Manthorpe Eaves Detailing Adds Finishing Touch to Avant Homes

Customer Profile 

Avant Homes is one of the UKs leading private developers of residential property. Operating in Scotland, the north east of England, Yorkshire and the Midlands, it has five regional offices and employs over 700 people. 

Avant’s vision is to transform the UK housebuilding sector through the constant advancement and innovation of its product, providing homeowners with increasingly better lifestyles, homes and places to live. 

The Challenge 

The customer required a product that created the effect of an open eaves detail, with exposed rafter ends for their Artisan Range (Arts and Crafts) type house detail. 

The design brief was for a product suitable for a 25 degree pitched roof and able to withstand the worst that the weather can throw at them without risk of failure or loss of function. 

The resulting design should provide a secure fixing detail, be easy to fix and should be compatible with a variety of soffit board materials and was expected to perform throughout the lifespan of the property. 

Manthorpe Solution 

By creating a versatile two-part design, installation of the product is possible either from above the soffit board or from below depending on the surrounding structure and installer’s preference.  This is achieved by the product being fixed against the soffit board by a secure mechanical fixing.   

Manufactured from white PVC the product is smooth in appearance with all fixings being hidden from view, making it not only durable and suitable for all weather conditions but also aesthetically pleasing. 

As well as incorporating the excellent weathering properties of uPVC, the product is designed to cut maintenance and eliminate rot, warping and splitting, to deliver a maintenance-free finish. 

Results 

Following successful design reviews with Avant Homes the Rafter Foot has been specified across all Avant new build developments, delivering significant benefits in cost, speed of installation, product quality, and customer satisfaction to the customer. 

Additional Benefits 

• The Rafter Foot is quick and easy to install by one person, using standard hand tools. 

• Overall low maintenance solution to an open eaves detail. 

• Product supplied finished, therefore no requirement to decorate. 

Richard Hall, Group Procurement Controller from Avant Homes said; 

 “From initial concepts to the final product, we have been most impressed by the professionalism, quality and speed in developing a new innovative product.  Manthorpe have the ability, with their latest 3D printer technology, to produce design prototypes overnight so that you can evaluate a working product rather than just design drawings. The Research & Development team at Manthorpe have made constructive suggestions throughout the process; this has resulted in an enhanced product design that creates an excellent finishing touch to Avant Homes.”