The shoreline of Cape Cod in Eastham, MA, is a dream location for a beachfront cottage. However, for Cape Cod builder Vincent Jameson, partner at JCARCH LLC, a recent beachfront cottage renovation project initially seemed more like a nightmare. Far from a dream home, the cottage was run-down after suffering years of wear and tear from salt, sand, and wind. Since zoning restrictions meant the structure couldn’t be expanded, Jameson found the best, though not the easiest, path forward was a full renovation within the original footprint.
Based in South Yarmouth, MA, JCARCH specializes in residential design and construction on Cape Cod. With experience in both new construction and sensitive renovations, the team at JCARCH pays close attention to every decision along the way.
Among the first decisions was what to do about the entire cottage exterior. The home’s cedar shingles were heavily damaged from the assault of shoreline weather. In addition, the roof and windows needed to be replaced. Jameson worked closely with the homeowner to identify materials that would withstand the harsh coastal conditions while refreshing and upholding the home’s traditional beach-house look, with the ultimate goal of providing a dream home that would match the dream location.
For the cladding, they chose Beach House Shake® in Atlantica by Tando Composites, a composite shingle with the authentic look of bleached, individual cedar shingles. It offers fast, easy installation and delivers proven long-term performance and durability. Beach House Shake checked so many boxes for the homeowner and builder as a replacement for the deteriorated wood exterior. “It blended right in,” Jameson said. “We held the Beach House Shake up to the old shingles, and it was an undeniable match. The only difference is Beach House Shake won’t discolor or need replacing.” Jameson added that he did not want the homeowner to end up in the same position 10 or 20 years down the road.
Meeting Cape Standards
In Eastham and surrounding Cape Cod towns, the classic look of wood shingles is a staple on homes near the shoreline. Jameson, who splits time between Cape Cod and upstate New York, understood the importance of maintaining the home’s regional character. “It had to look right for the neighborhood,” he said. “The Atlantica color gives you that gray, weathered tone people want, but you don’t have to wait years for it to develop character or worry about keeping it that way.”
Still, there were initial hesitations since Cape Cod is a traditional market where non-wood solutions are not as well known. “There’s a perception that if it’s not wood, it won’t look right,” said Jameson. “But once we held Beach House Shake up to the house and compared it to the existing shingles, the owner was on board. It looks just like bleached oil cedar shingles that are in perfect condition and more consistent.”
That consistency was key. With natural cedar, colors shift quickly and unevenly over time, and repairs often stand out. “If you change a window five years from now, you’d never match it with real cedar,” he said. “With Beach House Shake, it all blends and will stay looking like the day it was installed. That’s a big deal for long-term value.”
The location also presented real challenges, bringing the issue of durability and long-term value top-of-mind. Situated on the beach, the house is exposed to salt air, moisture, wind, and sand all year. The original cedar shingles were brittle and uneven – some barely holding on – and the deck and roof structure were showing signs of age.
“You’re not just dealing with New England weather,” said Jameson. “You’ve got ocean exposure, which adds another layer of pressure to perform on every product you choose.”
Beach House Shake is a composite shingle that is engineered for this kind of environment. Each panel features KAPGUARD® with Kynar®, a proprietary coating that provides color protection for 20+ years. Beach House Shake is also approved by Miami-Dade County for use in High Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ), making it well-suited for the demands of coastal construction.
“And cleaning is simple,” said Jameson. “If anything builds up on the surface, you just rinse it off with a hose. You never powerwash it. That’s a major difference from wood, where you’re cleaning, re-staining, or replacing something every couple of years.”
Creating Long-Term Value
The composite shingle installation took less than a week. “It actually took more time to remove the old cedar than it did to install the Beach House Shake,” said Jameson. “That’s how much faster it went.”
Each piece locks into place and requires only seven fasteners, compared to more than 40 for individual cedar shingles, eliminating the need for layout tools or specialized labor. “The panels self-align,” he said. “Once you get your starting course level, everything else falls into place.”
Jameson, who had used Beach House Shake on previous projects, said the installation is easy to teach and manage. “It’s reliable, repeatable, and lightweight. That means you can move fast and still get a clean install.”
He pointed out that faster installation is a big advantage for builders. “You’re not sorting shingles or adjusting for thickness as you do with real cedar,” he said. “You get a high-end finish without the labor headaches.”
He estimated the cost savings of the composite shingles to be significant when factoring in labor and long-term performance. “When you factor in install time, no maintenance, and how well it holds up, I’d estimate a 35 to 40 percent savings over the life of the product. All while having the undeniable appearance of natural cedar shingles that are approved on the Cape.”
Designing a Dream Home
The Beach House Shake composite shingles were part of a broader, nine-month renovation project. The roof was replaced with new architectural shingles. The team also installed PVC trim and historic-style sills for durability, rebuilt window surrounds, and upgraded every window for better insulation and weather resistance.
Inside, the home was completely redesigned. The floor plan was opened up to improve flow, and all finishes were updated with a more modern, open concept feel. “It was a full gut,” Jameson said. “We kept the structural footprint, but everything else was new.”
The site also posed some logistical hurdles. With conservation rules, limited access, and sandy conditions near the dunes, materials had to be delivered strategically, and staging had to be minimal. “You have to think through every part of the project in a location like this,” he said. “That’s another reason composite shingles worked well: it’s lightweight, and we could move quickly once we got started.”
With an all-new exterior, windows, and roofing, the previously tired house now looks like a dream home. Beach House Shake delivers the look of bleached oil cedar and will hold its color for decades. “From a distance, most people can’t tell it’s not real wood,” said Jameson. “But the difference is, this isn’t something you’ll be replacing in five or ten years.”
Whether it’s the Cape, the Gulf Coast, or a lakefront in the Midwest, the value proposition is the same,” he said. “It gives you the look people want and solves problems they didn’t know could be avoided.”
“I’ve worked with all types of cladding and siding over the years,” said Jameson. “Beach House Shake just makes sense. It gives you flexibility, performance, and it holds up. That’s what I’m looking for, especially on the coast.”
Finally, a coastal home that is a dream come true.
