
Handsplit Shakes
Handsplit shakes have a split face with a naturally rustic texture and a sawn back. They come in medium and heavy thicknesses. Adept Construction installs heavy #1 grade handsplit shakes rather than thinner, lower grades.

Home / Cedar Shake Roofing and Cedar Roof Repair in Naperville, Downers Grove and DuPage County
Adept Construction · Since 1997
Licensed & insured · Illinois Roofing License No. 104.011123
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Or call (630) 360-2730 · Mon–Fri 8–6, Sat 8–4:30
Adept Construction installs, repairs and replaces cedar shake and cedar shingle roofs on homes across DuPage County, from offices in Naperville and Downers Grove. We replace split, cupped and missing shakes, repair flashing at chimneys, valleys and walls, and install full cedar roofs using heavy #1 grade handsplit shakes. When a cedar roof is past saving, we’ll price a cedar-to-cedar replacement and a switch to composite shake side by side.
Adept Construction, Inc. is a family-owned Illinois roofing contractor (license No. 104.011123) that has worked on cedar roofs since 1997 and also installs every other roof system, so a cedar-versus-composite decision gets an honest comparison. Every job gets a written, itemized estimate, and our work carries a 10-year workmanship warranty.

Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces, so they’re thinner, smoother and more tailored-looking. Cedar shakes are thicker. Handsplit shakes have one split face and one sawn back, and tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces but cut thicker than shingles, according to the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau. Shakes give the rough, rustic texture most people picture when they think of a cedar roof. Both are installed on new roofs and on cedar-to-cedar replacements.


The two cedar shakes used on most roofs are handsplit and tapersawn. Grade matters as much as type. Premium grade shakes are 100% edge grain, while No. 1 grade shakes allow up to 20% flat grain per bundle. Edge-grain wood resists cupping and splitting better as the roof weathers.

Handsplit shakes have a split face with a naturally rustic texture and a sawn back. They come in medium and heavy thicknesses. Adept Construction installs heavy #1 grade handsplit shakes rather than thinner, lower grades.

Tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces for a cleaner, more uniform look, and are thicker than cedar shingles. Most are about 5/8 inch thick at the butt.

Yes, a cedar shake roof can be repaired. Individual shakes can be replaced without disturbing the rest of the roof, and prompt repairs extend its life. Signs a cedar roof needs attention:
We replace damaged shakes with matching wood, reflash chimneys and valleys, and tell you in writing how much life the rest of the roof has. Our guide to cedar shingle repair explains what’s repairable.
Cedar shake roofs are concentrated on the larger, older homes in the area. In Downers Grove that means lots in Brookeridge, Denburn Woods and Orchard Brook. In Naperville it’s White Eagle and Hobson West, and cedar is common in Hinsdale, Oak Brook and Lemont. Mature trees keep many of these roofs shaded, and shaded cedar stays damp longer, which is where moss and early decay start.
How long does a cedar roof last? About 30 to 40 years, according to the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau, depending on the grade, the installation and how much sun and air the roof gets.
Replace with cedar, or switch? When a cedar roof reaches the end of its life, we price a cedar-to-cedar replacement and composite shake side by side. Composite keeps the look with far less upkeep. See our cedar roof replacement cost guide.
Permits: the City of Naperville requires a building permit for a wood shake or shingle re-roof, unlike a like-for-like asphalt shingle replacement. We apply for it and include the fee in the estimate. Homeowners in other towns can start from the Naperville or Downers Grove service-area page.

