Watersmead is a large detached house with a clay tile roof with an eyebrow dormer and vertical tiling.

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When the house was purchased by the present owners it was in need of complete renovation and modernisation. Existing clay tiles were carefully stripped, sorted and stacked for re-use. Roof timbers were inspected for beetle infestation/fungal attack and treated/ replaced as necessary.

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After vacuuming the ceiling areas 300mm thickness fibreglass insulation was laid between and over the ceiling joists. Second hand Keymer hand made clay tiles were used on the roof, these were salvaged from a property which we re-roofed in Lewes.

 

The existing vertical tiles were reused and the deficiency was made up with the peg tiles salvaged from the roof at Watersmead which were jet washed to remove the lichen and grime to bring back the original appearance for a perfect match.

 

Tile fittings were mainly reused with matching second hand purchased.

 

This project had many challenges: the difference in roof pitches, the eyebrow dormer which was complicated to batten and tile especially with the Velux rooflights so close to the sweep of the valley, fixing of the battens to brickwork, forming mitred angles which required time and thought ensuring best results were achieved and the GRP false chimney stack which was manufactured and painted off-site to look like the original chimney, this had to be craned and lowered onto a framework with the lead flashings already in place.

 

Credit must be given to our Chargehand who who ensured that the high standards that we expect were achieved.

 

The project was finished on time and within budget and our client was delighted with the finish provided.