Pros and Cons of Metal Roof?

princeofpounds

Well I thought I'd seen most things, but a corrugated iron roof on a 3 bed house? That's a good candidate for the 'Take a look at this' thread.

Not that uncommon in Wales actually. Or the Australian outback for that matter.

MissBailey

Huge thanks again for replies, particularly WestonDave and Owain Moneysaver

I think we're probably better off taking it off our list and continuing to look for something more standard. It's very helpful to know this before we go and see it, I'll cancel the viewing.

Thanks

ed110220

MissBailey wrote: »

Huge thanks again for replies, particularly WestonDave and Owain Moneysaver

I think we're probably better off taking it off our list and continuing to look for something more standard. It's very helpful to know this before we go and see it, I'll cancel the viewing.

Thanks

That's definitely a British Iron and Steel Federation (BISF) house, though it's been clad in new insulated render and the roof covering is probably a replacement.

I live in one and I would say (with no disrespect to other posters), only take advice from people who actually live in or work with BISF houses as most other opinions are ill informed.

You should not have a problem obtaining a mortgage for it provided you speak to someone who knows what they're dealing with - I spoke to the head surveyer for Halifax in the area. The main problem you'll face is ignorance in my opinion.

As for steel roofs, I don't see any particular disadvantage. Mine is original asbestos sheeting which limited mortgage lenders.

You can hear the rain on it a little if it rains very hard, but I like the sound!

The reason BISF houses stopped being built is that they were more expensive to build than traditional houses which at the time was accepted because they were quicker to build. When things returned to normal, that advantage wasn't so important. However, remember steel frame construction is only unusual for houses - everything from supermarkets to skyscrapers is often built in essentially the same way so it's by no means a rare or untested way of building.

AlexMac

Yes, it looks like metal, which I've not seen, but given that the this is ex-council and whole long street is in identical construction style (look at streetview), why not give the Cardiff council housing officers a bell and ask if one of their technical officer is prepared to comment about whether they plan to renew the roofs on the ones they still own?

Strapped

If it's ex-council though, check for any "local residency" restrictions on buying (eg must have been resident in the county for 3 years is the Devon one).

ed110220

AlexMac wrote: »

Yes, it looks like metal, which I've not seen, but given that the this is ex-council and whole long street is in identical construction style (look at streetview), why not give the Cardiff council housing officers a bell and ask if one of their technical officer is prepared to comment about whether they plan to renew the roofs on the ones they still own?

Good idea. This just reminds me that it is more usual for the replacement roofing to have an imitation tile effect, but still be steel such as this from Metrotile:

Anthing thing I should have said, is as the house has external wall insulation, it's likely to be MUCH more energy efficient than anything apart from a newly built home - certainly much better than anything traditionally built of a similar age (1940s).