The Exeter branch of RSL recently worked closely with developer Zero C, recommending CUPA PIZARRAS to supply natural slate roofs to the developer’s top end housing development in Somerset. The quality, long lifetime guarantee of CUPA PIZARRAS’ product as well as its highly aesthetic appearance won the specification for the West Country development, which features a listed mill property and elegant new roof designs.
Tail Mill in Merriott, close to Crewkerne in Somerset, is being refurbished and converted along with the construction of new residential properties, built by developer Zero C - with the three and four bedroom executive homes commanding asking prices of £4-500,000. Yeovil based Davey Roofing is the specialist sub-contractor which has been installing thousands of the CUPA R12 Excellence slates since August last year, with RSL in Exeter being the stockist which originally proposed the specification of the product for the prestigious project.
The Branch Manager for RSL in Exeter, Lee House, commented: “There were a number of reasons for putting forward the CUPA R12 Excellence slate to the customer. It was a job where quality and longevity were paramount and we know that is always certain with CUPA PIZARRAS, with the R12 Excellence offering a 100 year guarantee. I have also dealt with the area rep, Nigel Tozer for a number of years and we get good support from the company.”
CUPA PIZARRAS delivers anywhere in the UK to make the process easy and efficient for all parties involved with the project. Its salesmen are also slate experts, so for the Tail Mill project RSL had access to advice and specialist knowledge. Available during the whole process, CUPA PIZARRAS is on call to answer any questions, whether it’s at the stage of selecting the right slate for the project requirements, or product installation. For ultimate peace of mind, merchants can be safe in the knowledge that they have the backing of the supplier – with the quality director personally visiting the roof construction in some instances.
Roofing contractors like working with natural slate because it is simple to work with. For the merchant, this makes selling easier, but the extensive guarantee and traceability of CUPA PIZARRAS slate means they can be confident they have sold their customers a quality product.
CUPA PIZARRAS owns all its 16 quarries and 22 processing plants, maintaining total quality control and source management. It offers a stringent tracing method with a barcode that’s unique to every pallet. The origin, type, thickness, technical data and production date for all slates can be quickly and easily identified - invaluable for detecting / resolving any quality issues. It’s useful for merchants to be able to offer the same product to its customers when they are working on a renovation a building, as exactly the same slate can be used again. This also allows merchants to reassure contractors that construction won’t be delayed due to uncertainty about the availability of products.
The range of products available also allows merchants to sell to a variety of needs. Depending on where the slate originates, along with the minerals and tectonic pressure around it, the colour, thickness and texture of the tiles produced will differ from one quarry to another. Where the slate originates is an important factor when it comes to its specification. A guarantee of the slate’s provenance is crucial in ensuring a consistency of finish and that the tiles will wear evenly.
For the Tail Mill project, it was CUPA R12 Excellence’s dark grey with thin laminations and smooth surface that appealed from a design perspective.
The site dates back to as early as the 13th Century when it was used as a corn and grist mill, and has undergone various changes of use from sailcloth manufacturing through to munitions and plastic moulding. James Armitage Architects retained the majority of the historically significant buildings on the site and the masterplan was devised to provide accommodation around a series of courts, creating 45 residential units of which 22 are new build houses.
The development involved extensive consultation with English Heritage and the local authority’s Conservation Officer, as well as existing residents in the area. Each property has been designed to complement its setting, incorporating traditional styling and character features typical of the area, with a combination of local natural stone and timber cladding beneath the mainly slate roofs.
More than 10,000 slates have been supplied to Davey Roofing on the fast selling development so far by RSL, with more deliveries expected as the work continues.
