We are building on the water in Chesapeake and I was talked out of a cedar shake roof because it would not hold up in our hot & humid climate. Curious what your opinion is on this. Guessing from this beautiful house that you disagree? thx.

I love cedar and find it to be very durable. We used yellow cedar from the west coast due to it's rot resistant properties and weathered appearance. Also, gambrel roofs demand a high quality material with texture - It is common to see cedar, slate or a heavily dimensional composite. My understanding is that they may have a life of 25-35+ years depending on maintenance. They have to be cleaned regularly including removing any embedded debris. In spite of their rot resistant character, if you allow debris to collect it will hold moisture and promote growth of damaging moss & mold. All the best and much success!