Domestic and industrial roofing contractors play an important role in the maintenance and construction of existing and new buildings, ensuring that the roof area is not only watertight and free from potential leaks, but also structured and visually pleasing in appearance. For anyone seeking a solution to that pesky dislodged roofing section, irritating rainwater leaks or uneven tiles, a roofing contractor may be the first contact to call. Serving a crucial purpose, all this info may have you thinking, what skills do roofers need? Well fear not - within this helpful guide, Probuild Contracts will take you through the very foundations of roofing in 2023, covering qualifications, experience, daily duties and much more!
What Does Roofing Involve?
Roofing contractors work on the roofs of brand new builds, as well as existing buildings that need repair or replacement. This may entail installing skylights, utilising a variety of materials (including slate, tiles, or flat roof necessities) and fixing existing problems. As a roofer, you may fix a single tile on a residential property, or you may even re-roof major public structures like schools and hospitals. Work on large-scale housing projects or huge commercial structures may even come under your job description in some cases.
Any reliable roofer will keep an eye on every step of the procedure, from analysing the building blueprints, to putting in orders for new roofing materials. You will construct, renovate, and maintain the roofs of varied structure types, while remaining up to date with the many roof kinds that buildings have. For instance, whereas residential dwellings often have pitched roofs, most commercial and industrial buildings have flat or slightly sloping roofs - which may seem like a minor difference, but this can affect many aspects of a project.
Awards And Training
Roofing projects will vary based on the building structure and layout, therefore any roofing professional should feel at ease dealing with a variety of materials and environments which have been outlined during training, be it thatch, sheeting, traditional tiles or grey slate. In addition to installing new roofs, roofers also maintain those already in place, which will often require problem-solving skills. The majority of maintenance tasks entail examining the roof and deciding how best to renovate.
With all of this accounted for, to start working as a roofer in the UK, you don't necessarily need any specific qualifications, though having some formal awards can improve your employability and help you progress. The Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Roofing Occupations is a vocational course which may enhance your skill set, while networking will provide you access to training opportunities and relationships in the business.
An Eye For Detail
A roofer must pay close attention to detail, in terms of customer expectations and the details of the job. If the roofing has a particular pattern, for example, paying attention to detail can help you match the design patterns and look for fissures to make sure the roof is watertight. This attentiveness can certainly serve you well, as roofers may make between £17,000 and £35,000 per year, depending on experience. If you're self-employed or a contractor, this may even be far more. Self-employed roofers earn an average annual revenue of just over £65,000 - certainly a significant figure.
Fitness And Physical Health
Working at heights and moving big objects will be frequent activities as part of employment as a roofer. Individuals can seamlessly climb ladders and scaffolds, as well as tolerate long periods of time on their feet if they are physically healthy, therefore this is crucial. To prevent damage to a roof or structure, roofers must be accurate, and because the role requires climbing, bending, kneeling, and heavy lifting, roofing labour can be extremely physically taxing. Considered a high-risk career, roofers often stay indoors during severe weather, but can sometimes have to work outside in sweltering temperatures.
Interpersonal Skills
Roofers collaborate with others as a team, to install or materials in an organised way. To work effectively with other team members, the professional will require interpersonal skills, paying close attention to what colleagues and customers are saying, taking the time to ask questions when necessary. Understanding of the rules and procedures for offering personal and customer services can be just as important, suggesting changes and setting expectations. Determining the needs of the consumer, a roofer will provide services that satisfy quality standards, gauging the degree of customer satisfaction.
A Day In The Life
The project, variation of roof and weather all have an impact on the day of the roofer, though a professional can expect to start the day with an inspection of the project site - making sure it is secure and risk-free. The roof in question will be thoroughly prepared for installation or repair work by the roofer, and this might entail cleaning the roof, replacing any damaged parts, or removing outdated materials. The roofer and their team will lay down shingles, tiles, and other roofing materials, as well as cutting items to suit the roof and fixing them in place, making repairs to the current roof if they are working on a repair project.
Just as important as making any changes, the roofer will clean up the job site at the end of the day, throwing away any waste materials and leaving the area neat and orderly for the customer. Prominently, the roofer must interact with other team members throughout the day, adhere to safety rules, and utilise tools and equipment effectively and safely.
Additional Services
Alongside roofing services as our primary offering, here at Probuild Contracts, we oversee a team of enthusiastic professionals, well-versed in everything from plastering to stonemasonry. If you’re looking for a job well done, and require a locally trusted contractor, take a look below for further insight, so you know what to expect when working with a passionate Edinburgh-based team:
Probuild Contracts is skilled in all plastering techniques including plasterboarding, dry lining, dot and dab, skimming and coving. As well as smoothing out your interior walls, Probuild Contracts are also experts in all aspects of rendering and roughcasting. If you'd like to protect your brickwork and improve the appearance of your home, we’re the team to consult.
Adding a layer of rendering or harling to your home can not only improve the appearance of your home, it can also protect the brickwork beneath from the harsh Scottish weather. Probuild Contracts can apply roughcasting to domestic and commercial properties across Central Scotland. Our team is well-experienced in this task and will carry out the work with as little disruption as possible.
We specialise in roofing services and building exteriors, such as guttering repairs, chimney repairs, fascias, soffits and more. The experienced and knowledgeable team at Probuild Contracts can always be relied upon to complete a wide range of building work. We are builders that have experience in small projects such as building walls, decorative stone masonry, steps, patios and brickwork. We are also experienced in larger projects such as extensions and new builds
We understand the importance of ensuring that your property is kept in top condition and can help you ensure that the external look of the building is fantastic. Our masonry work is available throughout Edinburgh and all surrounding areas, while as well as masonry work, we can also help with chimney work, roofing, general building work, rendering, plastering and more.
Probuild Contracts: Your Trusted Commercial Roofing Company
Our team at Probuild Contractors includes experienced plasterers, builders, and rendering specialists, happy to offer professional roofing and construction services. We can help with all facets of building and maintenance work, retaining highly qualified staff with knowledge of the industry. Searching for rubber roofing experts? Professional storm repairs or tiling? We can assist you with everything, and our costs are competitive, with all of our projects finished to the greatest standards. Based in Central Scotland and with over 12 years of expertise, we handle all types of roofing and building servicing - performing everything from minor roof repairs to entirely new roofs and full tile roofing structures re-rendered. Contact us today, we would be happy to help!