Refurbishing the roofs of old and historic buildings can be a real challenge for builders - particularly when the original peg tiles and rafters need to be replaced and the protection of an endangered species is also involved!
Such a challenge was recently encountered during the refurbishment of Bethersden Primary School Kent
The roof of this hundred year old building, which still had its original peg tiles, had fallen into a state of disrepair over the years and, being in a conservation area, only ‘like for like’ replacement peg tiles could be used.
Tudor supplied 28,000 new hand made peg tiles, with traditional square peg holes, in a mix of 70% medium antique and 30% dark antique, to give an ‘olde world’, time weathered appearance.
As the historic school was also a possible roosting site for pipistrelle and brown long-eared bats, great care had to be taken not to disturb the bats’ habitat. Tudor provided easy entry into the roof space through innovative ‘bat access tiles’ located in the roof and ridge.
Which goes to show, with high quality workmanship, use of sympathetic materials, and a careful approach to conservation in accordance with the EPS license, bats and replacing peg tiles in old roofs need not be insurmountable!
