Russell Roof Tiles supplies 1,400 Bute3 tiles for DIY SOS build in Freckleton

Russell Roof Tiles has supplied 1,400 of its new Bute3 concrete roof tiles and fittings free of charge for a BBC DIY SOS build in Freckleton, Preston, after the roofing contractor's original supplier pulled out at the last minute.

The manufacturer said it was approached by the programme to supply tiles for a new roof and stepped in to help S Whelan Roofing and Building Ltd meet the build deadline. The property went from a two-bedroom bungalow to a four-bedroom home in eight days, according to the company.

The build was for a family bringing their teenage son Daniel home after nearly three years in hospital following brain surgery, Russell Roof Tiles said.

Shaun Whelan of S Whelan Roofing and Building Ltd said the contractor had been told it would be the first to use the tile and was initially apprehensive. "We actually found the Bute3® tile system easy and very quick to install," he said.

The product

Russell Roof Tiles describes Bute3 as a tile that combines three traditional plain tiles with a standard interlocking roof tile format. The company said it installs 33% faster than other small-format, thinner leading-edge products, which it said allowed the team to finish within the eight-day period despite the earlier complications.

Gordon McKinnon, Sales Executive in the North West at Russell Roof Tiles, said: "When the contractor informed us of the tight deadline, we knew that Bute3® would be the perfect choice."

McKinnon also thanked North West Roofing Supplies, which the company said supplied roofing batten to the project free of charge.

Product data published by Russell Roof Tiles gives Bute3 a coverage of 10.9 tiles per square metre at a 75mm headlap. The tile is manufactured in accordance with BS EN 490 on a new production line at a newly built facility in Burton-on-Trent.

The roof was designed and installed to the manufacturer's specification, which the company said means it is covered by its 15-year RussSpec guarantee. According to Russell Roof Tiles, RussSpec is a specification service aimed at architects and specifiers who need detailed roofing clauses, and the guarantee applies only to roofs designed and installed in accordance with it.

Background

Bute3 came out of a five-year design and development process, according to Russell Roof Tiles. Mark Parsons, Technical Director, said the tile evolved from discussions that followed the launch of the company's Galloway roof tile.

The company said it has invested more than £20m in transforming its operations, and describes Bute3 as the first concrete roof tile of its kind to be manufactured at scale in the UK. Andrew Hayward, Managing Director, said the investment gave the business the capability to make the tile at scale. The firm employs about 160 staff across three sites in Burton on Trent and Lochmaben.

Bute3 won Roofing Solution of the Year at the 2026 Showhome Readers' Awards, which the company said was its first industry award for the product.

The release describes Russell Roof Tiles as a leading independent UK manufacturer. The company's own website names Crown Roof Tiles Group, of the USA and Mexico, as its parent company.

Ainscough Crane Hire, which also worked on the Freckleton build, said the project was led by presenter Nick Knowles and designer Gaby Blackman and brought together volunteers, tradespeople and local businesses from across the North West. Ainscough supplied a Liebherr 50t hybrid city crane that was used throughout the build, including to install the roof trusses.

The contractor

The release says S Whelan Roofing and Building Ltd is based in North West England and has more than 25 years' experience in the roofing industry. Companies House registers the company as S Whelan Roofing & Building Ltd, number 15026633, incorporated on 25 July 2023, with a registered office in Rishton, Blackburn. Its registered activities are construction of domestic buildings and roofing.

DIY SOS launched in 1999, according to the release. Ainscough said in September 2025 that the episode would air on BBC One later that year; the Russell Roof Tiles announcement of 14 October 2026 does not give a broadcast date.