> Source: https://www.tudorrooftiles.co.uk/journal/restoration-after-devastating-fire/

5 November 2020

# Restoration after devastating fire

Firs House is a spectacular Grade II listed property in Worcestershire.

Disaster struck in the middle of one night in November 2006, when a devastating fire ravaged the building upper floor and roof. In 2007, the major task of structural repair and rebuild began.

Local building company, Brothwell & Miles was appointed to undertake the painstaking structural repair and reconstruction aiming to recreate as much as possible of the original appearance, whilst bringing the roof members up to modern building standards.

“we took a sensitive but pragmatic approach to the overall conservation, replicating the original style and features where we could, but also introducing modern structural materials where necessary,” said Alex Matthews, partner at Nick Joyce Architects.

The constructing of the replacement roof included replacement timber structure, a modern breathable membrane, and the original tiles being replaced by 6,000 traditional handmade plain clay tiles from Tudor Roof Tile Co Ltd.

Manufactured in ‘Medium Antique’, their gently uneven shapes gave an instantly aged and ‘olde world’ appearance that closely reproduced the mellow tone and texture of the originals, in a way that machine-made tiles could not have done. Their gentle double camber also offered added ventilation to the roof space.

“The choice of roof tiles was an important part of restoring the external appearance and character of the building. We wanted to use traditionally made plain tiles with a weathered look that would immediately blend in with the historic appearance of the building and be acceptable to the local authority planning officers", said Alex Matthews, partner at Nick Joyce Architects.

As the pitch of the gablet roofs was much the same as the roof of the main range, it was possible to use Tudor’s purpose-made tiles for swept valleys. This is another feature, which helps to give an aged, traditional appearance to the house, which would not have been the case with lead lined valleys.

For house owner Penny and her family, rebuilding Firs House was a challenging but immensely rewarding experience.

“To say it was a labour of love is an understatement. Completing this massive restoration has been a remarkable achievement, largely down to the expertise of our architect and the hard work and support of the contractors and manufacturers involved, particularly Tudor Roof Tiles.”

Contact Tudor' office and talk to us on 01797 320202, or telephone Tudor's area Managers direct

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