Customer reports his own roofers
At DPR, we are meticulous in our health and safety procedures, ensuring that every roof we work on is completed to the strictest of guidelines.
We know that for many homeowners this is a very important part of how roofers work, and can be the difference between getting a repair contract or not. Not only do they want a roof repair or new roof build that is completed to the highest of quality standards, but also to be completed safely and without compromise.
This is also very important regarding commercial sector work. Some local councils like Huddersfield and Wakefield have slightly different standards so it is important to understand this to.
The extent at which homeowners will ensure roofing work is completed safely was also brought to light recently as a resident in the town of Windsor sent photos of the roofers repairing his roof to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
Many of the photos show that the roofers had no fall prevention or fall arrest measures in place and the householder commented that at no point did they see the three workers taking safety into consideration. Some of you may think this is the fault of the workers but as the HSE inspector comments that it is the company first and foremost.
In a statement he said: “The company put the lives of three of their workers at risk by carrying out the roofing job in a totally unsafe manner. Anyone falling from the roof of a two-storey house would likely be killed and that type of disregard for safety is totally unacceptable.
“If the work had been planned correctly, more suitable equipment, such as a scaffold, and effective fall protection measures would have been in place. Where practical when working on roofs, there should be fully-guarded platforms or good edge protection in place to stop falls happening.”
Although this is not always the case, erecting scaffolding and safety equipment can add money to jobs and it is one of the reasons why people often work without the correct safety equipment.
At DPR we take roofers safety very seriously and it is one of the many reasons we have a high access boom, which allows us to complete work at a higher level safely. If you, like the gentleman from Windsor, want to commission roofers that work to the safety criteria, please do not hesitate to contact our local roofing team today.
Small house-builders are to be let off from zero carbon standards
It was announced yesterday that the government has planned to propose exemption on smaller sites regarding the zero carbon homes policy standards.
According to the reports, from 2016 it was meant to be that all new homes that are built in the UK would have to be ‘zero carbon or carbon neutral’. This means that there should be no carbon emissions generated from the energy needs to a) light and b) heat the home.
However, the government has now made a u-turn after they claimed it is not always feasible on a technical and economic level.
To make it fair, the government is saying exceptions will now only occur based on site size. Ideally this would be ten units or fewer. It also wants to ensure that larger companies do not split sites into smaller units to avoid meeting these standards. This is to both cover the big companies buying smaller sites by splitting into subsidiary firms.
This is good news for us as roofers as it means that more smaller firms will still be able to offer great housing, with top quality roofs without having to stretch their resources to meet the standards. Although we always strive to meet the standards needed and we have a proud tradition of being accredited with some of the very best roofing and construction standards, this news is very welcome.
One of the main reasons behind this move is because the number of small builders has steadily been declining since 2007. Speaking in a recent interview, the CEO of FMB said: "The FMB is supportive of the zero carbon objective but we are concerned about the disproportionate cost implications for smaller house-builders. The Allowable Solutions element of zero carbon will be added in 2016 and could result in smaller building firms paying out an additional £2,000 for every single detached home.
The changes are much needed for the industry and will hopefully have a positive effect on the whole house building and construction industry as a whole.
If you are builder based in Yorkshire and require an expert roofer for your construction needs, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Roofing work completed at SITA
DPR roofing has recently completed roofing repair works at SITA UK in Huddersfield. SITA UK works with Kirklees Council to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill and is the first company to convert plastics into diesel fuel.
DPR was contacted by the company, requesting an inspection at their Diamond Street site just off of Huddersfield Road after they had a small issue with two of their fan coolers leaking.
Managing Director Darren Rickett went to the site to carry out the inspection and was stunned at the sheer size of the building during his inspection work. After consideration and discussions with both the site manager and the DPR Roofers, it was agreed that the specialist DPR polymer resin and matting system, which is applied cold (no flame), would be the best solution for their leaks. Firstly a thorough cleaning down of the areas would be needed to ensure of a clean surface for the resin and to check for no more serious damage.
In total, the two sections that needed to be repaired are 6m x 1.2m and 4m square respectively and DPR guarantee that after the repair, these areas will not leak.
DPR are commercial roofing specialists and have experience working for many large companies in Yorkshire, including Wilco Motosave and Asda.
