 | Download this Case Study in PDF format |
Jos van Bommel is a Technical Manager at Carlisle Construction Materials, an EPDM roofing manufacturer. He spends his time supplying technical advice, training and sometimes gets involved on the sales side of the business. In the past, Jos was very hands-on with construction, stating that “I made the roofs myself for 17 years. From there I entered into advice and sales. I’ve been doing that with pleasure for over 16 years now, but sometimes you want to give your hands a bit of work.” This is exactly why this roof expert decided to renovate his own roof, with the help of his boys. “I leave bricklaying and carpentry to others, but when it comes to roofs and insulation, I know exactly what I’m doing” said Jos.
A New House
Jos bought his new home three years ago. “It was a beautiful detached house from 1974 with 800m2 plot. The sloping roof really needed to be addressed as it was in poor repair. We started in October, the winter months were approaching, and we found out that the insulation was also poor. There was no more than four inches of Styrofoam between the joists. It was at this point that we decided to tackle the roof together.” It became a real family project in which Jos enlisted the help of his three sons. “To limit expense, you want to do as much as possible yourself. Fortunately, we all have construction experience and looked for the right cost-effective solutions. After removing the existing roof material, we wanted to make it waterproof as soon as possible. We used Alutrix for that; a self-adhesive vapor barrier. You roll it out, press it down and it sticks into place. We then did the isolation: two layers of 40mm PIR in stretcher bond. The foundation of the roof was quickly laid.”
Jos then went shopping for the top layer for his roof. “You have natural slates, artificial slates, Eternit; the choice is quite large. While weighing the right material, I came into contact with Peter van Gent at Dakned. I have known Peter for a long time and he introduced me to Tapco composite slates. The choice of using an artificial slate was quickly made for me, partly due to the light weight and the ballast that the construction could take. I still had doubts between two different artificial slate providers. They were on par in terms of warranty and lifespan, but the benefits of using TapcoSlate were quite clear to me.”
The Advantages of TapcoSlate
“My choice was mainly based on how easy to use and beautiful to look at the product is. TapcoSlates really have that natural look, from both up close and far away. It is also very lightweight, so you don’t have to worry if the structure can support it. What also really appealed to me is the ease of fixing. The composite slates are pre-formed which incorporates a camber. When you attach them, one composite slate presses down onto the other, that takes a lot of work off your hands. This ease of installation and realistic appearance made my choice for TapcoSlate very easy.” Thanks to the collaboration of four handymen and a good product, Jos and his sons renovated their roof in no time at all.
“Due to the light weight and the easy way to attach it, it went on very quickly. I can therefore recommend the use of TapcoSlate to everyone. You see the process of your roof in the fixing – slate after slate. As a result, you see the roof developing, and you feel pride in your work. For me this was a perfect outcome and we have been happy under our own composite slate roof for a few years now. It is important to prepare well, and fortunately it is not that difficult, especially if you have the knowledge and skills yourself.”
Jos is therefore a satisfied customer. He and his sons deserve a lot of appreciation for what they have achieved. It shows what you are capable of with a little skill, the right people and the right product. Even if you are not as handy as Jos, TapcoSlate is a good choice for ease of installation, great looks and low waste.
Dakned
Dakned is the Netherlands’ premier professional roofing products wholesaler, which delivers superior added value with its knowledge, expertise, and quality. Dakned has a passionate team, with more than 100 years of experience between them, continually ready to support its clients every day, to discuss how to add value for their customers and create mind-blowing projects! The Dakned team is always happy to share their knowledge and, ultimately, become an extension of their customer – whether contractor or end user – tackling projects together.
Dakned understands what it takes to deliver a successful project, protecting you from budgeting errors and helps with all areas of project preparation. The roofing market is no stranger to rapid changes in specification, and Dakned draws on its flexibility and market knowledge to deal with any challenges that may arise.
The company knows that knowledge and expertise are certainly important, but what really matters is the supply of top-quality materials. In this regard Dakned is second to none, and only sources and supplies the very best materials in the European market, so that its clients can be assured they are making the right purchasing decision… every time.
That is why Dakned always sees solutions, and not problems! It prides itself in knowing what the manufacturer wants, what the roofer needs, and most of all, what the end-user desires.
If you found this article interesting, you might like:
