Pros and cons with all-in-one insulated roofing panels

Hi brains trust,

Just wondering if anyone might be able to chime in about Bondor's or ARCPanel's all in one insulated roofing panels.

We've received indicative costing for our new build, and now have to find ways to significantly trim costs.

I'm not sure how much saving is possible, but logically using such panels could save on trusses, and labour involved in constructing a multi layered traditional metal roof.

When I mentioned it to my builder, he flatly refused such an idea, saying that when the Colorbond sheets start to corrode, we'll have to take off the entire roof to replace it... I don't see it being such a big problem. After all, it's going to take years, and replacement will be a planned thing and can be organised efficiently and quickly.

Have I forgotten to consider other major potential problems?

Kevin

Builders are always conservative.

Give a call to ARCPanel guys and ask them to provide contact details of the owners who installed many years ago. Then call owners and talk to them.

Hi Supa007.
We have had our Bondor roof for 12 months now.

We have a 3deg roof and the underside of our roof forms our ceiling, we went for the shiplap finnish as we felt it hides the joints a little better, and it does, plus we quite like the look.

As solarspan can span around 6mtrs in the 200 thick that we went for, we only needed to put in one beam (we actually put in more as that was the look we wanted)

As far as it rusting out and having to replace the whole thing. I won't go into how often your roofing may need replacing. But how about screwing down battens and putting a new roof right on top and fit flashing to suit, that would give you a double skin roof. The point i am trying to show is that there are probarly other options if that time comes in your ownership.

Having the underside of the solarspan forming our ceiling certinally cut down on time and costs of sheet rock fitting, flushing and painting and possibly repainting in years to come. Not to mention the material and labour to construct a "normal" roof.

Our roof is cyclone rated.

The team of 4 that we employed to install the roof (plus a crane) arrived on site at 7.30am and were finnished (including the flashings and gutters) by 5.30pm just in time for its first ran catchment.

We did not require to employ a sparky to run cables within the roof as we did not want down lighting, and the beams we put in allowed usto run wires external of the ceiling for any fans and other lighting.

There is a hiss of sound when it rains, quite pleasent really and when we had hail it was noiseier but not unpleasent.

As our house is well sealed air tightness wise, we are an icf construction, you would think that would be inducecive to condensation, but we have had none, not even in the ensuite or bath room, i like to think it is due to good venting design, it comes on automaticly when required.

I would suggest with any roof you choose to have a light colour, we have classic cream roof with manor red flashing, it looksgood as a contrast. However when up on the roof on a reasonably warm day i noticed that the roof was only warm to the touch but you could not keep your hand on the flashing for too long. That surly would make a difference too your cooling costs, essential as we are off grid.

Down sides, well i think that the flashing design does not have enough rigidity designed into it, we had to squirt expanding foam into the space between flashing and roof edge to stop it bonging when a hard wind blows, i think if you were in a built up area, this would not be a problem.

I belive that a lot of biulders are against products like bondor solarspan and icf as it reduces their chargable hours.
When a modest three bed house can be assembled in three weeks including windows roof and external doors in under 4 weeks (i have seen it done in just under 3 weeks) but not including render and internal fitout. Why wouldnt they be worried and against it.
Oh plus a week waiting for the concrete to harden off to the engineers satisfaction. I would think you could asssemble the icf, but not pour the concrete as there is no weight in it.
But that is only my opinion.

My figures showed that it was far more economical, practical, time saving and long term money saving to install a solarspan type roof. I am am now in the process of confirming that with time testing. I know our house is cooler and warmer because of it.

Do i sound sold? YES!
Kezza

I have a bad experience with Bondor. I had 2 packs delivered to my home & was not ready to use them. Left them in delivered packs. When I opened them, the straps had damaged the top panel & because I didn't report the problem, they won't honour their responsibility. Only small amount to them but after paying $12k for the roofing, I am not happy & willing to tell everybody what a nasty company they are. Look at other companies. Aussi Corro - Aussi Panels is one. I am in Victoria & never dealt with Bondor. Only through Metroll who were as helpful as they could be.