Quality roofing is essential for protecting homeowners and a major investment that needs to stand the test of time. Apex Roofing is a small roofing outfit that specializes in metal, cedar, slate and asphalt shingles that have installed hundreds of roofs throughout the Bucks/Montgomery area providing exceptional service and meeting clients' needs.

Many folks were looking to update during the pandemic and owner Joe Dubyk indicates that today's customers are using their roof to increase their home's value and curb appeal.

House & Home spoke further with Joe about the importance of investing in quality materials and what homeowners should look into when the time comes for replacement.

What are the benefits of investing in a metal roof and how does it differentiate from traditional asphalt roofing?
Metal roofs are the most lightweight, watertight, wind resistant, fire resistant and longest lasting roofs on the market. They are also considered more aesthetically pleasing than traditional asphalt shingle roofs. Metal roofs are versatile and can be utilized on entire houses or accent roofs, as well as additions, garages, bay windows/pent roofs. If environmental issues are important to you, our galvalume steel panels are made mostly from recycled steel and your entire roof can be recycled once it needs to be replaced again (in 50-60 years). Metal roofs are historically cohesive and can go on older houses and barns, but also give newer homes a style boost. We always tell customers it can make your house "pop" without making it look gaudy.

What can you tell me about cedar roofing and why it's become so popular recently?
Wooden roofs can be traced all the way back to the colonial days. Depending on the region, different woods were used, but by the late 1800s cedar shakes were the preferred material and could be found on many government and park buildings. Even as newer materials came out over the next few centuries, cedar has remained popular because of the beauty and historical pride of Colonial America.

Are there major cost differences between asphalt, metal and cedar roofs and which one do you find customers are gravitating toward?
Indeed! Asphalt shingles offer the most bang for the buck as the other roofing systems are much more costly. That said, metal has become extremely popular over the last 25 years and the trend is continuing to get stronger. However, there will always be a market for cedar and slate because of the rich history many homeowners wish to preserve in our area.

Aside from the materials, are there any other trends you are seeing with what clients are looking for when getting a new roof installed?
Certain colors will trend for years then seemingly, out of nowhere, other colors will get hot and take the lead. Right now black and dark greys are extremely popular. A few years ago, light and medium browns could not get off the shelf fast enough.

Have disruptions to the global supply chain and rising cost of materials caused any interruptions to your business?
Certain colors of asphalt were hard to get or stopped from production altogether. Copper is in short supply, and global inflation has made cedar particularly more expensive than it already is. We are fortunate we've been able to work around any disruptions and keep our customer base happy. It always helps having incredibly understanding customers who get the circumstances and work with us to come up with solutions to any snag.

With so many folks looking to upgrade their homes during the pandemic, how much can a new roof boost curb appeal?
A lot. It's hard to put a dollar value on it, but I can say most roofs we install are not the "it's so old and has to be replaced because it's leaking badly" variety. So that indicates that today's customers are using their roof to increase their home's value and curb appeal.

Apex Roofing & Sheet Metal Corp. | (215) 360-7764

Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 22, Issue 8 (May 2022). 
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