The new cast iron effect rainwater system from Kayflow has been used to complete a bespoke timber frame property created by self builders, Barrie and Jan Lane. The installation included Half Round gutter and down pipes with bespoke ‘cast look’ components. Sitting just outside the historical cathedral city of Hereford, the four-bed property is a lavish example of how PVC-U products can work harmoniously with timber to create a sympathetic yet practical home.
Barrie Lane is co-owner of Taylor Lane Timber Frame Ltd one of the country’s leading timber-frame specialists; a supplier of high quality kits to self builders, large developers, housing associations and the commercial sector. After running the business for over 30 years, and having watched many of his clients successfully complete their own projects, October 2012 saw Barrie and his wife Jan finally embark on their very own self build journey.
“This has been a project filled with moments of excitement and a real sense of satisfaction,” comments self-builder, Barrie Lane. “For me personally, I found the structural part of the project to be the easiest, I guess due to my background. Towards the end when sorting out the finishes and the details it all got a little harder and more stressful, as I was constantly aware that these would be on display and would have a significant effect on the end result.”
Throughout the build Barrie was able to draw on his experience and vast product knowledge to ensure that they specified the most appropriate and fit-for-purpose materials. “I knew of the cast iron effect range through my work at Taylor Lane, and was happy with the look, feel and quality of it. I chose to use a PVC-U alternative rather than genuine cast iron because from a distance at least, it’s not easy to see the difference and they’re also a fraction of the price.”
The long lasting, light weight PVC-U system from Kayflow combines the look of traditional cast iron with the benefits of modern materials - ease of installation and paint-free maintenance.
Giving his thoughts on the overall effect and performance of the rainwater system, Barrie continued: “I am very pleased with both! There is none of the shine associated with standard PVC-U and the appearance is far more in keeping with the high standard that we wanted to achieve across the property. We opted for hand-made oak fascias, soffits and window frames as well as fairly expensive tiles, so it was very important to us that the rainwater system was complementary in both quality and finish, and the Kayflow one does just that.”
As the owner of a timber frame company Barrie is not adverse to the use of PVC-U, “While we decided to use oak for the cladding, frames and fascias on this particular build I would not discount the use of PVC-U on future projects. It certainly does have its place and some of the wood effect finishes are incredibly good.”
