GOSH! Look what they did to our roof!!!
Definitely not a project one wants to undertake every 5 minutes
These concrete tiles were way past their best!
Although our roof was not leaking, the felting was very brittle and torn, the tiles were beginning to crumble and crack with age and the tile battens had begun to degrade. I had been thinking of replacing the 50+ year old roof for a few years and got a chance when our next door neighbour built his extension, including replacing his roof. The builder gave us a very good price for upgrading both house roofs, so in the summer of 2012 he erected scaffolding round both houses and work began. The extension next door was well underway and when all the building work was completed there they started work on the roofs, ours first. Fortunately they chose a dry day. They did one side at a time so they could cover it as quickly as possible in case of rain.
That morning there was a thunderous noise on our roof and we saw 4 men throwing our tiles into a large skip. Then they ripped off the tile battens and felt and began hammering new tile battens into place. Maria and I went out shopping and just left them to it.
That morning there was a thunderous noise on our roof and we saw 4 men throwing our tiles into a large skip. Then they ripped off the tile battens and felt and began hammering new tile battens into place. Maria and I went out shopping and just left them to it.
On this shot you can make out the new roofing felt which allows the roof to breathe much better whilst being totally impervious to water. It is very strong but very thin and the idea is very clever.
Oh . . . . and look what they found up there!! Poor bird must have got trapped in the roof space somewhere.
Not in quite as good condition as our roof timbers. We were very pleased to hear that these were in very good condition.
Once the battens were in place they proceeded fitting the new Double Roman tiles, which fitted perfectly and instead of cementing ridge tiles like they used to, they screwed in modern dry ridge tiles which also allow more roof ventilation.
Of course that gave me an excuse to be a boy again and climb up my ladder onto the scaffolding and have a walk round. Notice the wrap round verge tiles, just above my hand, which are a great idea, since these allow no wind to get underneath and lift them. Originally they used ordinary tiles and cemented the edges in place but eventually the cement cracked and allowed wind to get underneath and sometimes ties blew off the roof in violent storms. When I was younger I replaced and re-cemented many tiles in our street, after strong gales in 1987 and 1993.
(No it is not Quasimodo up there looking for Esmeralda, although you can't see my bluelights behind those shades!)
While the scaffolding was in place I applied another coat on masonry paint to the walls. This was much easier to do than on two previous occasions when I worked off just a ladder. I was in my element up there moving and throwing scaffolding planks around whist cleaning and washing out all the gutters, then washing down the barge boards, fascias and soffits.
I even erected a new TV aerial whilst I was up there.
We had a sun tunnel fitted into the roof to lighten up the bathroom and works very well and lets a lot of light through the bathroom ceiling.
And because our gate arch was demolished during the house extension next door they had to rebuild our gate arch at their expense.
It was interesting watching them do it and I got quite friendly with the 'bricky'.
And Mike next door asked me if I would paint his new masonry walls since he knew I used to paint houses, so I came out of retirement and did that for him, along with other work he asked me to do on a paid basis.
Well all this occurred nearly two years ago and it is a pity Maria is not here to share and enjoy the improvements but at least it is reassuring to know this roof will see me out by a mile and I wont have to worry about that.
I was quite sad when the scaffolding came down!
. . . . .and while I was up there I took down a bird box I made for Great Tit birds. It is too heavy and getting a bit old and it needs renewing and
re-siting to a more accessible place. I will get round to that later in the year.
Did you know birds will not nest again in a box unless the old nest has been removed. There are no second hand homes in birdland - the birdie Missus' always see to that!
Remember this shot from a previous post?
Just got him going in.
I took some video shots two years ago of Blue Tits and Great Tits plus their chicks. I hope to post that soon when my clever son shows me how to do it.
