Finding Better Alternatives is the Best Way to Navigate Supply Chain Issues

By Cass Jacoby. 

Learn all about how composite roofing makes dealing with material shortages easier.  

With orders for many roofing materials backlogged weeks and months and ongoing issues with the supply chain and material shortages, contractors and homeowners are looking for viable alternatives available now. Luckily, composite roofing is available and can provide the superior protection homeowners are looking for when it comes to home materials.  

In Season 4, Episode 55 of the Roofing Road Trips podcast, Heidi J. Ellsworth sits down with Andy Langham of Langham and Sons Roofing and Brandon Burden of DaVinci Roofscapes for a conversation on how composite roofing is a good alternative.  

“It's very hard to even get a price for wood shake these days, let alone get the material,” says Andy. “The composite material performance-wise outweighs, in many aspects, real wood shake. DaVinci's done a great job with their appearance of it, mimicking, shake and especially slate.... It's been a pretty easy transition for me once they're already looking at those natural products to be able to switch to synthetics for availability.”

From new tariffs on cedar to COVID issues to labor shortages at the mill, getting wood shake has gone from hard to harder. “It became a really good opportunity for us because as the sole manufacturer of the product, we know exactly how much time it's going to take from start to finish when an order comes in to when it goes out,” says Brandon.  

Knowing lead times and being able to promise a homeowner a finalized roof is a welcome change of pace nowadays. Availability is now a selling point for homeowners and contractors alike looking to finish a job. Knowing that you have the materials for a job is a gamechanger at this point in the industry.  

Part of that success additionally comes out of a stellar manufacturer representative relationship. “Brandon is huge for me to rely on for questions, answers, any of that stuff,” says Andy. “There's all these things that if you have a good rep like Brandon, and honestly everyone in the DaVinci company — it's huge for the success start to finish on a sale of a roof like this. 

The partnership is mutual. Brandon says that he feels fortunate to be able to work with a business that is so focused on growing partnership. “We're very proud of our contractor base and we defend them and bolster them and they become our best friends,” says Brandon. “We're fortunate also in the fact that even though we're a big company, we have a small company mentality. So I tell my contractors all the time, ‘Look, I'm not too busy. I'm not too busy. If you need me to meet with your homeowner and sit at the and help you sell a job, call me. I'll get it on the schedule and go do it.’” 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about why composite shake and slate is a great alternative throughout supply chain issues and for more information on DaVinci Roofscapes.  

Learn more about DaVinci Roofscapes in their RoofersCoffeeShop® Directory or visit DaVinciRoofscapes.com.