Modular School Buildings Converted To Pitched Roofs With Metrotile System.

When Derbybeech Construction completed new modular classroom buildings at St Paul’s Catholic School, Milton Keynes, the next challenge was ensuring the extension complemented the surrounding school buildings.

Rather than leaving the new structures with their standard flat roof finish, Sean Carney of Sean Works Ltd was appointed to install a complete flat-to-pitch roof conversion, creating a traditional pitched roof over the modular buildings using the lightweight steel Metrotile roofing system.

The finished result delivers the appearance of a conventional tiled roof while overcoming the structural challenges often associated with modular construction.

Combining Modular Builds With Flat-To-Pitch Conversions

Derbybeech regularly manufacture and install modular buildings for schools, hospitals and commercial developments. In many cases these buildings retain their factory-finished flat roofs, but where planning requirements or aesthetics demand a different approach, an additional pitched roof can be constructed over the top.

For St Paul’s Catholic School, Sean Works Ltd fabricated and installed a new roof structure above the completed modular buildings before finishing it with Metrotile Roman in a bespoke Brindle colour.

Using lightweight steel roof tiles allowed the new pitched roof to be supported without placing excessive load on the modular buildings below, while giving the extension a roof that sits naturally alongside the rest of the school campus.

Lightweight Roofing Makes the Difference

Adding a pitched roof above an existing structure requires careful consideration of weight.

Traditional concrete or clay tiles would have significantly increased the loading on both the new roof frame and the modular buildings beneath. By contrast, Metrotile’s lightweight steel roofing system provides the appearance of traditional roof tiles while weighing only a fraction of conventional materials.

This made it the ideal solution for creating the new pitched roof without compromising the underlying structure.

The client selected the Roman profile in Brindle to match the character of the surrounding buildings, with Metrotile’s broad range of available profile and colour combinations enabling a variety of choice for the client to match the aesthetic they required.

Efficient Installation on a Restricted School Site

The lightweight nature of the system also provided significant installation benefits.

The entire roof package including tiles, accessories and fixings was delivered on just three pallets. This helped maintain safe working access throughout the project, something that would have been considerably more difficult with heavier traditional roofing materials.

Sean completed the 1230m2 installation of the wall plates, roof frame, fascias, soffits, guttering and Metrotile roof over a four-week programme, with just two operatives for the first week before continuing largely as a single installer. The ease of installation of a lightweight steel roof system is a key factor in the decision making of specifiers when looking to select products to help keep project construction timelines on schedule.

Why Metrotile?

Having completed numerous lightweight roofing projects, Sean Carney continues to choose Metrotile for its practical installation advantages.

“The advantages of using Metrotile are multifaceted. Lower scaffold costs, cheaper crane costs and very quick installation all make a real difference. The tiles are clean and easy to cut without water or additional PPE, while the reduced cutting noise is a major benefit on occupied sites like schools. The compact deliveries also make working safely on scaffold much easier.”

Sean Carney, Sean Works Ltd

Do you have a roofing project for which Metrotile’s lightweight steel roof tiles would be a benefit? Contact us for more information.