June 2019
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JUNE <strong>2019</strong><br />
The Big Question<br />
Contractor’s Qs<br />
NFRC Tech Talk<br />
YOUR FREE MARLEY SUNCREAM SAMPLE!<br />
READ MORE ABOUT STAYING<br />
SAFE IN THE SUN ON P.32!<br />
FEATURES<br />
• SORT IT OUT: HOW CAN WE ENSURE<br />
A CONSISTENT ROOF TILE FINISH?<br />
• MATERIAL GAINS: TOP TIPS FOR<br />
WORKING WITH LEAD<br />
• WATER WAYS: HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY<br />
WATERPROOF RAINWATER OUTLETS<br />
>>> • KNEE PROTECTION • VENTILATION TIPS • CHOOSING INSULATION • >>>
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I<br />
V<br />
Editor’s Comment<br />
MATT DOWNS<br />
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR<br />
MATTDOWNS@MEDIA-NOW.CO.UK<br />
07963 330774<br />
COVER PIC:<br />
COURTESY OF<br />
SR TIMBER<br />
Our Big Question returns this month and with the issue of training<br />
and skills within construction very much still on the agenda, we<br />
asked a number of contributors how manufacturers should<br />
support their contractor / installers’ training needs within roofing.<br />
We all know the old cliché: a product is only as good as the operative<br />
installing it, but it’s true and rarely more relevant than in roofing where<br />
poor installation can leave the contents of a property open to the<br />
elements, causing costly call-backs for contractors and discontent for<br />
end users. Thankfully, as highlighted in our Big Question feature, there’s<br />
a lot of quality support from manufacturers out there for operatives to<br />
make use of. But as the sector continues to develop and contractors’<br />
needs evolve, it’s crucial that manufacturers adapt not only the content<br />
of their training but also the way it is delivered, whether that be through<br />
traditional purpose built academies, online support or site support. It’s<br />
also important that contractors make use of this support and recognise<br />
that training needs to be system-specific. Read more from p.14.<br />
Elsewhere in this issue, in his latest Perfectly Pitched column, John<br />
Mercer takes a look at the big issue of colour shading problems and<br />
inconsistent finishes on tiled roofs from both a manufacturer’s and<br />
roofer’s perspective. This is a problem that is being discussed<br />
throughout the supply chain with differing views on where the blame<br />
lies. It’s an issue which looks set to run with no easy conclusion and<br />
we’d love to hear readers’ thoughts on this issue, so please get in<br />
touch. In the meantime, read John’s views on the situation from p.30.<br />
Enjoy the issue!<br />
FROM<br />
A<br />
ONL<br />
*<br />
£345<br />
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per leaf<br />
Including<br />
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Matt<br />
Above: Roofers working with SR Timber’s Premium Gold batten: SR Timber<br />
says rookie contractors need to work with quality materials from day one: p.19.<br />
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JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 3
Contents<br />
COVER FEATURES<br />
30 SORT IT OUT!<br />
John Mercer looks at the problem of<br />
inconsistent colour shading on tiled roofs from<br />
a manufacturer’s and contractor’s perspective<br />
42 MATERIAL GAINS<br />
We talk to Matt Timby about working with lead<br />
and hear his top tips to ensure you use this<br />
material to its full potential<br />
52 WATER WAYS<br />
Stuart Hicks explains how to successfully<br />
waterproof a rainwater outlet and prevent<br />
water leaking into the building below<br />
32<br />
FEATURES<br />
14 THE BIG QUESTION<br />
This month we ask how manufacturers can support<br />
contractors’ and installers’ training needs<br />
32 ALL EYES ON SUN SAFETY<br />
Howard Buckley explains why roofers need to protect<br />
both their eyes and skin from UV rays this summer<br />
46 CONTRACTOR’S QS<br />
Jason Wright says you must know your craft, know<br />
your market and have a good accountant...<br />
48 THE NEXT STEP<br />
After 22 years on the tools, John Turner took all that<br />
experience and now uses to help others on projects<br />
62 EWIS AND INSTALLERS<br />
44<br />
The BBA explains the major issues installing contractors<br />
should look out for when working with EWIS<br />
72 CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS<br />
The experts at A. Proctor Group look at the challenges for<br />
contractors when working on facade retention projects<br />
4 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
REGULARS<br />
26 BUSINESS TALK<br />
Employment law changes are on their way; we<br />
take a look at some of the key changes<br />
28 NFRC TECHNICAL TALK<br />
Gary Walpole looks at thermal & condensation<br />
considerations in our latest BS 6229 focus<br />
44 AN INSPECTOR CALLS<br />
This month the Inspector gets on top of the<br />
issues around underlays<br />
70 MATERIAL TALK<br />
Chris Page explores the various types of<br />
insulation and their benefits for flat-top roofs<br />
SECTIONS:<br />
TOTAL<br />
ROOFING<br />
36<br />
TOTAL<br />
CLADDING<br />
62<br />
INDUSTRY NEWS<br />
06 UK ROOFING AWARD WINNERS<br />
We take a look at who won what at the prestigious<br />
UK Roofing Awards <strong>2019</strong><br />
10 ROOFING R-OARS WITH LRWA<br />
The inaugural LRWA Dragon Boat Race raised plenty of<br />
smiles and essential money for the Mind charity<br />
TOTAL<br />
INSULATION<br />
70<br />
VEHICLES, TOOLS<br />
& WORKWEAR<br />
06<br />
76<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 5
Industry News<br />
MID-KENT ROOFING<br />
ACQUISITION<br />
Avonside Group Services has expanded its coverage in<br />
the South East with the acquisition of Mid-Kent Roofing.<br />
Avonside Group Services has announced<br />
the purchase of Mid-Kent Roofing, the<br />
Maidstone-based operation.<br />
Mid-Kent Roofing has been successfully<br />
developed and run by Rob and Lisa Smith.<br />
The business says it excels at offering highstandard<br />
roofing, flat roofing and lead work<br />
services at competitive prices across the<br />
South East UK region.<br />
Mid-Kent Roofing prides itself on offering a<br />
complete “one-stop-shop” professionally<br />
managed service, employing a team of highly<br />
trained and skilled tradespeople, including<br />
bricklayers, scaffolders, carpenters and<br />
painters and decorators to expertly cater for<br />
all project requirements.<br />
Announcing the acquisition, Tony Burke,<br />
Avonside’s Group Managing Director, said:<br />
“This acquisition is a strategically important<br />
one for our Group, as it gives us an<br />
established and credible presence in the Kent<br />
catchment, which has been an objective of<br />
ours for some time.”<br />
He continued: “Rob and Lisa Smith and their<br />
team have an outstanding reputation based<br />
upon consistent delivery to the highest<br />
standards. Their ethos and commitment offer<br />
an excellent match with core Avonside<br />
values.”<br />
In response, Rob Smith commented: “This<br />
development is the obvious next step for the<br />
business and positions us for further growth<br />
and development with our key partner<br />
clients.”<br />
THE BEST ON SHOW AT ROOFING AWARDS<br />
The winners of the UK Roofing Awards <strong>2019</strong>, hosted by the National Federation of Roofing<br />
Contractors (NFRC), were announced at a ceremony hosted by TV host Sarah Beeny at the<br />
InterContinental London-The O2.<br />
The awards are a key date in the roofing sector’s calendar and celebrate the very best in the industry in<br />
all the roofing disciplines, recognising outstanding workmanship, problem-solving, environmental<br />
qualities and contribution to the built environment. The day continues to receive fantastic support from all<br />
its industry sponsors, including BMI and Radmat Building Products, without whom the event would not be<br />
the success it continues to be. Once again, SIG Roofing was Headline Sponsor, demonstrating its<br />
commitment to showcasing excellence in roofing and recognising the achievements of roofing operatives.<br />
The team at Total Contractor would like to congratulate all the winners as well as those shortlisted. You<br />
can see more at www.total-contractor.co.uk, but we’ve listed the winners below:<br />
Roof Slating, sponsored by CUPA PIZARRAS:<br />
M. Camilleri & Sons Roofing – BSK Building,<br />
Clifton College<br />
Roof Tiling, sponsored by ECIC: Richard Soan<br />
Roofing Services – Old Leylands<br />
Heritage Roofing, sponsored by Klober:<br />
Richardson Roofing Co – The Great Pagoda, Royal<br />
Botanic Gardens<br />
Green Roofing: W Hughes & Son – The Flower<br />
Bowl Entertainment Centre<br />
Sheeting & Cladding / Rainscreen, sponsored<br />
by Kingspan Insulated Panels: Prater working<br />
with BEMO – No.1 Court at The All England Lawn<br />
Tennis Club<br />
Fully Supported Metal Roofing, sponsored by<br />
ALM: Richardson Roofing Co – Ludgate House<br />
Lead Roofing, sponsored by ALM: D Harkin &<br />
Co Roofing – McArthur Hall, Methodist College<br />
Single Ply Roofing, sponsored by EJOT:<br />
Progressive Systems – The Dunes<br />
Liquid Applied Waterproofing & Hot-Melt:<br />
Makers Construction – The Water Gardens<br />
Mastic Asphalt, sponsored by SIKA: Sussex<br />
Asphalte – North Courtyard, St Paul’s Cathedral<br />
Reinforced Bitumen Membranes, sponsored<br />
by SIKA: Mitie Tilley Roofing – Unit 800 Aztec<br />
West<br />
James Talman, NFRC Chief Executive, addresses the<br />
attendees at the UK Roofing Awards <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
Small Scale Project (Under £25k): Emerton<br />
Roofing (Western) – Octagonal Tower<br />
Large Scale Project (Over £250k), sponsored<br />
by Marley: Barclay Roofing working with IKO PLC<br />
– Stephenson Building, Abbey Hill Academy<br />
Product Innovation, Sponsored by EagleView:<br />
Engie Regeneration working with Langley<br />
Structures for Turkey Street<br />
Roof of the Year, sponsored by SIG Roofing:<br />
Richardson Roofing Co – Ludgate House<br />
Industry Choice, sponsored by Radmat<br />
Building Products: Mitie Tilley Roofing – Unit<br />
800 Aztec West<br />
Local Hero Award: Ben Large, BPL Roofing<br />
NFRC Health & Safety Champion 2018: Peter<br />
Baker, Avonside Group<br />
Young Roofer of the Year Award, sponsored by<br />
BMI UK & Ireland: Blake Edgell, J Randall<br />
Roofing Contractors.<br />
6 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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Industry News<br />
SPRA MEMBERS ASSIST WITH MATERIALS<br />
Many of SPRA members have generously<br />
donated materials to SPRA for use on SPRA<br />
training courses, in particular the new Single ply<br />
Awareness Training (SAT) course that is now<br />
available through SPRA.<br />
Such materials add lots of value to training<br />
courses as trainees are able to handle materials,<br />
tools and equipment which helps them to<br />
understand single ply roofing components, roof<br />
installation and site health and safety. So far,<br />
MSN Latchways, Apollo, Danosa, BMI Icopal and<br />
Renolit have all donated materials from fall arrest<br />
systems to single ply membrane and adhesives.<br />
More has been promised by Bauder and Soprema.<br />
Mark Thornton, SPRA Training Manager said: “We<br />
are very grateful to receive donations from members<br />
to support our training courses and programmes. It<br />
really makes a difference to the courses and<br />
Marley has hosted free courses at its training<br />
centre in Burton to help contractors stay up to<br />
date with the latest safety requirements and<br />
reduce the risk of falls on site.<br />
Delivered by Midland Roof Training, the two halfday<br />
courses included an overview of working at<br />
height legislation and gave advice on risk<br />
assessment and fall prevention. The training also<br />
covered specific issues for roofing contractors,<br />
such as safe ladder use, edge protection, fragile<br />
roofs, rooflights and using battens as a foothold.<br />
Stuart Nicholson, Marley, explained: “Since the<br />
introduction of the Work at Height regulations in<br />
2005, the UK has had lower accident levels than<br />
many other countries in Europe. However, falls<br />
from height have still been the most common<br />
cause of fatal injury of workers in the past five<br />
years. Therefore, we welcome the improvements<br />
recommended by the Working at Height All-Party<br />
Parliamentary Group and are pleased that the<br />
report has brought attention to the important<br />
enhances the experience for the learners.”<br />
Cathie Clarke, SPRA CEO, said: “Over the last three<br />
years, the SPRA team have worked extremely hard<br />
to create a true career path of training for those<br />
working in the single ply industry. This is a terrific<br />
commitment to the skills crisis and sets us apart<br />
from other industries. Along with our manufacturer<br />
members, SPRA now offers free online training,<br />
approved short courses, a specialist programme<br />
for apprentices and now training for managers and<br />
professionals. We have also been able to offer<br />
additional funding for some of our training, and I<br />
would urge all those installers working without<br />
qualifications or certification to ensure access to<br />
site and contact SPRA to take advantage of our<br />
training programmes.”<br />
SPRA training course details can be found at<br />
www.spra.co.uk.<br />
MARLEY SHINES A LIGHT ON HEIGHT SAFETY<br />
For more information about Marley’s training courses for<br />
contractors, visit www.marley.co.uk.<br />
issue of fall prevention. Working at heights safety<br />
is critical in all parts of the construction sector,<br />
but particularly in roofing. Roofers will be all too<br />
aware of the stories that feature regularly in trade<br />
media about tragic roof accidents and as a<br />
manufacturer, as well as ensuring our products<br />
meet the highest quality and safety standards,<br />
we want to help contractors take all steps<br />
necessary to assess risk, prevent falls and<br />
improve reporting. The training was really<br />
informative and if the course helps to prevent<br />
even one injury, then it will have been<br />
successful.”<br />
TRAIN TO GAIN WITH<br />
KLOBER’S COURSES<br />
Klober’s <strong>2019</strong> training dates can be viewed at<br />
http://klober.co.uk/page/training-and-events.<br />
Klober’s long-standing commitment to<br />
training both contractors and merchants<br />
continues throughout <strong>2019</strong> with its training<br />
days at its Castle Donington site.<br />
The training days cover roof ventilation<br />
theory, while also allowing plenty of time<br />
for valuable practical experience in fitting<br />
products on the company’s training rigs.<br />
Up-to-date changes in Standards and<br />
regulations are also covered.<br />
A typical course includes an overview of<br />
roofing ventilation requirements;<br />
condensation problems and ventilation<br />
solutions; and it also covers working with<br />
dry-fix roofing; battens and interlocking<br />
tiles on gable roofs; universal roof vents;<br />
eaves ventilation; Permo air and Sepa light<br />
underlays and practical fixing. The courses<br />
are free-of-charge and include a buffet<br />
lunch and refreshments.<br />
The company can also offer flexible dates<br />
and deliver on-site and in-house training<br />
sessions by arrangement.<br />
The training programme is a part of a<br />
wider strategy to help upskill the industry,<br />
which has seen Klober also sponsoring and<br />
supporting SkillBuild. The company has<br />
supplied materials for competitors to<br />
install on the competition rigs for the finals<br />
and the Roof Slating and Tiling heats in the<br />
Regional Qualifiers that precede them.<br />
Klober technical staff were also on hand to<br />
lend support.<br />
8 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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Industry News<br />
TOP LEADWORKER<br />
CROWNED<br />
Shane White of SW Leadworks has been<br />
crowned Leadworker of the Year <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The competition, now in its eighth year, is<br />
sponsored by the Lead Sheet Training Academy,<br />
which specialises in training those using lead<br />
or hard metals in the construction industry.<br />
Competitors were required to send in a<br />
portfolio showcasing their work before seven<br />
talented finalists were invited to attend a<br />
two-day practical assessment at the LSTA’s<br />
Training Centre in East Peckham, Kent. The<br />
competitors were required to complete a<br />
series of tasks over identical model roof<br />
sections, all under the watchful eye of a<br />
panel of expert judges.<br />
The LSTA’s General Manager Nick DuGard<br />
said: “We were delighted to stage the LSTA<br />
Leadworker of the Year competition this year<br />
and the response from entrants was<br />
fantastic. The skills test over the two days<br />
was exacting but the standard of work was<br />
extremely high. The first test included<br />
bossing an outlet and on the second day the<br />
competition ramped up with a test to deliver<br />
a piece of work with double-break corners.<br />
We would like to thank everyone who took<br />
part and to congratulate Shane on winning<br />
this prestigious award.”<br />
The judges’ task was challenging but Shane’s<br />
excellent work stood out, with the judges<br />
praising his attention to detail and the<br />
craftsmanship evident in his work. With his<br />
grandfather being a blacksmith and his uncle<br />
having worked with lead, metalwork is<br />
something that he feels “almost runs in my<br />
blood”. He now runs his own business, holds<br />
a Level 3 NVQ Diploma in Heritage Skills and<br />
has a true passion for lead roofing, saying<br />
that he loves his work.<br />
https://leadsheet.co.uk/<br />
RAISING THE SKILLS BAR WITH RES-TEC<br />
Roof Depot has announced the launch of a<br />
monthly Res-Tec training course.<br />
Taking place at Roof Depot’s National Training<br />
Centre in Coventry, the courses will be delivered<br />
by Res-Tec specialists and will allow attendees to<br />
learn all about Res-Tec’s Flexitec 2020 System.<br />
The schedule for the courses will consist of theory<br />
sessions which will include an introduction to the<br />
product, an overview of the application manual,<br />
information about when the product should be<br />
used as an overlay system and a number of<br />
question and answer opportunities.<br />
It will also include multiple shared and individual<br />
practical sessions including application of<br />
Flexitec 2020 Primer to roofing felt, individual rig<br />
application, 1st and 2nd coat Flexitec 2020 resin<br />
application, and application of an anti-slip finish.<br />
On successful completion of the course,<br />
attendees will:<br />
• Learn the benefits, best practice installation<br />
and application techniques of the product firsthand.<br />
On 2nd May <strong>2019</strong>, the Crowne Plaza Hotel in<br />
Marlow, Buckinghamshire, played host to<br />
the LRWA’s first Charity Dragon Boat<br />
Regatta.<br />
Open to everyone in the roofing and<br />
waterproofing industry, the event attracted 110<br />
people, including contractors and<br />
manufacturers from across the UK.<br />
The regatta was launched to raise vital funds<br />
for the LRWA’s nominated charity, Mind. Thanks<br />
to the efforts of all those involved, more than<br />
£1,400 has been raised so far, but with<br />
donations still coming in, this figure is set to<br />
rise even further.<br />
Following some impressive displays of paddle<br />
Roof Depot has launched a monthly Res-Tec training course.<br />
• Become a Res-Tec FlexiTec 2020 approved<br />
installer.<br />
• Be able to offer their customers an exclusive<br />
20-year guarantee.<br />
• Be presented with training certificates.<br />
• Receive a take-home pack which includes an<br />
application manual, FlexiTec 2020 clothing and a<br />
trained installer van sticker.<br />
Courses cost £75.00 + VAT per person. Places<br />
on a course can be booked by calling the Roof<br />
Depot sales team on 02476 707700, find out<br />
more at https://www.roofdepot.co.uk/<br />
ROOFING R-OARS AT LRWA BOAT RACE!<br />
Proteus Spartans (Proteus Waterproofing) emerged victorious<br />
taking the gold medal in the LRWA’s Dragon Boat Race.<br />
power, Proteus Spartans (Proteus<br />
Waterproofing) emerged victorious taking the<br />
gold medal. Team Popeye (London Seamless<br />
Flat Roofing) picked up silver and Moy Story<br />
(Moy Materials) went home with the bronze<br />
medal.<br />
10 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Handrails:- EasyGuard<br />
free-standing Guardrails<br />
*CurveyGuard – an aesthetically pleasing curved rail.<br />
*EasyGuard – raked or straight legs dependant on<br />
application. *FoldGuard – folding handrail.<br />
Trip hazard reduction – long thin base-plates with<br />
Counterweights used on un-secured ends only. Placed at 2m<br />
centres maximum to enable use for leading edge protection.<br />
Galvanised or powder coated finish. Protective mats 5mm<br />
bonded to the base plates.<br />
Standards – Exceeds Class A EN13374- Class A; For<br />
leading edge protection HSE/SR 15, September 1988.<br />
Nationwide delivery or contract installation. – Free material<br />
quantifying service – info@safetyworksandsolutions.co.uk<br />
Ladders:- Easy Fit<br />
Compliant to both BS/EN 5395 and 14122 –<br />
To comply with the standards for<br />
permanent ladders all mild steel then hot<br />
dipped galvanised to BS/EN 1461.<br />
All typical ladders bespoke – email<br />
info@safetyworksandsolutions.co.uk for a<br />
survey check sheet.<br />
Easy Fit, all ladder components are Easy<br />
to assembly; in manageable parts Easy to<br />
handle and install.<br />
Rest Platforms and ladders with special<br />
fixing requirements; solutions provided by<br />
Safetyworks in house.<br />
(All components for British Standard<br />
compliant ladders require steel components<br />
with timber and aluminium recommended<br />
for temporary use only)<br />
HANDRAILS<br />
-<br />
LIFELINES<br />
-<br />
WALKWAYS<br />
-<br />
FALL GUARDS<br />
-<br />
FLEXIDECK<br />
-<br />
DEMARKATION<br />
-<br />
LADDERS<br />
-<br />
STEELWORK<br />
-<br />
Tel: 01487 841400<br />
www.safetyworksandsolutions.co.uk
Industry News<br />
FMB: CUT VAT ON<br />
HOME IMPROVEMENT<br />
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB)<br />
is calling for the Government to cut the<br />
VAT on home improvement work following<br />
official data from the ONS<br />
While there has been a rise in output over the<br />
first quarter of the year, construction output<br />
decreased month-on-month by 1.9% and the<br />
repair and maintenance series fell to its<br />
lowest level since December 2018,<br />
experiencing a fall of 3.1% compared to the<br />
previous month.<br />
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation<br />
of Master Builders, said: “It’s not at all<br />
surprising that construction output has<br />
dropped at the end of the first quarter of this<br />
year, given the unprecedented political<br />
uncertainty we’ve been facing. To get us<br />
through these turbulent times, the<br />
Government must be bold in its thinking<br />
when it comes to supporting the economy<br />
bucking any downward turn. One course of<br />
action would be to cut VAT on work in the<br />
home improvement and private domestic<br />
sectors from 20% to 5%”<br />
Berry continued: “A cut in VAT would help<br />
stimulate demand from homeowners<br />
resulting in more work for the thousands of<br />
small to medium-sized construction<br />
companies which would help support local<br />
economies and increase training<br />
opportunities. This is all the more important<br />
given that the FMB’s own State of Trade<br />
Survey for Q1 <strong>2019</strong> saw the first dip in<br />
workloads for small builders in six years.”<br />
Berry concluded: “Cutting VAT would also be<br />
an important step to help encourage more<br />
retrofits of our existing buildings to make<br />
them more energy efficient and deliver a cut<br />
in carbon emissions.”<br />
IBSTOCK RECOGNISES ITS TRUE IDENTITY<br />
Ibstock – whose range of solutions include<br />
Forticrete clay roof tiles – has announced the<br />
launch of a new brand identity which it says<br />
will ensure the breadth of the company’s<br />
extensive product and service offering is more<br />
clearly recognised.<br />
The new logo and corporate strapline – ‘At the<br />
heart of building’ – has been introduced following<br />
extensive research with customers and Ibstock<br />
employees.<br />
Research determined the need to update and<br />
refresh the brand to give Ibstock a more coherent<br />
and cohesive voice in the building products<br />
marketplace and to better align the brand with the<br />
full and varied scope of the business.<br />
The new logo features a hexagonal device at its<br />
centre, a shape chosen to symbolise strength,<br />
flexibility and efficiency. Surrounding the hexagon<br />
is a framework that represents Ibstock’s core<br />
values of innovation, people, community and<br />
sustainability. The logo is complemented by the<br />
new strapline, which is said to put Ibstock at the<br />
centre of the conversation on design,<br />
modernisation and innovation in its sector.<br />
Joe Hudson, CEO of Ibstock, said: “We have made<br />
a significant investment over recent years to<br />
develop and evolve the Ibstock group of<br />
Ibstock has established itself ‘At the heart of building’.<br />
companies, with a clear strategy on delivering<br />
customer value and service excellence.<br />
“While some customers recognise the full breadth<br />
of what the Group can offer, there is a huge<br />
opportunity to improve understanding and<br />
increase brand awareness further. We need an<br />
identity that is fit for the future and reflects our<br />
innovation and energy, but also presents a<br />
consistent and co-ordinated Ibstock brand across<br />
our complete range of products. We think this new<br />
brand identity and strapline gives us that.”<br />
Annette Forster, Group Marketing Director for<br />
Ibstock, commented: “The new branding and<br />
corporate strapline underscore the breadth of our<br />
product range and Ibstock’s place at the heart of<br />
the industry. The new logo gives the business one<br />
look and feel that brings every aspect of our<br />
company and service offering together and<br />
encapsulates the passion of our people.”<br />
NWRTG CELEBRATES WITH WELSH SLATE<br />
Welsh Slate supplied the<br />
North West Roof Training<br />
Group (NWRTG) with a<br />
trophy of circular honed<br />
slate to celebrate its<br />
Roofing Apprentice of the<br />
Year competition at Bolton<br />
College.<br />
The winner was Bradley Heffron of P Duckworth<br />
Roofing Services of Middleton, Manchester, who<br />
has finished his NVQ Level 2 ahead of time.<br />
L-r: Joanne Green, Director of Quality at Bolton<br />
College, Bradley Heffron and Sue Wharton.<br />
“The slating job he completed<br />
was super and we are very<br />
grateful to Welsh Slate for<br />
their support of the roofing<br />
apprenticeship movement,”<br />
said Group Training Officer<br />
Sue Wharton.<br />
The presentation came at the<br />
end of National Apprenticeship Week which was<br />
marked by the group with the launch of a new<br />
apprentice training facility, the DMR Roofing<br />
Academy, run in Wigan by DMR.<br />
12 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
ROOFING<br />
ONE WARRANTY<br />
O N E R O O F<br />
1 5<br />
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Y E A R S<br />
O N E PA R T N E R<br />
•<br />
O N E WA R R A N T Y<br />
R A N G E<br />
E X T E N S I V E<br />
ONE WARRANTY<br />
Peace of mind for you and your customers<br />
• Enhances your business<br />
• Applies to flat and pitched roofs<br />
• Broad range of market-leading products and accessories included<br />
