Sorry....another slate thread!

[Stable3]

Hi - I've been using the forum for months researching all sorts and found it super helpful!  My husband and I are converting our stables into a very compact and hopefully bijou bungalow!

 

I've never posted before, but need some help making a decision about slate ( I know - roll eyes)  I promise I've looked at every thread on here about slate and despite doing hours of research, I'm still struggling to make a decision on my final shortlist and am hoping you may be able to offer any opinions/experience on the slates or companies I'm trying to choose from.

 

I was originally having reclaimed welsh slate but have been waiting for months for the guy from Merthyr Tydfill to contact me about some slates that were apparently due to come off a church roof!  In the end I've decided to buy new and Spanish seems the best option for various reasons.  So.......I would prefer the roof not to look too uniform and pristine so think a lighter blue/grey rather than blue/black and a riven texture would be good?  On the shortlist are:

 

Cafersa Lousaval LV11 - £2.04 inc VAT from premiumslateuk.com

 

SSQ Del Carmen Celta - £2.70 inc VAT from roofingsuperstore.co.uk

 

Cupa R12 - £3.02 inc VAT from Roof Hub (Burton Roofing)

 

Pro MX - £1.98 inc VAT from buyroofslate.co.uk

 

I've got samples of the LV11 and the Pro MX at the moment and honestly they look exactly the same.  I'm hoping to get samples of the other 2 this week which might help me but please does anyone have any advice?  Have you used any of the above slates/companies?  Any feedback pros/cons?

 

Thank you so much in advance.  The stupid thing is once they're up there I'll probably never think about it again after the first few weeks so as long as they keep me dry should I really be stressing about it this much?!!

[Russell griffiths]

Over thinking

buy them, install them, onto the next problem

we had loads of solar panels put up, the day they went up I hated them, worst thing I had done to the house, now I don’t even notice they are there. 

[Stable3]

My husband is going to love this response (it’s what he said) - I think you're both right BUT do I just go cheapest or middle of the road?

 

This conversion process is tough for someone who cannot make decisions for fear of doing the wrong thing! 

[joe90]

  On 10/11/2024 at 21:31, Russell griffiths said:

Over thinking

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  On 10/11/2024 at 21:31, Russell griffiths said:

don’t even notice they are there. 

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Just pick one, you won’t notice the difference (I used Spanish slate and turned out good stuff) crack on to the next decision 👍

[Thorfun]

We agonised for ages over the same dilemma. Then I realised that after I sprayed water on the various shades of different slate samples they all looked exactly the same. 
 

ended up going for the cheapest option we had. I’m sure I wrote a blog and a few posts about our slate journey. A quick search will find them but I came to the same conclusion as the others above. 

[Jilly]

Self building messes with your head!

 

[Stable3]

Thanks for the replies I’ll try and find your blog Thorfun.

 

it sure does Jilly and tbh mine was pretty messy before I started! 😂 

 

I’ll take your advice and just go with the cheapest (of the shortlist).

 

Blimey that was helpful, turns out I just need someone other than my husband to tell me to get a grip! I may be posting a lot. Windows next! 

[G and J]

  On 10/11/2024 at 23:15, Stable3 said:

Blimey that was helpful, turns out I just need someone other than my husband to tell me to get a grip! I may be posting a lot.

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I’m a dyed in the wool DIYer in that  I tell myself to get a grip regularly.  I post lots of daft questions too, but also I learn tons by reading the answers to other peeps’ daft questions.  So fire away. 

[Iceverge]

With everything in life start at the cheapest and work your way up until you get to an acceptable level of quality. 

 

If you've handballed the slates and they appear exactly the same just pick the cheapest one.

 

We opted for slightly fancier textured fiber cement slates over plain jane ones.  It was only €150 extra for the roof. 

 

Shouldn't have bothered.

[Jilly]

@Stable3 I’ve done a stable conversion with a messy head too! Looking back, there were loads of times where I’d had too much to think (had to plagiarise that great line). 

It can help to write pros and cons lists for each worry,  sometimes the answer will present itself easily. 
This forum was amazing and saved a lot of time and money. 
For windows, I went with a local firm for a triple glazed aluminium option: the frames aren’t perfect thermally, but the customer service was good, they came on site to measure up, advise and hand hold. The lead time from the slinky extra expensive ones was long and I didn’t want to get things wrong with the measuring and selection etc. 

Prioritise sleep hygiene. 

[Conor]

We've the Del Carmen and love them. Went through loads of samples.

 

We paid £1.50 ex vat for ours, albeit three years ago, from local builders merchant.

 

 

Edited November 11, 2024 by Conor

[Russell griffiths]

  On 10/11/2024 at 23:15, Stable3 said:

Thanks for the replies I’ll try and find your blog Thorfun.

 

it sure does Jilly and tbh mine was pretty messy before I started! 😂 

 

I’ll take your advice and just go with the cheapest (of the shortlist).

 

Blimey that was helpful, turns out I just need someone other than my husband to tell me to get a grip! I may be posting a lot. Windows next! 

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With windows you want quality, with your location go and look at norrsken, they have a new showroom just opening in Bournemouth. 

[SteamyTea]

Have you thought about putting integrated PV on your roof.

That way you will only have a few tiles to fit around the edges, on the sunnier side.

Will get some electricity as well.

[Stable3]

G and J - I’m learning tons - this is a brilliant forum! 
 

Jilly - I’m pinching that (Too much to think!) Love it. Might have to have it on my headstone no-ones ever accused me of under thinking. Do you have any pics of your conversion. Ours is very small (98 sq metres.)

