Seven Pines Home Improvement
Seven Pines Home Improvement installs cedar shake roofing in Shrewsbury, MA, typically ranging from $5 to $15 per square foot installed and completed in four to seven days on an average house. We also offer roof replacement, asphalt shingle roofing, storm damage roof repair, ice dam prevention, roof flashing repair, roof ventilation, roof decking replacement, attic insulation, gutter installation and cleaning, and flat roof repair.
Cedar shake roofing is a natural-wood roof built from split or sawn cedar, hand-laid in overlapping courses over spaced sheathing or breathable underlayment so the wood can dry from both sides. It suits homeowners who want authentic dimensional shadow lines and real wood character rather than the flat look of asphalt. In Shrewsbury, where center-entrance Colonials and ranches fill the Northside and West Shrewsbury neighborhoods, cedar reads right on the roofline. This page covers what the service includes, the materials and shake styles we use, what a correct installation looks like, and what it costs here.
Rated 5 stars across 9 Google reviews. Registered under HIC #205267 and backed by a 3-Year Workmanship Warranty.
Cedar Shake Roofing Services
Seven Pines Home Improvement installs cedar shake roofing in Shrewsbury and MetroWest, covering tear-off, underlayment, ice-and-water shield, shakes, ridge caps, flashing, and cleanup, because knowing what is and is not in the price before the crew arrives is the only way a project stays on budget.
A standard cedar shake installation includes tear-off of one existing roofing layer, disposal, new breathable underlayment and ice-and-water shield at eaves, valleys, and penetrations, the cedar shakes, ridge and hip caps, standard flashing, fasteners, and basic site cleanup. Structural surprises hide under old roofing, and on Shrewsbury's 1970s and 1980s homes the deck condition is often unknown until tear-off is complete. That is why we name what is not included up front: multi-layer tear-off, structural deck repair, skip-sheathing conversion, fire-retardant treatment upgrades, copper flashing upgrades, gutter replacement, and skylight or chimney rebuilding are all scoped and priced separately.
Ice-and-water shield runs at the eaves, valleys, and around every penetration, sealing around nails and blocking water that backs up under shakes. That eave protection matters here specifically. Central Massachusetts averages roughly 64 inches of snow a year, and meltwater refreezing at cold eaves is exactly what drives water back up a wood roof. Homeowners on Shrewsbury's center-entrance Colonials, ranches, and Cape Cods call us for new installations, tear-off and re-roofs, spot repairs, and full cedar shake restoration. The entry point is often a failing flashing or post-storm damage, but the scope is almost always broader once we inspect the deck and attic together.
Cedar Shake Roofing Services
Full System Installation
A new cedar shake installation covers tear-off of one existing roofing layer, disposal, breathable underlayment, ice-and-water shield at eaves and valleys, cedar shakes hand-laid in coursed rows, ridge and hip caps, standard flashing, and corrosion-resistant fasteners. Every installation follows Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau guidelines for exposure and nailing.
Tear-Off and Re-Roof
Re-roofing with cedar shakes replaces a spent asphalt or worn cedar system entirely. The existing surface is torn off, the deck inspected and repaired where needed, and a complete cedar shake assembly installed from the deck up. For Shrewsbury homes with aging 1970s roofing, a full tear-off is typically the right call once multiple courses show active deterioration.
Roof Replacement in Shrewsbury
Spot and Course Repair
When fewer than roughly a quarter of shakes show active splitting, cupping, or decay, targeted spot replacement or a full restoration is the right call. We assess the deck condition and damaged-shake percentage before recommending repair versus full replacement. Shakes are matched to the species, grade, and exposure of the existing field wherever possible.
Roof Repair in Shrewsbury
Cedar Restoration
Restoration combines cleaning, preservative treatment, and replacement of worn shakes across the entire field without a full tear-off. It extends the serviceable life of a cedar roof that has lost surface oils but retains sound deck conditions and structurally intact courses. This approach suits MetroWest homeowners who want to preserve original cedar character on an older home.
Penetration Sealing
Every valley, chimney, dormer, and wall transition requires flashing that is correctly integrated into the cedar shake courses, not simply sealed over old metal. Step and counter flashing at chimneys, woven or open valley flashing, and drip edge are all set before shakes go down. Flashing failure is the single most common entry point for water into a wood roof system.
