Where Craft
Meets Design.
Specialty roofing for custom homes, visually distinctive properties, and projects where precision and aesthetics matter as much as weather protection. Cedar, copper, standing seam, complex rooflines — built to be seen.
Quick answer
What is specialty roofing?
Specialty roofing covers systems outside standard asphalt shingles — including slate, cedar, synthetic, and complex roof designs with unusual geometry or detailing. These roofs demand specific flashing, fastening, and ventilation approaches. Highlander installs and restores specialty roof systems on mountain homes across Western North Carolina.
- Slate, cedar, synthetic, and complex roof geometry
- Detail-driven flashing and ventilation work
- Restoration as well as new installation
Some roofs are meant to be noticed. They deserve a team that treats every line, every material, and every detail as a reflection of the home itself.
Highlander's specialty roofing work serves homeowners, designers, and builders who demand more than standard installation. Complex rooflines, premium materials, custom metalwork, and the kind of precision that only matters when you care deeply about the outcome.
Built for Geometry
That Demands Precision.
Western North Carolina's custom homes feature some of the most demanding roof geometry in the Southeast. We thrive on the complexity.
Multi-Gable & Cross-Hip Intersections
Complex rooflines create dozens of valleys, transitions, and flashing points where precision is essential. Each intersection is a potential failure point if not executed with exact geometry and proper waterproofing sequence.
Steep-Slope & High-Pitch Applications
Mountain homes often feature dramatic pitches that require specialized safety systems, staging techniques, and material handling. The visual impact of steep slopes makes every line, every course, and every detail visible.
Curved, Turret, & Conical Rooflines
Turret roofs, eyebrow dormers, and curved transitions require hand-cut materials, custom flashing fabrication, and craftsmen who understand compound geometry — not just standard installation patterns.
Mixed-Material Transitions
Where shingle meets standing seam, where copper meets slate, where flat roof meets steep slope — these transitions define the visual and waterproofing integrity of the entire system.
The Details That Separate
Good From Exceptional.
Custom Flashing Fabrication
Every specialty roof requires custom-fabricated flashing — step flashing profiles, counter-flashing receivers, cricket assemblies, and transition details designed for the specific geometry of your roof.
Precision Layout & Coursing
On steep, visible rooflines, shingle coursing and panel alignment are immediately apparent. We lay out every course with string lines and laser reference to ensure visually perfect alignment across the entire plane.
Valley & Transition Engineering
Valleys, hips, and transitions are where roofs succeed or fail. We engineer each transition for both waterproofing performance and visual continuity — because on a specialty roof, both matter equally.
Color & Material Coordination
We work with designers, builders, and homeowners to select materials, finishes, and accent metals that complement the home's layout, landscaping, and site context — not just what's available at the supply house.
Why Specialty Roofing
Can't Be Standard Work.
The gap between standard roofing and specialty work isn't just about better materials — it's about a fundamentally different approach to planning, execution, and quality verification.
Materials That Define
Your Project's Aesthetic.
Natural Cedar Shake & Shingle
Hand-split cedar shakes and precision-cut shingles deliver a warmth and texture that no synthetic can replicate. We source premium grades and install with proper ventilation detailing to maximize the 30–40 year lifespan these materials can deliver in mountain conditions.
Design-Oriented Standing Seam Metal
Custom-fabricated standing seam panels in copper, zinc, galvalume, and painted steel. We work with panels formed on-site to exact measurements — no pre-cut compromises, no exposed fasteners, and clean lines that define your project's aesthetic.
Synthetic Slate & Designer Shingles
For homes where the slate aesthetic matters but weight or budget constraints apply, we install premium synthetic slate and designer-class dimensional shingles that deliver genuine visual presence.
Copper Accents & Custom Metal Work
Copper ridge caps, finials, custom chimney shrouds, and decorative flashings add the kind of hand-crafted detail that separates exceptional roofing from standard installation. We fabricate in-house.
What actually drives specialty roofing cost here
We do not publish a headline price, because a number pulled off a chart is not an estimate — and in Western North Carolina, two properties on the same street can price very differently. What we can do is show you every variable that moves the number, then put a written scope in your hands.
Pitch and complexity
Steeper mountain roofs need staging, fall protection, and slower production rates. Valleys, dormers, and multiple planes add cut waste and flashing labor.
