I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,
but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.

I'll also need to get three slates to deposit with the council to
discharge one of the planning conditions. What's the best way to get
just three slates before I start building? I don't want to buy all the
tiles just yet. Will a builder's merchant sell tiles singly? Will they
give free samles for this kind of thing?

On 27/10/2011 21:26, Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from....

When I looked at this, some years ago now, surprisingly enough it worked
out cheapest to buy brand new Welsh slate direct from Greaves Slate
Mines. Even driving up from SE England and including the cost of two
people staying overnight, it worked out significantly cheaper than
anything I could buy locally, although I had my own truck and did not
need to hire one.

Colin Bignell

In message , Caecilius
writes
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,
but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.


I have found slate prices online before, - here is an example, thought
presumably prices are also dependant on quantity. For samples finding a
local roofing suplliers (as opposed to general BM) probably your best
bet. Yes, they will sell you a single one (well my local place does)

Though for my money no synhetic slate looks right.

At least one person here has suggested that the cheapest way was to go
an buy direct from the quarry in Wales
--
Chris French

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:26:36 +0100, Caecilius wrote:

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,

I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.

There maybe a reason for that...

I'll also need to get three slates to deposit with the council to
discharge one of the planning conditions. What's the best way to get
just three slates before I start building? I don't want to buy all the
tiles just yet. Will a builder's merchant sell tiles singly?

The ones aroud here will sell you as many or as few slates as you
want. I bought a dozen last year from a local builders merchant.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On Oct 27, 9:26*pm, Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,
but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.

I'll also need to get three slates to deposit with the council to
discharge one of the planning conditions. What's the best way to get
just three slates before I start building? I don't want to buy all the
tiles just yet. Will a builder's merchant sell tiles singly? Will they
give free samles for this kind of thing?

I worked on the sea front at Prestatyn -a really windy place, they put
up a metal sheet roof with an imitation slate look. It fooled me even
though I was standing on scaffold looking at it. I think Redland
brought out the first resin slate. They used that in Wales too so it
was a good imitation. You could stand on them. I placed one on a brick
and gave it some welly.

Obviously resin is suspect. But even slate delaminates, that is why it
is so ubiquitous for roofs. The resin wil last as long as tiles as I
have never heard of it failing since I first used them in the early
1980s and tiles are supposed to last only about 30 years, about the
same as thatch.

Resin slates are as easy to fix as tiles. A slater can throw on
ordinary slates but an amateur will have a tough time keeping them
straight. The resin ones had a step in them to fit one to another. so
keeping the lines right was fairly easy.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:30:43 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

Yes, I don't plan to keep the house very long after it's complete -
probably rent out for a few years and then sell it if/when the housing
market picks up. I don't want something that will fall to bits in five
years, but 100+ years is not necessary.

To put it in perspective, it's an attached two-bedroom house on the
end of a terrace. The other houses are 1930s ex council houses with
pebbledashed walls and slate roofs. I don't need the best welsh slate
for this job.

The buyer will be getting the best house in the street because it
will be to current building regs and will have a nice rendered/painted
exterior rather than 70-year-old council pebbledash. Well, assuming no
major cock-up - this is my first self-build project so fingers
crossed.

On Oct 27, 9:26*pm, Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,
but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.

I'll also need to get three slates to deposit with the council to
discharge one of the planning conditions. What's the best way to get
just three slates before I start building? I don't want to buy all the
tiles just yet. Will a builder's merchant sell tiles singly? Will they
give free samles for this kind of thing?


My experience of resin slate lookalikes is that they are nearly as
expensive as real slate.
You can get second hand but it takes a while to weather in.
Or you can get the fibre cement ones, they are cheaper.
They are easier to cut too.
Be sure to use slate-and-a-half at the ends, not half slates. More
secure and looks better.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 23:49:14 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:
Or you can get the fibre cement ones, they are cheaper.
They are easier to cut too.

I didn't know about fibre cement slates. I'll take a look at those as
well.

Be sure to use slate-and-a-half at the ends, not half slates. More
secure and looks better.

Thanks for the tip.