• 15 year warranty<br />
• Reassuringly simple – sign up online<br />
www.sigroofing.co.uk/onewarranty<br />
SERVICE<br />
PRODUCT<br />
STOCK<br />
FINANCE<br />
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED<br />
www.sigroofing.co.uk
Industry News<br />
BRACKNELL ROOFING FOCUSES ON SKILLS WITH TOP TEN NVQS<br />
Ten employees and subcontractors at<br />
Bracknell Roofing have already completed<br />
their Slating and Tiling NVQs this year – as the<br />
company continues to drive forward with its<br />
programme of investing in its people to<br />
develop the skills needed for the continued<br />
growth of the business.<br />
All ten – who are high-quality roof tilers and slaters<br />
from across the company’s nationwide network of<br />
branches – achieved their Level 2 accreditations.<br />
As well as developing key slating and tiling skills,<br />
Bracknell Roofing – which is part of Avonside Group<br />
Services – has also been investing in its contracting<br />
teams at its seven offices across England. Two<br />
people recently completed Level 6 Construction<br />
Contracting Operations Management<br />
NVQs, and three are currently working<br />
towards the accreditation.<br />
Freddie Wade from the company’s<br />
South Coast branch and Luke Redgate<br />
from the Midlands branch have also<br />
completed their Level 6 while Mark Ford, Daniel<br />
Walker and Andrew Cramp are all studying for it.<br />
Commenting on all the achievements, Simon<br />
Smith, Divisional Director, explained: “Having ten<br />
people complete their Slating and Tiling Level NVQs<br />
already this year is the headline story because it<br />
highlights the importance the business places on<br />
continually developing arguably the most essential<br />
core skill for our business. This sends a strong<br />
Simon Smith, Bracknell Roofing’s MD.<br />
message to everyone who works with<br />
Bracknell Roofing – such as<br />
housebuilders and suppliers – that<br />
we place the continued development of<br />
core roofing skills at the heart of what we<br />
do. But our investment in our people is more wide<br />
reaching than that and extends to every facet of<br />
what we do because it’s of paramount importance<br />
to the future of Bracknell Roofing. This programme<br />
is delivering great results for the business and is<br />
very well supported by the senior management<br />
team who recognise the value of developing our<br />
people to ensure that the business can continue<br />
to deliver projects of the highest quality, safely<br />
and to budget for our customers.”<br />
HOW SHOULD MANUFACTURERS<br />
SUPPORT YOUR TRAINING NEEDS?<br />
Total Contractor puts its latest Big Question to the market...<br />
Mat Woodyatt, Technical Training<br />
Manager, BMI UK & Ireland.<br />
In this day and age it really is incumbent upon<br />
each and every manufacturer to provide<br />
comprehensive training on how to install their<br />
roofing systems – an instruction sheet in the<br />
packaging is simply not enough.<br />
If these systems are innovative and high<br />
performance then manufacturers should make<br />
sure that customers have the tools and the training<br />
that they need. Each system is designed to be<br />
installed in a certain way to perform at its best and<br />
to comply with the relevant British Standards.<br />
Although products are now often simple to apply,<br />
best practice is essential to get it right first time and<br />
every time. And that’s where training comes in.<br />
Our customers need training that is short, practical<br />
and cost-effective. They want to see the results<br />
and the improvement in their staff as soon as they<br />
come back to site. And that’s the focus for all that<br />
we do at our National Training Centre – supporting<br />
the improvement of standards of workmanship<br />
across the industry and the quality of the installed<br />
roof. We make sure our knowledge is always up-todate<br />
and that we can share this, along with our<br />
experience of specific details and systems.<br />
Trainees are welcome at our fully equipped facility<br />
in Gloucestershire, yet our role is to deliver<br />
training where it’s needed. Meaning, if you have a<br />
job that involves using one of our systems with<br />
which you are unfamiliar, then we can come to<br />
site. We can demonstrate best practice and how<br />
all the elements of the roofing system operate.<br />
Bespoke training, tailored to the needs of the<br />
customer and the project in hand, is an important<br />
element in our work – as it should be. As<br />
manufacturers we have to support contractors by<br />
providing training that fits into the work<br />
programme. Our short, focussed courses are<br />
directly relevant to the job and can give operatives<br />
the updates they need on the newer technologies.<br />
The role of a manufacturer’s training team is<br />
becoming more important because of changes<br />
that we have seen over the past few years in<br />
traditional, college-based training.<br />
Manufacturers now have to step up to the mark<br />
because many colleges are held back by budget<br />
cuts and time restraints. Tutors often cannot either<br />
afford or get hold of the new materials and so can’t<br />
teach how to use them. This is also where we<br />
come in. We support colleges and roofing tutors in<br />
every way we can. Not only do we provide<br />
materials so they can teach apprentices how to use<br />
them, but we also deliver demonstrations and<br />
hands-on sessions. We also go beyond just training<br />
by encouraging excellence with competitions such<br />
as our BMI Apprentice of the Year.<br />
In short, manufacturers can and should do an<br />
awful lot to support contractors through training –<br />
but they need to make it relevant, effective and<br />
worthwhile for the contractor.<br />
www.bmigroup.com/uk<br />
14 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
New name,<br />
serious roofing heritage<br />
Redhill 1936<br />
<strong>2019</strong> see’s BMI Redland celebrate 100 years of concrete tile production<br />
and we’re proud to look back even further to 1837, when our first<br />
Rosemary clay tile was made. Ever since we’ve been delivering innovative<br />
roofing and waterproofing systems. Now as BMI we continue this work<br />
by providing shelter, protection and peace of mind for architects, roofers,<br />
building and homeowners alike - through roofs that are designed to<br />
transform the way people live and work.<br />
bmigroup.com/uk<br />
Providing total roofing solutions
The Big Question<br />
Charles Shaw, Hire & Construction<br />
Division Manager at Makita<br />
Safety should be the number one priority for all<br />
tradespeople – and a huge part of keeping<br />
construction sites safe is making sure that<br />
everyone is comprehensively trained to the right<br />
level. For power tool manufacturers in particular,<br />
we need to go beyond a product’s features and<br />
benefits and how to use them; any training<br />
should also cover wider health and safety issues,<br />
such as the importance of dust extraction and<br />
using low vibration tools.<br />
The Provisions and Use of Work Equipment<br />
Regulations 1998 state that everyone who uses,<br />
supervises or manages the use of equipment<br />
(including machinery, apparatus, appliances,<br />
tools or installation) needs to receive adequate<br />
training, covering the associated risks and<br />
precautions that should be taken to improve user<br />
safety and welfare.<br />
Staying up-to-date on training is therefore a legal<br />
requirement, and those on site need to make sure<br />
they are up to speed on how to use equipment<br />
safely. Consequently, Makita offers one-day City<br />
& Guilds accredited courses that cover the correct<br />
and safe use of handheld power tools.<br />
The company also runs ‘train the<br />
trainer’ qualifications – a two-day<br />
City & Guilds course that is ideal for<br />
larger contractors, as they can then<br />
carry out in-house training.<br />
It is important that product and more general<br />
safety training is offered to tradespeople from day<br />
one – that is why Makita also offers free on-site<br />
Be Safe training sessions for colleges and<br />
apprentice programmes. Teaching about the risks<br />
of using power tools and the precautions that<br />
should be taken early on in someone’s career will<br />
better engrain a safety-first approach. That said,<br />
it is recommended that refresher courses are also<br />
completed regularly to ensure that operatives are<br />
up-to-date on any changes to legislation, new<br />
products and innovations.<br />
Making training courses accessible – both<br />
geographically and demographically – is also<br />
important. Makita has three Factory Service<br />
Centres located in London, Milton Keynes and<br />
Glasgow. Each Factory Service Centre has the full<br />
range of Makita tools on site and the necessary<br />
facilities for visitors to gain practical experience<br />
on the tools, as well as learn the required<br />
Charles Shaw, Hire & Construction Division<br />
Manager at Makita.<br />
theoretical background. The Makita<br />
team will also conduct Toolbox<br />
training sessions on site, working<br />
closely with customers to assist with<br />
managing and reducing on-site risks whilst<br />
delivering short but effective training<br />
presentations on a range of popular safety topics.<br />
Makita can also tailor training courses, to make<br />
sure that they are directly applicable to those<br />
attending. For example, the Makita team will<br />
adapt training sessions to the necessary sector –<br />
so roofers can receive training specific to their<br />
trade and the environment that they work in.<br />
As well as training on how to use products, it is<br />
vital that tradespeople are aware of the wider<br />
risks associated with the use of power tools such<br />
as dust inhalation, noise and vibration. Makita<br />
offers a range of courses both on the use of its<br />
tools and wider safety and welfare issues, and is<br />
proud to have trained over 3,200 attendees<br />
across 340 courses via its in-house and external<br />
support teams in 2018.<br />
www.makitauk.com<br />
Mark Monk, Training Manager at Sika<br />
Liquid Plastics.<br />
However skilled-up a contractor might think they<br />
are, there is always room to consider new ideas<br />
and learn new methods. This is how the very best<br />
in any given profession stay ahead of the<br />
competition. Sika is committed to ensuring<br />
projects are delivered successfully and<br />
understands the need for better-qualified roofing<br />
contractors, which is why it provides a range of<br />
training courses at its purpose-built training<br />
academy in Preston.<br />
The two-day training course is designed<br />
exclusively for quality assured (QA) contractors<br />
and focuses on the correct application and<br />
installation techniques of Sika Liquid Plastics<br />
roofing systems. It combines a mixture of theory,<br />
demonstrations, videos and hands-on practical<br />
application work. All trainees finish with a<br />
theory-based test to ensure they have<br />
listened and learnt throughout the<br />
course.<br />
Feedback on all contractors<br />
participating on the course is passed on to<br />
Sika Field Technicians around the country who<br />
monitor the project sites and assess their work<br />
performance. A contractor’s Sika ‘trained’ card<br />
can be upgraded to a ‘skilled’ card following<br />
further assessment from a Field Technician. A<br />
training support vehicle is available for on-site<br />
training in an aftercare capacity, so that Sika can<br />
provide installers with further training or product<br />
updates as needed.<br />
From the minute contractors start the training to<br />
when the roof they are installing is signed off,<br />
they are supported by the Sika Roofing<br />
Mark Monk, Training Manager, Sika Liquid<br />
Plastics.<br />
Applications team who will ensure a<br />
product is installed to the correct<br />
specification. Guarantees of 15, 20<br />
and 25 years can then be issued<br />
depending on the roofing system installed.<br />
Such is the success of the course, Sika Liquid<br />
Plastics is the worthy recipient of the LRWA<br />
(Liquid Roofing & Waterproofing Association)<br />
trainer of the year award with more than 399<br />
contractors having completed training in the past<br />
twelve months alone.<br />
Sika has the products, the customer service and<br />
the levels of guarantee, but knows full well that<br />
the products are only as good the contractors that<br />
apply them.<br />
www. gbr.liquidplastics.sika.com<br />
16 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Exceeding<br />
expectations<br />
Our prefabricated modular<br />
skylights are revolutionising<br />
commercial roof design<br />
and installation.<br />
Faster<br />
Install three times faster<br />
than traditional skylights<br />
Safer<br />
Reduced workers at height<br />
and no scaffolding required<br />
Easier<br />
Unique pre-fabricated flashing and<br />
components offer a simple, easy install<br />
VELUX Modular Skylights are built to the highest quality & carry a 10 year warranty<br />
Available in mono and self-supporting duo pitch for flat and slope roofs, VELUX Modular Skylights are available with integral<br />
blinds, comfort ventilation and smoke ventilation options.<br />
Find out more at<br />
commercial.velux.co.uk
The Big Question<br />
David Cassell, Training Manager, Marley.<br />
The ongoing skills shortage and increasingly<br />
stringent roof fixing requirements mean that<br />
contractor training is more important than ever. In<br />
recent years, roofing has become more technically<br />
complex and changes to British Standards,<br />
particularly BS 5534:2014, have placed greater<br />
pressure on contractors to make sure roofs are<br />
installed correctly. Their fixing knowledge is also<br />
expected to be wider as items that were previously<br />
thought of just as commodity products, like battens<br />
and underlay, have now assumed greater<br />
importance within the roof system.<br />
This means that contractors have faced a<br />
significant amount of change in the past five years<br />
and have had to update their knowledge on the<br />
whole roof system. Therefore, technical and<br />
training support from manufacturers has become<br />
increasingly important, as a way of keeping roofers<br />
up to date with new products and regulations.<br />
Alongside formal training courses, manufacturer<br />
training is a valuable free resource, particularly for<br />
apprentices and new starters. Manufacturers<br />
should be providing hands-on product<br />
training, advice on installing to the<br />
latest British Standards and support<br />
with other industry developments. This<br />
shouldn’t just focus on tiles and fixings, but<br />
on the whole roof system.<br />
Every year, hundreds of people working in the<br />
roofing sector attend our free training courses to<br />
widen their skills base and keep up to date on new<br />
innovations and regulatory changes in a rapidly<br />
changing industry. Our roofing product knowledge<br />
and dry fix courses are ideal for apprentices and<br />
new roofers and those upskilling from other trades,<br />
while our roof system estimating course is very<br />
popular among roofing contractors. We also<br />
recently held a health and safety course to update<br />
contractors on the latest legal requirements.<br />
Manufacturer expertise can also be an important<br />
element of formal training courses. During <strong>2019</strong>,<br />
we are continuing to provide training support at<br />
Leeds College of Building and West College<br />
Scotland (WCS) at Paisley, both of which provide<br />
excellent training for the next generation of roofers.<br />
David Cassell, Training Manager, Marley.<br />
However, while manufacturer training<br />
is a valuable resource, it doesn’t always<br />
help contractors on a daily basis as they<br />
come across new installation challenges on site.<br />
Therefore, it is important that manufacturers also<br />
provide dedicated technical support to help roofers<br />
on an ongoing basis. Our technical advisory service<br />
means that roofers are only ever a phone call away<br />
from a roofing expert who can help them with any<br />
pitched roofing query, as well as providing free<br />
specifications and estimates. The free Roofing<br />
Sitework Guide app is also very popular and gives<br />
contractors information about good roofing practice<br />
and correct installation instructions at their<br />
fingertips.<br />
As contractors’ training needs continue to evolve, it<br />
is important that manufacturers listen to their<br />
customers and continue to adapt both the content<br />
and the way that training is delivered to meet<br />
these changing requirements.<br />
www.marley.co.uk/training<br />
Mark Parsons, Technical Director at<br />
Russell Roof Tiles.<br />
Improved roofing products as well as evolving<br />
legislation means contractors’ needs are<br />
constantly changing. Therefore, manufacturers<br />
have an important role to play in advising and<br />
supporting them to ensure they are installing the<br />
best roofing solution.<br />
At Russell Roof Tiles, we know all too well how<br />
pivotal contractor support is. As a leading roof tile<br />
manufacturer, our technical team currently<br />
receives numerous queries a day asking for<br />
guidance. As contractors often need advice<br />
quickly while on the job and sometimes, even<br />
while on the roof, it is important to respond in a<br />
quick and timely manner. The provision of<br />
guidelines when a contractor specifies products<br />
allows them to have key information to hand from<br />
the start of a project.<br />
Technical expertise can also make contractors<br />
aware of new guidelines which may<br />
affect the products they use or how<br />
they install the roof. For instance,<br />
the British Standards for Slating and<br />
Tiling covers all aspects of pitched<br />
roofing and sets out product<br />
requirements to ensure UK building<br />
regulations are followed. The NHBC also<br />
identifies and reviews yearly technical<br />
requirements for housebuilding, including roofs. A<br />
credible manufacturer should ensure their<br />
customers are following these requirements at all<br />
times.<br />
But training and educating contractors is just<br />
as important as technical support. Russell Roof<br />
Tiles has invested heavily over the years in a<br />
number of training initiatives. This has<br />
included the opening of a brand-new training<br />
centre in 2016, which broadens contractors’<br />
wider understanding of pitched roofing<br />
materials and concrete roofing solutions, in a<br />
Mark Parsons, Russell Roof Tiles.<br />
small classroom environment.<br />
Russell Roof Tiles also recently<br />
became part of the RIBA CPD<br />
Providers Network, informing and<br />
educating architects and specifiers on the<br />
importance of sustainability within roofing and<br />
the long-lasting and environment credentials of<br />
concrete tiles.<br />
Whether it is training or technical expertise,<br />
support can provide invaluable benefits to the<br />
contractor. Strong product knowledge and a<br />
commitment to best practice is key to any project<br />
and contractors can be safe in the knowledge that<br />
they received expert advice which they can utilise<br />
throughout their projects. This will ultimately<br />
prevent mistakes being made which will in turn<br />
guarantee sustainable roofing solutions in the<br />
future.<br />
www.russellrooftiles.co.uk<br />
18 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Shaun Revill, SR Timber’s Trading<br />
Director.<br />
You can’t expect a trainee Ferrari mechanic to<br />
keep practising on an old Vauxhall Nova, they need<br />
to work with high-quality materials from the off.<br />
And it’s this train of thought that has seen our<br />
business place importance on donating roofing<br />
batten, including our flagship Premium Gold, to<br />
colleges so that young people learn from the<br />
outset what it’s like working with quality,<br />
compliant products.<br />
Yes, it’s a cost to our business, but it’s one we’re<br />
happy to cover because it’s a great opportunity to<br />
introduce our products to the next generation of<br />
slaters and tilers who will see what the industry<br />
standard looks like. They will get to work with it,<br />
understand its characteristics and know its<br />
capabilities.<br />
Even if they don’t become aware of the British<br />
Standard straight away, the key point is that they<br />
Cathie Clarke, CEO, Single Ply Roofing<br />
Association.<br />
The Single Ply Roofing Association and its members<br />
have always understood and supported training as<br />
the route to quality roof installations. Indeed, SPRA<br />
membrane manufacturers are required to train their<br />
approved installers, keep records of those installers<br />
and constantly monitor their quality through<br />
assessment. The specialist roofing industry has led<br />
the way in manufacturer training for many years.<br />
Manufacturers have a key role to play in maintaining<br />
quality and standards in all construction sectors and<br />
the roofing industry is leading the way when it<br />
comes to supporting and delivering quality training.<br />
In 2015 SPRA joined forces with the National<br />
Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC), the Lead<br />
Contractors Association (LCA) and the Liquid<br />
Roofing and Waterproofing Association (LRWA) to<br />
develop the Basic Competency Programme (BCP), a<br />
project funded by the CITB.<br />
The BCP was created to formally recognise and<br />
quality assure manufacturer training in our industry<br />
by mapping it across to the Level 2 roofing NVQ in<br />
will be able to tell batten that’s graded<br />
to BS 5534:2014 + A2:2018 and<br />
therefore spot inferior batten that isn’t<br />
compliant to the standard.<br />
So, while it’s a gesture of goodwill on the one<br />
hand, it actually serves another key purpose of<br />
championing compliant materials, and one of the<br />
training initiatives that we’re proud supporters of in<br />
this quest is the Wales National Roofing Training<br />
Group (WNRTG), which is based in Caerphilly. It is a<br />
non-profit organisation funded by a grant from CITB.<br />
It is in place for the purpose of supporting,<br />
organising and co-ordinating roof training at all<br />
levels for its members<br />
We admire what Lesley Hughes and the team have<br />
done at WNRTG because the organisation was<br />
founded to plug a gap in the market, as none of the<br />
colleges in North or South Wales deliver roofing<br />
training in any discipline.<br />
Lesley shares the same passion for setting the<br />
each sector. Another aim of the project is to<br />
encourage as many experienced workers<br />
as possible to go on to achieve the full<br />
NVQ through on-site assessment and<br />
training. By linking it to a new threeyear<br />
CSCS Experienced Worker card,<br />
CSCS are a key partner in this project as they<br />
can see the benefits of providing additional support<br />
to keep experienced workers on site whilst they<br />
complete their full qualification.<br />
A large number of manufacturers across roofing are<br />
now approved for BCP, although some are still yet to<br />
go through the process. SPRA hopes to have all<br />
manufacturer members approved before the end of<br />
the year. This is important, as the BCP is also<br />
included within the training matrix that has been<br />
developed for the new Roofcert Accreditation<br />
scheme that is set to accredit 5,000 roofers in its<br />
first five years. Continuous professional<br />
development is a key factor in this new accreditation<br />
scheme, and manufacturers will continue to play a<br />
significant role as they ensure that installers of<br />
roofing systems are kept abreast of new<br />
developments and products. However, there are<br />
Shaun Revill, Trading Director, SR Timber.<br />
highest standards for young people<br />
entering the industry. The cornerstone of<br />
this is them taking pride in their work by<br />
having the skills to do the job correctly and using<br />
the correct tools and materials.<br />
The WNRTG is onto its eighth programme, meaning<br />
that more than 50 young roofers have worked with<br />
materials such as Gold – and it is going from<br />
strength to strength. It has recently won tenders to<br />
deliver NVQ 2 SAP RST in Wales and Tibshelf,<br />
Nottinghamshire and NVQ 3 SAP Heritage<br />
throughout the UK for the next three years. It is also<br />
in negotiations with a college in Deeside about<br />
rolling out its SAP programme.<br />
We’re proud to be part of what the WNRTG is doing,<br />
and we take a lot of pleasure in knowing we are<br />
supporting young roofers.<br />
www.sr-timber.co.uk<br />
Cathie Clarke, CEO, Single Ply Roofing<br />
Association<br />
always ‘gaps’ and manufacturers<br />
must always work hard to ensure<br />
that their approved installers do not<br />
‘slip through the net’ and all have<br />
valid tickets to install the products and<br />
systems that they are installing.<br />
Manufacturers also have a role to encourage<br />
contractors to ensure all installers are as highly<br />
qualified as possible, and the Single Ply Roofing<br />
Association would like to see all installers achieve a<br />
full Level 2 NVQ. Following the Grenfell Tower<br />
disaster and subsequent working groups to develop<br />
new standards for training, Level 2 has been<br />
confirmed as the benchmark level and roofing<br />
should strive to achieve this by itself, without<br />
waiting for legislation or other forms of control.<br />
The models for training, certification and<br />
accreditation across the roofing industry are<br />
impressive and provide best practice for other<br />
industries to follow.<br />
www.spra.co.uk<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 19
The Big Question<br />
Vincent Matthews, Marketing Manager<br />
at SFS.<br />
Construction contractors are facing difficult times.<br />
There, we said it, it’s not a secret anymore. Things<br />
are moving at such a quick pace that just keeping<br />
up is a difficulty, let alone staying ahead of the<br />
curve. It’s particularly challenging for small<br />
construction companies, with limited resources and<br />
capacity.<br />
These challenges have been caused by a myriad of<br />
factors, from digital to socioeconomic. On the digital<br />
side, the move to ‘Digital Britain’ is driving<br />
contractors to adopt BIM with cost and project<br />
estimations needing to integrate into virtual<br />
systems. This in turn is driving ‘Construction 4.0’,<br />
the digitalisation of the construction industry.<br />
There is also much anxiety over skills shortages,<br />
whether that’s for management positions or with<br />
‘unskilled’ labour.<br />
Then there’s the socioeconomic. Despite the<br />
continuing drive to break down barriers, seeing<br />
women in construction is still rare. Not only this,<br />
but there is the perception that careers in<br />
construction can be unreliable, dependent on<br />
whether you can win the work and also<br />
unrewarding, akin to a ‘dead end job’. However, it<br />
need not be all doom and gloom. Manufacturers<br />
Flex-R’s Trading Director Duncan Winter.<br />
Flex-R has a two-stage training programme to<br />
support roofing contractors who want to install our<br />
range of products, which include RubberBond,<br />
Sure-Weld, LQD-R and the newly launched Enduris.<br />
The first stage of our Specialist Registered Installer<br />
(SRI) training is in the classroom, and these oneday<br />
courses take place either in the South of<br />
England at our head office in High Wycombe or in<br />
the North of England at our new facility in<br />
Huddersfield. We run a large number of training<br />
courses for our RubberBond FleeceBack system –<br />
