PREFA aluminium is one of the metals we fit most. It’s light, it won’t rust and it comes in a wide range of factory colours. The Specialist Roofing Company is a family-run metal roofing business, trading since 2007 and based in Old Windsor. We’re approved PREFA installers, and we’re also approved for VMZINC and RHEINZINK zinc. That means we can give you a straight comparison between aluminium and zinc for your building, rather than selling you the one product we happen to fit.

We install PREFA roofing, cladding and rainwater systems for homeowners, architects and builders across Windsor, Berkshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and London. All work is carried out by our own team and comes with our 20-year guarantee.

Call 01753 867288 or send us your drawings for a quote.

What is PREFA?

PREFA is an Austrian manufacturer of aluminium roof, façade and rainwater systems. Its products are made in Austria and Germany, and the company has been making aluminium roofing for more than 75 years. The aluminium is coil-coated in the factory, so it arrives in its finished colour and doesn’t need painting. PREFA describes its roof systems as weighing roughly 2.3–2.75 kg/m², a small fraction of the weight of concrete or clay tiles.

PREFA designs the roof, the gutters, the cladding and the accessories as one system. On a PREFA job, the colours, profiles and fixings are made to work together rather than being sourced from three different suppliers.

The PREFA range

Which PREFA product suits your roof depends mainly on the pitch, the look you want and whether walls and gutters are part of the job. These are the main families. The minimum pitches are PREFA’s published figures, and we always check the current PREFA guidance for your roof.

  • PREFALZ standing seam. Long aluminium trays joined with folded seams, with no exposed fixings. It can be laid from a pitch of about 3°, and it bends well around curves, barrel roofs and dormers. This is the aluminium version of our standing seam roofing.
  • PREFA roof tiles. Small-format aluminium tiles for pitched roofs: the classic PREFA roof tile (from about 12°) and the more modern R.16 tile (from about 17°). They’re popular for re-roofing where the existing timbers shouldn’t carry heavy tiles.
  • PREFA roof shingles. Diamond-shaped shingles (from about 25°) and the larger DS.19 shingle (from about 17°). They suit traditional roof shapes, turrets and dormers.
  • Rhomboid tiles and FX.12 panels. Bolder, more architectural patterns for roofs and walls, with a scaled look or a faceted look.
  • PREFA façade cladding. Siding, panels and façade versions of the shingles and rhomboids for walls, extensions, dormer cheeks and bays.
  • PREFA rainwater systems. Aluminium gutters, box gutters and downpipes in colours that match the roof.

Not sure which you need? Send us photos or drawings and we’ll tell you what will work at your pitch.

Why choose aluminium?

  • It’s light. Aluminium is far lighter than concrete or clay tiles, and lighter than most other roofing metals. That helps on extensions, older roof structures, garden buildings and re-roofing projects where adding weight would mean strengthening the timbers.
  • It won’t rust. Aluminium forms its own protective oxide layer, and PREFA’s coating protects the colour.
  • Colour choice. Zinc and copper weather naturally, while PREFA aluminium keeps its factory colour. You can choose anthracite, greys, browns, reds and greens, which is useful when you want a metal roof to match windows, render or a planning condition.
  • Low maintenance. There’s no painting, and the roof only needs routine checks and gutter clearing.
  • Recyclable. Aluminium can be recycled again and again at the end of its life.

If you’d prefer the natural, weathered look of metal, zinc may suit you better. Our page on zinc roofing in Berkshire, Surrey and London explains the options, and our materials guide compares the metals.

Getting the details right

PREFA performs best when it’s installed exactly as the system is designed. These are the three things we pay most attention to.

  1. The build-up underneath. PREFA recommends a ventilated substructure under its roofs, so occasional condensation can dry out. We agree the deck, separating layer, insulation and ventilation with you or your designer before we order any material. The same principles are covered in our article on why ventilation matters beneath standing seam roofs.
  2. Keeping aluminium away from the wrong metals. Aluminium can corrode where it touches copper or other more noble metals in the wet, or where run-off from them washes over it. We check every detail as a complete assembly. Read avoiding contact corrosion in PREFA aluminium roofing and cladding.
  3. Movement. Aluminium expands and contracts with temperature, so clips, seams and junctions must let it move. See why standing seam roofs need movement allowance and detailing rooflights in standing seam roofs.

Where we install PREFA

We’re in Old Windsor, so most PREFA jobs are within about 50 miles of our base. That covers:

  • Berkshire: Windsor, Old Windsor, Eton, Datchet, Ascot, Sunningdale, Maidenhead, Bracknell, Wokingham, Reading and Newbury
  • Surrey: Egham, Virginia Water, Staines, Weybridge, Walton, Woking and Guildford
  • London: especially West and South West London, including Richmond, Twickenham, Kingston, Chiswick and Ealing
  • Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire: Slough, Beaconsfield, Marlow, Henley and Oxford

If you’re not sure whether you’re in our area, ask.

Our guarantee and approvals

  • 20-year guarantee on our PREFA installations
  • Approved PREFA installer, and approved for VMZINC and RHEINZINK
  • Family-run since 2007, with all work done by our own team

PREFA also offers its own material and colour guarantee on its products, which is separate from ours. We’ll explain the current terms for the products on your job.

PREFA aluminium roofing FAQs

Is PREFA aluminium roofing noisy in the rain?

Not when it’s laid on a proper deck and insulated build-up. PREFA’s small-format products also use noise-reducing strips. Most people find a well-built aluminium roof no noisier than a tiled one.

Can PREFA be used on a low-pitch roof?

Yes. PREFALZ standing seam can be laid from about 3°. Tiles and shingles need steeper pitches, from roughly 12° to 25° depending on the product. We check your pitch against PREFA’s current guidance before quoting.

Is aluminium better than zinc?

Neither is better in every case. Aluminium is lighter and comes in fixed factory colours. Zinc develops a natural patina and is often preferred on period buildings. As approved installers for PREFA, VMZINC and RHEINZINK, we’ll recommend whichever suits your building, budget and planning setting.

Can a PREFA roof replace my heavy concrete tiles?

Often, yes. Because aluminium is so light, it can be a good choice where the existing timbers shouldn’t carry more weight. We survey the roof and deck first, and we’ll tell you if any repairs are needed.

How much does a PREFA roof cost?

It depends on the product, the roof area, the pitch, access and the build-up. We give a fixed written quote after a site visit or from your drawings.

Get a PREFA quote

Call 01753 867288, email info@thespecialistroofingcompany.co.uk or send us your drawings. We’ll talk you through the PREFA options for your roof and give you a clear written quote.