Pioneering roof systems manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles has helped one of the UK’s largest housing associations achieve seamless reroofing with its diverse colour offering.
Main contractor Chas Berger and specialist roofing contractor Ashton Roofing were looking for the perfect match for a reroofing project in London for their client Southern Housing.
More houses were built in the 1930s in the UK than in any other decade before or since, and at this time, during the interwar period (1918-1939/1945) a new approach to house building emerged, with local authorities (funded by central Government) building over a million homes for rent. For example, between 1934 and 1939, at least 56,000 flats were built in London, the most significant period of development before the 21st century.
The project team were tasked with the refurbishment on three large apartment blocks at the Stamford Hill Estate in Hackney, requiring a tile that matched the existing profile and colour. The oldest of these buildings were built in 1932 by The Guinness Partnership, one of England’s largest providers of affordable housing, founded by Edward Cecil Guinness (the great-grandson of the Guinness brewery founder).
The business, which manages over 65 thousand homes, was founded with the mission to support homeless people in London and Dublin and, having expanded across England in the 1960s, now provides this support nationwide. It offers a diverse mix of rented shared ownership, leasehold, and market sale properties with all profits from sales reinvested into affordable housing.
The blocks ready to be reroofed in Hackney were built as part of a broader initiative to provide quality social housing to the London area and reflects the functional building design of the time, emphasising practicality and efficiency.
Some of these roofs being up to 90 years old needed replacing, and Southern Housing required a tile that could replicate the original look and finish of the roof.
To meet the brief, Russell Roof Tiles supplied its Double Roman tiles, ensuring the new tiles closely matched the authentic roof finish and complemented the surrounding apartment blocks.
James Pendleton, Regional Sales Director at Russell Roof Tiles, comments: “At Russell Roof Tiles, we are committed to supporting each project’s unique requirements. With our wide-ranging colour offering, we ensure that new roofing not only meets the design vision but also preserves the character and heritage of the buildings.
“Throughout the project, we faced unique challenges due to the age of the properties and the complexity of the build. By collaborating closely with Ashton Roofing & Maintenance Ltd and the main contractor Chas Berger Ltd, we enabled completion of all three buildings to an exceptionally high standard, meeting quality, regulatory and energy efficiency needs.”
Jackie Prime, Senior Contracts Manager at Chas Berger Ltd, comments: “We have been greatly impressed with Russell Roof Tiles and their ability to deliver a high-quality product that meets our specific aesthetic requirements.”
Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent concrete roof tile manufacturer supplying products for national housebuilders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects. The company produces hundreds of thousands of tiles and related fittings and accessories every week that are used on pitched roofing across the UK.