this single-ply EPDM system has the advantage of<br />
very simple sealing and detailing methods, using<br />
pressure-sensitive tape, rather than heat welding.<br />
It’s fair to say that roofing contractors get an<br />
can do a lot to stem these challenges, especially<br />
through the right training and facilities.<br />
Firstly, digitalisation. While each organisation will be<br />
at different stages of their digital maturity, and its<br />
employees have different levels of competency, this<br />
challenge of going digital does not have to be faced<br />
alone.<br />
Manufacturers can work with contractors to help to<br />
supplement digital requirements and gaps in<br />
knowledge. SFS, for instance, has its own ‘Project<br />
Builder’ to help create and cost up building<br />
envelope solutions, with static calculations on a<br />
variety of construction values available digitally<br />
within 24 hours.<br />
On skills shortages, addressing this epidemic will of<br />
course take time and a good deal of working out.<br />
However, skilling up construction workers should be<br />
in the mindset of all manufacturers. Again, SFS<br />
recognises that ongoing training is vital to wider<br />
success. This is one of the reasons we have heavily<br />
invested in The Academy, with innovation hubs<br />
based at both of our sites in the UK, in Leeds and<br />
Welwyn Garden City.<br />
These hubs will be a focal point for improving how<br />
construction works and thought leadership, with<br />
knowledgeable experts on-site to collaborate with.<br />
Events held at the hubs will include hands-on<br />
understanding of things very quickly in a<br />
classroom environment. However, it’s a whole<br />
different ball game when a roofing contractor<br />
needs to apply those new skills in a site<br />
environment, which is why our Technical Team is<br />
on hand to go to sites and work with contractors.<br />
Our five-strong Technical Team is made up of<br />
experienced roofing contractors such as Graham<br />
Matthews, who had more than 30 years’<br />
experience on the tools before he joined us and<br />
now spends his time training and supporting SRIs<br />
and advising them onsite.<br />
The key to embedding what contractors learn in<br />
the classroom is doing it onsite, which is why<br />
Flex-R’s Technical Team will provide support no<br />
matter the size of the first few installations (and<br />
training courses, RIBA-approved CPDs and<br />
technical seminars, as well as bespoke events to<br />
tackle industry trends.<br />
For time-poor contractors who may not have the<br />
time to invest in sending staff on training days, SFS<br />
have a solution here too. The experts at SFS can<br />
come out to site and offer training. For example,<br />
contractors wanting to learn about our isoweld<br />
systems can do so at the Leeds hub, but the<br />
training can also be delivered at a suitable location<br />
to the contractor for convenience.<br />
This notion of upskilling in turn tackles the general<br />
perception around construction, as careers in<br />
construction can be rewarding, with plenty of room<br />
for growth. Training courses offered by SFS include<br />
CPDs about specification with fasteners, rainscreen<br />
cladding systems and flat roofing systems, through<br />
to fall protection training and that then tacks onto<br />
health and safety. This can then move people into<br />
project management, specification, structural<br />
engineering and more.<br />
As each contractor’s needs will be different, it is<br />
flexibility, breadth and expertise that will be key to<br />
solving training challenges. We are committed to<br />
collaborating with our peers in construction and to<br />
lead on these issues facing the industry.<br />
www.sfs.biz<br />
offer this service on an ongoing basis) – this can<br />
range from a simple domestic project to a large<br />
commercial property.<br />
Supporting the contractor to eliminate minor<br />
teething problems early and remedying them<br />
onsite is a vital part of the process, and Flex-R<br />
doesn’t put a cap on the amount of times it will<br />
work with a new SRI. If it becomes clear that the<br />
contractor needs to go back to basics, we can<br />
provide another day in the training centre.<br />
Why do we go to such lengths to support SRIs? The<br />
answer is simple: we maintain the system’s great<br />
reputation and build lasting relationships with great<br />
roofing contractors. This combination leads to roofs<br />
that will perform faultlessly for decades.<br />
www.flex-r.co.uk<br />
20 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Committed to Best Practice<br />
www.ejot.co.uk<br />
As a global manufacturer of original fastening solutions EJOT is committed to supporting industry-wide best<br />
practice. That means sharing knowledge of technical developments and procedures.<br />
That’s why behind every fastener installation, we provide a world of application know-how, aimed to ensure<br />
that every specification choice is an informed choice... and every installation is correct and fit for purpose.<br />
EJOT® the quality connection<br />
Call 01977 68 70 40 email: info@ejot.co.uk
The Big Question<br />
Ian Muddimann FIoR, Head of<br />
Applications (Roofing) at Sika<br />
When it comes to training, the role of the product<br />
supplier is not to train contractors to be roofers but<br />
to offer them system-specific training in best<br />
practice installation techniques, and the use of<br />
components in the right combination, with the right<br />
equipment. This detailed training process supports<br />
the whole delivery chain by optimising system<br />
performance, which means less snagging, reduced<br />
risk of call backs, and a roof that performs to its<br />
full, guaranteed design life.<br />
Across all of Sika’s roofing brands we ensure that<br />
contractors are trained in our products specifically,<br />
even if they have previously used a comparable<br />
system from another manufacturer. In our view,<br />
variations of products that could affect<br />
specification, installation best practice or safety<br />
should be embedded in system-specific training.<br />
Training carried out at one of our two UK training<br />
centres ensures the highest standard of<br />
workmanship has been provided when installing our<br />
products. In our experience, clients and specifiers<br />
appreciate this accountability for training, and it<br />
offers contractors significant commercial<br />
advantages when they can include reference to a<br />
thorough and well-documented training track record<br />
in their bids, because it underpins a commitment to<br />
quality assurance.<br />
Thanks to our training approach, contractors can<br />
also offer their clients an assurance that<br />
competency levels are up-to-date across the team.<br />
Every member of the team receives a systemspecific<br />
training card from us when they have<br />
completed their training, which can be upgraded to<br />
an experienced worker card for more senior site<br />
personnel. This training card documents which<br />
systems have been assessed and what the<br />
contractor is qualified to install, forming part of a<br />
continuous training and assessment process. We<br />
have a national team of field technicians, all of<br />
whom have spent at least seven years of their<br />
professional lives as roofers, and part of their role<br />
when carrying out site inspections throughout a<br />
project is to assess the competency of the team on<br />
site. Where they see a need for skills development,<br />
our field technicians will recommend individual<br />
operatives for a training refresh, helping the<br />
contractor ensure high levels of competency across<br />
the team at all times. We also take training to site<br />
with our Training Support Vehicles (TSV), which<br />
enables us to offer pop-up training and demos of<br />
new products, along with trouble-shooting support<br />
for any specific project challenges.<br />
We believe training should go beyond the site team<br />
and be available to the management team too. By<br />
offering management training for company<br />
directors, contracts managers and chief estimators,<br />
Sika ensures that specification is more efficient and<br />
exploits our full product portfolio to answer the full<br />
needs of the roof and the installation environment.<br />
gbr.sarnafil.sika.com<br />
John Turner, Technical Services at<br />
Firestone Building Products.<br />
Skills and the skills shortage is a topic that’s<br />
frequently discussed in the roofing sector. It’s<br />
clear that many contractors find it hard to recruit<br />
trainee roofers and there are also challenges with<br />
retaining the knowledge and expertise of senior<br />
members of the team in site-based roles beyond<br />
a certain age because of the physical demands of<br />
the job.<br />
As a manufacturer, Firestone has always put<br />
training in product knowledge and installation<br />
best practice at the heart of what we do and our<br />
relationships with contractors. We have not only<br />
invested in a training facility at our Cheshire HQ<br />
in Winsford, but we are also able to offer<br />
contractors support on site to ensure that they<br />
can tackle the specific demands of individual<br />
projects, as well as general installation best<br />
practice. Our training combines classroom<br />
learning with product demos and hands-on<br />
experience so that roofers at all levels are<br />
confident in using the system and familiar with<br />
the techniques they need. It’s a<br />
commitment to training that benefits<br />
all links in the roofing project<br />
delivery chain: it gives the client and<br />
the architect confidence that the<br />
roofing membrane is being installed to<br />
manufacturer guidelines with a high level of<br />
technical support, while also ensuring the highest<br />
levels of product performance and reducing the<br />
risk of snagging or call backs.<br />
But training must be seen as part of a bigger<br />
picture of customer service and technical<br />
support. In addition to ensuring that every<br />
member of the contracting team has been trained<br />
in correct, best practice installation of the<br />
Firestone RubberGard or RubberCover EPDM<br />
roofing system, we also provide specification<br />
advice, wind uplift calculation support and even<br />
guidance on optimising the use of the material to<br />
reduce waste, save time and avoid unnecessary<br />
cost. While this may not be training in the<br />
conventional sense, we see it as knowledge<br />
sharing that benefits the whole contractor team<br />
and helps to minimise site programmes,<br />
John Turner, Firestone Building Products.<br />
maximise performance and optimise<br />
margins. For example, our team is on<br />
hand to advise on the most<br />
appropriate width of RubberGard EPDM<br />
membrane – which can vary between 3m<br />
and 15m – to reduce the number of seams and the<br />
amount of time and labour required. The contracts<br />
team can then take that knowledge forward to future<br />
jobs in the same way that site teams can apply<br />
training on tricky details to other roofs.<br />
The other key area where manufacturers like<br />
Firestone can help support the training needs of<br />
the roofing sector is through involvement with<br />
industry bodies, such as SPRA. These<br />
organisations do a fantastic job of providing<br />
careers and training support and, by contributing<br />
to their activities, manufacturers can help to<br />
generate opportunities for skill development<br />
within the sector.<br />
Read about John’s role in the field on p.48<br />
www.firestonebpe.co.uk<br />
22 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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BMI Apprentice of the Year<br />
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH<br />
BMI’S ANNUAL APPRENTICE EVENT<br />
Matt Downs, Editorial Director of Total Contractor magazine and a judge at the BMI<br />
Apprentice of the Year, explains why he feels this event is a key date in the roofing calendar<br />
and really enables apprentices to plan for the future.<br />
We’re all well aware of the skills problems<br />
facing the roofing sector and wider<br />
construction industry – they’re very well<br />
documented and the statistics seem to get more<br />
alarming each month – a recent report from CIOB<br />
claims the sector needs to find 157,000 new<br />
recruits by 2021 to keep up with demand.<br />
Alongside the skills crisis, following Which’s<br />
damning report that found less than half of<br />
respondents to a survey thought roofers were<br />
trustworthy, there’s also a big push for accredited<br />
roofers in a bid to raise the perception of the<br />
sector as a whole and ensure it’s a more<br />
attractive proposition to future entrants and end<br />
users, plus elevate those who do things properly<br />
above the unqualified and inexperienced rogue<br />
traders.<br />
Plan for their futures<br />
Whilst initiatives such as RoofCERT are well<br />
underway to address this, and T Levels are<br />
coming into play as the latest alternative way of<br />
learning to bridge the gap, I feel BMI’s Apprentice<br />
of the Year (AOTY) competition really plays a key<br />
part in increasing skills and giving apprentices<br />
the confidence to plan for their future career.<br />
The event really highlights that the work going on<br />
in colleges and the support provided from<br />
employers on site every day is providing positive<br />
results for those pursuing a career in roofing. The<br />
key is that the AOTY competition focuses not only<br />
the apprentices’ practical skills, but also tests<br />
their soft skills – how they interact and deal with<br />
customers, how confident they are when<br />
presenting themselves, as well as sowing the<br />
seeds regarding all the considerations that should<br />
be made when establishing a business. It really<br />
takes the apprentices out of their<br />
comfort zone, but each year<br />
it’s been really impressive to<br />
see those who were shy and<br />
nervous at the start of the<br />
two-day event stand up at<br />
the end and deliver a tenminute<br />
presentation. It’s<br />
evidence that the apprentices really<br />
grow as the event progresses. As one<br />
apprentice told me in 2018: “If you’d told me a<br />
year ago I’d be involved in a competition like this<br />
and standing up doing a presentation to<br />
strangers, I’d have said no chance.” Another told<br />
me: “I’d like to win, but even if I don’t, I’ve<br />
learned so much in this competition. It’s given<br />
me the confidence to think about where I want to<br />
be in the future.”<br />
That’s the great thing about the AOTY<br />
competition; there are rightly two overall winners,<br />
but all the apprentices learn new skills that will<br />
put them in a stronger position and give them a<br />
real confidence boost for their careers going<br />
forward. It’s also great to put the apprentices on<br />
a pedestal and celebrate them and ultimately<br />
help them realise what they can achieve in their<br />
careers. As Jay Webster, BMI Redland Apprentice<br />
of the Year 2018, stated: “I became more<br />
The flat roofing judges (l-r: Gary Walpole,<br />
Mark Thornton, and Matt Downs.<br />
confident as the competition<br />
went on, but to actually win<br />
it tells me I’m better than I<br />
thought I was.”<br />
The new skills and confidence<br />
gained has even seen a couple of<br />
apprentices go on to establish their own<br />
businesses. One is Ceiran Peel-Price, a finalist in<br />
2017 and 2018, who told me recently in an<br />
interview: “The competition (AOTY) taught me a<br />
lot and was one of the things that encouraged me<br />
to set up my own business. It also taught me the<br />
value of quality training.”<br />
Highlight the positives<br />
As the roofing and wider construction industry look<br />
to tackle the issues around skills and recruitment,<br />
understandably we hear a lot about the ‘doom and<br />
gloom’, but sometimes we need to highlight the<br />
positive work that is going on in various sectors.<br />
The BMI Apprentice of the Year competition<br />
certainly comes under that banner. The event<br />
highlights the talent that is coming through within<br />
roofing, but more importantly provides the<br />
apprentices with additional skills and confidence<br />
to develop strong careers within the sector.<br />
The apprentices assess the faults on the flat and pitched roofing rigs at the BMI Apprentice of the Year Competition 2018.<br />
24 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 25
Business Talk<br />
KEY CHANGES TO EMPLOYMENT LAW<br />
Total Contractor takes a look at the changes to employment law which are going impact on<br />
businesses and workers throughout the UK.<br />
It’s quite clear that the Brexit negotiations are<br />
going to take centre stage this year. However,<br />
employment law changes are on their way as<br />
the government enacts its recently announced<br />
Good Work Plan. The government reckons that it’s<br />
“the biggest package of workplace reforms for<br />
over 20 years”. The reality is that it’s the<br />
culmination of the Taylor Review into working<br />
practices in the 21st century economy, and<br />
Andrew Rayment, an employment partner at<br />
Walker Morris LLP, sees plenty of change coming<br />
for businesses.<br />
Background<br />
In July 2017 Matthew Taylor published his<br />
independent Taylor Review of Modern Working<br />
Practices which looked into the issues in the UK<br />
labour market such as the implications of new<br />
forms of work, the rise of digital platforms, and<br />
the impact of new working models.<br />
As Rayment points out: “the review made 53<br />
recommendations to the government. In February<br />
2018 the government published a full response,<br />
accepting a vast majority of the<br />
recommendations.” He says that alongside the<br />
“As <strong>2019</strong> progresses, we can expect to see more<br />
draft legislation being published, and it is likely<br />
that most of the changes will take effect in 2020”<br />
response the government also launched four<br />
consultations to seek stakeholder views on the<br />
approach to implementing changes to the law<br />
employment status, agency worker rights,<br />
increasing transparency in the labour market, and<br />
enforcement of employment rights<br />
recommendations.<br />
“The Good Work Plan,” says Rayment, “draws on<br />
the feedback from these consultations and sets<br />
out the government’s commitments to improve<br />
working conditions for agency workers, zero-hour<br />
workers and other atypical workers in the UK<br />
economy.”<br />
Rayment says that the timetable for<br />
implementation of all aspects of the plan is not<br />
yet laid out “but, as <strong>2019</strong> progresses, we can<br />
expect to see more draft legislation being<br />
published, and it is likely that most of the<br />
changes will take effect in 2020.”<br />
The measures in the Good Work Plan<br />
include:<br />
A commitment to improve the clarity of the<br />
employment status tests<br />
There is no question that the existing employment<br />
status tests have contributed to a lack of clarity<br />
faced by individuals and employers. Recent cases<br />
on worker status involving “gig” employers such<br />
as Uber, Citysprint and Deliveroo only serve to<br />
illustrate this point.<br />
The government has recognised in the Good Work<br />
Plan that having separate frameworks for<br />
determining employment status for the purposes<br />
of employment rights and tax makes it very<br />
confusing for individuals and employers – it may<br />
also result in non-compliance from a tax<br />
perspective. Matthew Taylor had recommended in<br />
his review that effort should be made to align the<br />
employment status tests for the purposes of<br />
employment rights and tax to ensure that the<br />
differences between the two systems are reduced<br />
to an absolute minimum.<br />
From Rayment’s perspective as a lawyer, he can<br />
see why “the government agrees that this is the<br />
right ambition. It has said that it will bring<br />
forward detailed proposals on how the<br />
frameworks could be aligned and will do more to<br />
help individuals and businesses understand their<br />
rights and tax obligations in light of emerging<br />
business models.”<br />
This is an area that employers should be<br />
monitoring very closely. “As recent case law has<br />
shown,” says Rayment, “it can be notoriously<br />
difficult to determine whether an individual or<br />
26 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
self-employed contractor is a worker or an<br />
employee and this can lead to significant<br />
business risk and exposure to claims for back<br />
payment of wages.”<br />
A right to request a more stable and<br />
predictable contract after 26 weeks<br />
This is a simple change: There will be a right for<br />
workers to request a more stable and predictable<br />
contract after 26 weeks in post. Rayment thinks it<br />
likely that this will be similar to the current right to<br />
request flexible working and this will be clarified in<br />
future draft legislation. There is, however, no<br />
proposal to ban the use of zero-hours contracts.<br />
An increase in the time period required to<br />
break continuity of employment<br />
Under the plan the government aims to increase<br />
breaks in continuity from one week to four weeks.<br />
As Rayment points out: “effectively, this could<br />
mean that someone intermittently working for an<br />
employer once a month could gain continuous<br />
service. Continuous service is important because<br />
many employment rights are earned over time<br />
(for example, the right to claim unfair dismissal<br />
or a statutory redundancy payment). This can<br />
mean that those who work intermittently for the<br />
same employer can find it difficult to gain or<br />
access some of these rights because they may<br />
struggle to build up continuous service.”<br />
As it stands presently, a gap of one week in<br />
employment with the same employer can break<br />
what counts towards continuous service for<br />
calculating employment rights. The government<br />
has said that to reflect the changing world of<br />
work it will legislate to extend this break to four<br />
weeks, allowing more employees to gain access<br />
to employment rights.<br />
A reduction in the threshold to request<br />
information and consultation arrangements<br />
Another strand to the plan follows from the<br />
government’s wish to encourage higher levels of<br />
employee engagement in business. It has<br />
therefore issued draft legislation reducing the<br />
threshold required to request information and<br />
“There will be a right<br />
for workers to request<br />
a more stable and<br />
predictable contract<br />
after 26 weeks in post”<br />
consultation arrangements from 10% to 2% of<br />
the workforce, with effect from April 2020.<br />
On this, Rayment explains that “the government<br />
has stated that lowering the threshold required to<br />
set up information and consultation<br />
arrangements from 10% to 2% of employees is<br />
an important step in improving voice in the<br />
workplace. The 15-employee minimum threshold<br />
for initiation of proceedings will remain in place.”<br />
To complement these legislative measures, the<br />
government has also committed to work with<br />
Investors in People, Acas, trade unions and other<br />
experts to promote the development of better<br />
employee engagement with a particular focus on<br />
sectors with high levels of casual employment<br />
and smaller businesses.<br />
Ending the “Swedish derogation” in the<br />
Agency Workers Regulations 2010<br />
Those who use temp staff in one form or another<br />
will be interested in changes to the ‘Swedish<br />
derogation’ as it currently excludes agency<br />
workers from the right to equal pay with<br />
permanent employees in the same role if they<br />
have an employment contract which guarantees<br />
pay between assignments.<br />
The draft Agency Workers (Amendment)<br />
Regulations <strong>2019</strong> are due to come into force on<br />
6th April 2020 and will remove this derogation<br />
from the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 to give<br />
agency workers a right to pay parity with<br />
permanent comparable employees after 12 weeks.<br />
Extending the right to a written statement of<br />
terms to workers<br />
Of particular interest to Rayment is the<br />
Employment Rights – Employment Particulars<br />
and Paid Annual Leave (Amendment) Regulations<br />
2018 – which are due to come into force on 6<br />
April 2020. As he sees it: “these regulations bring<br />
in a number of key rights.”<br />
These include the right to be provided with a<br />
written statement of terms on the first day of<br />
employment, rather than within the first two<br />
months as required by the Employment Rights Act<br />
1996; add to the amount of prescribed<br />
information which a written statement must<br />
contain; and amend the Working Time Regulations<br />
1998 to increase the reference period for<br />
determining an average week’s pay (for the<br />
purposes of calculating statutory holiday pay)<br />
from 12 weeks to 52 weeks. This will protect<br />
workers with no normal working hours whose pay<br />
fluctuates. These changes, Rayment thinks, will<br />
have quite an impact on employers. He also<br />
points out that since the start of April (<strong>2019</strong>), all<br />
workers must be provided with an itemised pay<br />
statement under the Employment Rights Act 1996<br />
(Itemised Pay Statement) (Amendment) Order<br />
2018. The Order also requires itemised payslips<br />
to contain the number of hours paid for where a<br />
worker is paid hourly.<br />
Improved enforcement measures<br />
The Good Work Plan announced new measures,<br />
from April <strong>2019</strong>, designed to improve<br />
enforcement, including a process for publishing<br />
the names of employers who fail to pay tribunal<br />
awards on time and an increase (from £5,000 to<br />
£20,000) to the financial penalties for employers<br />
who commit an “aggravated breach” of<br />
employment rights.<br />
What next?<br />
The advice from Rayment for employers – of any<br />
size – is that as the government firms up its<br />
timetable for implementing the Good Work Plan,<br />
“now is a good time to identify which of the<br />
various measures will most impact your<br />
business. By keeping an ear to the ground and<br />
an eye to the future, you will be in a good<br />
position to plan ahead to meet any challenges<br />
that arise.”<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 27
NFRC Technical Talk<br />
BS 6229 FOCUS PART 3: THERMAL &<br />
CONDENSATION CONSIDERATIONS<br />
Gary Walpole, NFRC Technical Officer, continues his review of the changes to this Code of<br />
Practice for Flat Roofs, and this time he looks at how it relates to thermal performance and<br />
the control of condensation.<br />
BS 6229 (Flat roofs with continuously<br />
supported flexible waterproof coverings.<br />
Code of Practice) was last updated in<br />
2003 and much has changed within the industry<br />
in the last 15 years. The revised BS 6629:2018<br />
describes best current practice in the design,<br />
construction, care and maintenance of roofs with<br />
a flat or curved surface, at a pitch not greater<br />
than 10º to the horizontal, with a continuously<br />
supported flexible waterproof covering.<br />
Thermal performance<br />
The thermal performance of the roof is hugely<br />
affected by any gaps between the insulation<br />
boards, so it is crucial that when installed the<br />
insulation is tightly-butted together, with the<br />
installer ensuring this is maintained throughout<br />
the installation.<br />
To prevent surface condensation within heated<br />
buildings, the minimum thermal performance (Uvalue)<br />
permitted anywhere on the roof, including<br />