Roof Flashing Repair in Shrewsbury
Back-Ventilation
Cedar shakes need airflow beneath them to dry from the back face and resist rot. Skip sheathing, spaced boards rather than solid plywood, provides that back-ventilation channel. On a solid-deck retrofit, converting to skip sheathing or installing battens is priced separately. Balanced ridge-and-soffit ventilation is sized alongside the installation to comply with Massachusetts energy code.
Roof Ventilation in Shrewsbury
Structural Substrate
Cedar shake installations begin with a full deck inspection once the old roofing is off. Sheathing softened by chronic moisture intrusion or ice dam damage will not hold ring-shank nails properly and must be replaced before shakes go down. Deck repair and replacement are scoped separately in the written estimate so there are no cost surprises once the tear-off is complete.
Roof Decking Replacement in Shrewsbury
Cold-Climate Protection
Ice-and-water shield at the eaves seals around fasteners and blocks water that backs up under shakes when ice dams form at cold eaves. Central Massachusetts averages around 64 inches of snow a year, and that membrane is not optional on a properly installed cedar roof here. Attic air sealing and insulation upgrades that stop ice dam formation at its source are priced as a separate scope.
Ice Dam Prevention in Shrewsbury
Drainage and Protection
Gutters control the drainage path from every square foot of cedar roof surface. Gutter replacement or repair is not included in a standard cedar shake scope but can be scheduled and priced as part of the same project so the entire water-shedding system is addressed at once. Correct slope, sealed seams, and hangers sized for snow load all matter on a Shrewsbury property.
Gutter Installation and Cleaning in Shrewsbury
Fire-Retardant Treatment
Untreated cedar shake is typically classified as Class C material, and some Massachusetts towns require Class B or Class A compliance. We install factory-applied fire-retardant treated shakes where those ratings are required and confirm the applicable code for your specific town before any material is ordered. Historic district homes may face additional review that sets the permitted grade.
Fire-Retardant Cedar Shake Roofing
Curb and Flashing Work
Skylight replacement on a cedar shake roof involves the curb, the surrounding shake field, and the flashing, not the unit alone. Proper integration with the waterproofing layer determines long-term performance. Skylight and chimney rebuilding are outside the standard cedar shake scope and are quoted separately in the written estimate before any work begins.
Skylight Installation and Replacement in ShrewsburyWhat to Expect
Most average single-family cedar shake roofs in Shrewsbury run four to seven days from tear-off to final walk-through. Larger roofs with steep pitch, multiple valleys, or dormers can run seven to fourteen days. A cedar shake roof is never left open overnight. This is the order the work happens in.
The roof is measured with pitch, plane count, and ventilation needs recorded. Deck condition is assessed where accessible. That produces a written scope, a material selection covering species, grade, and shake style, and the permit is filed with the Shrewsbury Building Inspector's Office before the first shake is removed.
Tarps go over planting beds and plywood against the siding before tear-off starts. Once the old roofing is off, the deck is inspected board by board. Soft or rotted sheathing is replaced. Where a solid-deck retrofit requires skip sheathing or battens for back-ventilation, that conversion happens here before any underlayment goes down.
Breathable synthetic underlayment or felt goes across the field. Ice-and-water shield runs at the eaves, valleys, and every penetration, sealing around nails and blocking water that backs up under shakes. Drip edge is set at the eaves and rakes. Valley flashing, either interlaced woven or open metal, is installed before shakes cover it.
Cedar shake courses are hand-laid with correct exposure for the pitch, offset joints, and a minimum three-quarter-inch spacing for seasonal swelling. Step and counter flashing at chimneys and walls is set as courses rise. Ridge and hip caps close the assembly. The grounds get a magnetic nail sweep, debris is hauled, and the job finishes with a walk-through before the invoice is written.
