So why employ a Roofing & Cladding consultant ?

To start with it is essential to establish who is responsible for providing a correctly designed and installed building envelope.

Part 1.11 of part L Approved Documents makes this abundantly clear :-

"1.11 It is important to remember that if you are the person ( e.g. designer, builder, installer ) carrying out the building work to which any requirement of building regulations applies you have a responsibility to ensure that the work complies with any such requirement. The building owner may also have a responsibility for ensuring compliance with building regulation requirements and could be served with an enforcement notice in cases of non compliance."

Now consider this against the alarming fact that 70% of the buildings we inspect are not designed or installed in accordance with Building regulations.

A recent BRE survey into why buildings fail, indicated the following statistic:-

The concern here is that 95% of failures occur due to human activity and not material failure. ( remember most warranties do not cover design and workmanship )

45% of buildings fail due to design. This is not solely down to the Roofing Contractor's draughtsman, quite frequently some design issues are resultant from an Architects detail and instruction..

Architects usually provide drawings to indicate what they are looking for, expecting the so called specialist contractor to modify the design to comply with good practice and Building regulations. Frequently, this is not the way it is in reality. The contractor using the excuse " we were simply following the Architect's details "

Mistakes are made by contractor's draughtsmen - they are afterall only human and thereby fallible, but regretfully many companies do not provide continuous training for these poor souls and often they are not aware of current requirements and recent changes..

The biggest downfall we have in this industry is that the client and main contractor expects the highest quality work, for the lowest price. This is a common failing.

If you have employed a contractor because they are " cheap" then there is a reason for it. Either they have made substitutions of materials or cut other corners to gain an financial advantage or are technically unaware of their actions, both in design and installation. Remember that several Roofing Contractors sub-let their site works - again usually to the lowest bidder.

Another common fault is that no matter how well a building is designed, unless someone physically inspects and audits what is installed, you do not necessarily end up with what is drawn and designed. ( A situation that we find is increasing in the current climate )

David Hicks Consultants Ltd offers a number of services which can help.

These include :-

• Pre Contract

  • Product Selection and construction type
  • Advice on specification and design

  Pre Construction

  • Review of Contractor's working drawings
  • Review of U value design & checking calculations
  • Review of f & Psi values
  • Checking gutter and down pipe calculations

  During Construction

  • Visual inspections undertaken before all is hidden from view
  • Quality Control and Audit inspections

With the correct but commercially aware advice, the client and professional team are not so exposed to clause 1.11

You may think you will sue the roofing contractor if it is wrong. How many companies simply fold and start up again in such circumstances, leaving you high and dry ? It is also worth remembering that very few contractors carry PI. As one last consideration, what if the error was due to your drawing or instruction ?

Do you wish to take that risk ?

Need to chat ?

Then give us a call or email.