internal gutters, must not exceed 0.35 W/m²K.<br />
Inverted roofs<br />
In an inverted roof system, the<br />
correct installation of a water<br />
flow reducing layer (WFRL)<br />
immediately above the insulation<br />
should help to restrict the cooling<br />
effect of cold water flowing through<br />
the insulation joints and across the<br />
waterproofing layer and into the<br />
drains.<br />
result in a greater flow of water<br />
through to the waterproofing than<br />
is indicated when the roof<br />
construction is tested. Until<br />
further research and test evidence<br />
is made available, it is prudent to<br />
increase the design thickness of the<br />
thermal insulation by no less than 10%.<br />
Green roofs<br />
The thermal performance of the landscaping<br />
elements of green roofs can only be included in<br />
the U-value calculation if this can be accredited<br />
by third-party certification.<br />
Blue roofs<br />
A blue roof is defined in BS 6229 as a “roof<br />
designed to attenuate the rate at which rainwater<br />
is drained from the roof and is allowed to enter<br />
the drainage system”. A blue roof is not water<br />
storage on a roof.<br />
Unlike warm blue roofs, inverted blue roofs are<br />
vulnerable to increased heat loss due to rainwater<br />
cooling. In an inverted blue roof<br />
system, the correct installation<br />
of a WFRL immediately above<br />
the inverted insulation cannot<br />
be determined to restrict the<br />
cooling effect of cold water<br />
flowing through the<br />
insulation joints and<br />
across the waterproofing<br />
layer and into the drains.<br />
Left: Gary Walpole, NFRC.<br />
for a head of water as is the case in<br />
a blue roof. The correction method<br />
commonly used for inverted roof<br />
thermal calculations when using a<br />
WFRL is not permitted and will result in<br />
increased inverted insulation thicknesses.<br />
Warm blue roof designs will not be affected by<br />
this issue. When designing a blue roof, it might be<br />
necessary to increase the weight of the protection<br />
to avoid flotation of the insulation and care<br />
should be taken to ensure the roof structure can<br />
withstand this extra load.<br />
“Installers should<br />
ensure that the right<br />
humidity class is<br />
selected for the<br />
building”<br />
Controlling condensation<br />
Installers should ensure that the right humidity<br />
class is selected for the building, particularly for<br />
high humidity buildings such as swimming pools<br />
and sports halls and also areas of the building<br />
such as kitchens and bathrooms. The risks<br />
should be reassessed if there is a change of use.<br />
The risk of condensation within the roof is greatly<br />
increased by air leakage which can transport<br />
water vapour. To prevent this the air and vapour<br />
control layer (AVCL) must be sealed at all laps,<br />
penetrations and abutments.<br />
However, imperfections in the WFRL<br />
from poor detailing or workmanship at<br />
the roof perimeter and penetrations, as<br />
well as any post-construction damage, will<br />
BS 6229 has been revised and there are a<br />
number of changes that roofers need to be<br />
aware of.<br />
The test method for<br />
determining water flow<br />
through an inverted roof<br />
with a WFRL does not allow<br />
Contact the NFRC<br />
020 7638 7663<br />
www.nfrc.co.uk<br />
@TheNFRC<br />
28 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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Perfectly Pitched<br />
ACHIEVING A CONSISTENT FINISH<br />
In the latest instalment of his regular column, Pitched Roofing Consultant John Mercer,<br />
writing on behalf of Edilians, looks at the problems from both a manufacturer’s and roofer’s<br />
perspective when it comes to achieving a consistent tiled roof finish.<br />
Acommon cause for complaint from building<br />
owners about finished tiled roofs is<br />
inconsistency in finish, or colour shading.<br />
Sometimes this can be due to using tiles from<br />
more than one production batch or through a<br />
problem during manufacture but, more often than<br />
not, it is simply due to the manufacturing<br />
processes of the products.<br />
Limitations in the manufacturing process<br />
Roof tiles, whether they be concrete or clay, are<br />
produced from natural materials dug out of the<br />
ground. Therefore, it is inevitable that there are<br />
variations as quarrying progresses through a<br />
seam of material. Even small differences in the<br />
colour or type of cement and aggregates, the<br />
thickness of paint or the texture of the surface<br />
finish can influence perceived colour and<br />
consistency. Slight efflorescence can occur after<br />
manufacture which can alter the perceived colour<br />
of the tiles, albeit temporarily.<br />
The colour of clay tiles is very much dependant<br />
“Roofing contractors<br />
do not always have fast<br />
and convenient<br />
facilities on site to mix<br />
the tiles”<br />
on firing temperature, which tends to vary<br />
throughout a kiln – much like in a domestic oven.<br />
Modern kilns are far more closely controlled than<br />
in the past, though even very small differences<br />
will influence the tile finish. This is considered<br />
normal and is actually part of the charm of clay<br />
roof tiles. Some of the most popular clay tile<br />
colours, such as the beautiful blue hues of some<br />
clay plain tiles, are created by reducing the<br />
oxygen levels in the kiln during firing. Again, this<br />
will vary throughout the kiln.<br />
Variegated colours<br />
By their very nature, variegated colour finishes<br />
are designed to be random and are therefore<br />
subject to intentional variation. However, it is<br />
actually quite difficult in highly mechanised<br />
manufacturing processes to achieve true<br />
randomness. In reality there are likely to be<br />
groups of tiles within a single production batch<br />
that are more biased toward one colour or<br />
another. A common example are concrete tiles that<br />
have a red base colour with a black streak to create<br />
the illusion of a weathered tile. As the black streak<br />
is applied, the way it blends into the red surface<br />
will depend on how much is applied and even<br />
how wet the general tile mix is. In this way,<br />
groups of tiles may vary from extremes of almost<br />
red to almost black. Therefore, mixing tiles is<br />
important to achieve a satisfactory finish and<br />
avoid patches of very red or very black areas.<br />
Recommendations to mix from<br />
several pallets<br />
Most roof tile manufacturers recommend that<br />
tiles be taken from several pallets – usually at<br />
least three pallets – and mixed randomly before<br />
final positioning on the roof. This will enable the<br />
30 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
contractor to minimise the visual effects of any<br />
slight colour variations within a production batch.<br />
Difficulties for the roofer<br />
Having set out the case for the manufacturers, let<br />
us now examine the problems faced by roofing<br />
contractors. Of course, time is money and roofers<br />
do not want to waste time having to sort tiles<br />
prior to installation. The method of getting the<br />
tiles from the ground using a tile hoist or ‘bumpa’<br />
creates a natural pre-mixing as tiles can be taken<br />
from several pallets as they are placed on the<br />
bumpa. However, many sites now lift complete<br />
pallets onto a loading bay on the scaffold. If there<br />
is only room for one or two pallets then it is difficult<br />
to pre-mix the tiles before loading onto the roof.<br />
Working together to mitigate potential<br />
shading problems<br />
Ideally, sufficient tiles should be ordered for each<br />
roof so that they can be taken from a single<br />
shipment. Equally, suppliers should ensure that<br />
“Time is money and<br />
roofers do not want to<br />
waste time having to<br />
sort tiles prior to<br />
installation”<br />
each delivery to site does come from a single<br />
manufacturing batch. On arrival on site,<br />
shipments should be inspected for quality and<br />
colour consistency. It is easy to check that tiles<br />
are from a single manufacturing batch, as each<br />
pallet is dated and coded.<br />
If tiles from more than one production batch must<br />
be used, then checking for colour consistency<br />
becomes ever more important. On rare occasions,<br />
the differences between batches may be such<br />
that mixing will not produce a satisfactory result,<br />
therefore the tiles should be either rejected or<br />
more tiles delivered from one of the production<br />
batches on site.<br />
Some manufacturers, Edilians is one of them, can<br />
successfully mix tiles and produce satisfactory<br />
blends during manufacture and packaging. But the<br />
end users, i.e roofers and site managers, must be<br />
aware of the variations that can happen and<br />
should still mix tiles from at least three pallets.<br />
In conclusion, variation in roof tile colour and<br />
finish is unavoidable due to the limitations of the<br />
manufacturing processes and manufacturers are<br />
clear that tiles must be mixed from several<br />
pallets. On the other hand, roofing contractors do<br />
not always have fast and convenient facilities on<br />
site to mix the tiles, therefore the importance of<br />
everyone in the construction chain, including the<br />
building contractor, working together to agree a<br />
strategy to ensure a consistent roof tile finish,<br />
cannot be over-emphasised.<br />
Contact Edilians / John Mercer<br />
www.imerys-roof-tiles.com<br />
@imerys<br />
@johnmercer3<br />
For furt<br />
ther inf<br />
formation<br />
or a hire quotation call<br />
01858 410372<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 31
Safe in the Sun<br />
ALL EYES ON SUN SAFETY...<br />
Howard Buckley, Company EHS Manager at Marley, explains why roofers need to protect<br />
their eyes, as well as their skin, from UV rays this summer.<br />
While you’re probably aware of the risks<br />
to your skin from prolonged exposure to<br />
the sun, you might not realise the harm<br />
it could be doing to your eyes. In fact, people who<br />
work outside for long periods of time are at the<br />
greatest risk of eye damage from UV radiation.<br />
Over many years, this can lead to premature skin<br />
ageing, cataracts, skin cancer on the eyelids and<br />
even vision loss.<br />
UV rays can come from many directions, they<br />
radiate from the sun but are also reflected from<br />
the ground, glass and bright surfaces and despite<br />
popular opinion, most clouds don’t offer<br />
protection. Skin cancer can affect skin on any<br />
part of the body, so it is critical that you use<br />
suncream and cover up when working on site in<br />
the summer.<br />
Keep an eye on sun safety<br />
After the skin, the organ most susceptible to<br />
damage from sunlight is the eye and yet, while<br />
the consequences of exposing skin to UV radiation<br />
are well known, research shows that only 3% of<br />
people associate UV rays with eye problems.<br />
Marley’s tips to help roofers keep their eyes safe in the sun:<br />
1. Don’t ever be tempted to wear sunglasses when working on site as they won’t give<br />
your eyes the necessary protection from hazards.<br />
2. In the summer, wear a pair of safety sunglasses with UV protection. Look for a UV<br />
400 rating and check they are certified in line with EN 166 (personal eye protection)<br />
and EN 172 (sun glare filters for industrial use).<br />
3. As safety sunglasses will only cover part of your face, to prevent skin cancer and<br />
ageing, make sure you also apply suncream.<br />
4. Get regular eye examinations and be vigilant – if you have prolonged patches of dry<br />
or sore skin on eyelids, or any trouble with your vision, seek medical advice as soon<br />
as possible.<br />
Also make sure you follow the usual sun safety precautions on site:<br />
1. Keep a shirt or jacket on and opt for tightly woven fabrics which help to form a<br />
barrier to the sun’s harmful rays.<br />
2. Don’t leave exposed skin unprotected. Use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 25 and<br />
remember to reapply regularly. Make sure you also use an SPF lip balm.<br />
3. Wear a hard hat at all times, preferably with a brim and flap that will cover the ears<br />
and the back of the neck.<br />
4. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.<br />
5. Check your skin regularly for unusual spots and moles, or changes to spots and moles.<br />
While some site workers do wear safety<br />
sunglasses or UV goggles, this isn’t consistent<br />
across the industry. As well as ageing the skin<br />
around the eyes, long-term exposure to the sun’s<br />
invisible ultraviolet light is a leading cause of<br />
cataracts, skin cancer and blindness. It also<br />
causes more immediate problems such as<br />
headaches, eye fatigue, redness, dryness, and<br />
irritation.<br />
Gary Walpole, Safety, Health and Environment<br />
Officer at the NFRC, said: “UV light is one of the<br />
many hazards that can damage your eyesight, so<br />
it is important that you wear protection. A roofer<br />
wearing safety sunglasses will not only protect<br />
their eyes from harmful UV rays, they will also<br />
feel more comfortable when working in bright<br />
conditions as the glasses will reduce disruptive<br />
reflections – glass, light coloured roofing<br />
membranes etc.”<br />
As well as your free suncream sachet with this<br />
issue of Total Contractor, Marley has hundreds of<br />
free mini bottles of suncream to give away as<br />
part of this year’s Safe in the Sun campaign. For<br />
your chance to get one, simply email your details<br />
to info@marley.co.uk<br />
Image: Marley is advising roofers to stay safe in the sun this<br />
summer and protect both their skin and eyes when on site.<br />
Contact Marley<br />
01283 722588<br />
www.marley.co.uk<br />
@MarleyLtd<br />
32 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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Safety Equipment<br />
THE INSTALLATION’S JUST THE START<br />
With a shiny new fall protection system installed and signed off, you might think it was ‘job<br />
done’. Not so fast: to promote the ongoing safety and welfare of workers at height, maintain<br />
full regulatory compliance each year and minimise unexpected maintenance bills, you’ll<br />
need an aftercare package. Matthew Bailey, Divisional Manager for Inspection and<br />
Certification at HCL Safety, explains how fall protection aftercare through a specialist partner<br />
can both enhance safety and even pay for itself.<br />
Aftercare requirements<br />
Following the installation of a new fall protection<br />
system, it’s easy to forget that the equipment will<br />
be there – and required for use at any time –, for<br />
many years to come. Immediately after system<br />
installation, owners should ensure they are in<br />
receipt of key documentation, including a<br />
Certificate of Installation and an Operations and<br />
Maintenance (O&M) manual. The latter is an<br />
important reference for both operatives and third<br />
parties using, inspecting or maintaining the<br />
system. An O&M Manual details what has been<br />
installed, when, and how it should be used –<br />
including any manufacturer guidance. It will also<br />
detail any site-specific aspects that may be<br />
relevant to safe use.<br />
Currently in consultation, revisions to British<br />
Standards will soon create a new code of practice<br />
(BS 7883:<strong>2019</strong>). This will further mandate the<br />
provision and contents of a technical file and<br />
O&M manual for fall protection equipment<br />
installations on every site.<br />
Where a fall protection system’s installation team<br />
is engaged directly by the owner of the property<br />
(as opposed to a main or roofing contractor),<br />
there may be an initial system demonstration.<br />
This, however, must not be confused with the<br />
need to arrange quality fall protection training,<br />
providing the comprehensive theoretical and<br />
practical skills and user competency certification<br />
allowing operatives to work at height.<br />
A full safety service<br />
Where Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)<br />
needs to be provided on-site, aftercare partners<br />
offer an important service. Fall<br />
protection aftercare partners<br />
are concerned with the<br />
entire hierarchy of control<br />
around working at height.<br />
HCL Safety, for example,<br />
looks at each individual<br />
installation, checking that<br />
suitable PPE is carefully specified<br />
and selected, and is of high quality.<br />
To maintain compliance, fall protection equipment<br />
must be regularly inspected and maintained. The<br />
party responsible for upkeep arranges inspections<br />
every six or twelve months depending on the<br />
assets in place.<br />
“If there is wear or<br />
deterioration, the<br />
equipment must be<br />
taken out of<br />
commission until it has<br />
gone through basic<br />
maintenance or has<br />
been replaced”<br />
Aftercare partners such as HCL Safety routinely<br />
send out reminders to their clients before<br />
examination is due. An assessor will attend to<br />
check the condition of the equipment matches the<br />
original installation, documenting ongoing safety<br />
compliance. If there is wear or deterioration, the<br />
equipment must be taken out of commission until<br />
it has gone through basic maintenance or has<br />
been replaced. Sometimes<br />
inspection and maintenance<br />
visits are combined and<br />
often anything more than<br />
basic maintenance will<br />
require a return visit. It’s<br />
all about making sure the<br />
most appropriate course of<br />
action for the system in question<br />
is taken.<br />
Lowering TCO<br />
Fall protection systems present a significant<br />
investment. Combining regular inspections and<br />
maintenance also maximises the lifetime of the<br />
system, preventing costly deterioration through<br />
neglect and so reducing Total Cost of Ownership<br />
(TCO). Aftercare providers also keep important<br />
records of the building, installation and<br />
inspections – invaluable should ownership or<br />
facilities management arrangements change.<br />
Ultimately, aftercare partners exist to give users<br />
peace of mind that installed fall protection<br />
systems enable safe working at height.<br />
Appointing a partner does more than simply<br />
adhere to regular maintenance and inspection<br />
compliance. It also provides an independent voice<br />
to highlight any practice or safety concerns, and<br />
signpost access to specialist safety and<br />
competence training where needed.<br />
Contact HCL Safety<br />
0845 600 0086<br />
www.hclsafety.com<br />
@HCLSafety<br />
34 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Reliability...<br />
our strength<br />
When you need a reliable solution, you need a team behind you with experience,<br />
dedication and quality unrivalled in the delivery of industry leading products.<br />
At SR Timber, RELIABILITY means:<br />
n Consistent quality from our managed sawmill to the roof<br />
n ‘Full to size’ in all dimensions GOLD battens<br />
n Our ranges are certified and compliant to British Standards<br />
n Treatment with a waterbased, organic preservative, VACSOL Aqua (Vac-Vac)<br />
n 60 Year lifetime warranty against insect attack and wood rotting fungi<br />
(when installed above dpc level in buildings)<br />
With decades of experience, our team is more<br />
passionate than ever, offering you expertise,<br />
independent advice, experience and industry support.<br />
TEL: 01623 446 800<br />
sales@sr-timber.co.uk<br />
www.sr-timber.co.uk
Pitched Roofing<br />
VENTILATION TIPS: WARM ROOFS,<br />
COLD ROOFS & LOFT CONVERSIONS<br />
By Tom Woodhouse, Site Services Manager at Marley.<br />
Pitched roof ventilation can be a complicated business because of the high number of variables,<br />
for example whether it is a warm roof or cold roof, if it has a normal or well-sealed ceiling and<br />
what type of underlay you are using. Below I give some ventilation tips for different types of<br />
insulation methods, as well as loft conversions:<br />
Cold roofs<br />
A cold pitched roof features thermal insulation<br />
installed along the horizontal ceiling joists. The<br />
roof space is unoccupied – perhaps being used<br />
only for limited storage – and is at a similar<br />
temperature to the outside. There is little or no<br />
obstruction to airflow through the roof space from<br />
eaves to eaves, so smaller openings are sufficient.<br />
How to ventilate cold roofs<br />
• Cold roofs should be ventilated in accordance<br />
with BS 5250, which means that ventilation<br />
should be provided at both eaves and ridge level.<br />
• A cold roof should have a minimum of 10mm<br />
continuous ventilation at the eaves and 5mm<br />
continuous ventilation at the ridge.<br />
• You can use either a breathable or nonbreathable<br />
underlay but must also make sure<br />
there is the right amount of high and low level<br />
ventilation to prevent condensation.<br />
• Non breathable underlays – the ventilation<br />
requirements for cold roofs with non-breathable<br />
underlays and ‘well-sealed ceilings’ are the same<br />
as for those without.<br />
• Breathable underlays – installing a breathable<br />
membrane can reduce ventilation requirements<br />
for both well sealed and normal ceilings but to be<br />
on the safe side, it is still best to provide 10mm<br />
continuous ventilation at eaves and 5mm at the<br />
ridge. Or you can contact our technical team to<br />
provide a free NBS specification to ensure you<br />
allow sufficient ventilation.<br />
Warm roofs<br />
In a warm roof, the thermal insulation is along<br />
the slope of the roof to create a habitable loft<br />
space. Ventilation airflow is only possible above<br />
the insulation and along the slope of the roof, so<br />
larger openings at the eaves are needed to<br />
promote sufficient air movement.<br />
How to ventilate a warm roof<br />
• Thermally insulating a warm roof often creates a<br />
relatively air tight, sealed ceiling which restricts the<br />
passage of moisture vapour into the roof structure<br />
and increases the risk of condensation. Therefore,<br />
warm roofs actually need more ventilation than<br />
cold roofs, in accordance with BS 5250.<br />
• While a warm roof still needs the same 5mm<br />
continuous ventilation along the ridge, it does<br />
require more ventilation, 25mm, at eaves level.<br />
This is why we sell both a 10mm and a 25mm<br />
eaves vent system.<br />
• To prevent condensation forming, you may see<br />
architects specifying an air control vapour layer<br />
(AVCL) for warm roofs. For non-breathable<br />
membrane, the AVCL goes on the warm side of<br />
the insulation and ventilated voids should be<br />
formed between the underside of the underlay<br />
and the insulation. Each void should be at least<br />
25mm deep and vented at both high and low<br />
level. With a breathable membrane, the AVCL is<br />
used at the ceiling line and in theory this means<br />
no additional ventilation is required, however, to<br />
be on the safe side ventilated voids should still<br />
be provided.<br />
Tom Woodhouse, Site Services Manager at Marley.<br />
Loft conversions<br />
When changing an empty loft space (cold roof)<br />
into a habitable living area (warm roof), it is easy<br />
to overlook the change in ventilation<br />
requirements.<br />
• The main difference is that you will need to<br />
increase the ventilation at eaves level.<br />
• You need to increase eaves ventilation from<br />
10mm to 25mm continuous ventilation running<br />
along the whole length of the eaves, this can be<br />
achieved using our 25mm eaves vent system.<br />
• The high level ridge ventilation requirements<br />
remain the same but do check that these are<br />
already in place. High level ridge ventilation<br />
should be equivalent in area to a 5mm slot for<br />
the length of the ridge.<br />
Using our full pitched roof system helps<br />
contractors to ensure they have the right levels of<br />
ventilation, whatever the roof construction.<br />
Contact Marley for free specifications or further<br />
information on ventilation:<br />
Contact Marley<br />
01283 722588<br />
www.marley.co.uk<br />
@MarleyLtd<br />
36 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Installing Slate<br />
PLANNING & INSTALLATION ADVICE<br />
Allan Liddell, Specification and Commercial Manager at CUPA PIZARRAS, explores a few of<br />
the key considerations when planning and installing a natural slate roof for any project.<br />
Slate is only as good as its install, therefore<br />
close consideration needs to be paid during<br />
the planning and installation phases:<br />
Before beginning any roof installation, one of the<br />
critical points to consider is the site’s degree of<br />
exposure to wind and rain as how the area will<br />
fare against the elements will determine the<br />
minimum head lap that needs to be used.<br />
Within the UK, there are four exposure gradings<br />
based on the approximate wind-driven rain that<br />
an area receives on average: Sheltered (less than<br />
33L / m²), Moderate (33 less than 56.5), Severe<br />
(56.5 to less than 100) and Very Severe (100 or<br />
more). This varies from area to area and can be<br />
identified via the annual driving rain index.<br />
However, it is important to take into consideration<br />
that localised factors such as high buildings,<br />
buildings positioned on steep slopes, hills or<br />
within close proximity to the coast can increase<br />
the exposure grading.<br />
Once the exposure rating has been determined,<br />
roofing contractors need to take the wind uplift,<br />
exposure to driving rain and roof pitch into<br />
consideration to determine the minimum required<br />
head lap. For roofing contractors looking for a<br />
durable product in all weather conditions, CUPA<br />
PIZARRAS Heavy 3 is the ideal solution. A true<br />
heavy with an extra thickness of 7mm to 8mm,<br />
the slate has perfect strength which allows it to<br />
withstand any incremental weather. For this<br />
reason, this product is often specified in Scotland<br />
where weather conditions are much more severe.<br />
The size of the roof must also be assessed in<br />
order to determine the correct size of slate<br />
required. Ultimately, the lower the pitch of the<br />
roof, the greater the lap needs to be. This longer<br />
lap will help to resist wind uplift and capillary<br />
action. On steeper pitches with free-flowing<br />
drainage, smaller slates may be used. For<br />
exposed sites, wide slates with a greater lap are<br />
required. In Southern England, the most common<br />
slate size is 500 x 250mm, and in the North of<br />
England and Scotland, it is 400 x 250mm. It is<br />
worth noting that if the thickness of the natural<br />
slate reduces the pitch by three degrees or more,<br />
the next lower rafter pitch should be selected to<br />
ascertain the correct head-lap.<br />
Once the roof pitch, head lap and size of slate<br />
has been selected, roofing contractors can easily<br />
work out the correct amount of slates required for<br />
the roof per m² by referring to a manufacturer’s<br />
coverage tables, with the addition of at least 5%<br />
wastage allowance.<br />
Nailing or hook fixing<br />
When it comes to the installation, the British<br />
Standard Code of Practice (BS 5534) identifies<br />
two ways of installing slates: nailing or hook fixing.<br />
These fastenings fix the slate to either batten –<br />
which is the usual method used in England – or to<br />
sarking board – which is commonly used in areas<br />
of severe exposure throughout Scotland.<br />
Nails<br />
When it comes to fixing slate with nails, it is<br />
critical to note that these nails should be<br />
aluminium alloy (to BS 1202 part 3) or copper (to<br />
BS 102 part 2) for normal applications, and<br />
silicone bronze or stainless steel in coastal areas<br />