On 28/10/2011 07:30, Caecilius wrote:
On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:30:43 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

Yes, I don't plan to keep the house very long after it's complete -
probably rent out for a few years and then sell it if/when the housing
market picks up. I don't want something that will fall to bits in five
years, but 100+ years is not necessary.

To put it in perspective, it's an attached two-bedroom house on the
end of a terrace. The other houses are 1930s ex council houses with
pebbledashed walls and slate roofs. I don't need the best welsh slate
for this job.

Nevertheless, I still suggest you look into it. When I bought slate
direct from the mine, it was the cheapest option. Local suppliers were
charging silly prices for second hand Italian slate and for slate
substitutes. The Welsh slate also had the advantage that, because of the
quality, it was easier and quicker to lay and there was less wastage,
which also helped to keep the cost down.

Colin Bignell

On 28/10/2011 09:05, Nightjar wrote:
On 28/10/2011 07:30, Caecilius wrote:
On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:30:43 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

Yes, I don't plan to keep the house very long after it's complete -
probably rent out for a few years and then sell it if/when the housing
market picks up. I don't want something that will fall to bits in five
years, but 100+ years is not necessary.

To put it in perspective, it's an attached two-bedroom house on the
end of a terrace. The other houses are 1930s ex council houses with
pebbledashed walls and slate roofs. I don't need the best welsh slate
for this job.

Nevertheless, I still suggest you look into it. When I bought slate
direct from the mine, it was the cheapest option. Local suppliers were
charging silly prices for second hand Italian slate and for slate
substitutes. The Welsh slate also had the advantage that, because of the
quality, it was easier and quicker to lay and there was less wastage,
which also helped to keep the cost down.

Colin Bignell

IIRC the different thicknesses you get with slate makes it more
difficult for the d-i-yer

In article o.uk,
Dave Liquorice wrote:
The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,

I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

They're very common round here from the time the council dished out repair
grants. Perhaps 30 years ago or more. Some makes have discoloured, others
not.

How good they look also depends on the front fixing. On some it is more
obvious than others.

My roof was done over 20 years ago with them and now the moss has got
going looks very good. ;-) I dunno what make mine are, though. But haven't
discoloured.

--
*The average person falls asleep in seven minutes *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On 28/10/2011 10:41, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In whill.co.uk,
Dave wrote:
The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,

I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

They're very common round here from the time the council dished out repair
grants. Perhaps 30 years ago or more. Some makes have discoloured, others
not.

How good they look also depends on the front fixing. On some it is more
obvious than others.

My roof was done over 20 years ago with them and now the moss has got
going looks very good. ;-) I dunno what make mine are, though. But haven't
discoloured.

Mostly Marley round here. I must say they look pretty weird when the sun
catches them

http://www.marleyeternit.co.uk/Roofing/Slates.aspx

On 28/10/2011 09:38, stuart noble wrote:
On 28/10/2011 09:05, Nightjar wrote:
On 28/10/2011 07:30, Caecilius wrote:
On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:30:43 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:
I have my doubts, decent slate will last 100+ years. Will a resin
based thing survive the UV for that long? I guess as you want the
cheapest you are not planning to retain the building but flog it ASAP
and pocket as much cash as possible. The poor quality roof then
becomes Someone Elses Problem. As a buyer I'd be wary of a synthetic
roof when real slate could have been used.

Yes, I don't plan to keep the house very long after it's complete -
probably rent out for a few years and then sell it if/when the housing
market picks up. I don't want something that will fall to bits in five
years, but 100+ years is not necessary.

To put it in perspective, it's an attached two-bedroom house on the
end of a terrace. The other houses are 1930s ex council houses with
pebbledashed walls and slate roofs. I don't need the best welsh slate
for this job.

Nevertheless, I still suggest you look into it. When I bought slate
direct from the mine, it was the cheapest option. Local suppliers were
charging silly prices for second hand Italian slate and for slate
substitutes. The Welsh slate also had the advantage that, because of the
quality, it was easier and quicker to lay and there was less wastage,
which also helped to keep the cost down.

