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How we work

Our team has the resources to design and develop bespoke premium handmade roofing products to exact standards. Working closely with all interested parties, care and attention to detail has become the trademark of our heritage work. We frequently work with organisations such as the National Trust and Historic England.

We understand that restoration projects are often subject to strict regulatory constraints and criteria that demand products which are genuinely ‘like for like’, so we collaborate with project teams to make sure that the finished result meets these expectations.

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Our team has the resources to design and develop bespoke premium handmade roofing products to exact standards. Working closely with all interested parties, care and attention to detail has become the trademark of our heritage work. We frequently work with organisations such as the National Trust and Historic England.

We understand that restoration projects are often subject to strict regulatory constraints and criteria that demand products which are genuinely ‘like for like’, so we collaborate with project teams to make sure that the finished result meets these expectations.

Meet the team

christine leadbeater team

Christine Leadbeater

Heritage Sales Manager

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christine leadbeater team
Christine Leadbeater
Heritage Sales Manager

Christine has over 20 years’ experience in the roofing industry and specialises in working on Heritage and high-end projects. She works closely with Royal Palaces, English Heritage, National Trust, Historic England, and Listed Properties Owners Club to name a few. “I love working on projects from conception to completion to ensure the correct product is used on buildings of Historical significance.”

She also presents CPD webinars and seminars on a range of clay roofing topics, both online and in architects offices. Previously she worked for Keymer Tiles (prior to them being purchased by wienerberger) and prior to that she worked for SIG Roofing Supplies in various roles.

nigel dyer team

Nigel Dyer

Heritage Service Manager

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nigel dyer team
Nigel Dyer
Heritage Service Manager

Nigel has been working in the industry for 26 years and heads up our Heritage department which he set up over 20 years ago after identifying a gap in the roofing market. The range of tiles in existence today is vastly different to the range of tiles available over 100 years ago, and he specialises in creating exact replicas for Historical Buildings. “I enjoy working closely with architects and specifiers of contemporary buildings to help them find roofing solutions to problems and collaborate with them to create beautiful bespoke products that help bring their projects to life.” Nigel has a background in computer and mechanical engineering.

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Lucy Clayden

Keymer Heritage Co-ordinator

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lucy clayden team
Lucy Clayden
Keymer Heritage Co-ordinator

Lucy is an integral part our team and helps to keep everyone organised and is full of enthusiasm and ideas. Lucy is incredibly efficient in all aspects of office management and customer support, and calendar management for the team, helps hosts events, follow up enquiries, organise samples, stock enquires, etc. “Since joining the team at Keymer, I have enjoyed all aspects of supporting our small team. I am the team’s coordinator and our customer’s first point of contact, no matter how big or small the enquiry.”

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Ian Martinson

Brand Ambassador

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ian martinson team
Ian Martinson
Brand Ambassador

Ian has been with Keymer for over 30 years as a highly skilled hand maker, crafting our market-leading handmade clay roof tiles. Ian has spent the past 20 years hand making and carving unique products for Heritage and Bespoke roofscapes. He is incredibly talented and has a large following on social media as Keymer’s very own Carver of Clay. “In my career as a master clay carver, I have carved everything from a Beefeater for the Tower of London, to Gargoyles, Dragons, Imps, and have even carved replicas of the Terracotta Army. This is what I love doing and I am thrilled to be the Brand Ambassador for Keymer.”

Technical capabilities

keymer tiles close up how we work

Making sure we meet your expectations

Architects and housebuilders can expect a guarantee of quality, firm prices and an established timing of delivery from Keymer. Depending on requirements, there are many services we can offer to help deliver your vision.

Our services available

  • A full discussion concerning production and design times at the project development stage.
  • A comprehensive site survey to understand the project and site requirements such as planning restrictions, local by-laws and the needs of conservation bodies.
  • An inspection of original roof tile samples as well as product and structural drawings.
  • An assessment of how best to authentically reproduce the tile profile.
  • Production of working models and drawings, resin/wood moulds, castings and mock roof sections.
  • Creation of technical specifications showing recommended batten sizes, gauge, pitch and fixings.
  • An individual fixing specification including full fixing information, together with CAD detail of the product itself.
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Case studies

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Sevenoaks school

Boys Boarding House, Kent

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Dokett Building

Cambridge

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Learn more about our process

Where are our handmaking factories based?

We have two factories where we produce our premium handmade tiles. The first is in Ewhust in Surrey, where the Weald clay is extracted and the second is in Broomfleet in East Yorkshire, which is where the Alluvial clay is extracted.

Do you need special skills to install your tiles or can any roofer do it?

It depends on the project itself. There is a level of skill that is expected when working with handmade tiles. The tiles have to be sorted from two separate pallets, especially when using one colour then carefully mixed when blending two or three colours together. They need closely sorting when installation occurs, as because of their nature; some tiles with be more cambered or twisted than others. As such, it is down to the roofer to rearrange the tiles once the bonding and gauging occurs. Although it may seem quite a simple task, it requires a certain eye and knowledge to view what is developing on a roof.

Is it possible to visit the factory to see handmade Keymer tiles being made?

Yes it is. We usually have three open days where we run CPD and Factory Tour days per year. In addition we also run private tours for architects, heritage and conservation professionals.