for extra protection against corrosion. To minimise<br />
the risk of the nail head pulling through the slate,<br />
the nail head diameter should be at least 10mm<br />
to comply with BS 5534. A traditional and reliable<br />
method, the main benefit of nail fixing is the<br />
finished aesthetic of a building, as the nails are<br />
hidden beneath the rows of slate above.<br />
Hooks<br />
An alternative method of nailing is the use of<br />
hooks, which is very common in Europe,<br />
especially in France and Belgium. When fixing<br />
slates with hooks, all perimeter slates should be<br />
hook fixed and nailed. However, roofing<br />
contractors must also remain aware that this<br />
cannot be done if the roofing pitch is below 25º.<br />
Fixing with hooks as opposed to nails can have<br />
many advantages, such as reduced labour costs,<br />
fewer breakages and a simple replacement<br />
process, however unlike nails, hook fixings<br />
remain visible after installation.<br />
Holing<br />
While most manufacturers’ slate comes preholed,<br />
if holing is required for a batch of slate a<br />
machine is the most advisable approach when<br />
looking to ensure quality control. The product<br />
should be holed one slate at a time and the<br />
machine should be checked, cleaned and<br />
adjusted frequently to ensure quality and safety.<br />
Although holing by hand is not recommended, it is<br />
sometimes necessary if a number of small slates<br />
need re-holing for repairs, or a hole needs to be<br />
re-positioned in-situ. In these circumstances a<br />
spike hammer should be used over a narrow iron,<br />
and holing should be repeated twice from the bed<br />
of the slate.<br />
Natural slate has many qualities that have made<br />
it so prevalent in the roofing industry, such as its<br />
sustainable credentials, durability and unrivalled<br />
appearance. As the product grows within the UK<br />
market it is vital to complete an informed<br />
specification and to follow best practice<br />
throughout installation.<br />
Contact CUPA PIZARRAS<br />
020 3904 3001<br />
www.cupapizarras.com/uk<br />
@CUPAPIZARRAS_en<br />
38 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Come rain or shine,<br />
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Over 1,000 factory<br />
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We like to think we know quite a bit about daylight. As the UK’s longest established<br />
manufacturer of rooflights and with an extensive range of tried and tested profiles,<br />
we’ve perfected their design and manufacture. Our GRP Energysaver factory<br />
assembled rooflights, offer exceptional performance – weathertight, easy to install<br />
and achieving maximum daylight – they won’t let you down.<br />
To find out how we can help you maximise daylight when you’re specifying a composite panel roof,<br />
visit our technical bulletin library: www.energysaverrooflights.com<br />
To find out more visit www.brettmartin.com<br />
or call 024 7660 2022 or email daylight@brettmartin.com
Product Development<br />
TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION IS KEY<br />
Total Contractor visited Hambleside Danelaw to discuss how the relationship between<br />
contractor and manufacturer has never been more important than now...<br />
In what is an extremely competitive market for<br />
contractor, supplier and manufacturer, it’s more<br />
important than ever to interact with the supply<br />
chain and make the most of the support available.<br />
Ian Weakford, Sales & Marketing Director at<br />
Hambleside Danelaw, recognises this, and places<br />
great value on the roofing product manufacturer’s<br />
relationship with contractors. Ian explained to<br />
Total Contractor: “It’s about recognising the little<br />
problems that you only hear about by talking to<br />
the people on site and overcoming them; it’s the<br />
little things that make the job easier on site.”<br />
It is overcoming the little – but very real –<br />
problems that has driven Hambleside Danelaw’s<br />
R&D department to adapt and develop its product<br />
offering so that roofers can work quickly, and<br />
confidently on projects and hopefully make cost<br />
savings. This is reflected in its product offering<br />
which is split into three core areas: Danelaw<br />
Pitched Roofing, Zenon Rooflights and Dryseal<br />
Flat Roofing.<br />
Danelaw Pitched Roofing incorporates GRP<br />
flashings – including Dry Fix Valley Troughs,<br />
Bonding Gutters, Continuous Soakers and Slate<br />
Verges – plus polycarbonate flashing and roofing<br />
products such as its Individual Soakers, Dry<br />
Verge and Ridge and Hip Systems, as well as a<br />
comprehensive ventilation range.<br />
Hambleside Danelaw has been manufacturing<br />
rooflight solutions in the UK for more than 40 years;<br />
its BBA-certified Zenon range of in-plane GRP<br />
rooflights for the metal building envelope have been<br />
used on key projects for the likes of B&Q, Tesco<br />
distribution warehouses and Rolls Royce factories.<br />
The company’s BBA approved Dryseal Flat<br />
Roofing system is a component-based pre-cured<br />
GRP system. It can be installed over an existing<br />
roof covering, as long as the deck is in good<br />
Paul Lambert spends much of his time visiting customers.<br />
condition. It is guaranteed to remain leak-free for<br />
20 years and comes with an insurance backed<br />
warranty. The materials guarantee is<br />
supplemented by Hambleside Danelaw’s<br />
Approved Installer’s Guarantee directly to the<br />
customer.<br />
Solutions that benefit the roofer<br />
Although these products and systems are for<br />
different areas of roofing, the key for Hambleside<br />
Danelaw is coming up with solutions that benefit<br />
the roofer, and ensure a quicker and more<br />
efficient installation that will produce a<br />
weathertight roof for the customer.<br />
One way Hambleside Danelaw has been<br />
interacting with merchants and roofers is through<br />
its in-branch roof training and product demos.<br />
Paul Lambert, a Field Support Technician at<br />
Hambleside Danelaw, who has more than 30<br />
years of “hands-on” experience within the<br />
construction industry, takes his rigs on the road<br />
to merchants throughout the UK. Paul explained<br />
that it gives Hambleside Danelaw a great<br />
opportunity to not only get in-front of the right<br />
people, and educate them on the key issues<br />
affecting them when it comes to roofing, but to<br />
also help the company keep current with issues<br />
affecting roofers on site. Paul explained: “The<br />
merchant days are great way to advise on issues<br />
such weathertightness and wind uplift, talk about<br />
the products that are available, what they do, how<br />
they are installed, how they help – the practical<br />
side of roofing. It’s about getting them to switch<br />
on, keep them asking questions, keep their<br />
attention and also find out what’s affecting them.”<br />
Ian Weakford is a big fan of the in-branch demos<br />
and recognises the real value they offer Hambleside<br />
Danelaw and the customer: “It’s about engaging<br />
with the contractor. Paul’s not a salesman, he’s<br />
‘hands on’, so he speaks the language and<br />
understands the issues contractors are facing.”<br />
Ian continued: “A lot of the tweaks to the<br />
products and solutions we offer come from Paul<br />
Lambert. Through the in-branch demos he’s<br />
talking to the customers more than we could in<br />
the past and this is great for product<br />
development – if an issue is identified, can we<br />
come up with a solution? Are they just moaning –<br />
or is it a real problem? If we can make it a bit<br />
easier for the people on site, then that’s great!”<br />
On the whole, roofers are looking for products<br />
that are quick and easy to install, but they want<br />
the confidence that they won’t be called back to<br />
site to fix problems. For example, when it comes<br />
to Dry Verges, they want to be able to work in a<br />
range of weather conditions on site, but want a<br />
product that will perform whatever the weather<br />
(e.g. no warping, fading or water marks). As Ian<br />
says: “it’s about education”, but as a two-way<br />
thing: they as a manufacturer are learning about<br />
the problems that contractors face with products<br />
and materials on site, whilst providing the<br />
solutions and educating roofers on how they<br />
should be installed to ensure a roof that performs<br />
as it should. This two-way communication in the<br />
supply chain can only be a good thing for the<br />
sector moving forward.<br />
Contact Hambleside Danelaw<br />
01327 701900<br />
www.hambleside-danelaw.co.uk<br />
@HambDane<br />
40 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
octor<br />
the A Proctor Group Collection <strong>2019</strong><br />
the authority<br />
design by:<br />
Sarah McClintock<br />
Roofshield ®<br />
air permeable vapour permeable roofing underlay<br />
01250 872 261<br />
Proctor<br />
Group<br />
www.proctorgroup.com
Working with Lead<br />
TOP TIPS ON HOW TO USE LEAD IN<br />
ROOFING AND CONSTRUCTION<br />
Midland Lead has worked alongside Timby Roofing for a number of years, and we got the<br />
chance to catch up with Matt Timby, Owner, to hear his tips on how to work effectively and<br />
safely with lead.<br />
Since his days training as a roofing<br />
apprentice at Leeds College of Building,<br />
Matt Timby, Founder and Owner of Timby<br />
Roofing, is a specialist roofing contractor and has<br />
become a respected figure in the construction<br />
industry. Throughout his career he has been<br />
awarded a number of honours including NFRC<br />
National Roofing Awards alongside achieving gold<br />
medals at both National and International World<br />
Skills Events.<br />
Midland Lead and Timby Roofing share the same<br />
values of sustainability, protecting the<br />
environment and using lead in construction and<br />
heritage projects. Matt Timby is an advocate of<br />
using lead, and as a specialist roofing contractor<br />
he talked to us about the qualities and long-term<br />
advantages of using lead: “Lead is a great<br />
material to work with and when specified and<br />
installed correctly, it lasts a lifetime. In fact, lead<br />
will easily last more than three times longer than<br />
lead alternatives, making it a very cost-effective<br />
material. Lead alternatives do have their place in<br />
construction and there are many to choose from.<br />
They are generally used on flashings or on some<br />
developments where prices are tight, but none of<br />
the alternatives perform as effectively long-term.<br />
Easily manipulated to form complex details, lead<br />
is also a beautiful material and nothing looks<br />
quite as good when it is well installed and<br />
finished correctly, whether it is a modern design<br />
or heritage building.”<br />
With his many years of working with lead on<br />
many different projects, large and small, we<br />
asked Matt if he would share his top tips for<br />
roofing contractors on how to use lead safely and<br />
effectively. Here are his six top tips:<br />
Midland Lead’s lead is made of 100% recycled lead and has a 60-year guarantee.<br />
“Lead is a material that<br />
needs an experienced<br />
handler to ensure that<br />
it is installed and<br />
finished correctly”<br />
1Ensure you only use a qualified lead<br />
roofing expert or subcontractor. Lead is<br />
a material that needs an experienced handler<br />
to ensure that it is installed and finished correctly. If<br />
you are looking to hire a lead roofer, make sure they<br />
demonstrate evidence of previous work, ideally with<br />
recommendation. They should also be qualified<br />
with recognised bodies such as City and Guilds<br />
leadworkers certificate or an NVQ. It is also<br />
advised that they are members of recognised<br />
trade organisations such as the Lead Contractors<br />
Association. An experienced contractor should be<br />
able to confidently talk through, make<br />
recommendations and demonstrate what’s<br />
required for the specific project.<br />
2Understand how and when to specify<br />
lead sheet before you start the build<br />
project. The use of lead sheet is the same<br />
as any other roofing product, you have to know<br />
when and how to use it to ensure that it is<br />
installed correctly. If you are unable to find an<br />
experienced or qualified lead installer, then my<br />
advice is to become one – you will never regret<br />
knowing more about lead as a great building<br />
material. There are plenty of short courses all<br />
over the UK that will help you learn foundations<br />
for the basics. You can also buy a copy of the<br />
‘Lead Sheet Manual’ from the Lead Sheet Training<br />
Academy, although this deals purely with rolled<br />
lead sheet to BS EN 12588, it can be used exactly<br />
the same way for machine cast lead and is an<br />
essential document that can help with<br />
specification and detailing. Another point would<br />
be that if in doubt, ask a manufacturer, such as<br />
Midland Lead, who are very knowledgeable on all<br />
types of projects, or another contractor for advice –<br />
a two-minute discussion can save a lot of issues.<br />
42 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
“You have to know<br />
when and how to use it<br />
(lead) to ensure that it<br />
is installed correctly”<br />
3Know what products to use in<br />
conjunction with lead sheet to ensure<br />
best practice and longevity of the<br />
installation. There are a number of ancillary<br />
products that can be used to improve the<br />
appearance and longevity of lead installation.<br />
Lead ancillary products can really help to make<br />
preparation, installation and looking after lead a<br />
lot easier. There are many products available,<br />
such as woodcore rolls, building paper or<br />
underlay, and all are essential in their own rights.<br />
Patination oil is also a great way to ensure even<br />
weathering and prevent white lead carbonate<br />
run-off onto other building materials. Midland<br />
Lead’s website has an ancillary list that lists all<br />
the products that are used alongside lead that<br />
can be a great help.<br />
4Find out which lead code to use for a<br />
project. When specifying lead sheet, it is<br />
really important to refer to relevant<br />
documentation to ensure the correct thickness<br />
and dimensions of lead is being specified for that<br />
particular application. It is recommended that you<br />
consult the manufacturer of the product, Midland<br />
Lead have a downloadable lead code weight chart<br />
that can be helpful – most manufacturers will<br />
provide similar. A factor to also consider is the<br />
climate and geographical location where the<br />
lead will be installed. For instance, contractors<br />
in Scotland might be better placed looking at<br />
codes 5 and above, whereas projects in<br />
England and Wales may only need a code 4<br />
lead. This is simply due to the harsher weather<br />
conditions where a thicker, more durable lead<br />
installation is required.<br />
5Make sure you know how to handle and<br />
store lead correctly. We all know that if<br />
handled incorrectly, lead can be harmful to<br />
health. Lead particles can enter the body through<br />
ingestion and inhalation, but this can easily be<br />
Above left: Matt Timby at work; Midland Lead is proud of its 35 years of lead sheet manufacturing expertise.<br />
avoided with the use of simple PPE (personal<br />
protective equipment) and using the<br />
product correctly. Gloves or<br />
barrier cream should always<br />
be used when handling<br />
lead sheet, hands<br />
should be washed<br />
before drinking, eating<br />
or smoking. An FFP3<br />
type mask should also<br />
always be worn when lead<br />
burning and when conducting<br />
this method, lead burning should<br />
only be carried out in a well-ventilated area. It’s<br />
advisable to wear overalls when working with<br />
lead sheet as it can build up on your clothing and<br />
transfer to your vehicle and then to your home.<br />
Another thing to consider is good manual<br />
handling practice as lead, by its very nature, can<br />
be very heavy.<br />
“Checking your lead<br />
rolls or sheets are<br />
stored correctly before<br />
installation is crucial<br />
to prevent<br />
discolouration”<br />
To guarantee long-term benefits it is also<br />
important to ensure you observe best practice<br />
when storing lead. For instance, checking your<br />
lead rolls or sheets are stored correctly before<br />
installation is crucial to prevent discolouration.<br />
Always keep lead off the ground on raised pallets<br />
in an environment that has little to no<br />
atmospheric changes for best<br />
results.<br />
6Make certain<br />
that lead is<br />
worked and<br />
fitted correctly. It is<br />
essential that lead sheet<br />
is fitted correctly to ensure<br />
the longevity of the product<br />
when installed. Poor installation,<br />
as with any product in construction, can<br />
result in premature failure as lead is open to all<br />
the elements that weather can throw at us! Poor<br />
handling can also damage the product; it is<br />
important that care is taken so not to damage the<br />
material when moving, storing and installing.<br />
Take care that the area you are working in is<br />
clean. Rolling your material out onto a<br />
workbench, scaffold or roof deck covered in<br />
debris of any kind is not advised. Rolling the lead<br />
out onto unclean surfaces can cause surface<br />
damage or even puncture the sheet. Any damage<br />
to the lead itself can affect the long-term<br />
properties of the installation.<br />
With so much choice it is important to understand<br />
why certain types of lead are suitable for<br />
particular applications.<br />
Contact Midland Lead<br />
01283 224 555<br />
www.midlandlead.co.uk<br />
@MidlandLead<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 43
An Inspector Calls<br />
THE LAY OF THE LAND: A FOCUS ON<br />
THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF UNDERLAYS<br />
In our regular monthly column – ‘An Inspector calls’ – Total Contractor has teamed up with<br />
BMI UK & Ireland, experts in pitched and flat roofing solutions, to help you avoid the<br />
common pitfalls that can often cost you both time and money, and ultimately help you<br />
achieve roofing success.<br />
This month the Inspector gets on top of<br />
the subject of underlays and why they<br />
are so important.<br />
The last thing you want to see when climbing into<br />
a loft is the underside of the roof tiles. That thin<br />
sheet of material that sits between you and the<br />
roof covering, be it an old 1F bituminous felt or a<br />
newer vapour permeable polymer membrane, is<br />
there for a reason.<br />
When we are installing a roofing underlay we are<br />
looking for suitable strength, durability, tear- and<br />
water-resistance to serve for the entire service<br />
life of the roof. This is vital, because the failure of<br />
that membrane is the death knell for any<br />
installation. Think about it: when we install our<br />
roof, we start with the underlay placed over the<br />
rafters; we hammer in our battens on top and<br />
then fix our tiles on those battens. So it follows<br />
that if the membrane fails, it is off with the tiles,<br />
off with the battens and so off with the entire<br />
roof; an expensive repair.<br />
It begs the question, why would anyone cut<br />
“If the membrane fails, it is off with the tiles, off<br />
with the battens and so off with the entire roof.<br />
An expensive repair”<br />
corners or cost when installing the underlay? But<br />
they do, and once that membrane fails it cannot<br />
be ignored as invariably the risk of roof leakage<br />
escalates significantly.<br />
The important role of underlays<br />
Let’s just remind ourselves about the important<br />
role that underlay plays in the overall scheme of<br />
things. Firstly, it provides an essential barrier to<br />
reduce the wind uplift load acting on the slates<br />
and tiles. This means that using a substandard or<br />
poorly installed underlay increases the wind load<br />
on the tiles and their fixings, leaving them at<br />
greater risk of being removed in high winds. In<br />
short this could mean tiles leaving the roof and<br />
taking up residence in the garden or next-door’s<br />
garden, or even worse the neighbour’s<br />
conservatory or parked car. A brief search of<br />
Google will deliver a host of horror stories about<br />
the dangers of dislodged clay and concrete tiles<br />
from a roof – including deaths – not to mention<br />
the cost of repair afterwards.<br />
Secondly, the underlay is also the final barrier<br />
against the ingress of wind-driven rain, snow and<br />
dust into the roof space. Tiles and slates for the<br />
most part keep the weather out but, under certain<br />
combinations of wind and rain, they will let small<br />
amounts of water through. This is when the<br />
underlay when draped sufficiently between<br />
rafters allows these small amounts of moisture to<br />
drain down to the eaves of the roof and into the<br />
drainage system.<br />
Remove that last line of defence and any water<br />
getting past the roof covering is destined to<br />
44 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
“Tiles and slates for the<br />
most part keep the<br />
weather out but, under<br />
certain combinations<br />
of wind and rain, they<br />
will let small amounts<br />
of water through”<br />
destroy the customer’s record collection or that<br />
box of old wedding photos tucked away at the<br />
back of the attic. Worse, it won’t stop there<br />
because once water finds a route into a property,<br />
that ingress will continue first to dampen the<br />
insulation in the roof reducing its thermal<br />
resistance, and then often the first anyone will<br />
know about it is that dark damp patch of plaster<br />
on the bedroom ceiling.<br />
Lastly, modern polymer-based underlays,<br />
particularly the vapour permeable type, are also<br />
used to a lesser or greater extent to reduce the<br />
risk of condensation occurring in the roof space.<br />
Most of us have cold roof spaces or lofts, which<br />
means that we insulate the ceiling of our upper<br />
floor leaving the roof tiles and roofing membrane<br />
uninsulated and close to the external air<br />
temperature.<br />
This means that all the warm air and moisture<br />
that we produce in our homes – and we produce<br />
a great deal of it – rises upwards into the loft and<br />
hits the membrane below the roof tiles. During<br />
the cold winter months the external air<br />
temperature is such that the membrane<br />
temperature can fall below the dew point. What<br />
happens when steam hits a cold surface? It turns<br />
back to water! In a modern home the underlay is<br />
designed to help control this process and allow<br />
some moisture in the form of water vapour<br />
through, but if that underlay is insufficient for the<br />
task or degraded, the results will be as damaging<br />
as water getting in from the outside.<br />
When it comes to roofing underlay, failure is<br />
simply not an option as the cost of repair is<br />
nothing short of a reroof. Yes, we can patch tears<br />
Above and left: images show the consequences of aged or cheap underlay failure.<br />
“If there is any part of the roof where no expense<br />
should be spared then the underlay is it. It is your<br />
last line of defence against the weather, your<br />
safeguard against condensation damage and an<br />
essential wind load barrier for tiles”<br />
in the underlay up with suitable tapes, but if the<br />
cause of the failure is down to a substandard<br />
choice of membrane then the underlying<br />
problems cannot be solved by tape.<br />
The British Standard Code of Practice for pitched<br />
roofs, BS 5534, is clear in its recommendations:<br />
• Choose an appropriate underlay for your roof<br />
taking into account the wind exposure of the<br />
building and site location (all reputable underlays<br />
are provided with a zonal chart which will tell you<br />
if they are suitable, if in doubt ask your merchant<br />
to point it out).<br />
• Follow the manufacturer’s installation<br />
instructions to the letter. Underlay might seem<br />
like a simple product to install but the cost of<br />
getting it wrong can be catastrophic, so don’t.<br />
Read the instructions and if in any doubt at all<br />
call the underlay manufacturer for guidance.<br />
• Restrain your horizontal underlay laps properly.<br />
Where the underlay laps horizontally you must<br />
either restrain it with a batten fixed over the lap<br />
or by using a proprietary adhesive or tapes<br />
guaranteed for your particular roof installation.<br />
Any old glue or tape will not do since it’s unlikely<br />
to be fit for purpose in terms of its durability and<br />
again listening to your manufacturer here is<br />
paramount.<br />
If there is any part of the roof where no expense<br />
should be spared then the underlay is it. It is your<br />
last line of defence against the weather, your<br />
safeguard against condensation damage and an<br />
essential wind load barrier for tiles.<br />
Contact BMI National Training Centre<br />
01285 863545<br />
www.bmigroup.com/uk<br />
@_Redland / @Icopal_UK<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 45
Contractor’s Qs<br />
“KNOW YOUR CRAFT,<br />
KNOW YOUR MARKET”<br />
He’s been roofing since a very young age and his experience has seen him build a successful<br />
business and go on to win awards as an individual and for projects his company has worked<br />
on. But what really frustrates Jason Wright about roofing? which projects have really stood out<br />
in his long career and why? plus, what tools could he not do without? Total Contractor caught up with<br />
Jason to find out all this and much more...<br />
10<br />
questions for Jason Wright:<br />
TC: What was your path into roofing and<br />
to your current position?<br />
JW: From the age of 8, every weekend and all<br />
school holidays I was taken to work by my father<br />
mainly to keep me out of mischief. By the age of<br />
12 I was labouring for two roofers, and before I<br />
was 16 I had my own team.<br />
I completed a full apprenticeship before I was 18<br />
and have gone on to achieve every qualification<br />
within my field of traditional pitched roofing.<br />
I was one of the youngest NFRC Chairman for the<br />
Midland region and I sit on both the NFRC<br />
Heritage Committee and the NFRC Slating & Tiling<br />
committee.<br />
I was also the first recipient of the Master<br />
Craftsman Award by the Worshipful Tyler’s &<br />
Bricklayers in 2013.<br />
My current position within our company is<br />
Operations Director with a lead role in new<br />
business and our Planned Works Division.<br />
TC: If you had one piece of advice about<br />
starting a roofing business, what would it<br />
be?<br />
JW: My best piece of advice about starting a new<br />
roofing business would be to know your craft,<br />
know your market and make sure you have a<br />
good accountant.<br />
TC: Tell us about a current project you’re<br />
working on…<br />
JW: We have several contracts running<br />
concurrently, with the majority in re-roofing social<br />
housing stock for several Local Authorities which<br />
can range from pre-war housing to 1950s & 60s<br />
housing stock throughout the East Midlands, East<br />
Anglia, to Victorian, Georgian and even Tudor<br />
housing in Royal Leamington Spa and Warwick.<br />
This, as you can see, means our work can be<br />
varied and challenging in terms of the type of<br />
roofs and the logistics.<br />
TC: You must have worked on some<br />
difficult projects over the years. Does one<br />
in particular stand out?<br />
JW: We have worked on some very interesting<br />
projects ranging from Windsor Castle at the time<br />
of 9/11 – you can imagine all the security<br />
problems that included – to working on the Royal<br />
