Case Study - chalet style selfbuild in Wiltshire

A mixed blend of Blue Brindle and Brown Antique Smooth tiles, valley tiles, bonnet hips, 1/2 round ridge tiles and scrolll finials 
Roofing Contractor - Meridian Roofing Services, Southampton
Architects - Owen Davies Architects

Background

The previous dwelling on this site was a very small, rendered chalet bungalow with a steep tiled concrete roof which did not do justice to this attractive and spacious rural site.  Its elevated position makes it visible from the road, and self builder and developer, Mike Abalino was conscious that the roof would be the most prominent feature of the house and  was keen to use quality materials that would blend in with the surrounding countryside. “The selection of roof tile was the singularly most important decision in choosing my building materials,” commented Mr Abalino,   “I wanted a tidy, neat finish to the roof.  While I considered using handmade tiles, I rejected them on the basis that they would not achieve this objective”. 

Challenge

Mr Abalino wanted to find a tile colour that would sit in harmony with the surrounding countryside, while also providing character and interest to the property.  He studied the Dreadnought website and brochure and was drawn to their unique mixed colour blends.  Rather than select a pre-mixed blend, he looked to create his own individual one.  He laid out colour samples in various combinations on site to match in to the environment and through this process arrived at a blend of blue brindle and brown antique tiles in a ratio of 25:75.   “Imagining how the sample panel would translate into a large expanse of roof was a challenge” explained Mrs Abalino, “but we are absolutely delighted with the finished roof.  It is such an expression of colour, which works so well.”

There are 2 stories within the roof space and many dormers to allow as much light to the interior of the house as possible.  Mr Abalino decided to clad the cheeks of the dormers with angle tiles to make the finish as neat and high quality as possible.  Such was his perfectionist approach, that even the dog kennels (one for each dog!) have been beautifully tiled in the same Brown Antique and Blue Brindle mix, using bonnet hips!

The mixing of the two colours was accomplished by loading out the roof in batches of 25, consisting of 6/19 and 7/18 blue brindle and brown antique tiles.  There were a number of tiling details including bonnet hips and valley tiles, as well as 90° angles for the dormers, There was also considerable cutting to do, with the Winchester cutting on the gable ends and cutting the tiling on to the main roof from the tiled dormer cheeks.  The cutting is outstandingly neat and John Diaper, from Meridian Roofing Services is fussy about maintaining perfect “perps” and ensuring clean edges to the exposed edges of bonnet hips and mortared verges.  His leadwork exhibits the same high standard of workmanship.  The task of tiling, he says modestly, “was made easier by the quality of the groundwork by the carpenters”.

Solution

The standard of workmanship on this project is outstanding, the tiles have been successfully mixed on-site and the owner’s attention to detail is visible in the result.  Every detail has been completed with extreme care and as a result this property stands out from the road as a building of quality and distinction, with the roof and fittings providing the main feature.