Roofer profile: Terry Daughton – Style Exteriors

By DaVinci Roofscapes.

How DaVinci earned this company a reputation of best-in-class for composite roofing.

What began as a residential roofing and siding company has now expanded to include commercial and multi-unit installations across Illinois, southern Wisconsin and southern Michigan. Style Exteriors was established in 2003 as a family-owned business. Through hard work, perseverance and a relentless pursuit of excellence, the company has grown into multiple divisions, consistently prioritizing expertise and integrity in every service it offers.

Today, Style Exteriors offers an expansive range of roofing, siding and gutter services. For the past eight years the company has relied on DaVinci Roofscapes composite slate and shake tiles to help grow their business and increase their market share.

“What really sets us apart is our experience, our knowledge of the market, and the warranties we’re able to offer,” says Terry Daughton, vice president and general manager at Style Exteriors, based in Deer Park, Illinois. “As we’ve grown, our vision has stayed the same. We focus on delivering high-quality exterior work and backing it with some of the strongest labor and material warranties in the industry.”

How long have you been in the roofing industry?

I’ve been in the construction industry for over 20 years. I come from a family of roofers, electricians and tile setters. I started my career on the inside of the house, designing kitchens and bathrooms, but quickly realized the exterior side of the business was a better fit for me.

What makes Style Exteriors stand out in the marketplace?

We’re known for proper installation, premium materials and standing behind our work long after the project is finished. Our customers choose us because they want peace of mind. We believe in doing things right the first time, and we don’t consider a job complete until the customer is truly satisfied.

How are composite roofing projects helping grow your business?

Composite roofing has become a major driver of change in the markets we serve. There are thousands of homes in our area with aging cedar roofs that are due for replacement.

As insurance premiums continue to rise, deductibles increase, renewal requirements tighten and maintenance costs add up, homeowners are actively looking for smarter, longer-term alternatives. Composite roofing offers exactly that. As demand has grown, we’ve made focused investments in marketing, education and installation capabilities, allowing us to expand our market share and strengthen our position in this category.

What makes your company recommend DaVinci products over competitive composite products?

DaVinci has earned a reputation in our market as best-in-class when it comes to composite roofing. One of the biggest advantages for us is the range of product options they offer. Whether our customers are looking for the appearance of cedar shake or slate tile, DaVinci provides a broad selection of profiles and price points, allowing us to meet the needs of homeowners at all purchasing levels.

From a performance standpoint, our sales pitch includes DaVinci’s Class A fire rating and Class 4 impact rating as a standard with their products, not as an upgrade. With their product offerings, strong warranty and best-in-class ratings, this gives us the confidence to sell their products to any customer.

Another key advantage is DaVinci’s support team. Their sales staff is highly responsive and has helped us secure important projects. Their local technical support team has been a huge resource for installation challenges, and their marketing team has partnered with us on co-branded materials and campaigns. When we sell DaVinci, we’re selling it as an extension of our own team, not just as a product. That gives our customers total confidence in what they’re getting.

What’s one of your favorite DaVinci projects that your company has done and why?

One of our favorite builds was for a Greek family who was building a new construction “forever” home. The homeowner spent a couple of years designing and redesigning every detail to make sure it was perfect. The home is a beautiful blend of Old World and New World architecture. We installed DaVinci Select Shake in Aged Cedar shingles and standing seam metal. It all came together beautifully.

Some roofers say that sample tiles close the sale. How many DaVinci sales do you feel you close once homeowners see the product samples?

Samples are really helpful because homeowners sometimes have too many options, which can be overwhelming. When they come into our showroom, looking at samples helps them narrow down the types of tiles they like, as well as colors and patterns they’re interested in.

Samples usually get our customers 80–90% of the way there, and then we like to provide them with additional home addresses to drive by so they can see how their selections would look on a home.

How has the team at Style Exteriors been able to get composite products accepted into an HOA community?

Converting an HOA community to composite products is no small task. A few years ago, we were fortunate to convert a community of 325 townhomes from wood cedar shake shingles to DaVinci’s Select Shake singles. The process involved several steps and a lot of coordination.

Initially, both the Village and HOA requirements only allowed wood cedar shake shingles, so we had to spend time educating multiple boards and stakeholders on the long-term benefits of composite roofing compared to a natural product. This included durability, wind and fire performance, reduced maintenance and overall lifecycle cost.

Once we received approval to make the switch to composite, the focus shifted to helping the community select the best product for their needs. That meant reviewing aesthetics, performance ratings, warranties and long-term value to ensure the solution worked not just for individual homeowners, but for the entire community.

DaVinci was a huge part of our success. Their sales and technical teams worked closely with us to present the benefits of their composite shingles. Together, we addressed homeowner concerns and showed how the community would benefit from the change. It was a truly collaborative process, and having their support made a big difference in getting the approvals we needed.

Terry, if you absolutely had to change professions tomorrow, what do you think you’d do?

If money were no object, I’d definitely captain a large fishing boat down in the Florida Keys or somewhere tropical. In the real world, Industrial Engineering has always interested me. I see a lot of similarities with what I do today, so I’d pursue that. I’m constantly trying to find ways to optimize complex processes and improve efficiency, productivity and design.

If someone gave you $5 million and you had to spend it within 24 hours, what would you do?

This is a fun one. First, I’d pay off all the debts of the people who have taken care of me and helped me become the person I am today. I’d invest in my wife’s and kids’ futures, donate a big portion to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and fund my sister’s Humane Society project.