Brompton Hospital which included both logistical<br />
problems and restricted hours of working.<br />
“Anyone can buy some vans, a set of ladders, do<br />
some clever marketing and call themselves a<br />
roofing company! How can that happen?! This<br />
really gets my blood boiling!”<br />
Jason Wright (right) is Operations Director at J Wright Roofing.<br />
However, the project that sticks out is the reroofing<br />
of the Victoria Law Courts in central<br />
Birmingham in 2007-2008.<br />
This is a Grade 1 listed active court building with<br />
over 20 courts. As such we had to re-roof the<br />
whole building at night over 18 months. We also<br />
won the NFRC Heritage award in 2009 for our<br />
workmanship on this project.<br />
TC: What about difficult customers? Any<br />
situations that stand out that you can tell<br />
us about?!<br />
JW: In terms of difficult customers we have not<br />
had that many. What I would say is a big issue is<br />
having larger main contractors deliberately<br />
withholding monies through a layer of QSs, and<br />
then deliberately going bust owing thousands to<br />
the smaller, honest sub-contractors only to start<br />
up again almost straight away! I feel something<br />
really has to be done and the law needs to be<br />
changed to protect the smaller contractors and to<br />
stop this practice.<br />
TC: What’s the most frustrating thing<br />
about your job?<br />
JW: The most frustrating thing about my job and<br />
indeed our industry as a whole is qualified, vetted<br />
and accredited companies losing out on tenders<br />
to less qualified companies.<br />
It is so annoying that our industry is still one of<br />
the only sectors whereby anyone can buy some<br />
vans, a set of ladders, do some clever<br />
46 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
marketing and call themselves a roofing<br />
company! How can that happen?! This really<br />
gets my blood boiling!<br />
The second most frustrating thing is other<br />
companies poaching our qualified roofers when<br />
they don’t do any training whatsoever.<br />
TC: And the most satisfying?<br />
JW: The most satisfying aspect for me personally<br />
is seeing a young school leaver join us to<br />
complete an apprenticeship and watch them grow<br />
into young adults and gain a qualification onto not<br />
just a job, but a proper career path.<br />
Winning tenders comes a close second, along<br />
with getting paid on time.<br />
TC: What’s your most important tool as a<br />
roofing contractor, either in the office or<br />
on site?<br />
JW: My two most valuable tools are my diary and<br />
my iPhone.<br />
TC: What’s the biggest issue currently<br />
affecting you as a contractor?<br />
JW: The most important issues affecting me at<br />
the moment are unregulated, unqualified<br />
contractors still giving our industry a bad image.<br />
This is coupled with the shortage of skilled labour<br />
which I am afraid is only going to get worse<br />
despite the best efforts of recent national<br />
initiatives.<br />
TC: How has the start of <strong>2019</strong> been and<br />
are there reasons to be positive for the<br />
remainder of the year?<br />
JW: I am pleased to say after a record year for our<br />
company in 2018, in <strong>2019</strong> we’ve got off to a great<br />
start again with new frameworks recently<br />
awarded and our current order book is at over<br />
80% of last year’s turnover already, so we’re<br />
looking good through to 2020 and beyond.<br />
This will enable us to continue recruiting both in<br />
the office, on site and expand further on our<br />
apprenticeship programme.<br />
Contact J Wright Roofing<br />
0115 971 7591<br />
www.jwrightroofing.co.uk<br />
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JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 47
Job Focus: In the Field<br />
THE NEXT STEP: TRAINING &<br />
GAINING AROUND THE WORLD<br />
After a 22-year career as a roofer, John Turner is now using that experience in the field and<br />
travelling to sites throughout the world to train the next generation of roofers, providing<br />
guidance and technical support on site.<br />
When Firestone’s technical representative<br />
for lining and roofing first began his<br />
career at the tender age of 16, he could<br />
never have imagined that he would one day be<br />
travelling the world as an integral part of his job.<br />
The role he has now uses the knowledge he<br />
gained in a 22-year career as a roofer and sees<br />
him travelling to sites world-wide to train the next<br />
generation of roofing professionals and offer<br />
guidance and technical support on site.<br />
“It’s not all glamour,” commented John, “I get to<br />
see the inside of a lot of airports and I still spend<br />
a lot of time on roofs taking a look at complex<br />
detailing and working with contractors to find a<br />
way of tackling it that will look neat and support<br />
an extended service life for the roof.<br />
“Firestone’s EPDM membranes have a 20-year<br />
warranty but many have already lasted close to<br />
40 years without refurbishment or<br />
replacement. Getting that kind of<br />
lifespan out of the product is<br />
always the aim and ensuring<br />
it’s been installed to the<br />
highest standards, no matter<br />
how challenging the building<br />
design or working conditions may<br />
be, plays a critical role in delivering<br />
that long-lasting performance.”<br />
Extreme conditions<br />
The challenging working conditions that John<br />
encounters come in all varieties thanks to the<br />
varied locations he visits to deliver training and<br />
technical support.<br />
“I was in Scandinavia recently to work with a<br />
group of installers who will be using Firestone’s<br />
GeoGard lining system for the emergency cooling<br />
John Turner, Firestone BPE. Technical<br />
Representative for Lining and Roofing.<br />
reservoir on a nuclear reactor<br />
building project. The training<br />
took place in a nice warm<br />
workshop, but there was 3ft of<br />
snow when I arrived; much<br />
more extreme than anything I’ve<br />
encountered while in the UK.”<br />
Plenty of John’s travels include far flung places at<br />
the other end of the temperature scale too. His<br />
recent destinations have included Japan,<br />
Tanzania, Qatar and South Korea, and recently he<br />
was in India.<br />
“One of the great things about working with<br />
Firestone membranes is that the material<br />
responds well in all temperatures. It remains<br />
flexible in temperatures as low as -45ºC and<br />
“I still spend a lot of<br />
time on roofs taking a<br />
look at complex<br />
detailing”<br />
Left: Firestone’s Products were used on the Mercedes Benz<br />
building in Dubai. Below: John Turner’s work takes him to far<br />
flung places.<br />
48 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Job Focus: In the Field<br />
performs well in high temperatures too, with<br />
excellent U/V resistance.<br />
“In fact, the product is far more resilient than<br />
even a site-hardy roofer like me! During one trip<br />
to Japan I must have looked like I needed some<br />
help with cooling off so the team presented me<br />
with a special ‘cooling’ jacket to say thank you for<br />
the help I’d given them during the project. It has a<br />
series of fans inside it – a nice idea but a bit on<br />
the heavy and cumbersome side when you’re<br />
crouching down to complete complex detailing<br />
work.”<br />
Career progression<br />
Around 70% of John’s work is in helping teams on<br />
roofing jobs, with the remainder spent assisting<br />
contractors with lining projects. It’s a role that<br />
has provided him with a natural progression from<br />
working full time as a roofer to using<br />
his skills in the same industry but<br />
in a different way.<br />
“By the time I moved into<br />
this role aged 38, I had<br />
already done 22 years on<br />
the tools,” John<br />
continued, “and I wanted<br />
to continue to work in the<br />
sector but I wasn’t sure I<br />
wanted to have such a physically<br />
demanding role for the next 22 years.<br />
“When this job with Firestone came up, it provided<br />
the perfect solution because it gives me a balance<br />
between being up on the roof with installation<br />
teams, where I can have hands-on involvement<br />
with the project, and working with roofing<br />
professionals off site, where I can pass on the<br />
knowledge and skills I’ve gained over the years.<br />
“Best of all, every day is still a learning day for<br />
me. It’s extraordinary how often I go on site or to<br />
a training venue to train a group of<br />
lads and come away having<br />
learned something new.<br />
That’s one of the really<br />
enjoyable elements of<br />
my role, being able to<br />
gain new knowledge<br />
and techniques from<br />
installers all round the<br />
world and pass them on<br />
as I continue to train more<br />
people and advise on an endless<br />
variety of jobs.”<br />
Rewarding<br />
Over the course of his 15 years in his current role,<br />
John has been able to see the value of sharing his<br />
knowledge and the collective experience of the<br />
roofers he trains around the world.<br />
“One of my favourite things about the job is<br />
catching up with people that I trained years ago<br />
and seeing how their careers have progressed.<br />
“That’s one of the really enjoyable elements of<br />
my role, being able to gain new knowledge and<br />
techniques from installers all round the world<br />
and pass them on”<br />
Above – workers John has assisted in Dubai and, below, India.The real satisfaction is in supporting roofers as they learn new<br />
skills, develop their own creative solutions for difficult detailing and gain confidence in problem solving.”<br />
Often, I’ve bumped into someone I trained early in<br />
their career and I can see them on site, passing<br />
their skills on to another generation of<br />
professionals. There is nothing more satisfying<br />
than seeing that legacy at work and the fact<br />
that people remember me and the project I<br />
worked on with them years later really<br />
highlights the value of good training and<br />
technical support.”<br />
Not all of John’s work involves far flung<br />
locations; he can often be found supporting UK<br />
contractors on sites around the country too, as<br />
well as delivering training at Firestone’s<br />
purpose-built training centre at the company’s<br />
Cheshire HQ.<br />
“In many ways,” John added, “the location is not<br />
the most memorable part of any training or<br />
troubleshooting job for me. The real satisfaction<br />
is in supporting roofers as they learn new skills,<br />
develop their own creative solutions for difficult<br />
detailing and gain confidence in problem solving.<br />
My role is to facilitate all of that and it’s<br />
extremely rewarding.”<br />
Contact Firestone<br />
01606 552026<br />
www.firestonebpe.co.uk<br />
@FirestonebpUK<br />
50 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
PROTAN LR20<br />
A high performance liquid<br />
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products.<br />
PROTAN LR20...<br />
• Ideal for use where complex detailing<br />
or difficult access restricts the use of a<br />
sheet membrane<br />
• Can be applied to most substrates on<br />
new build projects or as an overlay on<br />
existing roofs<br />
• Independently Fire Tested – conforms<br />
to BROOFT4 with zero spread of flame<br />
• A cost-effective solution that is both<br />
fast-curing and simple to install<br />
• Moisture tolerant and can be applied<br />
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• 20 Year Warranty – can be extended<br />
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How To:<br />
WATERPROOF A RAINWATER OUTLET<br />
Stuart Hicks, from cold-applied liquid waterproofing specialist Kemper System, provides a<br />
step-by-step guide...<br />
The performance of any roof can be compromised by a rainwater outlet. If it is not waterproofed<br />
effectively, water can leak into a building causing damage and potentially leading to substantial<br />
refurbishment costs.<br />
One of the most effective ways to waterproof an outlet is to use a cold-applied liquid resin with a fleece<br />
reinforcement. Durable and tear resistant, these systems can be tailored to the shape of the outlet<br />
without the need for mechanical fixings or sealants.<br />
A further benefit is that a wet-on-wet system can be applied in a single process, which completely<br />
saturates the reinforcement fleece, making the installation quicker and more reliable.<br />
For contractors considering using a liquid waterproofing system for this application, here is a guide to<br />
what is involved:<br />
“The performance of<br />
any roof can be<br />
compromised by a<br />
rainwater outlet. If it is<br />
not waterproofed<br />
effectively, water can<br />
leak into a building<br />
causing damage”<br />
1Cut the fleece into wedge-shaped strips<br />
ensuring there are enough to cover the<br />
outlet in overlapping layers.<br />
Each wedge should be around 150mm long with<br />
one end 70mm wide and the other a minimum of<br />
50mm wide, so that it can be folded and inserted<br />
into the outlet.<br />
Above: Rainwater outlet<br />
2Dip the individual strips into the liquid<br />
waterproofing resin, ensuring each one is<br />
completely saturated.<br />
3Apply the liquid waterproofing resin to the<br />
top and inside of the outlet making sure no<br />
resin drips into the drain.<br />
4Remove any excess resin from the strips<br />
and lay in an overlapping pattern until the<br />
whole outlet is covered and brush out any<br />
air bubbles or creases.<br />
5Create a cover fleece by cutting a square<br />
which should measure the diameter of the<br />
outlet plus 250mm on each side.<br />
Place the fleece centrally over the top of the<br />
outlet. Draw a circle using the inside of the outlet<br />
as a guide and then cut out, ensuring the<br />
diameter of the hole is approximately 20mm<br />
wider than the outlet.<br />
Above: Cover fleece pattern.<br />
6To ensure a neat appearance, put masking<br />
tape above the application area and the<br />
surrounding deck, and then remove the<br />
fleece. Saturate the cover fleece with the liquid<br />
waterproofing resin, squeeze off any excess and<br />
lay onto the deck over the outlet.<br />
7Brush or roller this fleece to remove air<br />
bubbles or creases and ensure the fleece<br />
is fully saturated and pressed firmly down.<br />
Remove the masking tape to present a neat,<br />
professional job. The resin will then cure to<br />
provide a robust waterproof membrane that can<br />
Above: Cover fleece in place.<br />
be seamlessly incorporated into the field area of<br />
the project.<br />
To ensure the installation is a success,<br />
contractors should also get advice and ideally<br />
training from the manufacturer of the liquid<br />
waterproofing system before application.<br />
Contact Kemper System<br />
01925 445532<br />
www.kempersystem.co.uk<br />
@KemperSystemUK<br />
52 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Mansard Roof Tiles<br />
Purpose made to<br />
suit roof pitch<br />
Contemporary Living: Crest’s High Quality<br />
Concrete Interlocking Double Pantile in Rustic<br />
Crest Creative Roofscaping<br />
Crest Nelskamp have a large range of internal and external Mansard<br />
roofing tiles available in clay and concrete profiles for both modern and<br />
traditional projects.<br />
<br />
Crest *Planum high quality concrete<br />
flat tile in anthracite grey<br />
Architect’s are now finding more creative and practical uses for both<br />
residential and commercial new builds with different roofing styles and<br />
colours becoming extremely popular. By incorporating Mansards and<br />
Vertical Tile Cladding, cost savings on installation can be achieved<br />
allowing the discerning specifier greater flexibility in their design.<br />
To find out how we can assist you with our bespoke fittings and unique<br />
tiles, please get in touch with our technical support team.<br />
A selection of our special roof fittings:<br />
<br />
Crest H14 interlocking black gloss<br />
clay tiles with 70° angle roof tile<br />
Double Pantile<br />
External<br />
Mansard Tile<br />
Double Pantile<br />
Internal Mansard<br />
Tile<br />
Double Pantile<br />
External Mansard Tile<br />
Left Hand Cloaked Verge<br />
Planum<br />
External<br />
Mansard Tile<br />
Planum Half<br />
External<br />
Mansard Tile<br />
More special tiles available on our website<br />
For more information on our quality roof tiles or<br />
to order a FREE sample call us on 01430 432667<br />
TECHNICAL<br />
S U P P O R T<br />
30<br />
GUARANTEE<br />
Y E A R<br />
01430 432667 info@crest-bst.co.uk www.crest-bst.co.uk<br />
* As per European trademark Nr.7287956, filed on 2.October 2008, the Trademark PLANUM belongs to La Escandella.<br />
It is Dachziegelwerke Nelskamp as authorized licensee of the owner allowed to use the mark PLANUM for its concrete product.<br />
ROOFING TILES
Working Practices<br />
FROM THE TOP: CHAMPIONING<br />
SAFETY FOR ROOF WORKERS<br />
Graham Willmott, Chairman of the The Advisory Committee for Roof Safety (ACR), explains<br />
the organisation’s role and its continuing crusade to improve working practices and<br />
minimise the risk of fall-from-height accidents.<br />
In 2017/18, 38 fatal injuries occurred on UK<br />
construction sites. That figure places our<br />
industry among the major contributors to<br />
workplace deaths. Of these, the majority were the<br />
result of falls from height. It’s a shocking fact<br />
that each and every one of those deaths was<br />
preventable if appropriate measures had been<br />
taken. Defining and communicating those<br />
measures is at the core of ACR’s mission – and<br />
the organisation has played an important role in<br />
significantly reducing accidents to roof workers<br />
since its inception.<br />
Roof access safety<br />
ACR was founded in 1998 by HSE (the Health &<br />
Safety Executive), with the aim of establishing<br />
and promoting safe practice for the benefit of all<br />
individuals accessing roofs. Comprised of<br />
industry personnel for the safety of industry<br />
personnel, its role is not to legislate, but to<br />
safeguard.<br />
Non-fragility<br />
ACR was formed in response to HSE’s<br />
requirement that in order to reduce accidents, all<br />
roofing products should be manufactured to be<br />
‘non-fragile’ when fixed. However, at this point<br />
‘non-fragility’ had no specific definition – or a<br />
test procedure by which to establish it.<br />
“At this point ‘nonfragility’<br />
had no<br />
specific definition – or<br />
a test procedure by<br />
which to establish it”<br />
In order to address this dilemma, working to<br />
physical requirements established by HSE, the<br />
newly formed ACR started work on a test<br />
procedure by which non-fragility could be<br />
defined. This constituted a drop test of a sand<br />
bag falling onto a roofing assembly fixed to a<br />
defined test rig at ground level, that simulated<br />
the same effect as a heavy person walking then<br />
tripping and falling on to a roof surface.<br />
The conclusion of the work was written up in the<br />
first publication of the ACR, entitled<br />
‘ACR[M]001:2014 Test For Non-Fragility of Large<br />
Element Roofing Assemblies’. Now in its fifth<br />
edition, this document has since provided the<br />
HSE approved UK testing and classification<br />
system for non-fragility of roofing assemblies,<br />
providing the clear benchmarks for<br />
manufacturers and installers to meet the required<br />
standards.<br />
Further guides to safety<br />
Since the publication of ‘The Red Book’, ACR has<br />
further broadened its commitment to roof safety<br />
with the publication of a series of other widely<br />
referenced guides to safe working practices in all<br />
aspects of roof work, from the role that designers<br />
can play in limiting hazards, to the management<br />
and supervision of work at height.<br />
An example is the ‘The Blue Book’<br />
ACR[CP]003:2016 ‘Recommended Practice for<br />
use of safety nets for roofwork’. This publication<br />
gives practical advice on the duties placed on<br />
clients, designers, CDM co-ordinators,<br />
contractors and manufacturers, and includes<br />
recommendations for good practice when using<br />
safety netting during the construction of new and<br />
54 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
the refurbishment of existing roofs. Although<br />
concentrating on use with profiled roofs, those<br />
engaged in other similar activities would benefit<br />
from the advice given, as many of the principles<br />
equally apply to net use on other structures and<br />
roof forms.<br />
Other ACR publications cover specific topics<br />
including working on fragile roofs, edge protection<br />
and the use of safety lines. These topics and<br />
publications will be covered in subsequent articles.<br />
Free, easy access<br />
A key part of ACR’s remit is to share its broad<br />
knowledge and provide free, easy access to its<br />
publications. A new ACR website has recently been<br />
launched with this in mind. The website provides<br />
downloadable copies of all ACR publications; a<br />
comprehensive section providing answers to<br />
frequently asked questions; and full listings of<br />
committee members and the organisations they<br />
represent. Latest news from the ACR can also be<br />
accessed here, as well as contact details.<br />
Working with the HSE, the following associations<br />
representing roofing trades and product<br />
manufacturers are represented on the committee:<br />
• BSCA (British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd)<br />
• BSIF,HSG (British Safety Industry Federation/Height<br />
Safety Group)<br />
• EPF (Edge Protection Federation)<br />
• EPIC (Engineered Panels in Construction)<br />
• FASET (Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training)<br />
• HSE (Health and Safety Executive)<br />
‘The Red Book’ ACR[M]001:2014 Test For Non-Fragility of<br />
Large Element Roofing Assemblies is based on this drop test<br />
developed by ACR.<br />
• IoR (The Institute of Roofing)<br />
• MCRMA (Metal Cladding and Roofing Manufacturers<br />
Association)<br />
• NARM (National Association of Rooflight Manufacturers)<br />
• NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors)<br />
• RIDBA (Rural and Industrial Design and Building<br />
Association)<br />
• RTA (Roof Tile Association)<br />
• SPRA (Single Ply Roofing Association)<br />
• WAHSA (Work at Height Safety Association)<br />
The individuals comprising the ACR work on a<br />
voluntary, unpaid basis, with selection by the<br />
committee based on experience and qualifications<br />
across a wide range of roofing-related disciplines.<br />
Their immense contribution to reducing the<br />
incidence of serious accidents in our industry is to<br />
be applauded.<br />
Contact the ACR<br />
www.the-acr.org<br />
Join the Experts ...<br />
TECHNICAL GUIDANCE<br />
Gain Access to:<br />
· Technical committee that keeps abreast and<br />
influences legislation effecting the industry<br />
· Private members area with market size data,<br />
CPA updates and industry reports<br />
· Network with suppliers to the industry to aid<br />
product development<br />
· Free guidance notes and codes of practice<br />
· Free independent technical advice<br />
For more information please contact us:<br />
Email: info@lrwa.org.uk<br />
www.lrwa.org.uk<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 55
Rainwater Systems<br />
A SAFE APPROACH TO INSTALLING<br />
RAINWATER SYSTEMS<br />
What options do installers have when it comes to rainwater drainage solutions that offer<br />
time and labour efficiencies and won’t break the bank? Paul Wadsworth, Specification<br />
Manager at Brett Martin, gives his thoughts...<br />
Offering a distinctive, aesthetic appeal,<br />
cast iron rainwater systems have been an<br />
integral part of the architectural<br />
landscape for over 150 years. With real cast iron<br />
expensive and time-consuming to work with, we<br />
feel contractors and their clients are looking for<br />
easy-to-install and economical alternatives that<br />
offer a traditional appearance without a cast-iron<br />
price tag.<br />
At a fraction of the price to buy, install and<br />
maintain, modern plastic materials can replace<br />
an aluminium or cast iron rainwater specification<br />
to deliver projects under budget and ahead of<br />
schedule – exceeding both the builder’s and the<br />
client’s expectations. It’s why the Cascade<br />
rainwater and soil system from Brett Martin<br />
Plumbing and Drainage fits the bill perfectly<br />
whilst helping contractors to boost their profits at<br />
the same time.<br />
Plastic rainwater systems enable contractors to<br />
create a heritage aesthetic without compromising<br />
architectural integrity and enjoy the savings in<br />
materials, labour and time saved on site which<br />
can actually help keep a project on budget.<br />
“Plastic rainwater systems enable contractors to<br />
create a heritage aesthetic without<br />
compromising architectural integrity and enjoy<br />
the savings in materials, labour and time saved<br />
on site”<br />
Below: The Cascade rainwater system from Brett Martin Plumbing and Drainage.<br />
Ease of installation<br />
With significant additional weight, cast iron<br />
drainage systems can be heavy and difficult to<br />
install. Contractors must also be extra vigilant<br />
regarding health and safety and will require more<br />
time to lift and fix the system – leading to<br />
increased costs and potential delays in the<br />
installation process.<br />
Almost every job will require both gutter and pipe<br />
lengths to be cut on-site using specialist tools,<br />
and to ensure long-lasting durability, they need to<br />
be fully finished on site, using a primer,<br />
undercoat and topcoat, to ward off corrosion.<br />
Even if the system used is delivered pre-painted,<br />
any cut lengths or site damage to the finished<br />
surface must be protected to the same level by<br />
the installer. It should be noted that, in some<br />
cases, if the level of protection applied on site is<br />
deemed insufficient, any guarantee offered may<br />
be, quite rightly, invalidated, leaving the installer<br />
liable.<br />
Because the plastic ranges are so much lighter,<br />
installation at height is less hazardous, being<br />
effortless to lift, easy to manoeuvre, simple to cut<br />
and quick to fit. The systems also benefit from<br />
external fixing lugs, enabling easy power tool<br />
access, which further speeds up installation. All<br />
gutter fitting joints have integral seals and flexible<br />
retaining clips, allowing the gutter lengths to<br />
simply click into place. No extra cost fixing kits or<br />
nuts and bolts are required to make gutter joints<br />
as with most traditional systems.<br />
Overleaf: Key considerations to make when<br />
installing rainwater systems.<br />
56 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID<br />
WATERPROOFING SYSTEM<br />
BENEFITS & PRODUCT<br />
INFORMATION<br />
BBA certified for life in excess of 25 years.<br />
NHBC and Green Roof Approval.<br />
ULTRAFLEX can be used on new or existing<br />
roofs, walkways, balconies, gutters etc.<br />
Ready to use straight out of the tin, application<br />
with solvent resistant roller.<br />
Use fully reinforced with ULTRAFLEX matting<br />
ensures easy ‘wet on wet’ application.<br />
Can be used all year round – moisture curing.<br />
Fully trafficable when cured.<br />
Instantly rain resistant after application.<br />
Once installed, forms a seamless membrane.<br />
Exellent adhesion to different substrates: plywood,<br />
bitumen membranes, asphalt, metals,<br />
brick, concrete, wood etc.<br />
Fresh concrete must be cured for 28 days.<br />
On EPDM and TPO it is recommended to install<br />
patch test to check compatibility.<br />
Do not use silicone sealants. Always use PU<br />
based mastics.
