Planning Pays off at Cwm Mawr

Building a home within a designated area of natural beauty is never going to be an easy challenge. When you also add in the fact that it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) it can become an even bigger task.

This is what architects Kinver Kreations set out to do when designing this 3-bedroom home within the heart of the Welsh National Park. By working together as an experienced team, the architect Kinver Kreations, Flex-R – the UK’s largest supplier of EPDM single ply roofing solutions – and Randell & Janes Roofing have overcome the many challenges on this unusual site to deliver a stunning installation.

The Project

An SSSI is a formal conservation designation and describes an area of particular interest to science due to the rare species of fauna or flora it contains. Gaining planning permission on an SSSI can be difficult and having worked on similar projects before Kinver Kreations knew it was essential to work closely with the Planning Authority.

Not only did the final design have to meet the client’s modern requirements but it also had to blend seamlessly with its surrounding. Kinvers Kreations have created this contemporary low impact green dwelling which uses the most of its large walls of glass to capture the coastal views. A curved roof covered in living plants gives the impression that the property is growing out of the hillside.

Why specify EPDM single ply for this roof?

When it came to the roofing membrane, Kinver Kreations had no hesitation in specifying a FleeceBack EPDM single ply product, having used it on some 50 or 60 previous projects. Taking the tried and tested method also counted when choosing their roofing contractor. Kinver Kreations wanted assurances that the installation would be professional and backed by robust warranties.

Tom Kinver owner of Kinver Kreations explains “We have worked with Flex-R and Randell & Janes Roofing on a number of projects and I know that the support will be there from start to finish.”

Plan Ahead

Planning and preparation are essential when delivering a successful job, especially on a restricted site. This was certainly the case at Cwm Mawr where access for the roofing contractors was on foot down a quarter of a mile of narrow track!

Flex-R’s regional specification team worked with Randell & Janes Roofing and Kinver Kreations on every step of the project, advising on specification during the tender stage and visiting the site before work started to plan the installation.

The roof features a large, curved roof with six rooflights, four chimneys completed with a green roof. Knowing the demands on this project Flex-R recommended RubberBond FleeceBack, an EPDM single ply membrane which offers superior protection and long-term durability due to the reinforcing qualities of the polyester fleece backing. The membrane is available in large roll sizes which results in fewer seams and allows the building to be waterproofed in less time whilst still maintaining a high-quality finish. RubberBond FleeceBack has also been BBA certified as a waterproofing membrane suitable for green roofs and is resistant to root penetration.

The installation

Flex-R specified a fully bonded AVCL which the roofing contractor was able to lay to the ply deck in a single day. This provided a temporary waterproofing solution while the rest of the roofing works were completed. Randell & Janes Roofing prefer working with the 45m² rolls of RubberBond FleeceBack, some of the largest rolls on the market, which can cover sizeable sections of the roof at a time.

Working on such an exposed site can present challenging weather conditions for the roofing contractors and it’s important to plan your roof and protect your work as you go. Following advice from Flex-R, the contractor split the roof into four areas, working on 3m sections at a time. This allowed them to install and waterproof each area and create secure night seals to protect the completed works and prevent the insulation from becoming wet. Randell & Janes Roofing applied a glass tissue faced PIR, spray applied polyurethane adhesive before installing the RubberBond FleeceBack membrane.

Randell & Janes Roofing are Specialist Registered Installers (SRI) and have worked with RubberBond FleeceBack for over 10 years. Their experience and local knowledge of the area was essential when working in such an open and exposed location and on a project with multiple detailing points. Flex-R work hard to build an ongoing relationship with their roofing contractors and ensure installers are fully trained, supported and confident when using their products.

Collaborative working

Working together has helped to deliver on this project and Tom at Kinver Kreations couldn’t agree more.

“Working with Flex-R and the roofing contractor were so important on this project. The experience of Randell & Janes Roofing, their extensive knowledge of the product and the support from Flex-R made every stage of the project so easy for us. Through collaboration we’ve achieved an excellent result for the client that looks stunning in this setting.”

www.flex-r.co.uk Phone: 01494 448792 enq@flex-r.co.uk

Aerial Photography by Kinver Kreations. Used with Permission.