A New Solution To The Old Problem

Metrotile have provided a solution that an increasing number of home owners have with shingle products installed in and around the 1980’s. Whilst the original unit’s unique design was complimented by the low, flat profile of shingles the long term performance was questionable. In this instance the owners of three units have approached the solution in two ways. One has decided to re-coat the existing Hardie shingles to extend their weatherproofing and visual appearance whilst the other two have chosen to replace the entire roof with Metrotile Shingles. The centre unit was the first to be re-roofed and the owner of the third unit was so impressed by the result he elected to use the same Metrotile Shingle. This made good sense and enhanced the overall visual appeal of the collective group of units.

The original roof was showing serious delamination which did not reflect the well maintained  appearance of the units and the owner was no longer confident that it would remain watertight in the near future.

Several factors influence the decision to use Metrotile Shingles the first being they had to compliment the original design with the low profile. The Metrotile Shingles have a natural stone textured finish that also had an appeal as the glare from the original shingles was a problem and one which is often overlooked. Many roofs reflect light which can have an adverse effect on neighbouring homes in the area.

Maintenance and longevity was also a priority and a concern for those who are not able to crawl around the roof cleaning and maintaining it. The Metrotile 50 year pro-rata Weather Proof warranty and 20 year pro-rata Surface Coating Warranty was an added bonus which helped to validate the owner’s decision. “I understand Metrotile have a very solid history and they stand by their product. To be honest I expect this from any NZ manufacturer,” says the owner. 

Left: The original Hardie Shingles that were stripped from the roof.
Centre: The original Hardie Shingles that have been recoated.
Right :the New Metrotile Shingle roof.

Whilst not needing to collect potable water from the roof the Homeowner was interested to hear that potable water could be collected from the Metrotile Shingle roof, which is not the case with all light weight shingle substrates, some of which include or have historically included bitumen and asbestos in the manufacturing process. There is an increasing environmental awareness of harvesting water rather than wasting it and in many instances having the choice is important to home owners.

The Metrotile Shingle profile is unique in the market and the lowest profile pressed metal shingle available. To match the neighbours roof clearly meant dealing with one of Metrotile’s certified distributors and being a sensible Kiwi the owner obtained 3 quotes before settling on Roof Improvements to undertake the task of stripping and re cladding the roof.

Roof Improvements are an independent specialist roofing company who are based in Takanini and service the Greater Auckland market with longrun and metal tiles. They have been in business for over ten years, with the owner and many of the staff having over 25 years experience in roofing.

“These boys have done a great job and I am very happy with the result. There was little disruption, they cleaned up and the entire job was done in 3 days. I questioned one flashing and it was rectified immediately with no fuss or argument. A great team I am happy to recommend to anyone. “says the owner.

The stripping and re-roof on this project presented no structural issues as the ply base, that the Harvey Shingles were attached to, was in good condition. Building paper was laid and the Metrotile Shingles were screwed directly onto the ply. The finished result looks stunning and as on many new and existing projects throughout the country the unique Metrotile Shingle gives the low flat profile that so many home owners and designers strive to achieve. The benefits; low maintenance, looks great, a range of natural colours, excellent warranty, lightweight building specification, tested in extremes of weather, approved in coastal environments and a company that stands by it’s products.