Rainwater Systems<br />
Key considerations to make when<br />
installing rainwater systems<br />
1Planning and preparation Plan your<br />
installation carefully. Ensure you have the<br />
right tools for the job and relevant personal<br />
protection.<br />
2Fitting running outlets Fix running outlets<br />
above the drains or gullies where the water<br />
will drain into using 25mm x 5mm<br />
corrosion resistant screws.<br />
3Calculating fall To allow for good steady<br />
rainwater run-off, guttering should be<br />
installed with a downward fall towards the<br />
rainwater outlet – 1mm for every 600mm. The<br />
running outlet should be at the lowest point on<br />
the gutter run.<br />
4Fitting fascia brackets Fix the first fascia<br />
bracket furthest from the outlet at a<br />
position on the fascia to allow for the<br />
required fall. No more than 100mm from the end<br />
of the fascia board. Stretch a line taut between<br />
the fixed outlet and fascia bracket to establish a<br />
straight gutter line. Fascia brackets should be<br />
fitted to the fascia board at equal intervals. A<br />
union bracket should be used where two gutter<br />
lengths are joined. Gutter supports should be<br />
spaced of no more than 900mm or less than<br />
600mm in areas of heavy snow.<br />
5Cutting gutter to size Cut to length<br />
using a saw and a file to remove any<br />
burrs from sawn ends. When cutting the<br />
guttering to size make allowances in length to<br />
fit the expansion lines which are marked in the<br />
fittings.<br />
“As budgets are increasingly stretched and<br />
tight deadlines dictate product specification,<br />
contractors must be aware of every<br />
product’s cost”<br />
Above: Calculating the fall. Below: Fitting the downpipe.<br />
6Fitting the gutter Lubricate the seals<br />
using silicone spray lubricant. Each length<br />
of gutter should be placed into position<br />
with the back edge under each fitting. Rotate<br />
down and then click front edge into place over the<br />
top edge of the gutter.<br />
7Fitting downpipe If required, fit an offset<br />
between the running outlet and the<br />
downpipe. Fit the downpipe to the offset. To<br />
allow for expansion ensure each connection is<br />
retracted at least 5mm from the receiving socket<br />
before fixing to the wall. Use spirit level to check<br />
vertical alignment. Mark the walls using the holes<br />
in the lugs of the socketed downpipes as guides.<br />
Then drill, plug and fix the downpipe using fixings.<br />
Water test system to ensure no adjustments to<br />
the fall are necessary and all connections to the<br />
fall are fitted correctly.<br />
When a traditional aesthetic is a prerequisite, the<br />
right drainage system can be the difference<br />
between design success and failure. As budgets<br />
are increasingly stretched and tight deadlines<br />
dictate product specification, contractors must be<br />
aware of every product’s cost in both materials<br />
and labour. With a price tag in line with modern<br />
construction, and an appearance that blends the<br />
past with the present, Cascade is a plastic<br />
rainwater system which fits the bill.<br />
Contact Brett Martin Plumbing & Drainage<br />
01246 280000<br />
www.brettmartin.com<br />
@BMDrainage<br />
58 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Roofing Updates<br />
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk<br />
‘GARD’ OF HONOUR<br />
Firestone has launched V-Gard, a next generation air & vapour control layer (AVCL) system suitable<br />
for use as part of all Firestone warm roof build-ups.<br />
Developed to combine exceptional levels of vapour control with excellent adhesion to both the substrate Above: V-Gard from Firestone is a flexible and durable<br />
and the insulation layer, V-Gard is a glass fibre-reinforced aluminium foil membrane with a self-adhesive membrane with excellent resistance to foot traffic.<br />
backing. A unique film coating on the aluminium face ensures excellent compatibility with PU-adhesives<br />
and the new system has been designed for use with Firestone’s ISO Twin-pack PU adhesive.Carl Bailey, Regional Technical Manager at Firestone explained:<br />
“As the thermal performance of the building envelope improves, the risk of condensation affecting the insulation layer increases, unless an AVCL is installed to<br />
provide effective and permanent protection from vapour rising from within the building. With V-Gard we have enhanced the level of vapour control to create an<br />
AVCL that is suitable for buildings susceptible to high humidity, such as swimming pools, while ensuring excellent adhesion to both the substrate and the<br />
insulation layer and offering ease and speed of installation with a cold-applied, self-adhesive solution. As part of a high specification Firestone warm roof<br />
build-up, V-Gard will enhance the thermal performance of the building and extend the service life of the roof.” www.firestonebpe.co.uk<br />
REGISTERED INSTALLER INTEREST<br />
Freefoam has reported a significant increase in the number of new Registered Installers.<br />
Following a programme of promotion activity, enquiries have increased and more home<br />
improvement companies are realising the benefits of supplying and fitting Freefoam products.<br />
Marketing Manager Louise Sanderson said: “In an increasingly competitive market businesses<br />
are looking at ways they can extend their offering and align themselves with a well-respected,<br />
established brand. The Freefoam Registered Installer scheme meets their needs and offers an<br />
attractive proposition.” www.freefoam.com<br />
DOUBLE GUARANTEES FOR BMI PROJECT<br />
Oakfield Academy in Frome has a total of 3,500m² of new pitched and flat roofing that is now guaranteed for<br />
quality for 15-years and more, thanks to BMI UK & Ireland.<br />
Matt Smith, the Ridge & Partners associate in charge of the project, explained: “We originally chose the BMI Icopal<br />
system because we require an approved system with the appropriate guarantees. However, when Redland and Icopal<br />
became BMI UK & Ireland, it made sense to use their pitched and flat solutions so we had a one-stop shop. Academies<br />
need guarantees that are enforceable and a solution that simplifies the maintenance and management of the roofs and<br />
BMI was able to do this.” www.bmigroup.com/uk<br />
THE NATURAL CHOICE<br />
Cembrit Glendyne natural slates have been specified and installed on a unique<br />
renovation project for the Historic Kent landmark, St Alphege Church.<br />
The architect initially put in an application for Spanish slates to<br />
replace the Welsh slates, however after much evaluation, the<br />
conservation officer asked that they used Canadian natural slates.<br />
Having worked with Cembrit many times in the past, the architect specified Glendyne natural<br />
slates. David Gullick from Clague Architects, commented: “We chose Glendyne for the project<br />
due to its consistency, aesthetic appearance and durability. The standard of these products<br />
and the service that we received from Cembrit was second to none. The outcome of the roof is<br />
just what we desired.” www.cembrit.co.uk<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 59
Roofing Updates<br />
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk<br />
A. PROCTOR’S SKILLS SUPPORT<br />
The A. Proctor Group is committed to promoting the highest standards of workmanship across construction<br />
trades, and this year is sponsoring the NFRC in supporting SkillBuild, the largest multi-trade competition in the<br />
country for trainees and apprentices.<br />
SkillBuild is delivered by CITB like a mini Olympics with a series of competitions covering ten crafts: Roofing,<br />
Bricklaying, Cabinet Making, Carpentry, Dry Walling Systems, Joinery, Painting and Decorating, Plastering,<br />
Stonemasonry, Wall and Floor Tiling. The roofing competition is run by NFRC covering three core disciplines,<br />
reinforced bituminous membranes (RBM), roof sheeting and cladding (RSC) and roof slating and tiling (RST).<br />
In support of the competition, the A. Proctor Group is supplying Roofshield – recognised by architects, developers and<br />
contractors as being one of the highest performing pitched roof underlays, which is both air and vapour permeable.<br />
Apprentices will be able to get first-hand experience working with Roofshield as they look to build their skills and<br />
demonstrate their abilities across a wide range of areas. www.proctorgroup.com<br />
A. Proctor Group will supply Roofshield for<br />
apprentices taking part in this year’s SkillBuild.<br />
THE LOWDOWN ON UNDERLAYS<br />
Permo extreme RS SK2 from Klober is a waterproof, tear-resistant underlay, designed for use on<br />
low pitched roofs.<br />
Suitable for profile tiles pitched at 12.5º or more, 15º for slates and 22.5º for plain tiles, it is<br />
manufactured from a bondable two-layered underlay with a shrink-resistant TPU coating on a robust PES<br />
fleece which allows vapour to escape, while keeping rainwater out. Double self-adhesive edge strips<br />
provide a permanent seal and immediate weatherproofing against wind, rain and snow; while the PES<br />
fleece also incorporates a capillary stop to control the formation of condensation. www.klober.co.uk<br />
EDGEMERE RANGE EXPANDS<br />
Marley has introduced a fourth colour option to the popular Edgemere range.<br />
Marley has further enhanced its slate offering by introducing<br />
a fourth colour option to the popular Edgemere range –<br />
Anthracite.<br />
Available across all three of Marley’s existing variants – Standard, Riven and Duo, the new Anthracite<br />
colour choice has been developed to provide a closer aesthetic match to natural slate and offers an<br />
affordable way to comply with planning requirements. The Edgemere range can be used to a low<br />
minimum pitch of 17.5º, with the Riven providing a surface texture similar to a more natural slate<br />
appearance with a variegated look, depth and tone. In addition, the Duo option features a mock-bond<br />
down the centre of the tile to create a small-format slate-like appearance. www.marley.co.uk<br />
FLEX R’S NEW ‘GAME-CHANGER’<br />
Flex-R says its new silicone liquid coating product could be a ‘game-changer’ for the flat roofing industry.<br />
Up to 100m² of GE Enduris can<br />
be applied in 10 minutes when<br />
using a commercial spraying<br />
system.<br />
The company signed a deal with General Electric Silicones (GE Silicones) to bring GE Enduris to the UK market, and<br />
launch trials are proving to be a huge success. Flex-R’s Trading Director Duncan Winter is confident that GE Enduris will<br />
carve out a niche in the flat roofing market and pointed to a number of key benefits: It’s one component, so there’s no<br />
mixing, no delays and less wastage; up to 100m² can be applied in 10 minutes; it rarely requires a primer – so it can be<br />
applied directly onto materials such as aged bituminous systems and PVCs; there’s no smell, odour or hazardous<br />
solvents; it’s showerproof on application and has a fast cure time. www.flex-r.co.uk<br />
60 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
SENTINEL DEVELOPMENTS<br />
ARP is proud to continue on its pathway of bringing innovative design to the market, with the improvement<br />
of its Sentinel range of guttering to include a new jointing system for its Sentinel half-round snap-fit<br />
guttering, and an upgrading of all associated components.<br />
ARP has seen a sharp increase in demand for its contemporary Sentinel range, as specifiers and end users alike<br />
ARP’s innovative new design for its Sentinel<br />
recognise the benefits of longevity, width of colour options and cost effectiveness over upvc systems, so the<br />
range has helped to improve lead times.<br />
delivering of a simple no-mess jointing system is very timely. 18 months in the planning, the new jointing system<br />
works through a simple process of injecting silicone into a specially designed port in a joint (or stop end) and then letting it cure, leaving no silicone residue. In<br />
addition to this, all of the components within the Sentinel Beaded Half Round range and the Vintage Ogee range have been completely redesigned and feature<br />
very defined lines and a superior surface finish, which makes these systems some of the most striking within the aluminium rainwater sector. ARP believes in<br />
the importance of continued advances within its supply process, so significant investment has been made in building stocks of all the new components<br />
ensuring that they can be classified as “off-the-shelf” and satisfy the demand for short lead times. www.arp-ltd.com<br />
EARLY APPEARANCE FOR NEW TILE<br />
When an existing building is extended, a key element of the success of any construction<br />
project is often based on whether a seamless match in terms of tiling solutions for the roofing<br />
space can be found.<br />
Marley arranged that the required small quantity of the<br />
new classic red smooth acme double camber from the<br />
trial run was supplied without delay, so the roofing project<br />
could be completed on time without waiting for the new<br />
product’s formal launch into the marketplace.<br />
Marley pulled out the stops recently to help a customer overcome this challenge and complete a<br />
roofing project, which included the supply of its brand new classic red smooth acme double camber<br />
tile before it had even launched.<br />
Find out more at: www.marley.co.uk/case-studies/henley<br />
SHINING OFFER THIS JUNE!<br />
Rainclear Systems, the UK’s leading specialist metal rainwater system stockist and online<br />
retailer is offering an extra 7.5% OFF everything on its website in <strong>June</strong> <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
By purchasing from Rainclear Systems you’ll benefit from NEXT DAY delivery on all stocked items to<br />
any UK mainland destination. Huge stocks of Cast Iron rainwater goods are available, and all with<br />
FREE delivery on orders over £300 Net. Find out more at www.rainclear.co.uk or call 0800 644 44<br />
26 or email sales@rainclear.co.uk.<br />
SCALING THE HEIGHTS OF ROOFING<br />
Despite their 78m height, coastal location, high winds and exposure to heavy rain, all of the<br />
roofs of Beckley Point in Plymouth are guaranteed for 20 years thanks to the specification<br />
and installation support service provided by BMI UK & Ireland.<br />
Beckley Point in Plymouth.<br />
The project involved a number of challenges and Stormforce Roofing developed a very highly<br />
engineered final specification using a BMI Icopal mechanically-fixed bituminous built-up roof (BUR)<br />
system, with a mineral cap sheet reinforced by adhesive bonding to the insulation beneath. Find out<br />
more at www.total-contractor.co.uk / www.bmigroup.com/uk<br />
JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 61
EWIS<br />
WHY INSTALLERS ARE VITAL TO<br />
SUCCESSFUL EWIS PROJECTS<br />
The experts at BBA look at the issues around installing EWIS and highlight the major issues<br />
installing contractors should be on the look out for.<br />
The installation of external wall insulation<br />
systems (EWIS) is technically demanding<br />
but, get it right, and they will deliver the<br />
required improvement in thermal performance<br />
and, more often than not, a better looking<br />
building. However, get it wrong during design,<br />
specification or installation and the<br />
consequences can be costly, with defects ranging<br />
from the relatively minor (cold bridges) to major<br />
(structural failure of the system).<br />
Reports of EWIS structural failures worldwide<br />
have raised technical bodies’ awareness of these<br />
systems’ resistance to wind-load – it’s a<br />
situation the British Board of Agrément has been<br />
monitoring. Our research found a widespread lack<br />
of industry knowledge regarding the safe<br />
installation of EWIS, stemming from the fact that<br />
current guidance does not cover the structural<br />
design of EWIS and there is no recognised design<br />
standard. This is important because evaluating<br />
the performance of EWIS has to extend beyond<br />
thermal performance.<br />
The BBA welcomed, some 18 months ago,<br />
government confirmation that the systems are<br />
covered by Part A of the Building Regulations<br />
(within Advice Note 13). Furthermore, BSI has<br />
recently announced a public consultation for the<br />
revision of the existing fire performance of<br />
external cladding systems standards, BS 8414<br />
Parts 1 & 2. BS 8414-1 provides a test method<br />
for determining the fire performance<br />
characteristics of non-loadbearing external<br />
cladding systems, including EWIS.<br />
Structural stability<br />
Good external wall insulation systems correctly<br />
designed and installed will satisfy thermal,<br />
structural and fire performance criteria.<br />
When it comes to structural stability, full<br />
consideration of wind-load issues is critical<br />
and it is crucial to consider every mechanism<br />
by which the system resists applied static and<br />
dynamic loads. So what are the major issues<br />
installing contractors should be on the look out<br />
for?<br />
62 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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EWIS<br />
• Negative wind-load: this is the most<br />
unfavourable lateral load. Have calculations been<br />
done for design wind-loads on different zones of<br />
the building’s elevation/s, taking into account the<br />
specific geographical location/topography? In<br />
accordance with Eurocodes BS EN 1991-1-4; 2-5<br />
and its UK National Annex, the proposed fixing<br />
method must give a design resistance equal or<br />
greater than the design load applied to the<br />
system.<br />
• Weather exposure/water ingress: both of<br />
major concern during installation. Wet insulation<br />
is heavier, reducing both its strength and thermal<br />
performance. Freeze-thaw action and high wind<br />
forces on the weakened system may result in<br />
excessive movement, cracking and delamination<br />
of the render or pull-through of the fixings. Failure<br />
to fit water exclusion details correctly can lead to<br />
hydraulic pressure on the render surface, causing<br />
bursting and tensile stresses that contribute to<br />
the failure of the bond between the adhesive or<br />
basecoat and the insulation. A common example<br />
of inappropriate installation is the use of a<br />
mineral insulant with mast climbers to face the<br />
building top to bottom and then rendering from<br />
the bottom up. In winter conditions the mineral<br />
wool will be exposed to rain and particle<br />
deposition on the surface. When rendering, may<br />
be two or three weeks later, the saturated mineral<br />
wool does not allow a bond with the render to<br />
form.<br />
• Fixings: resistance to wind-load depends on<br />
the system and fixing method. Too few<br />
mechanical fixings and/or placed in<br />
unsymmetrical patterns can cause structural<br />
failure. Too many mechanical fixings can produce<br />
cold bridges.<br />
• Substrate/supporting structure: the external<br />
wall of the building should be able to resist any<br />
extra load imposed as a result of installing an<br />
EWIS. A simple point but one worth checking with<br />
the person or party responsible for the overall<br />
stability of the building.<br />
Installing specialists have responsibility<br />
throughout the contract (if only to limit liability) to<br />
ensure the system design<br />
is followed, materials<br />
installed are as specified<br />
and installation practices<br />
are correct and in<br />
compliance with Building<br />
Regulations, including Part A.<br />
All installers should be fully<br />
trained on the system being<br />
installed. This extends to subcontractors,<br />
if used.<br />
To assist, EWIS systems holding<br />
BBA Certification have easily<br />
downloadable certificates<br />
providing key information on the<br />
above issues and, while there are<br />
no obligations to adopt the solutions proposed by<br />
guidance on BBA certificates, following the<br />
principles does provide a mechanism for<br />
satisfying Part A. Certificates also set down an<br />
opinion of what constitutes a safe design and<br />
users of BBA Certificated products and systems<br />
are assured that its surveillance of factory<br />
production gives confidence that certified<br />
systems are manufactured to a high standard.<br />
The BBA also covers the issue of EWIS wind-load<br />
resistance in new technical literature<br />
(https://bit.ly/2Vwc8K5). In addition it has<br />
Contact the BBA<br />
01923 665300<br />
www.bbacerts.co.uk<br />
@BBAguru<br />
revised all current EWIS<br />
certificates with regard to<br />
strength and stability and<br />
is offering a training<br />
course on wind-load<br />
resistance.<br />
Conclusion<br />
A successful EWIS<br />
design and<br />
installation must<br />
demonstrate an<br />
accurate<br />
understanding of<br />
material<br />
properties, mechanical<br />
strength, fire performance and the installed<br />
environment. If these elements are correctly<br />
identified, considered and assessed during the<br />
design phase and the system is properly<br />
installed, BBA-Certified EWIS present solid,<br />
reliable and safe solutions to improve the thermal<br />
performance of buildings.<br />
64 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Significantly quicker to install*<br />
A comprehensive range of finishes & functionality options<br />
Quality materials, design and German engineering<br />
To find your nearest stockist<br />
contact us today on 01788 558600<br />
* compared with other market counterparts
Cladding Updates<br />
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk<br />
CLADDING’S CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM<br />
Peter Johnson, Vivalda Group’s Founder and Chairman, has urged contractors and architects to tread carefully in the wake of James Brokenshire’s<br />
recent announcement to fund the recladding of 166 privately owned, high rise buildings.<br />
In May, the Housing Minister confirmed a £200m<br />
grant scheme to replace dangerous Grenfell<br />
Tower-style cladding. The scheme offers to fully<br />
fund the replacement of unsafe aluminium<br />
composite material (ACM) cladding on privately<br />
owned high-rise residential properties.<br />
However, Peter Johnson is concerned that despite<br />
the publication of the Hackitt Report on safety<br />
and the subsequent ban on combustible cladding<br />
board, there is still a lack of joined-up thinking<br />
regarding the specification and testing of new<br />
cladding systems.<br />
Peter Johnson said: “While the new generation of<br />
non-flammable cladding products perform very<br />
well when fire tested (achieving A2 and above),<br />
we all know there is more to cladding than just<br />
the external face – facades comprise many layers<br />
including acoustic boards, thermal insulation,<br />
vital air voids and myriad fixing systems.<br />
Cladding is a much more complex topic than first<br />
meets the eye and thus deserves a truly holistic<br />
approach.<br />
“Specifiers working on high rise housing projects<br />
have been faced with an unpalatable challenge in<br />
the wake of Grenfell. Despite the Hackitt report<br />
and the general ban on combustible panels last<br />
year, there is still scant guidance on the safe<br />
choice of cladding systems.<br />
“We think widespread and comprehensive testing<br />
of all parts that go to make up complete cladding<br />
systems should be part of the solution, so should<br />
clarity and access to information for specifiers.<br />
We need to make safety paramount, but also not<br />
onerous for those involved in recommending the<br />
right cladding solution.<br />
“We’re calling for a much more robust approach<br />
from the safety authorities who should treat all<br />
proposed cladding systems as a single, integrated<br />
product; not a group of unrelated subcomponents.<br />
For this reason, we decided last<br />
year to supply only A2 and above (i.e. noncombustible)<br />
products to all high rise buildings.<br />
While the government has finally relented –<br />
funding the replacement of questionable cladding<br />
on 166 private towers – we think the industry<br />
needs to take the opportunity to set new,<br />
unrivalled standards of building quality for all tall<br />
buildings.”<br />
www.vivalda.co.uk<br />
A HISTORIC TWIST IN NORFLOK<br />
Proteus Facades’ HR TECU Brass rainscreen cladding panels have helped to create a<br />
contemporary new £5m arts, heritage and community centre in Norfolk.<br />
Wells Maltings: The TECU Brass will gradually mature<br />
over time to warm earthy tones, creating an aesthetically<br />
pleasing patina. The Proteus HR TECU Brass rainscreen<br />
cladding was installed by Varla Cladding.<br />
www.proteusfacades.com<br />
Wells Maltings, a former 19th century malt house, has undergone an award winning refurbishment and<br />
extension in a bid to revitalise the building and turn it into North Norfolk’s premier Arts & Heritage Centre.<br />
Choice of façade material for the newly built extension was always going to be critical to the overall<br />
success of the project. Proteus HR TECU Brass was specified because it created an aesthetic that was<br />
distinct yet sympathetic with the Grade II listed brick and flint walls of the existing building.<br />
SURECLAD DELIVERS AT THE CHRISTIE<br />
A façade installation using Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite ventilated façade system has been completed at<br />
the £125 million Proton Beam Therapy Unit at The Christie in Manchester, one of Europe’s leading cancer centres.<br />
Installation of Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite system in two contrasting shades of creamy beige and grey<br />
‘Travertine’ façade panels continues a proud legacy for Shackerley at The Christie, which also includes specification on the<br />
Oak Road Treatment Centre, the Hospital’s Oldham site and the Integrated Procedures Unit (IPU). The design team for the<br />
Proton Therapy Beam Therapy project at HKS architects selected the system to provide a natural finish in soft tones, giving<br />
the building a warm, welcoming feeling, with a patina that softens the building further still. www.shackerley.com<br />
66 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Our mission:<br />
“ To provide<br />
standards and<br />
guidance to our<br />
members, which<br />
raises confidence<br />
among businesses<br />
and householders,<br />
and promotes<br />
roofing as a skilled,<br />
professional<br />
sector within the<br />
wider construction<br />
industry.”<br />
Find out more<br />
www.nfrc.co.uk<br />
@TheNFRC
Cladding Updates<br />
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk<br />
MARKET WALK MAKES SURE<br />
Shackerley is to custom-manufacture 1322m² of its SureClad Ceramic Granite cladding system for the £13<br />
million extension of Market Walk; a retail and leisure destination in the Lancashire town of Chorley.<br />
The project is part of a major investment in Chorley town centre, extending a successful shopping centre with an<br />
extension that will provide additional retail units, a mix of restaurants and a multiplex cinema, along with public realm<br />
improvements.<br />
Shackerley’s SureClad Ceramic Granite cladding will be installed in a honey colourway, with a natural limestone<br />
appearance to complement local buildings and the public realm improvements.<br />
Shackerley’s SureClad system will be<br />
installed at Market Walk.<br />
The system is fully-tested as A1 rated to the BS EN 13501-1 fire safety standard for construction products. It will be installed in combination with Kingspan<br />
Facades’ QuadCore Karrier Panel – an insulated wall panel system which offers excellent thermal performance, superior fire safety, excellent environmental<br />
credentials and an extended service life. The Shackerley SureClad Access system will be used to install both the cladding and the Kingspan Facades insulated<br />
panels. www.shackerley.com<br />
NEW MD FOR EUROCLAD<br />
Euroclad Group has announced the appointment of Aiveen Kearney as Managing Director.<br />
Aiveen Kearney, MD of Euroclad Group.<br />
Aiveen will replace Simon Thomas who has elected to leave the company after 30 plus years.<br />
Aiveen commenced her role as Managing Director from 7th May, <strong>2019</strong>. She joined the Joris<br />
Division some 15 months ago, and prior to this worked in a range of senior roles for Holcim, a<br />
global building materials and aggregates company, in both Australia and USA. The team at<br />
Kingspan Group and Eurcoclad Group would like to wish Aiveen every success in her new role.<br />
www.eurocladgroup.com<br />
CUPA 12 HITS THE RIGHT ANGLE<br />
A unique roofing and cladding project at Zen Garden Resort in Zánka (Hungary) has<br />
chosen CUPA 12 slates for their unique triangular resort homes.<br />
The project was done in collaboration with CUPA’s distributor Tet Horn Kft, located in Hungary.<br />
Just like CUPA’s slates, every architectural project designed using these slates is unique. Two<br />
different systems were used to install the slate; hooks for the facade and screws for the roof.<br />
From combining the installation methods, the roof looks very uniform in contrast with the<br />
subtle metallic details of the facade, fixed with stainless steel clips. www.cupapizarras.com<br />
THE COMPLETE CLADDING SOLUTION<br />
Freefoam Building Products has launched a brand new cladding brochure, The Complete Cladding Solution.<br />
Featuring all PVC-UE cladding products within the range – the Single Shiplap in white and woodgrain options, the<br />
popular Fortex Double Shiplap and Weatherboard styles with attractive wood effect embossed finish, and the most<br />
recent addition X-Wood, a premium composite cladding with foiled woodgrain finish. Louise Sanderson, UK Marketing<br />
Manager, explained: “Our cladding portfolio has grown over time and we wanted to bring the full range together into one<br />
brochure. It will allow our suppliers to promote the different options to clients, to showcase the versatility of cladding<br />
and extend the visibility of our products.” www.freefoam.com<br />
68 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
FIT IT.FORGET IT.<br />
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quality roofing<br />
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Call us on 01604 433000 or visit<br />
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JUNE <strong>2019</strong> TC 69
SIG Roofing Material Talk<br />
INSULATING YOUR ‘FLAT-TOP’<br />
Recognised for their space-saving, compact design, flat roofs are an increasingly popular choice<br />
for small or new build structures. Be it a garage, house extension, dormer or porch, a growing<br />
number of homeowners are electing to crown their property with a flat roof. Here, Chris Page,<br />