| Scope | Typical range | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| Small roof or repair, under 1,500 sq ft | $5 to $8 per sq ft installed | Shake grade, exposure required by pitch, and whether any deck repair is needed. Simpler roof geometry and single-layer tear-off keep costs at the lower end. |
| Average single-family home, 1,500 to 2,500 sq ft | $8 to $12 per sq ft installed | Grade of shake selected, number of valleys and penetrations requiring flashing, and deck condition revealed at tear-off. Most Shrewsbury Colonials and ranches fall in this range. |
| Large or complex roof, 2,500 sq ft or more, many valleys or dormers | $12 to $15 per sq ft installed | Steep pitch, multiple intersecting planes, and premium No.1 Blue Label Western Red Cedar all push toward the upper end. Historic district review can further constrain material choice and cost. |
| Cedar shake repair and spot replacement | Varies by scope | Number of courses affected, accessibility, and whether the surrounding field must be disturbed to reach failed shakes underneath. Deck condition discovered during repair is scoped and priced separately. |
| Skip sheathing conversion | Priced separately | Linear feet of spaced sheathing required, whether existing solid deck boards can be left in place as a nailing base, and the attic access needed to check rafter spans. |
| Fire-retardant treated shake upgrade | Priced separately | Treatment class required (Class B or Class A), species, and grade. Factory-applied treatment adds to material cost and may affect lead time if special-order cedar grades are involved. |
Market ranges for Worcester County and MetroWest, provided for orientation only. They are not a quote. Every cedar shake roof is priced after an on-site inspection, and the written scope is what the price attaches to.
Massachusetts code requires an ice barrier at the eaves running at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall line, and every cedar shake roof Seven Pines installs in Shrewsbury receives it. The permit is filed with the Shrewsbury Building Inspector's Office before the crew arrives. All work is carried out under Massachusetts Home Improvement Contractor registration 205267, which you can verify against the state register before you sign anything. Shakes are installed per Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau guidelines for exposure, nailing, and spacing.
Compare Your Options
A standard cedar shake installation from our crew includes tear-off of one layer of old roofing, disposal, new underlayment and ice-and-water shield, the cedar shakes themselves, ridge and hip caps, standard flashing, fasteners, and basic cleanup. Structural surprises hide under old roofing, and on Shrewsbury's 1970s and 80s homes we often do not know the deck condition until the tear-off is done. This table shows both columns so you know exactly what the quote covers before work begins.
Swipe sideways to view the full comparison table.
| Scope item | Included in a standard install | Not included (priced separately) | Why it matters in Shrewsbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tear-off | One layer of existing roofing removed and disposed of | Multi-layer tear-off when more than one layer is present | Many Shrewsbury homes from the 1970s and 80s have a second layer under the visible surface |
| Underlayment and ice protection | Breathable synthetic or felt underlayment plus ice-and-water shield at eaves, valleys, and penetrations | Additional membrane upgrades beyond standard spec | Central Massachusetts averages around 64 inches of snow a year; eave protection against ice-dam backup is critical |
| Cedar shakes and caps | Cedar shakes hand-laid in coursed exposure, ridge caps, and hip caps | Fire-retardant treatment upgrades to Class A or Class B where local code requires them | Shrewsbury and some surrounding towns may require treated shakes; we confirm before ordering |
| Flashing and fasteners | Standard galvanized or stainless flashing at valleys, walls, and penetrations; corrosion-resistant ring-shank nails | Copper flashing upgrades; skylight or chimney rebuilding | Copper is a premium option that extends flashing life; we price it separately so the choice is yours |
| Deck condition | Visual deck inspection included once tear-off is complete | Structural deck repair or replacement; skip-sheathing conversion on a solid-deck retrofit | Cedar requires back-ventilation; a solid deck often needs spacing strips or skip sheathing added |
| Site cleanup | Debris haul-away and basic site cleanup after each work day and at completion | Gutter replacement or repair; landscaping restoration beyond standard rake-and-blow | We confirm any site-specific cleanup requirements with you before the crew arrives |
2026 Project Pricing
Cedar shake roofing in MetroWest, MA runs $5 to $15 per square foot installed in 2026, the market range Seven Pines Home Improvement quotes across Worcester County and MetroWest. A 2,000-square-foot roof lands in the middle of that band. The range is driven mostly by shake grade and the exposure the roof pitch requires. Every roof is priced after an on-site inspection and this is not a quote.
On-site assessment before every written estimate
Swipe sideways to view the full pricing table.