Site access
Narrow gravel drives, steep grades, and tight tree lines change how materials get staged and how debris comes off the property — sometimes by hand instead of by truck.
Decking condition
Deck replacement is unknown until tear-off. We price a per-sheet rate up front so any rot found underneath is billed at a number you already agreed to.
Material system
Dimensional shingle, standing-seam metal, synthetic, and cedar sit at very different price points, and each carries its own underlayment, fastener, and trim package.
Ventilation and details
Intake and exhaust corrections, chimney and skylight flashing, ice-and-water coverage, and snow retention at elevation are scope items, not afterthoughts.
What your written estimate includes
- On-site measurement and photo documentation of current conditions
- Grouped-cost scope: tear-off, decking allowance, underlayment, roofing system, flashing, ventilation, cleanup
- Named material specifications and color selections, not generic allowances
- A per-sheet decking rate so hidden rot has a known price before we open the roof
- Projected schedule window and the weather assumptions behind it
Want a real number?
Tell us the address and what you are seeing. We measure the roof, walk the variables above with you, and send a written scope you can compare line by line against any other bid.
How a Specialty Project
Comes Together.
Design Consultation
We meet with you — and your designer or lead project planner if involved — to understand the vision, review plans, and discuss material options that serve both the aesthetic and the environment.
Site & Structure Assessment
We evaluate roof geometry, structural capacity, ventilation requirements, and access logistics. Complex rooflines require detailed planning before a single material is ordered.
Material Selection & Sourcing
Premium materials often require advance ordering and specification. We confirm colors, profiles, grades, and quantities — and coordinate delivery timing with the project schedule.
Custom Fabrication
Flashing, trim, accent metals, and transition components are fabricated to exact specifications before installation begins. Nothing is improvised on-site.
Precision Installation
Our specialty crews install with the care these materials and designs demand — string lines, laser alignment, documented quality checkpoints, and daily progress review.
Final Walk-Through
Every detail is reviewed with you. Every transition, every accent, every line — verified for visual perfection and waterproofing integrity before we consider the project complete.
Craft in Context.
Cedar Shake — Custom Mountain Residence
Cedar Shingle — Precision Detail
Standing Seam — Custom Application
Metal Roof — Mountain Integration
Luke Smith
Owner & Founder
Kristy Smith
Owner & Financial Manager
Who shows up at your property.
Highlander Building Services is owned and operated by Luke and Kristy Smith. Every project gets a single named point of contact from inspection through completion — backed by Western NC-based crews and a Franklin office that answers the phone.
One named contact
Same person from quote to final walkthrough.
Western NC crews
Based in Franklin, not a traveling subcontractor network.
Owner-led
Luke and Kristy set the standards the team follows.
Pick the next step that fits
Some people need someone on the roof this week. Others are six months out and still gathering information. Both are welcome — start wherever you actually are.
Get eyes on it and a number in writing
On-site look, photo documentation, and a written scope you can compare line by line.
- 4.8★ Google · 158 reviews
- Licensed and insured
- Crews based in Franklin, serving Western North Carolina
Scheduling reality in the mountains
Current lead timeInspections are typically scheduled within a few business days. Scheduled specialty roofing usually starts a few weeks out, and that queue lengthens after every significant storm.
Weather windows narrowAt Western NC elevations, late fall and winter bring cold mornings, ice, and wind. Shingle sealing and safe steep-slope access both depend on dry, warmer days, so usable install days get scarce.
Cost of waitingIf a roof is already compromised, water keeps moving through it. Small leaks turn into wet decking, insulation, and drywall, which widens the repair scope and the price.
We do not run countdown offers. If the roof can safely wait until spring, we will tell you that during the inspection.
What homeowners say about our specialty roofing work
"After three bad experiences with other contractors, we were skeptical. Highlander changed that completely. James came out personally, gave an honest assessment — no pressure, no upselling. The install crew was clean, fast, and meticulous."
"We've used Highlander for two properties now. Their standing seam metalwork is exceptional — these are the only crews I'd trust at 3,800 feet. They genuinely understand what mountain weather demands."
