When it comes to domestic pitched roofing work, most builders and roofers tend to buy the elements separately, often using a mixture of products from different manufacturers. Yet, now with a more stringent British Standard, roof fixing and workmanship are coming under greater scrutiny.  This means there is much greater incentive to use a full pitched roof system from a single source – not least because of the lengthy guarantees they can offer. A comprehensive roof system should include battens, underlay, roof covering, dry fix, ventilation and fixings and there are many benefits to getting all of these key roofing elements from one manufacturer:

-Quality differences – while the introduction of a new Dry Fix Standard has helped to set minimum performance criteria for Dry Fix systems, there are still significant differences between products.  Using a roof system from Marley Eternit means you are guaranteed high quality, durable systems that exceed the BS 8612 requirements.

-Compliance with standards - using a full roof system from a single supplier ensures compliance with both BS 5534 and BS 8612.  

-Integrated performance - products are designed and tested to ensure they work together as a complete system.

-Access to technical tools and support - being able to access technical advice and support for the entire system through one supplier, makes it much easier than trying to access the same information through lots of suppliers for numerous parts.  This helps to save time and effort.

-Reducing risk and protecting reputation - offering a highly engineered quality system with a guarantee helps to protect your reputation and reduce the cost of call backs.  So many elements offered by one supplier, gives levels of accountability and integration that reduce your installation liability.

-Warranty – lengthy warranties are the main reason roof systems are becoming so popular and can save a lot of time and cost for roofers when it comes to call backs.  For example, if you use every element of a Marley Eternit roof system, then you can access a 15-year system guarantee. While pitched roof systems have been available for a number of years, generally speaking they have all offered the same number of roofing products. However, some of the latest versions are far more comprehensive and include more critical roofing elements.

For instance, it is now possible to buy a full roof system from Marley Eternit that includes:

-JB Red Battens - fully pre-graded, NHBC approved, BS 5534 compliant roofing battens

-Universal Underlays - easy to fit, fully taped vapour-permeable or non-breathable underlay systems. Zones 1-5 compatible and BS 5534 compliant

-Roof covering - a wide range of roof coverings including our easy-to-fix clay interlocking tiles, Lincoln, Maxima and Melodie, and our popular Edgemere thin leading edge slate-effect interlocking tile

-Dry fix, ventilation and fixings - mechanical fixing kits, as well as fast mortar-free, dry fix and ventilation systems, including the new Lead Replacement Roll, Dry Verge and Batten End Clip

-Support - bespoke fixing specifications, a single contact for technical advice, as well as free easy-to-use apps and online tools

While it may be tempting to buy a variety of roofing products from different suppliers to try and keep costs down, they may not necessarily be designed and tested to work together in the same way as a single-source system. Although it may not always be the cheapest option, the benefits of using a single source roof system, particularly the associated warranty, can deliver far more value in the long term. For more information or advice about roof systems, speak to your local MKM stockist.