| Service | Typical range in MetroWest (2026) | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Shake Roof Installation | $5 to $15 per sq ft installed | Shake grade (No.1 Blue Label vs No.2 Red Label), exposure width set by pitch, number of valleys and dormers, deck condition revealed at tear-off |
| Small Roof or Repair (under 1,500 sq ft) | Lower end, $5 to $8 per sq ft | Scope of spot replacement vs full tear-off, underlayment condition, number of penetrations requiring flashing |
| Average Single-Family Home (1,500 to 2,500 sq ft) | Mid range, $8 to $12 per sq ft | Shake grade selected, whether skip-sheathing conversion is required, ice-and-water shield scope at eaves and valleys |
| Large or Complex Roof (2,500+ sq ft) | Upper end, $12 to $15 per sq ft | Steep pitch, multiple valleys and dormers, special-order cedar grades, copper flashing upgrades, fire-retardant treatment requirements |
| Cedar Shake Roof Repair or Spot Replacement | Priced per scope after inspection | Number of damaged courses, whether deck is compromised, flashing involvement, shake grade match to existing roof |
| Cedar Shake Roof Restoration | Priced per scope after inspection | Cleaning and treatment method, percentage of shakes requiring replacement, ventilation correction scope |
| Fire-Retardant Treatment Upgrade | Priced separately per scope | Class B or Class A rating required by town, factory-applied vs field-applied treatment, total shake quantity |
Every cedar shake project is quoted after an on-site assessment. Contact us to schedule yours at no charge.
These are 2026 market ranges for Worcester County and MetroWest, authorised by the owners for publication. They are not a quote. Every roof is priced after an inspection, and the written scope is what the price attaches to.
Hiring Guide
Cedar shake installation hides most of its critical steps under the finished surface. These four checks give you something concrete to verify before a crew leaves your property, without needing to climb the roof yourself.
The roof deck is the last component you can assess before it disappears under new material. On Shrewsbury homes that have carried heavy snow loads for decades, sheathing can be soft, delaminated, or partially rotted without showing anything obvious from below. Any cedar shake contractor should probe the deck for soft spots before the underlayment goes on, because ring-shank nails driven into compromised OSB will not hold at design load. Ask to see photos of the bare deck after tear-off, or request to walk it with the crew. Some older homes in Shrewsbury also have solid sheathing rather than skip sheathing, and cedar shakes installed over a solid deck without proper back-ventilation will rot prematurely. That conversion decision should be made at the deck stage, not after the shakes are on.
Central Massachusetts averages around 64 inches of snow a year, and meltwater refreezing at cold eaves pushes water back up the roof plane. The self-sealing ice-and-water membrane needs to run past the interior wall line at the eaves, not just to the fascia, and it should extend through every valley and wrap every penetration before any shake course begins. Ask the crew to photograph each zone before the first shake goes down. A contractor who installs membrane only at the eave edge and skips valley coverage on a Shrewsbury home has left the most common failure points unprotected.
Step flashing, counter flashing, valley lining, and pipe boot seals are distinct assemblies, and each one involves a decision about lap, sealant type, and fastener pattern. On the older Colonials and Cape Cods common in Shrewsbury, original chimney step flashing is often galvanized and corroded, and counter flashing may be mortared into the chimney with failed joints. Cedar shake work that reuses failed flashing transfers the leak to the new roof. The right verification step is a water test or an infrared scan of the ceiling plane below each penetration before the job is called complete. If a contractor signs off without confirming these integration points, the next wet winter will find the gap.
A detailed written estimate for any cedar shake project in Shrewsbury should specify exactly what is being removed, what is being inspected and left in place, and under what conditions additional deck repair, skip-sheathing conversion, or flashing upgrades would be added. Vague scope, "install cedar shakes as needed," is a mechanism for cost surprises and a sign that the contractor has not walked the full assembly. A scope that explicitly lists exclusions, multi-layer tear-off, copper flashing, fire-retardant treatment, gutter work, forces a real conversation about those components before any money changes hands and before any material is ordered.
Service Area
Seven Pines Home Improvement is based in Shrewsbury, MA, on the Northside just past Dean Park heading toward the Northborough line. Most of our cedar shake roofing work stays in Worcester County, with Northborough, Grafton, Marlborough, and Shrewsbury itself making up the core of the schedule. We also install cedar shake roofing regularly across MetroWest, including Natick, Hopkinton, Holliston, Medway, Millis, and Concord. If your address falls inside those towns, call us at (857) 247-4667 and we will confirm coverage before you commit any time to the process. You can also visit the contact page to send a message.
Recent Project
A full tear-off and re-roof on a center-entrance Colonial in Shrewsbury: new skip sheathing, breathable underlayment, ice-and-water shield at every eave and valley, No.1 Blue Label Western Red Cedar shakes hand-laid in staggered courses, and new flashing at the chimney and all wall intersections.
Seven Pines Home Improvement holds a 5.0-star rating across 9 Google reviews , with homeowners highlighting workmanship, communication, professionalism, and a smooth experience from planning through completion.