NC GC #87668
Licensed NC General Contractor · fully insured
Family-owned in Franklin since 2017
Showrooms in Franklin & Sylva
4.8★ · 158 Google reviews (as of September 2026)
Google Business Profile reviews
19 WNC towns served
Across 10 mountain counties
Recent: Metal Roofing
Highlands, NC · 3,200 sq ft roof replacement
Questions About
Premium Roofing Work.
Specialty roofing includes any project involving premium or non-standard materials (cedar shake, natural slate, copper, custom metal), complex roof geometry (turrets, eyebrow dormers, steep pitches above 8:12), mixed-material transitions, or visually complex installations where the final look matters as much as weather performance.
Specialty roofing typically costs 2–4x more than standard dimensional shingle installation, depending on materials, complexity, and custom fabrication requirements. Cedar shake and standing seam metal are in the mid-premium range; copper accents and natural slate are at the higher end. We provide detailed proposals so you know exactly what you're investing in.
Yes. Many of our specialty projects involve coordination with designers, project planners, and general contractors. We're comfortable reading plans, participating in planning discussions, and integrating our scope with the broader construction schedule.
Specialty projects typically take longer than standard installations due to custom fabrication, material lead times, and the precision required. A complex cedar shake or standing seam project may take 2–4 weeks depending on size and geometry. We provide a detailed timeline during the proposal phase.
In most cases, yes. We source matching cedar grades, metal profiles, and slate to blend seamlessly with existing installations. For older or discontinued materials, we'll source the closest available match and discuss options before proceeding.
Some do. Cedar shake benefits from periodic cleaning and treatment every 3–5 years. Copper develops a natural patina that most homeowners prefer to leave untreated. Standing seam metal is essentially maintenance-free. We'll provide material-specific maintenance guidance as part of your project documentation.
Related reading and local coverage for Specialty Roofing
- Western North Carolina Roofing Guide: Best Roofs, Costs and Mountain Home Maintenance
Which roofing materials perform best in the Western North Carolina mountains, what replacement costs in 2026, and how to
- Metal Roofing for Bryson City Vacation Rentals: What Owners Should Know
Bryson City rental cabins take heavy rain, heavy guest turnover, and very little downtime. Here is how standing seam met
- Common Roofing Problems in Cullowhee, North Carolina
The roofing problems we most often find on Cullowhee, NC homes and what to do about them before they get worse.
- Specialty Roofing in Franklin
Franklin, NC · Macon County · 2,119 ft
- Specialty Roofing in Highlands
Highlands, NC · Macon County · 4,118 ft
- Specialty Roofing in Cashiers
Cashiers, NC · Jackson County · 3,484 ft
- Specialty Roofing in Sylva
Sylva, NC · Jackson County · 2,037 ft
- All Service Areas
Every Western North Carolina town we cover.
- Virtual Roof Designer
Upload a photo of your home and preview roofing materials and colors before you decide.
- Get My Written Estimate
Written scope from a Western NC team — 828-524-7773.
Common concerns, answered straight
The five questions we hear most often — and exactly what we do about each one.
"I don't know what this will cost."
We measure your roof on site and send a written, grouped-cost scope that names materials, quantities, and labor line by line. You see what drives the number before you decide anything, and nothing is added later without a signed change order.
"I don't want to fight my insurance company."
We document the damage with dated photos and a written condition report you can submit with your claim, and we can meet the adjuster on site so everyone is reading the same roof. We do not decide your claim, but we make sure the evidence is complete and the scope language is clear.
"Contractors always run behind."
Mountain weather moves schedules, so we build the calendar around real weather windows and tell you the plan in writing before materials are ordered. If a date shifts, you hear it from your project contact the same day rather than finding out from an empty driveway.
"Who is actually showing up at my house?"
Our crews are Franklin-based and led by a foreman you meet before work starts, not a rotating pool of day labor. You get one named point of contact for the whole project and daily progress updates while the crew is on your property.
"I'll be cleaning up nails for a year."
We tarp landscaping and staging areas, keep debris moving to the dumpster through the day, and run magnetic sweeps of the drive and lawn before we leave each evening. The final walkthrough is done with you, and anything you spot gets handled before we call it complete.
Your Roof Should Be as Considered
as the Home Beneath It.
If you're building, renovating, or reimagining a home where the roof is part of the design statement — let's talk about what's possible.