| 4.8 | ★★★★★ Excellent Based on 124 reviews |
✦ What customers say
Customers most often say owner Gerry Michaels comes out himself, explains the problem with photos and gives a fair, competitive quote. Many reviewers describe a full roof replacement finished in one or two days, crews that protect gardens and clean up every nail, and help with hail and storm insurance claims. Homeowners across DuPage County, from Naperville to Downers Grove, Villa Park and Lombard, also mention repeat work over 20 years or more, plus gutters, siding and skylights.
AI-generated summary of customer reviews, updated October 9, 2026.
Gerry and the team were great to work with! Everything was done promptly and thoroughly. They remembered every detail!
Adept construction did an excellent job installing our roof, gutters, and leaf guards. Good communication, and done on time.…
…Price was competitive with the other quotes received. Would use them again.
My wife and I could not be more pleased with the work provided by Adept. We had a roof and gutter replacement and both Gerry and…
…his crews were very professional, with the work performed timely and efficiently. After the roof removal the cleanup process
was also done quickly and completely. I would highly recommend Adept Construction.
After the recent hail storm I needed a new roof. I went to the Better Business Bureau and I found Adept Construction Inc. with…
…an A+ rating. Mr. Michaels, the owner, came out and reviewed the findings of the insurance company and gave me a fair price. I gave him the okay to start and his team was out he next day. They were friendly, polite and professional. They completed my roof in one day and did a complete cleanup. The roof looks great! One last point, the communication on the process was excellent. At every point in the process Mr. Michaels was available to answer my questions. Thank you.
Adept did a very nice job on my roof. I especially appreciated how well they treated my garden and cleaned up after themselves.
I have to say Gerald and his team did a phenomenal job The roof Was…
…finished in one day And the gutters, the next day
I personally like the fact that Gerald took the time to explain to me How the process worked And help me match up the colors For both the roof and gutters
I would highly recommend this company to anyone who’s looking for a quality top-notch affordable job
You and your crew were fantastic. Good work, cleanup and speed. Your guy that put the trim around the skylight did a great job.…
…I’m glad my daughter Karyn Hudec recommended you. I will do the same if anyone asks!
Thanks
Adept construction & Roofing ,Excellent working experience completed a flat roof repair ,tear off 3 old layers replaced with new roofing .1 day completed with excellent cleanup
Adept replaced our roof over 20 years ago and serviced us well over that time. We were so happy with the service we contracted…
…them again to do another roof. I would highly recommend Gerry and his team!
From the time Gerry came out to provide an estimate through the completion of my roof replacement, I found working with Gerry to…
…be a pleasure. He came prepared, answered questions directly, showed up when scheduled and completed the job on time. When I received the invoice it was exactly as quoted. I would recommend Gerry and Adept Construction with zero reservations.
Great Company, Great workmanship and very clean work.
They were recommended by our neighbor when we needed help replacing our old flat roof on our home. They were fairly priced, honest, knowledgeable and did a clean job.
Gerry was great to work with and did a fantastic job in replacing and repairing the copper roof over the living room area of our…
…house. We would happily work with Gerry and Adept Construction on future roofing projects.
Incredibly efficient from consultation to completion. Highly recommend
Great Job looked like alot of work but they handled it Great
Replaced my roof. Great price. No problems at all. Would not hesitate to recommend.
I am so pleased with how these professionals fixed my roof vent problem. I will certainly contact them again if I need something!
Adept Construction installed a new roof on my home along with additional soffit vents. The work was excellent and they cleaned…
…up the area after completion of the job in an exceptional manner/ The job was well planned with minimal impact on us while the job was being done.
Adept was very responsive and provided excellent service from first contact to completion of our new roof. We were so pleased we recommended Adept to our neighbors.
Review for Gutters and leaf guards installation.
My gutters were old and needs repairs or replacing. Some fasteners were failing…
…affecting drainage flow. Some gutters overflowed.
Gerry addressed all my questions and concerns. He also suggested downspout changes to optimize drainage. I'm happy with the quality work and improvements.
Quick turn around: After accepting the quote Friday, I was surprised all work was completed by Tuesday.
Adept Roofing
We highly recommend Adept Roofing Company to anyone considering re-shingling or repairing their roof. The owner,…
…Gerry Michaels, knows the roofing business inside and out and was extremely helpful in providing options and different price points to us so to make the best-informed decision for our roofing needs. His team completed the two-day job on time, as promised. As the roof was only recently installed, we can only attest to its beauty at this point. As this is a long-term proposition, we will know over time how well the roof performs. We have no reason to doubt Adept and are very pleased so far with the performance of the roof. The pricing was competitive, as well. Another very important factor: Gerry is always available to answer questions and check on the roof if we ever have any concerns.