9
Google
reviews
"I couldn't be happier with the work Seven Pines Home Improvement did on my roof. From start to finish, the entire experience was outstanding."
"Marconi and the team at Seven Pines are great people to work with. They have helped us with multiple home improvement projects and every time he's been informative, flexible, professional, and the results have been outstanding."
"Marcony and the Seven Pines team knock it out the park when it comes to roofing and construction. They work with us from the planning process all the way through to finalizing the work."
Our Shrewsbury Base
Seven Pines Home Improvement is based at 14 Rice Avenue in Shrewsbury and installs cedar shake roofing across Worcester County and MetroWest, from Shrewsbury and Worcester out to Natick, Newton, Needham, Weston, Concord and Holliston.
Our cedar shake roofing crew works out of Shrewsbury and reaches most of our service area within a 40 minute drive, from Worcester, Northborough, and Grafton to the towns along Route 9 and Route 495.
We are based in Shrewsbury at 14 Rice Avenue, on the north side of town near the Northborough line. Most of the homes we roof in Worcester County and MetroWest sit inside a 40 minute drive of the shop, which is what makes it practical to get back out for a punch list item or a warranty call after cedar shake work is complete.
Helpful Information
When fewer than roughly a quarter of shakes show active splitting, cupping, or decay, spot replacement or a full restoration is the right call. A complete tear-off makes more sense when the deck itself is compromised, deterioration runs across most courses, or ventilation has been inadequate for years. We assess the deck condition and damaged-shake percentage before recommending either path.
Hand-split-and-resawn shakes carry a rough, heavily textured face that casts deep shadow lines across the roof. Taper-sawn shakes are cut on both faces for a smoother, more uniform profile. We offer both styles in Western Red Cedar and Eastern White Cedar, and the choice affects the finished appearance and the exposure width we set to meet Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau guidelines.
A standard cedar shake installation covers tear-off of one existing roofing layer, disposal, new underlayment, ice-and-water shield, cedar shakes, ridge and hip caps, standard flashing, fasteners, and basic cleanup. Structural deck repair, skip-sheathing conversion, fire-retardant treatment upgrades, copper flashing upgrades, gutter replacement, and multi-layer tear-off are scoped and priced separately. We detail every inclusion in the written estimate before work begins.
A small roof or repair under 1,500 square feet typically runs two to four days. An average single-family home between 1,500 and 2,500 square feet takes four to seven days. A larger or more complex roof with steep pitch, multiple valleys, or dormers over 2,500 square feet runs seven to fourteen days. Special-order cedar grades add lead time, and we confirm the full schedule before work starts.
No. 1 Blue Label is the premium grade, milled from 100 percent heartwood with edge grain, and it is what we recommend for full re-roofs where longevity is the priority. No. 2 Red Label is a utility grade suited to lower-visibility slopes or budget-constrained repairs. Both options appear in the written estimate so the decision is yours before any material is ordered.
Untreated cedar shake is typically classified as Class C material, and some Massachusetts towns require Class B or Class A compliance. We install factory-applied fire-retardant treated shakes where those ratings are required and confirm the applicable code for your specific town before material is ordered. Homes in historic districts may face additional review that dictates the permitted material grade.
Under 780 CMR, the Massachusetts State Building Code, a roofing project of this scope requires a building permit filed with Shrewsbury's Building Inspector's Office. Shrewsbury now processes applications through an online permitting system. We handle the submission so the project is fully documented before the first shake is removed, and our dedicated project manager tracks the permit status throughout the job.
Clear vehicles from the driveway and the area directly below the roofline so the crew has safe access and a drop zone for tear-off debris. Move or cover patio furniture, potted plants, and fragile items within ten feet of the foundation. Our dedicated project manager confirms the schedule and any site-specific requirements in advance, so nothing is left to sort out on the first morning.
Still Weighing Your Options? That Is the Right Place to Start.
Most homeowners we hear from are still deciding between a spot repair and a full re-roof with cedar, or between shake grades and styles. That is exactly the kind of conversation we are built for. Marcony Araujo and Romero Araujo founded Seven Pines Home Improvement on a straightforward premise: give people honest information before they commit to anything. We hold HIC #205267, back every cedar shake project with a 3-Year Workmanship Warranty, and put a detailed written estimate in your hands before any work begins. Cedar shake roofing in MetroWest runs $5 to $15 per square foot installed, and the exact figure for your roof depends on shake grade, exposure, and what we find when the tear-off begins. Call us or send a message and we will take it from there.
