Slate roofs, cedar shakes, historic district guidelines, and 200-year-old farmhouses each demand a different install approach. Here is how we handle it.
Half of the homes we light in New England were built before 1950. That is not a marketing claim, it is just the housing stock. Permanent lighting on these homes is not the same job as permanent lighting on a 2015 build in the suburbs.
Slate Roofs
Slate is a beautiful, heavy, fragile roof material. You cannot drive a standard fastener through slate without risking a crack that compromises a 100-year roof. We use a concealed channel method that runs along the edge of the roof without penetrating the slate itself, anchored at the fascia and trim rather than the roof surface.
Cedar Shakes
Cedar is forgiving but it expands and contracts with humidity. A rigid mounting method will eventually loosen as the wood moves. We use a flexible track system with stainless fasteners sized for cedar, which moves with the roof and stays seated for the life of the install.
Historic District Guidelines
Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Concord, Lexington, Newburyport, Portsmouth, Exeter, and several other districts across our territory maintain strict guidelines on visible exterior fixtures. The good news: most permanent lighting systems can be installed in a way that meets those guidelines. The hardware sits in the cornice or behind the gutter and is not visible from the street when off. We have worked through approval processes in most of the major historic districts in the area and we know what the boards typically ask for.
1890s Farmhouses
These houses have a personality. The roof lines wander. The trim is rarely square. The fascia is sometimes original wood that needs to be respected. We do not bring a one-size install method to these homes. We bring a design conversation, a careful site visit, and a custom layout that works with what is there.
The Bottom Line
Permanent lighting works beautifully on historic New England homes when the install method matches the house. If you have an older home and you have been told permanent lighting is not an option, get a second opinion.