The list of advantages we offer you as a builder and/or renovator is extensive but we’ll start with some of the leading benefits you’ll experience:

• Some of our builder clients have been with us for over 20 years and that alone says a lot about us
• We work well with other trade professionals on your project
• We do what we say we will keep your project running on schedule; in other words, you can rely on us
• We use only qualified tradesmen to complete the work and only proven products that will perform reliably
• After well over 30 years of slate roofing in Melbourne, we’ve seen about every problem, everything that can go wrong, and we know how to avoid having it happen to you or your clients

We certainly don’t have to tell you all the pitfalls and nightmarish snowball effect that can take place when your building project gets off schedule. Considering other trades that rely on the roof being in place before they can commence, roofing is not something you want holding up your project. We get that too, and when we agree to your schedule we commit ourselves to keeping it.

It would also be a good idea to step back a bit and cover early stages of your project where you can benefit from our experience and resources. The dizzying choices of colors and types of slate, tile design styles, and solutions for dealing with structural challenges, we can make that easier for you because slate roofing is the only thing we need to be experts at.

Another benefit is one you could otherwise potentially discover the hard way unless we’re involved in your project. Framing for slate tile is different from other roof types. We’ll assure that your carpenter is properly guided so your project flows like the proverbial well oiled machine.

Special Benefits for Renovation Projects

Our heritage in restoring classic slate roofs has provided both experience to identify roofing problems that may affect your renovation and a sizable stock of reclaimed slate roofing tiles to match seamlessly if you’re adding an extension to an existing structure. We’ve been able to impress clients by installing slate tiles that blend with an existing roof so well that it’s hard to see where an old roof ends and extension begins.

Contact us for the roofing on your building or renovation project. You’ll discover what many successful builders and renovators already know…that trusting Abardeen makes them look even better in the eyes of the clients they build for.

What roof frame structure is required for slate roofs?

We get this question frequently by builders so including a general answer here should prove helpful.

The simple answer is to design according to the structural requirements used for terracotta roofing tiles. The weight of the lightest “Marseille” pattern terracotta tiles currently available in the Melbourne area is almost 10 kg/sqm heavier than the commonly used Del Carmen 500×250 slate tiles.

Here are some approximate weight comparisons for roofing tiles:

• Natural slate – Del Carmen 500×250: 30.5 kg/sqm
• Terracotta tiles – Marseille pattern: 40kg kg/sqm
• Terracotta tiles – Swiss pattern: 43.5 kg/sqm
• Concrete tiles – – Flat slate pattern: 52 kg/sqm

The terracotta and concrete tiles listed are also the lighter weight options available. Other tiles on the market are considerably heavier. Also be aware that slate tiles vary in thickness and therefore also in weight. Plus, as the dimensions of slate tiles decrease, the weight per sqm increases conversely. Larger tiles reduce the per sqm weight.

The 500×250 though is the most commonly used in the Melbourne area. Other options include 400×250, 450×250, and 500×300.

Another consideration during roof framing is the heights at which fascias, tilt battens, verge, sole and lear gutter boards, etc., are set and finished at. This is nearly impossible to give a generalized answer on since there are many factors at play and each job has its own set of unique circumstances.

Due to the variables involved, we offer an easy solution. Call Abardeen Slate Roofing at (040) 302-2137 and we’ll be glad to consult with you and your framers/carpenters to assure you’re frame structure is ideally suited for the slate roofing that will be installed.