The Metal Roofers

Setting & Architecture

This is a lake house meant to be seen from every side. Brown brick and light trim keep the walls simple while the roof does the organizing. A tall main ridge runs front to back, then cross gables break the mass around the entry and the lake side. From the dock you read one strong roofline, brick piers, and clear glass under the eaves.

Mature trees frame the site and push shade across the roof through the day. Walks connect the terrace, the outdoor fireplace, and the shoreline. The plan is open and practical for the water, wide doors to the yard, and a layout that pulls the view straight through the house. The cupola-style cap near the peak becomes the marker from the lake.

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Roof & Detailing

We installed black standing-seam panels formed to length and set from ridge to eave so each slope reads straight. Seams track through hips and breaks, ridges sit low, rakes are tight, and eaves finish with hemmed edges. Valleys are lined and cut true, inside corners use dead-pan trim where needed, and wall metal is stepped and counter-flashed into the brick. Gutters and downspouts are color matched so the fascia stays clean.

Both chimney caps are shop-built to match the roof color. Bases are boxed and flashed into the masonry, skirts are hemmed, and fasteners are stainless. The larger cap carries a hand-made plane weathervane in metal. We set it on a welded spindle with a sealed bearing so it turns easily, then braced the mount for lake wind. From the water the caps read as part of the roof, not an afterthought, and the plane becomes the detail everyone looks for as boats pass.

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From Our Crew

“We wanted the roof and the caps to look like they were always here. We rolled full-length black panels on site, snapped layout so seams line up across the hips, and kept the ridges low so the house shape stays clear from the lake. The caps were built in our shop to match the panel finish, then we boxed the bases, set new counter flashing into the brick, and hemmed every edge. The plane weathervane was a fun piece. We balanced it, pinned the shaft, and locked the mount so it rides clean in a lake breeze. We staged off the driveway, laid ground mats near the shoreline, and magnet-rolled every afternoon and at finish. When we left, the lines were straight, the caps pulled the whole roof together, and the property looked dialed in from the road and from the water.”