 

Conor your roof looks great I really like them, are they the Del Carmen Celta? They’re on my list at £2.25 + vat

 

Russell we’ve been to Norrsken, had a nice lunch at Rick Steins while we were down there! It’s definitely a toss up between them and Rationel at the moment but contrary to what most people want nowadays I’m after a chunkier more traditional frame and Norrsken’s look more modern. Some friends have just used them and the only thing they don’t like are the handles - which oddly do look a bit cheap? I can’t praise them highly enough for customer service though. 
 

Steamy Tea - we definitely are considering solar and battery storage. We don’t have space for heat pump gubbins so are looking at a Zeb boiler and Sunamp water heater at the moment as options. 

[G and J]

  On 11/11/2024 at 22:25, Stable3 said:

We don’t have space for heat pump gubbins

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Sticking my oar in uninvited (I may know 3/8ths of very little but I don’t let that stop me) but if space inside is the limiting issue with an ASHP/cylinder I would contend that ecologically, an ASHP, etc. would be much higher priority than a battery.  Better financially too I believe. 

[SteamyTea]

  On 11/11/2024 at 22:25, Stable3 said:

Sunamp

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Are you sure?

There is a lot of info about SAs on here.

[G and J]

  On 12/11/2024 at 04:03, SteamyTea said:

Are you sure?

There is a lot of info about SAs on here.

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Methinks Sumamp is akin to SIPs.  
 

Great sounding idea, lovely in theory and a compelling sales pitch, but the dreary realities are another matter.  

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/11/2024 at 06:17, G and J said:

Methinks Sumamp is akin to SIPs.  
 

Great sounding idea, lovely in theory and a compelling sales pitch, but the dreary realities are another matter.  

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I think the problem was that when Andrew (used to contribute to this forums predecessor) got a marketing company involved, proper development stopped.

It never really moved from a preproduction to production.

[Stable3]

  On 11/11/2024 at 23:28, G and J said:

Sticking my oar in uninvited (I may know 3/8ths of very little but I don’t let that stop me) but if space inside is the limiting issue with an ASHP/cylinder I would contend that ecologically, an ASHP, etc. would be much higher priority than a battery.  Better financially too I believe. 

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I would prefer an ASHP but space is so tight inside. We were looking at the Tesla power wall or any battery which we could put outside under cover, we have plenty of outside spaceI

 

The Zeb seemed like a good solution for the size of the house but all this is still open to discussion, no orders placed yet.

 

I would prefer not to have the solar on the roof - just aesthetically- we have a pitched roof on the stables side which is 84 sq m and a low pitch (10 degrees) extension roof 60 sq m. I think we’ll use the standing seam roof on the extension. 

 

I was thinking of fencing off an area of the field to put solar panels in but we haven’t really done too much research on that yet.

 

  On 12/11/2024 at 04:03, SteamyTea said:

Are you sure?

There is a lot of info about SAs on here.

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Oh dear this doesn’t sound good…..definitely not a decision made just an option we were told about by a Zeb supplier as a space saving alternative to a hot water tank. Will do some more reading, I did a bit of googling initially and couldn’t find much. 
 

Need to get the slates ordered so I can move my attention to the next thing!

[SteamyTea]

  On 12/11/2024 at 07:52, Stable3 said:

Need to get the slates ordered so I can move my attention to the next thing

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Buy the cheapest ones you like the look of. Even the soft delabole slates down here last a few hundred years.

But have a look at the integrated PV, it may work out cheaper than slating.

[Roundtuit]

Whatever you choose, I'd make sure they're A1-S1-T1 rated, and don't underestimate the competence of the roofer in ensuring longevity.  I spent ages comparing colour, price, quality and availability and I'm pi$$ed-off at having 2 or 3 fail every year/18 months since install (5 years ago).  No idea what the problem is, but at least the roofers are honouring the 10 Yr guarantee  albeit in slow time...

[LnP]

What are the pros and cons of natural slate vs artificial?

[Iceverge]

  On 12/11/2024 at 07:52, Stable3 said:

would prefer an ASHP but space is so tight inside.

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A monoblock ASHP outside and a 300 l cylinder inside? 

 

 

 

[Conor]

  On 11/11/2024 at 22:25, Stable3 said:

G and J - I’m learning tons - this is a brilliant forum! 
 

Jilly - I’m pinching that (Too much to think!) Love it. Might have to have it on my headstone no-ones ever accused me of under thinking. Do you have any pics of your conversion. Ours is very small (98 sq metres.)

 

Conor your roof looks great I really like them, are they the Del Carmen Celta? They’re on my list at £2.25 + vat

 

Russell we’ve been to Norrsken, had a nice lunch at Rick Steins while we were down there! It’s definitely a toss up between them and Rationel at the moment but contrary to what most people want nowadays I’m after a chunkier more traditional frame and Norrsken’s look more modern. Some friends have just used them and the only thing they don’t like are the handles - which oddly do look a bit cheap? I can’t praise them highly enough for customer service though. 
 

Steamy Tea - we definitely are considering solar and battery storage. We don’t have space for heat pump gubbins so are looking at a Zeb boiler and Sunamp water heater at the moment as options. 

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Ours are del Carmen prime.

[Stable3]

  On 12/11/2024 at 22:48, LnP said:

What are the pros and cons of natural slate vs artificial?

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For me it’s just aesthetics. I prefer the natural look rather than looking too sleek and perfect! 

 

  On 13/11/2024 at 04:39, Iceverge said:

 

A monoblock ASHP outside and a 300 l cylinder inside? 

 

 

 

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Definitely all up for discussion still. My husband seems to be worried about not being able to have a quick boost of heat if needed, but we’ll have a log burner and it’ll be very well insulated! Plus it’s the size of your average Wendy house so……. 😂