly 30% of the company’s roofing replacement business approximately three years ago. Two years ago, that share reached 40 percent. Today, it is nearly 50%. Chad anticipates it could soon reach 60% or 70%. A projection that underscores his confidence in continued customer demand for composite roofing products.

That growth has been especially notable among homeowners replacing aging cedar shake roofs. Chad relates that homeowners want to retain the character of their homes while addressing the maintenance and weather concerns that prompted replacement in the first place.

The Shake Guys has relied on DaVinci composite shake to bring those priorities together: a natural shake appearance, durability, reduced maintenance and enhanced weather resistance.

“From hail and high winds to heavy snow, driving rain and freeze-thaw cycles, our community needs roofing systems that combine proven performance with long-term beauty,” says Chad. “That is why we continue to recommend DaVinci composite roofing and why homeowners and commercial property owners trust The Shake Guys to install it correctly.”

A product story that addresses real concerns

For roofers discussing premium replacement options, The Shake Guys’ experience highlights the importance of connecting product features to the customer’s reasons for buying. DaVinci composite slate and shake tiles are manufactured from 100% virgin resin with UV and thermal stabilizers plus a fire retardant. They are engineered to provide the appearance of natural slate and hand-split shake without the maintenance concerns often associated with those materials.

DaVinci roofing products are Class A fire and Class 4 impact rated, resist insects, fungus, algae growth, fading, splitting and cracking and are backed by a Lifetime Limited Material Warranty. For customers facing demanding Midwest weather, those features give The Shake Guys specific benefits to discuss alongside appearance: impact resistance, long-term color stability and reduced maintenance. The conversation is not simply about changing roofing materials. It is about addressing the concerns that made a customer seek a new roof.

Projects put the customer benefits in context

The Shake Guys’ project portfolio shows how that approach applies across individual homes, complex estates and community-wide replacement needs. Each project presents a different buying decision, but the recurring priorities are familiar to roofing contractors: preserve the look, address aging or damaged materials and deliver a well-managed installation.

Award-winning estate replacement
The company earned a 2024 DaVinci Masterpiece Contractor Project of the Year Award for a lakeside estate in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. DaVinci Select Shake, custom copper finishes and a dozen dormer windows were central to a dramatic transformation. The project demonstrates how composite roofing can be part of a complex, high-end replacement where design detail matters alongside weather resistance.

Storm-damaged cedar in Wynstone
In North Barrington, Illinois, The Shake Guys helped Wynstone homeowners transition from storm-damaged cedar roofs to DaVinci composite shake. Judy Caminiti called her finished roof “incredible” and noted the realistic shake appearance. Neighbor Greg Rogus, whose cedar roof had been compromised by wind, hail and age, selected DaVinci Shake in a Tahoe blend for its appearance, warranty protection and long-term confidence. Both examples show how a replacement conversation can balance immediate roof concerns with what customers want from their next roofing system.

Design and guidance in Northfield
A Northfield, Illinois replacement paired DaVinci Shake with custom copper dormers, gable vents and standing seam accents. Homeowner Trent Mayberry credited The Shake Guys with guidance spanning assessment, estimates, insurance coordination, references and final installation. For contractors, the project illustrates how the experience surrounding a premium product matters as much as the material selection.

Appearance and maintenance at Riva Ridge HOA II
The 153-home community in Libertyville, Illinois, moved toward DaVinci Select Shake as aging cedar roofs required replacement. Maintaining the neighborhood’s cedar shake appearance while reducing long-term maintenance concerns was central to the decision. Association president Jack Chizek said Select Shake most resembled cedar shake roofs and later said The Shake Guys “completely skyrocketed past our expectations.” The project shows the relevance of composite shake when a community needs to consider both architectural consistency and ongoing upkeep.

A milestone built on a longstanding partnership

The 33,000-square achievement reflects years of putting DaVinci products to work for those varied customer needs. Michael Vaughn, director of sales with DaVinci Roofscapes, points to customer education as an important part of the partnership.

“Their experience, craftsmanship and commitment to educating property owners on the return-on-investment value of composite roofing have helped homeowners and commercial decision-makers choose composite slate and shake roofing that provides beauty, dependability, low maintenance and weather protection,” says Michael. “The 33,000-square cumulative installation milestone reached in 2026 reflects years of trust and a shared dedication to quality.”

The takeaway for roofing contractors

The Shake Guys’ milestone is more than a celebration of installation volume. It is a case study in growing the role of composite roofing by matching products to customer priorities. DaVinci’s expanding share of the company’s replacement projects shows how strongly that combination of authentic appearance, reduced maintenance and weather resistance is resonating with its customers.

“We understand that a premium roofing investment requires a premium installation experience,” says Chad. “Our goal is not simply to install a DaVinci roof, but to provide our customers with confidence that their roofing system will perform and protect their home for decades to come.”

For fellow roofers, that is the business-building message behind the recognition: understand what customers need from their next roof, explain how the product addresses those needs and make the installation experience part of the value. The Shake Guys has followed that approach since 2017 — and more than 33,000 squares later, DaVinci composite slate and shake remains a growing part of its business.