Colin Bignell

IIRC the different thicknesses you get with slate makes it more
difficult for the d-i-yer

I suspect you only get noticeable variations in thickness if you buy
poor quality or second hand slates. The slate I bought was very
consistent and particularly easy to knock nail holes in cleanly. I had
ordered all the slates to finished size, so didn't have to cut any, but
likely that would have been much easier too.

Colin Bignell

Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,
but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.

I'll also need to get three slates to deposit with the council to
discharge one of the planning conditions. What's the best way to get
just three slates before I start building? I don't want to buy all the
tiles just yet. Will a builder's merchant sell tiles singly? Will they
give free samles for this kind of thing?

Is there any reason why you can't just use reclaimed slates?

They are widely available at roofing and builders merchants and will look
like they've been there for the same length of time as the others in the
street.

The planners will happily accept these

On 28/10/2011 15:38, Phil L wrote:
Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the road.
I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and where to
get them from. I think resin or fibreglass slates will be the best,
but I can't find any online prices, and a search on builder's
merchants sites (like Jewsons) doesn't turn up much.

I'll also need to get three slates to deposit with the council to
discharge one of the planning conditions. What's the best way to get
just three slates before I start building? I don't want to buy all the
tiles just yet. Will a builder's merchant sell tiles singly? Will they
give free samles for this kind of thing?

Is there any reason why you can't just use reclaimed slates?

They are widely available at roofing and builders merchants and will look
like they've been there for the same length of time as the others in the
street.

The planners will happily accept these


Except that 25% or so will probably be naff IME. It's not until the
roofer tests them for a "ring" that you know they're any good.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:38:26 +0100, "Phil L"
wrote:
Is there any reason why you can't just use reclaimed slates?

Mainly because I'd not thought of it! I've never bought slates before,
only concrete tiles, so it's a bit new to me.

I'll have a look at the reclaimed slate option.

Nightjar wrote:
On 27/10/2011 21:26, Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the
road. I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and
where to get them from....

When I looked at this, some years ago now, surprisingly enough it
worked out cheapest to buy brand new Welsh slate direct from Greaves
Slate Mines. Even driving up from SE England and including the cost
of two people staying overnight, it worked out significantly cheaper
than anything I could buy locally, although I had my own truck and
did not need to hire one.

Colin Bignell

I bought 1080 Chinese 20 X 10 slates from Roofslates of
Ashton-under-Lyne.com two years ago.
They are superb quality, 9mm thick, very uniform and very well crated (not a
single one was broken).
They're a lighter grey than Welsh ones, but in my opinion at least as good.
They cost £1.15 each then.
How does that price compares with yours ?

Jim Hawkins

On 28/10/2011 17:05, Jim Hawkins wrote:
Nightjar wrote:
On 27/10/2011 21:26, Caecilius wrote:
I'm going to be staring a new build of a small two bedroomed house
soon.

The roof tiles need to be slate to match the other houses in the
road. I want to find out the cheapest type of slate I can use, and
where to get them from....

When I looked at this, some years ago now, surprisingly enough it
worked out cheapest to buy brand new Welsh slate direct from Greaves
Slate Mines. Even driving up from SE England and including the cost
of two people staying overnight, it worked out significantly cheaper
than anything I could buy locally, although I had my own truck and
did not need to hire one.

Colin Bignell

I bought 1080 Chinese 20 X 10 slates from Roofslates of
Ashton-under-Lyne.com two years ago.
They are superb quality, 9mm thick, very uniform and very well crated (not a
single one was broken).
They're a lighter grey than Welsh ones, but in my opinion at least as good.
They cost £1.15 each then.
How does that price compares with yours ?

Jim Hawkins

As I said, it was some years ago, so even if I remembered the price, it
would not mean much now. I just know it was cheaper than buying
reclaimed, artificial or Italian slate locally. I don't think Chinese
slate was an option at the time.

Colin Bignell

stuart noble wrote:
Except that 25% or so will probably be naff IME. It's not until the
roofer tests them for a "ring" that you know they're any good.

You must have got a bad load - I've never had more than a few out of each
hundred that were unusable, and IIRC, I took those back and swapped them for
good ones