For more information on the system we use to ensure of no repeat leakages, or for additional facts about our commercial roofing pedigree in Huddersfield, please do not hesitate to contact us on today. We have skilled specialist local roofers who hold all the current health and safety standards to allow us to work on site securely.
Why do your gutters need clearing this winter?
Every season we experience here in Huddersfield brings its own unique touch of individuality – whether that be the golden leaves of autumn or the morning frost of winter.
Unfortunately, if you weren’t already aware, the colder months can cause major problems for your guttering. Every year at this time homeowners across the Huddersfield area ring us for help to deal with the effects that ice, snow and wind have on their property.
In the following list, we have compiled a few reasons as to why you should get your gutters looked at before it gets too late:
Keep you and your family safe
When the weather is particularly cold, icicles can form on the bottom of your gutters. As far-fetched as it may sound, these icicles are very dangerous if they fall and hit someone beneath them – over the years there have been several cases where this has happened.
Minimise the risk of roof leaks
If your gutter is clogged with debris, water will simply pool wherever it possibly can. Not only does this mean that your gutter is completely failing to do its job, but it also means that the water will remain on your roof. Even if this is only at the edge, it will absorb and make potential leaks much more likely. This is likely to eventually cause damage to your home and the contents within it.
Save your landscape
Your gutters are pointed down to your drains for a reason – the water flows to where it’s meant to. Water that can’t make its way through a blocked gutter is at risk of spilling out of the sides. This water can then end up being drained directly onto your flowerbeds or other landscape. You don’t want to wake up on Christmas morning to find that your plants are ruined!
Although it’s possible to clear your own gutters, we at DPR Huddersfield advise caution. If you make the decision to inspect your own roof, please ensure that someone is assisting you at all times and that you feel stable. Failing that, there is no harm in ringing our professional team – we are vastly experienced in anything roofing related.
If you need your gutters clearing or want any more information, feel free to call one of our expert Huddersfield roofers on 01484 290 087.
New Purpose Built Office for DPR
Due to continued growth and expansion, DPR are delighted to announce that we are shortly due to move to new premises in Denby Dale, West Yorkshire.
“DPR have been based in Crigglestone since October 2003 and the office has proved to be a great base for the business to grow,” comments Darren Rickett, Managing Director at DPR Ltd.
“However over the last 11 years we have simply outgrown the premises and the new head office will provide us with a great platform to continue to service our customers across Yorkshire as it is larger, provides more space and enables us to continue to purchase new equipment and vehicles as we continue to expand,” Darren concludes.
A further announcement will be made shortly regarding the move and all customers, suppliers and organisations will be informed accordingly.
Contact DPR Ltd on 01924 640019 for further information.
Watch out for rogue trader scams
After hearing that rogue traders are present in the counties bordering Yorkshire, DPR would like to remind people to be on the lookout for doorstep trader scams. This is even more crucial as we enter the last few weeks of summer where traders might use summer timeframes as a reason to get roofing and maintenance work done before the winter weather arrives.
According to reports, some councils including Nottinghamshire County Councils Trading Standards department have received a flurry of complaints from local residents. These complaints are usually regarding the poor quality of any repair work, although some have been about traders pestering a home.
Traditionally the activity of rogue traders increases in the summer months as more people consider and make changes to their homes usually in preparation for the winter months.
Unfortunately, a common scam involves minor roof repairs being noticed and then when they get on the roof, claiming more extensive work is required to solve the problem. Another is that quote prices are not agreed in writing before hand and then prices are inflated at the completion of work.
DPR would like to warn homeowners that no creditable roofing company would drive around looking at roofs to create work for themselves, so please do be wary if anyone you do not know comments on the state of your roof. If you have reason to believe they are not genuine please do not commit to any work and do not pay them any money.
If you are looking for a trustworthy and respected local company to carry out roofing work for you, please do get in touch with our team. We will only ever come to your home after you have requested our service and from there, all steps are delivered clearly, with full price considerations laid out in black and white.
If you are worried about any rogue traders in your area, please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506.
Please don’t get caught out this summer!
How should I damp proof my home?
Question from one of our customers: After the recent inclement weather, damp has begun to penetrate my 200-year old house to an unacceptable level. I am pretty good at DIY and I am considering re-pointing the defective mortar joint and damp-proofing the wall using a silicone-based compound – is this a good idea?
