Alternative to slate?

Hi
Can anyone recommend a man-made slate like tile that I could use to re-roof to gain more contemporary look? I've been trying to find on the web, but I'm dizzy with different slates from all over the world, but due to cost was hoping there would be a good man-made replica - the ones I've found look more traditional.

Also, about to get quotes to re-roof (for some reason roofers all want to know what tile I want rather than them recommend), not sure of the size but the external walls underneath are 122 sq meters - is there a rule of thumb per sq metre roofing price for doing the work or how many days per sq meter roofing takes?

Can you get lighter version of man-made tile that I could use to put pitch on two dormer windows?

Sorry I'm so vague, I naively thought roofers and renders would come out with sample books etc, but this doesn't seem to be the case.

BTW - do you think I should find a master builder to do roof and render walls rather than try to do it with two independent contractors?

PS: Will be removing old 1960's concrete tiles - anything to be aware of with this?

Thanks in advance for advice.

Have a look at eternit thrutone slates or redland cambrian slates, both modern looking manmade slates.

My recommendation would also be get separate trades to do the separate jobs, iwould want a roofer to do my roof and a plumber to do my plumbing.

Builders who claim to do it all can often lead to substandard work in my experience.

Thanks really like the look of the Eternit Thrutone and it looks like it's pre-drilled which is even better and has nice discreet ventilation tiles. Thanks a lot for the info.

Also remember you will have to get Building Control involved especially as there is a considerable weight difference in what you have on the roof now and what you are thinking of replacing it with

Believe it or not because of where we live we have to apply for all sorts of permissions just from the Estate Management Group, that's before we even get to submitting anything to the council!

The eternit thrutone you recommended looks a lot lighter than the 1960's concrete wavey tiles we've got now, so hoping we'll get approval ok. I've already had the sides mortar'd and pinned (2-3 yrs ago) and now that's already splitting and falling off.

Still waiting for 4 roofing companies to call me back from Monday just to arrange to come and quote - thought they'd be a bit more keen for the work as I need all the sofits, facias and guttering replacing too. I'll give them until Monday then get Yellow Pages out again.

To be honest im using Thrutones at the minute but prefer these
http://www.cembrit.co.uk/Default.aspx?ID=22529 they are also slightly cheaper than Thrutones the standard slate not the chamfered edge type.
they also resist staining if they get wet before they are laid, unlike the Eternit's...

Very useful info thanks, never thought about staining assumed that they'd all be anti-fungal etc.