Product Manager at SIG Roofing, explores the different types of insulation for ‘flat-top’ structures –<br />
and explains the opportunity they could present for roofers.<br />
Take a walk around any housing estate or<br />
business park in the UK and one thing will<br />
soon become clear – the huge number of<br />
properties that are finished with a flat roof.<br />
The benefits of such a specification are clear.<br />
Popular for their contemporary aesthetic, flat<br />
roofs are both stylish and highly cost effective.<br />
This affordability starts at installation and<br />
continues through lower maintenance costs<br />
throughout the roof’s lifecycle.<br />
What’s more, a flat roof creates space which can<br />
be used for other purposes, including air<br />
conditioning, solar panels, balconies, terraces<br />
and even green roofing.<br />
Key considerations<br />
However, as with any type of roofing, it is<br />
important to consider insulation. Not only does<br />
effective insulation mitigate against excessive<br />
heat loss and cold – important for those long<br />
British winters – it could also be a crucial cost<br />
and energy saving tool for property owners. This<br />
is true not only for new builds but also for<br />
renovation work, where upgrades to the insulation<br />
should be a primary consideration.<br />
There are a number of ways to insulate a flat roof.<br />
At SIG Roofing, we advocate warm flat roofing,<br />
where insulation is placed directly on top of the<br />
roof, rather than in-between the ceiling and the<br />
decking. One of the chief benefits of this method<br />
is that it is completely waterproofed, with rigid<br />
board insulation placed over a vapour control<br />
layer – eliminating the risk of condensation.<br />
Another important consideration is the type of<br />
material used as insulation. Understanding the<br />
“When investing<br />
in insulation, it<br />
can seem there<br />
is a neverending<br />
number<br />
of product types<br />
and ranges coming to<br />
market”<br />
key differences and associated benefits can help<br />
roofers when making a recommendation to<br />
customers deciding on the right material for their<br />
property. Typically, roofing specialists choose from:<br />
• Polyurethane / Polyisocyanurate – Incredibly<br />
cost-effective, with high levels of compressive<br />
strength helping it resist damage or deformation<br />
when under particular strain. This is particularly<br />
useful if the roofing is designed for access, for<br />
example as a terrace or green roof.<br />
• Polystyrene – Polystyrene insulation is a low<br />
thermal conductor, meaning it keeps properties<br />
warm in winter and cool in summer. Polystyrene<br />
is typically used in inverted roofs.<br />
• ROCKWOOL products – ROCKWOOL is the<br />
UK’s leading manufacturer of sustainable, noncombustible<br />
insulation. ROCKWOOL products<br />
offer fire-resilience, thermal efficiency and<br />
acoustic solutions, making it the insulation<br />
product of choice for larger-scale developments,<br />
such as gyms or shopping centres.<br />
• Cellular glass – A newer addition to the<br />
insulation mix, cellular glass is typically used in<br />
Chris Page, Product Manager at SIG Roofing.<br />
high-end specification projects,<br />
and sees crushed glass heated to<br />
high temperatures and mixed with a<br />
cellulating agent when melted.<br />
The SIG solution<br />
To support the needs of roofing professionals, SIG<br />
Roofing has invested heavily in our insulation<br />
provision, having developed unique solutions for<br />
each type of flat roof application.<br />
These include a comprehensive PIR / Phelonic<br />
and mineral fibre offering for all forms of flat<br />
roofs, including:<br />
• Pour and roll 3 layer system.<br />
• Torch-on applied bituminous membrane.<br />
• Single ply – fully adhered membrane.<br />
• Single ply – mechanically fixed membrane.<br />
• Tapered roofing systems.<br />
• Plywood composite insulation.<br />
As a final point, when investing in insulation it<br />
can seem there is a never-ending number of<br />
product types and ranges coming to market. It’s<br />
important to invest in the right material for your<br />
building project, so we advocate speaking to an<br />
SIG Roofing expert to provide some much needed<br />
clarity for roofers.<br />
Contact SIG Roofing<br />
0845 612 4304<br />
www.sigroofing.co.uk<br />
@SIGRoofing<br />
70 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
New name,<br />
serious roofing heritage<br />
This 1902 advert in Architecture is a testimony to BMI Icopal’s flat<br />
roofing heritage, and we’re proud that we can look back even further to<br />
1849 when we manufactured our first tarred flax felt. Ever since we’ve<br />
been delivering innovative roofing and waterproofing systems. Now as<br />
BMI we continue this work by providing shelter, protection and peace of<br />
mind for architects, roofers, building and homeowners alike - through<br />
roofs that are designed to transform the way people live and work.<br />
bmigroup.com/uk<br />
Providing total roofing solutions
Facade Retentions<br />
FACADE RETENTION PROJECTS:<br />
CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS<br />
The experts at The A. Proctor Group look at the challenges for contractors working on facade<br />
retention projects and offer their solutions to some of these problems.<br />
Façade retention projects, where the external face of a building is preserved and a new structure<br />
is built behind it, are a familiar sight in cities across the UK. These projects are instant sources<br />
of controversy because they tread the line between the need for expanding housing stock where<br />
it is needed the most, and the sensitive issue of preserving architectural heritage.<br />
Beyond this debate, façade retentions pose unique problems to the on-site contractor who is tasked<br />
with making the connection between old and new work:<br />
Above: The A. Proctor Group’s Wraptherm.<br />
Challenges<br />
From a technical standpoint, historic façades that<br />
are destined to become part of a modern external<br />
envelope must be updated to meet current<br />
building standards in terms of airtightness and<br />
thermal performance. As the point of preserving a<br />
façade is to maintain its external appearance,<br />
improvements like air barriers and insulation<br />
must be added to the façade’s internal face.<br />
Considerations for how new materials (e.g. nonbreathable<br />
rigid insulation) will interact with<br />
retained materials (e.g. breathable stone façade),<br />
and any thermal bridging resulting from the new<br />
structure being physically attached to the old,<br />
must be taken into account to avoid interstitial<br />
condensation risk potential.<br />
Material selection must balance performance<br />
with practicality as all new materials installed on<br />
the inside of a façade will determine how much<br />
internal space is left over. For example, while the<br />
vapour permeability of mineral wool insulation<br />
may seem a good match for historic breathable<br />
façades, the bulkiness of the material may<br />
encroach so much into internal spaces as to<br />
make them unfit for purpose. Upgrading a façade<br />
from the inside may be further complicated if a<br />
building’s frontage does not have sufficient space<br />
or local permissions for the temporary support<br />
structure to be erected externally, meaning<br />
contractors will have to work in a web of<br />
“Material selection must balance performance<br />
with practicality as all new materials installed on<br />
the inside of a façade will determine how much<br />
internal space is left over”<br />
constricted space formed by temporary steel<br />
framing built within the construction site itself.<br />
Solution<br />
Clearly, the interface between what is replaced<br />
and what is retained is of fundamental<br />
importance to addressing the challenges of air<br />
leakage and thermal bridging in façade retention<br />
projects. Wraptherm, a composite material<br />
combining the vapour-permeable properties of<br />
Wraptite external air barrier with ultra-thin<br />
Spacetherm aerogel insulation, offers a simple<br />
and compelling solution.<br />
Wraptherm is installed to the inside face of<br />
retained façades via its self-adhering backing<br />
and is compatible with almost any substrate.<br />
Installation process is simple and straightforward,<br />
and the resulting airtight seal limits the<br />
heat loss associated with air leakage through<br />
gaps and cracks in the façade. As both<br />
components of Wraptherm are vapour-permeable,<br />
the material helps to offset any negative effects<br />
that upgrades may have on the natural movement<br />
of water vapour through the building envelope. As<br />
well as protecting the existing building fabric,<br />
Wraptherm’s hydrophobic properties provide a<br />
secondary barrier against water ingress by tightly<br />
sealing door and window penetrations. Finally, the<br />
10mm layer of aerogel insulation limits cold<br />
bridging by providing an effective thermal break<br />
between the cold external façade and the new<br />
warm internal structure.<br />
Wraptherm’s combination of airtightness and<br />
excellent thermal performance benefits internal<br />
spaces by reducing the amount of additional<br />
insulation required to meet the standard, reduces<br />
interstitial condensation risk by providing a<br />
continuous thermal break across the façade<br />
interface, and by potentially making other wall<br />
elements like the vapour control layer unnecessary.<br />
The unique installation method and manageable<br />
format speeds up the installation process and<br />
makes working in confined areas easier.<br />
Contact The A. Proctor Group<br />
01250 872 261<br />
www.proctorgroup.com<br />
@proctorgroup<br />
72 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
WE’VE GOT A<br />
NEW LOOK<br />
SEE MORE AT<br />
MOYMATERIALS.COM<br />
IRELAND<br />
Unit K, South City Business Park<br />
Whitestown Way<br />
Tallaght, Dublin 24<br />
T (0)1 463 3900<br />
E info@moymaterials.com<br />
ENGLAND<br />
Victoria House (4th Floor)<br />
Victoria Road<br />
Chelmsford, CM1 1JR<br />
T 01245 707 449<br />
E info@moymaterials.co.uk<br />
SCOTLAND<br />
6 Mackean Street<br />
Paisley<br />
Glasgow, PA3 1QP<br />
T 0141 8404660<br />
E enquiries@moymaterials.co.uk
Insulation Updates<br />
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk<br />
KINGSPAN TEK TICKS PASSIVHAUS BOX<br />
The Kingspan TEK Building System is providing a precise offsite building solution for one of the country’s<br />
largest Passivhaus developments in Bowthorpe, Norwich.<br />
Rayne Park is the first development by Norwich Regeneration Company, wholly owned by Norwich City Council, and will<br />
include a mixture of private and affordable housing. RG Carter are constructing 112 of the 172 properties on the<br />
Above: Rayne Park<br />
development to the Passivhaus Standard. The internationally renowned energy efficiency standard requires buildings to be both highly insulated and airtight.<br />
After reviewing the market offering to achieve the demanding fabric requirements of the Passivhaus Standard, it was concluded that the Kingspan TEK<br />
Building System was the best solution for the project on the basis of technical specification and value offered. Kingspan TEK structural insulated panels (SIPs)<br />
feature a high-performance insulation core sandwiched between two layers of OSB/3. The panels were fabricated to the site’s requirements by Kingspan TEK<br />
Delivery Partner, Kingspan Timber Solutions. This offsite fabrication process allowed the panels to be factory cut to the specific design requirements,<br />
minimising waste and allowing an accurate, fast-track erection process on site. Kingspan TEK Building System panels can achieve U-values of 0.20 – 0.17<br />
W/m².K, or better ‘out of the box’. With the addition of an additional layer of insulation, the site team were able to further improve the thermal performance of<br />
the external walls – achieving a final external wall U-value as low as 0.09 W/m².K. www.kingspantek.co.uk<br />
STATION CALLS FOR OPTIM-R<br />
The Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System has been installed as part of the £1bn refurbishment<br />
of London Bridge Station. The system was specified in two retail units due to its optimal<br />
thermal performance. This allowed the floor construction depth to be minimised, providing an<br />
even transition for shoppers entering from the concourse.<br />
Kingspan’s OPTIM-R Flooring system has been installed<br />
at London Bridge Station.<br />
www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk/optim-r<br />
Kingspan OPTIM-R panels have a microporous core which is evacuated, encased and sealed in a thin,<br />
gas-tight envelope. With this design, the panels achieve a declared thermal conductivity of 0.007 W/m.K.<br />
The VIPs were installed as part of the Kingspan OPTIM-R Flooring System.<br />
AN EDUCATION IN EFFICIENCY<br />
The Pines Primary School in Red Lodge has been constructed to provide a flexible, adaptable and<br />
sustainable space for education, with the help of Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board.<br />
Utilising Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board within<br />
the façade system at the Pines project allowed flexibility in<br />
the design process, as it is suitable for use behind a range<br />
of cladding options, including the timber façades chosen for<br />
the school, whilst maintaining the high levels of insulation<br />
required for the project. www.kingspaninsulation.co.uk<br />
The purpose-built structure, designed by Concertus Design & Property Consultants, has been carefully<br />
planned to meet today’s educational demands, cope with changes in the future and reduce the<br />
environmental impact of the school. To ensure the new building achieved a premium level of thermal<br />
performance, 1600 m² of Kingspan Kooltherm K15 Rainscreen Board was installed in a 50mm thickness,<br />
helping to create a more comfortable learning environment, which can inspire and stimulate.<br />
KEY APPOINTMENTS FOR YBS<br />
Daniel McKane has joined YBS as Sales & Marketing Director, bringing with him knowledge<br />
gained from Gripit, where he was Sales Director.<br />
Above: l-r: Daniel McKane and Catherine Hadwick.<br />
Since his appointment, Dan has already formed a new and highly motivated external sales team of<br />
five who cover the whole of the UK. He will be working closely with another appointee, Catherine<br />
Hadwick, to drive growth and meet key targets for YBS Insulation. Catherine, who is the new<br />
Marketing Manager, holds a degree in architecture, so also has extensive knowledge of the industry.<br />
www.ybsinsulation.com<br />
74 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
HIGH PERFORMANCE WATERPROOFING<br />
6 338<br />
EMERGENCY REPAIR
SPONSORED BY<br />
PROTECT YOUR KNEES WHEN<br />
WORKING ON PROJECTS<br />
Peter Dumigan, Managing Director of the Hultafors Group UK, which owns Snickers<br />
Workwear, discusses the revolution in knee protection.<br />
Knee injuries are commonplace among<br />
professional tradesmen. Sore and swollen<br />
knee joints are something that they all<br />
suffer from at one time or another. It’s a<br />
perennial problem and highly aggravating, but<br />
prevention is far easier than cure by taking the<br />
proper steps to look after your knees.<br />
The knee is one of the largest and most complex<br />
joints in the body and there are different types of<br />
injuries that are of particular concern to anyone<br />
who works on their knees.<br />
The most common is probably ‘Housemaid’s<br />
Knee’ or Bursitis, which is caused by kneeling for<br />
long periods of time or by repetitive knee<br />
movements such as crouching down and<br />
standing up. Fluid builds up in the Bursa – which<br />
is the sack of fluid that cushions the knee joints –<br />
causing swelling, soreness and stiffness in the<br />
joint.<br />
So what is the answer?<br />
Effective knee protection on site is, as you might<br />
expect, covered by EU legislation.<br />
The EN 14404 Knee Protection Standard deals<br />
with the size, force-distribution and penetrationresistance<br />
of kneepads.<br />
Type 2, Level 1 protection ensures reliable knee<br />
protection for craftsmen in a mobile working<br />
environment that involves regular kneeling to<br />
perform their job. This protection level is designed<br />
to protect the knees in all types of working<br />
environments with rough, hard and damp surfaces<br />
from small objects and debris up to 1cm.<br />
The Type 2, Level 0 standard designates effective<br />
knee protection for craftsmen who need to work<br />
on their knees indoors – but only occasionally.<br />
“Knee injuries are<br />
commonplace among<br />
professional<br />
tradesmen”<br />
Designed to protect the knees on flat surfaces,<br />
there have been various types of knee guards<br />
over the years. Strap-on pads that cut into the<br />
back of your knees, foam rubber mats and basic<br />
protection. But effective protection really only<br />
comes from a kneeguard system that has been<br />
thoroughly researched, tested and manufactured<br />
using materials that perform to the highest<br />
standard day in, day out.<br />
The most effective kneepads have to work<br />
efficiently and in tandem with the Work Trousers<br />
“Kneepads have to<br />
work efficiently and in<br />
tandem with the Work<br />
Trousers they’re used<br />
with”<br />
they’re used with, staying in precisely the right<br />
position to ensure reliable knee protection. That is<br />
exactly what you’ll get with a properly designed<br />
knee guard positioning system.<br />
Properly designed kneepad pockets should<br />
include special seams that allow you to adjust<br />
your kneepads into different positions to ensure<br />
superior knee protection.<br />
Effective kneepads should also feature hardwearing<br />
materials on the outside edges and softer<br />
materials in the centre to combine efficient<br />
pressure distribution and protection against sharp<br />
and rough objects with maximum comfort.<br />
The design should also feature high sides to<br />
prevent your knees from sliding off the kneepads.<br />
This design approach will also ensure the<br />
76 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
Complex Worksites.<br />
Simplified Safety Solutions.<br />
The training you need.<br />
The products you want.<br />
The knowledge you trust.<br />
Visit us at<br />
Stand SH2270<br />
18-20 <strong>June</strong> | ExCeL London
SPONSORED BY<br />
pads are extremely flexible when you walk, while<br />
closing around your knees when you kneel down.<br />
Most workwear manufacturers supply kneepads<br />
for their Work Trousers. They vary in price, quality<br />
and effectiveness. For instance, you can now get<br />
a pair of rubber kneepads for as little as a few<br />
quid in a UK high street supermarket. It will come<br />
as no surprise to most that they have no<br />
guarantee of comfort or protection.<br />
However, the more discerning tradesmen – those<br />
particularly concerned with their health and<br />
welfare on site – will be more interested in the<br />
world’s first ‘active’ kneepads that are proven to<br />
last twice as long as other kneepads and take<br />
cutting-edge knee protection to a completely new<br />
level with the revolutionary D3O materials.<br />
High-tech D3O material.<br />
D3O is an active and specially engineered rubbery<br />
material comprising intelligent molecules which<br />
‘flow’ with you as you move. On shock they lock<br />
together to absorb the impact energy to provide<br />
high-frequency protection.<br />
The durable D3O material also features an<br />
extremely slow compression rate, ensuring that<br />
the kneepads keep their shape during hard work<br />
and over a long period of time.<br />
And, given that knees are not flat, the shape of<br />
D3O is an active and specially engineered rubbery material<br />
comprising intelligent molecules.<br />
kneepads with the D3O material is important.<br />
That’s why kneepads with an ergonomic, pre-bent<br />
design close around your knee when kneeling.<br />
So, when you work a lot on your knees, this<br />
material will give you by far the best, long-lasting<br />
knee protection available.<br />
“On shock they lock<br />
together to absorb the<br />
impact energy to<br />
provide highfrequency<br />
protection.”<br />
Contact Snickers<br />
01484 85 44 88<br />
www.snickersworkwear.co.uk<br />
@SnickersWw_UK<br />
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78 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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TOP TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR TOOLS<br />
Tradespeople that are forced to leave equipment in their vans have been advised to fit their<br />
vehicles with measures such as deadlocks and CCTV to deter thieves. Motoring experts from<br />
LeaseVan.co.uk have revealed eight security measures tradespeople can take against these<br />
often opportunistic criminals.<br />
Tradespeople have been urged to fit their vans with CCTV and a safe to protect valuable tools and<br />
equipment from thieves. Van experts from LeaseVan.co.uk have revealed eight security measures<br />
tradespeople can take against criminals in their work vehicles, if forced to leave tools or<br />
equipment in vans while working or overnight.<br />
Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.co.uk explained: “Wherever possible, it’s advisable to move expensive tools<br />
and equipment indoors for secure storage. But sometimes location and circumstances mean<br />
tradespeople have no other option than to leave items in their vans while they’re parked up on a job or<br />
overnight. While of course thieves remain responsible when items are stolen, wise tradesmen and<br />
women should do whatever they can to avoid becoming a target or victim of crime. To help deter<br />
criminals and make a theft less likely to occur or be successful, we’ve identified some precautionary<br />
steps van owners could take:”<br />
1Intruder alarms Many Brits nowadays<br />
find standard vehicle alarms annoying and<br />
will be tempted to ignore them, so it’s<br />
worth considering installing a separate intruder<br />
alarm to discourage possible thieves. Guard<br />
valuable goods by fitting a coded device that will<br />
trigger when your van is accessed by someone<br />
who doesn’t have permission. Some alarms<br />
available online can be controlled remotely, synced<br />
with your mobile phone and even include a tracker.<br />
2Tool vault boxes To give valuable tools<br />
and equipment an added layer of security,<br />
purchase a van vault box or safe to store<br />
them in. Requiring a key or combination to open,<br />
the range of high security options work in a<br />
similar way to a personal home safe, but often<br />
with tailored compartments for specific tools too.<br />
3Deadlocks Deadlocks can give vans<br />
enhanced defences against thieves by<br />
adding an extra and usually stronger<br />
locking point to cab and rear doors. They are<br />
operated independently to a vehicle’s standard,<br />
factory fitted locks, which allows the driver to<br />
control when each door is unlocked individually.<br />
4CCTV Most businesses will protect their<br />
premises with CCTV cameras that can help<br />
both deter and capture potential criminals,<br />
so why not their commercial vehicles too?<br />
Small, high quality devices can now be bought<br />
relatively cheaply online and one should be<br />
installed on both the inside and outside of vans,<br />
either permanently or temporarily while parked.<br />
Remember to display a clear warning sign too –<br />
this could make a thief turn away before the<br />
cameras are even called in to action.<br />
5Permanent tool marking Invisible antitheft<br />
marking on your tools and equipment<br />
that requires ultra-violet light make them<br />
much easier to trace and their ownership<br />
indisputable, should they be stolen. Tradespeople<br />
could also choose to use clear and obvious tool<br />
markings, such as carving or laser-burning a<br />
name or logo into handles, to put off thieves<br />
before items are taken.<br />
6Dyes Dye tags like those used in clothing<br />
retail are the best way to catch thieves<br />
literally red handed, as a burst of ink<br />
triggered by opening or moving a tool box without<br />
permission leaves little doubt who the criminal is<br />
“Sometimes location<br />
and circumstances<br />
mean tradespeople<br />
have no other option<br />
than to leave items in<br />
their vans”<br />
and could deter them from trying to make off with<br />
your goods. Concealed packs of dye, used by many<br />
banks within stacks of notes, could also be hidden<br />
within expensive equipment. They’re armed by<br />
magnets and triggered by radio waves on a timer.<br />
7Inaccessible parking When there are<br />
tools and equipment in your commercial<br />
vehicle, reverse it into a parking space<br />
where the rear doors are practically touching a<br />
wall or other obstacle. If a potential thief can’t<br />
easily access your van and it’s content, they’re<br />
more likely to be discouraged and move along.<br />
8Simple dissuasion A basic sticker on the<br />
outside of a van declaring that no tools are<br />
stored in the vehicle may be enough to<br />
convince a criminal to try elsewhere. Even if it’s<br />
not true it’s cheap, quick and worth a go. Keeping<br />
the outside of your commercial vehicle in an<br />
unusually dirty condition when equipment must<br />
be stored inside could also put off thieves, by<br />
making the van seem to the outside world like it’s<br />
less valuable and unlikely to contain important<br />
items.<br />
www.leasevan.co.uk<br />
80 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
QUALITY<br />
YOU CAN TRUST<br />
When you buy from Safesite’s Supply Only range<br />
of fall protection and safe access products, you’re<br />
not only buying superior products at extremely<br />
competitive prices, you’ll also benefit from<br />
dedicated support and assistance. This includes<br />
free technical advice as well as a complete<br />
manual covering the assembly and installation<br />
requirements for the product.<br />
Our range of Supply Only products include:<br />
• Guardrail Systems<br />
• Mobile Man Anchors<br />
• Skylight Protection<br />
• Self Closing Safety Gates<br />
• Step-Over Kits<br />
• Fragile Roof Protection<br />
www.safesite.co.uk<br />
Tel: 01293 529977<br />
Email: info@safesite.co.uk
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For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk<br />
AVOID PARKING PENALTIES<br />
Tradespeople who park their vehicles at home overnight are being urged to check whether they’re staying<br />
within the law.<br />
The motoring specialists at LeaseVan.co.uk have researched the rules and regulations around parking on the drive or<br />
in front of a property. They’ve warned that the weight of a vehicle and parking restrictions on the road must be taken<br />
into consideration, otherwise the owner could fall foul of the law. The experts also suggest checking the deeds of the<br />
property to make sure there are no enforced covenants restricting the parking of a van.<br />
It’s important to make sure you’re parking your<br />
work vehicle legally overnight at home.<br />
Other considerations van drivers are being urged to make are checking whether the company allows vehicles to be parked off site overnight and being mindful<br />
of neighbours.<br />
Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.co.uk said: “If you’re working for yourself or set off early in the morning, then parking your van at home makes sense. But it is<br />
important to check all the rules and regulations around doing that. It’s not as simple as just letting your neighbours know. You need to check deeds, clarify the<br />
position of your local council and make sure you’re aware of any parking restrictions.” www.leasevan.co.uk<br />
‘ALWAYS VAN VAULT’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED<br />
Van Vault has launched its first ever consumer campaign signifying the brand’s biggest investment in marketing to date.<br />
Van Vault’s <strong>2019</strong> campaign, ‘Always Van Vault’ has been created to drive awareness of the new and improved Van Vault<br />
vehicle range which launched in March. The online campaign features creative video and digital activity aimed at<br />
highlighting how Van Vault has been a dependable part of the lives of tradespeople up and down the country for over 20<br />
years. The quality of the Van Vault range has given peace of mind to thousands, and allowed them to get on with their jobs<br />
without the worry of tool theft. It features genuine Van Vault customers and is less about the technical specs of the product<br />
and more about how it fits into real lives and real work. www.vanvault.co.uk<br />
TOP MARKS FOR TOPWEAR RANGE<br />
Lightweight fabrics in the new Topwear range from Snickers Workwear will complement its<br />
Stretch Garments perfectly this summer.<br />
Snickers Workwear’s new Topwear range has superb<br />
body-mapping designs for an amazing fit, outstanding<br />
functionality and long-lasting comfort – all day, every day.<br />
www.snickersworkwear.co.uk<br />
The warmer weather will bring a need for professional craftsmen and women to be cool and dry to<br />
maintain wellbeing and working efficiency on site. That’s why Snickers’ new Topwear for the summer<br />
uses 37.5 fabric technology, which is really good at ‘wicking’ moisture away from the body and keeping<br />
workers dry. The range includes stylish new shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts in a number of styles and<br />
colours that are super-light and quick-drying with advanced ventilation to keep workers cool in the heat.<br />
COMPETITION TIME WITH NORTON<br />
Fancy winning a Norton Clipper CM42 Masonry Saw and a Pro 4×4 Explorer Diamond Blade? Well,<br />
now you can be in with a chance, with Norton Clipper’s exciting new competition!<br />
To enter, simply purchase any Norton Clipper product between now and Friday 14th <strong>June</strong> and visit<br />
www.nortonabrasives.com/en-gb/Norton-Clipper-Competition to complete an online form which will<br />
ask for the article number of the product you have purchased. You can enter the competition each and<br />
every time you purchase a Norton Clipper product, whether it be anything from an entry level diamond<br />
blade, right up to a machine. www.nortonabrasives.com/en-gb/Norton-Clipper-Competition<br />
82 TC JUNE <strong>2019</strong>
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR TO BOOK YOUR STAND CONTACT<br />
ANDY DUNN andydunn@media-now.co.uk<br />
JAKE ROXBOROUGH jakeroxborough@media-now.co.uk<br />
01892 732047 | WWW.CONTRACTORSDAY.CO.UK<br />
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