A quest to source a natural roof slate that would suit aesthetically and meet the demanding requirements of its surroundings, led one Scottish builder to specify CUPA PIZARRAS’ Heavy 3 roofing slate for a small hamlet of luxury low energy houses built near Strathaven, South Lanarkshire.
Having purchased a dilapidated farm building along with 100 acres of farm land in a prime greenbelt area, owner and director of bespoke homebuilder Burnhead, David Bryson’s worked closely with the local authority to achieve the planning permission required to design and build this bespoke rural countryside development.
Known as Floors Farm, Phase One, now complete, comprises three luxury, detached homes. Phase Two, a further two luxury detached homes and Phase Three, an additional 12 houses, is due to break ground later this year.
Designed and built by Mr Bryson, the one and three quarter-storey properties echo the traditional architectural style of the area, nestling comfortably in idyllic rural surroundings.
Ranging in size from the largest at 12,000sq ft to 4,000 sq ft, each bespoke home has been developed with family living in mind. Externally, the houses feature sandstone facades, timber doors and windows, fascia and soffits and internally are decorated smartly with great attention to detail.
As Burnhead’s David Bryson explains:
“For the roof, our priority was to source a good quality, natural slate that would last and withstand the inclement Scottish weather conditions. Following extensive research, we discovered and specified CUPA PIZARRAS’ Heavy 3.”
“We had never used CUPA PIZARRAS before but having completed this project successfully, we have been using Heavy 3 ever since on our other building projects. Yes, it’s a cost-effective option but the real reasons for specifying Heavy 3 are aesthetics, quality and longevity. It’s also a good choice for when we need to repair and replace traditional roofs in the area, as there are many visual similarities between traditional Ballachulish slate and Heavy 3.”
“On the houses built to date*, over 125,000 Cupa Heavy 3 slates (7-8mm) have been installed and we plan to use Heavy 3 on the 12 houses yet to be built.”
Burnhead manufactures its own bespoke timber frames on site and for the roof build-up, sarking boards were fitted to the roof rafters with a breather membrane on top. The Heavy 3 slates were then nailed directly to the sarking boards using copper nails. Copper was selected for its anti corrosive benefits, again to ensure the building’s longevity. The roof was finished with expert leadwork detailing and, having been designed as low energy homes, solar panels are incorporated into each roof. Further low energy measures have also been built-in including ground source heat pumps, heat recovery ventilation and high levels of insulation.
Commenting on the support he has received from CUPA PIZARRAS throughout the design and build process, Mr Bryson said:
“The technical team has been amazing; really supportive answering any questions we had about the design and different material options, help with quantifying and any detailing that was required.”
PRODUCT USED: HEAVY 3
The best choice for Scottish roofs. Its extra thickness of 7-8 mm gives it the perfect strength to withstand Scottish weather while boosting the value of any property.
Other case studies
More than 250 roofs are installed per day around the world with our slate.
Natural slate CUPA PIZARRAS has been highly valued by architects and has been selected for important projects within many cultural and historic buildings of interest, modern architecture or the construction or renovation of traditional housing.
Other case studies
More than 250 roofs are installed per day around the world with our slate.
Natural slate CUPA PIZARRAS has been highly valued by architects and has been selected for important projects within many cultural and historic buildings of interest, modern architecture or the construction or renovation of traditional housing.
If you have any questions, our experienced team on slate is at your disposal.