Adept Construction was wonderful to work with. The owner took time to answer any and all questions I had and was always…
…responsive. He went above and beyond on this project. The work was done in a timely manner and I would highly recommend Adept Construction for any roofing needs.
Gerry and his crew did an excellent job with the replacement of my roof, siding, gutters, soffit and fascia. They were very…
…professional and knowledgeable. I highly recommend this company.
Adept provided a fair quote for the work and completed with a skilled team in a timely fashion. Gerry went out of his way to…
…match original details of our house while replacing some of the wood used for the eaves. Would recommend.
My recent experience with Adept Construction for a porch roof repair was phenomenal. They responded quickly, came out to…
…thoroughly evaluate the problem and provided recommendations. Upon acceptance of their proposal, they arrived at my house the following morning to begin repairs. Most importantly, all work was absolutely top-notch, and Gerry, the owner, was incredibly helpful and a pleasure to work with. Overall, a great experience from beginning to end. Highly recommended.
I've been using Jerry and Adept construction for the over 30 years I've been in my house. That includes two roofs, new siding,…
…gutters, sky lights and some miscellaneous stuff. Great service and quality. Jerry knows his stuff and runs "tight ship"
Adept replaced our old leaking Skylight and chimney housing (also old…
…and leaking) for furnace vent, installed new vents on the roof for bathroom and Kitchen range hood, and enlarged soffit vents to fix poor attic ventilation.
Gerry came out and did an estimate the next day after I called. Among all the roofers we talked to, he was our favorite. He understood our concerns about each item we wanted to work on and the solutions he provided chimed in with the way we preferred to resolve the problems. His quote was not the lowest nor the highest, but had a reasonable price that we felt comfortable to pay and believed the project could be done well at. Also his quote was detailed, showing the process they were gonna perform and materials they were gonna use, as well as the price for each item. So we could decide what item we wanted do this time and easily figured out the total cost of them (The quote suggested to replace the gutter which was really old. But we decided to do it next time when replacing the roof). He and his office were responsive to my emails when I had questions about the quote. After I signed the contract, Gerry and two of his guys came out within a week. The two contractors worked the whole day and finished everything! It has been 1.5 months since then. We went through several storms. We don't see any leak so far. They did a good job!
A cedar shake roof lasts about 30 to 40 years, according to the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau. Grade, installation quality, ventilation and how much sun the roof gets all affect the real number; shaded, damp roofs age faster.
Cedar shingles are sawn on both faces and are thinner and smoother. Cedar shakes are thicker: handsplit shakes have one split face and a sawn back, and tapersawn shakes are sawn on both faces but cut thicker than shingles.
Yes. Split, cupped or missing shakes can be replaced individually, and failed flashing at chimneys, valleys and walls can be redone without replacing the roof. Prompt repairs extend a cedar roof’s life; widespread decay or a roof near 30 to 40 years old is usually a replacement.
Warning signs are shakes that are split, cracked, cupped, curled or missing; moss, lichen or dark staining on shaded slopes; gaps between shakes; and leaks or stains near chimneys, valleys and skylights.
Adept Construction installs heavy #1 grade handsplit cedar shakes. Under the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau’s grading, Premium grade is 100% edge grain and No. 1 grade allows up to 20% flat grain per bundle.
Yes. The City of Naperville requires a building permit for a wood shake or shingle re-roof, while a like-for-like asphalt shingle replacement that keeps the existing sheathing does not need one. Adept Construction applies for the permit and includes the fee in the estimate.
Upkeep and cost. Cedar costs more than asphalt, and on shaded, damp roofs it needs attention to keep moss and decay from shortening its life. That is why many homeowners replacing an old cedar roof choose composite shake, which keeps the look with far less maintenance.
Cedar keeps the natural wood look and suits older and historic homes; composite shake costs less to maintain and resists impact and rot. Adept Construction prices both side by side; see composite roofing.
A cedar shake roof is priced by its size in squares, pitch and height, the shake type and grade, tear-off of the old roof, decking repairs and the permit fee. Cedar costs more per square than asphalt shingles. Adept Construction gives a free written, itemized estimate; see our cedar roof replacement cost guide.
Yes. Adept Construction installs and repairs cedar shake roofs in Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Lemont, Naperville, Downers Grove and nearby communities, from offices in Downers Grove ((630) 964-8708) and Naperville ((630) 360-2730).
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