Our answer: We would recommend letting the wall ‘breathe’ to dry out, beforeraking out the cement mortar and replaced with lime to match the original mortar. The problem will no doubt lay in the fact that the original lime mortar is softer than the bricks, thereby allowing water to come through the mortar joints, but this problem is likely to be made worse if you re-point the defective joints.
Research undertaken by English Heritage on old church buildings made of stone has shown that rainwater passing through the walls of older masonry appears to follow well-defined paths, at the end of which it is able to drip out of mortar joints.
Cement re-pointing dams these defined paths so that the only way for the water to escape is through the faces of the bricks, which can lead to a problem known as efflorescence spalling, which is the process through which water penetrates masonry and deposits salts on the surface and can lead to the spread of mould and wood-rotting fungi . This excess build-up of water can lead to frost damage.
A great deal of research has been published on the subject, but it has unfortynately escaped the attention of many honest builders who continue to use traditional methods like the aforementioned re-pointing.
You should also avoid using a water-repellent coating, which might have a waterproofing effect in the short-term, it will ultimately hinder your wall’s ability to dry out by the normal process of evaporation.
At DPR (Huddersfield), we may be roofers but we take a great interest in every to do with construction. If you would like information on damp-proofing your roof or indeed your entire home, please call now on 01484 290087.
First Aid Qualification for two employees
Two of DPR’s Roofers went on an essential first aid training course last month, provided by Highfield awarding body for compliance.
Jack Smith and Ben Pearson both passed an oral and written assessment in HABC Level 2 Award in Emergency first aid work at work and are now both covered for three years.
This accreditation covers those who are working in the industry or preparing to and it is an essential skill for the purposes of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 and the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations (NI) 1982.
The day course encompasses an array of different topics including “The roles and responsibilities of the Emergency First Aider, assessing an incident, recognising signs and symptoms of injury and illness and assisting a casualty who is suffering from injury and illness.”
DPR are delighted that both have completed the course and it shows our commitment to working to the very highest of industry standards. These skills will also help both of them in their working life and will cover our company for emergency first aid work for the next few years.
DPR would like to pass our congratulations onto both our employees!
DPR expand vehicle range
DPR are delighted to announce that we have bought a new land rover to add to our survey department fleet.
This vehicle is used for those hard to get properties we regularly visit on the moors of Huddersfield during winter times and to enable surveys to still be carried out during snowy and icy conditions throughout Yorkshire & Lancashire.
The vehicle is a total one off finish, which we had Bespoke of Harrogate design for us and we are proud to add this to our growing fleet of commercial vehicles.
Are flat roofs a pain to repair?
A problem with your flat roof can be a nightmare so in today’s blog our leading Huddersfield roofers look into how they can be repaired.
If you have noticed wet spots along the cornices of your flat roof it is likely that water is getting in at the parapet walls, despite no obvious cracks being visible. Yet, while you may have heard that flat roofs are difficult to repair, doing so is not impossible.
Much of the difficulties come from the aforementioned parapets and from the use of asbestos in short, reinforced sheets. This is not a good combination and we would not recommend buying a property with such undesirable traits.
You might consider using polyisocyanurate foam insulation, placing it on the ceiling as an effect remedy to water spots. However, you should also bear in mind, that using thermal insulation like this could also cause heat to build up and actually worsen the problem, especially if the roof is not properly ventilated, which flat roofs must be.
Check whether the reinforced asbestos sheets are still useable, and that they are in fact fibre-reinforced sheets and not the unreinforced – and highly dangerous – asbestos, otherwise they will have to be disposed of according to the regulations of the health and safety act.
If the sheets are okay to continuing using, go forward by removing any previous attempts at waterproofing and re-do the parapet wall from its outside edge, down the wall and on to the reinforced sheets in one continuous band.
We would also recommend re-roofing with metal sheeting of a single length, making sure that you have purchased the correct pitch to complete the job. Alternatively, you could consider changing the design, which will either remove the need for the parapet walls, or require that the sheeting is passed over the walls.
Ultimately then, yes - flat roofs are a pain to repair and you may find that you need the help of professionals. So, if you have a flat roof and live in Huddersfield and need roof repairs or just advice, call now on 01484 290087.