ROOFING T
o support the added-value merchants can offer roofing contractors and their customers, investing in quality manufacturer-led training is an ideal way to upskill and provide quality installations. Ongoing training and upskilling installers are essential in the flat roofing industry, particularly with project warranties now in place. Training is not only important for knowledge and experience purposes, but it also ensures best practise, as having the right knowledge in place means fewer errors and projects that are delivered on time and perform well. Sunny Lotay, national commercial manager for PermaRoof Commercial, part of PermaGroup, says: “As industry professionals, we unfortunately often come across projects where shortcuts have been taken, or it is apparent that knowledge and training has been lacking. To combat this concerning trend, we launched the PermaRoof Registered Installers (PRI) scheme to ensure installers are equipped to fulfil all types of roofing project specifications.” At a time when the industry is still experiencing a skills shortage, Lotay says it has never been more important to equip people with the right knowledge to meet regulatory requirements and offer added peace of mind, not just to contractors throughout the duration of a project but also to the individual undertaking the work. This greater understanding allows trainees to adopt an all- encompassing approach, including the ability to troubleshoot effectively and, most importantly, to find those all-important solutions, he says.
A comprehensive approach “Offering ongoing support after initial training is extremely important. In an ever-changing and adapting environment, a one-off training day simply isn’t enough, it must be backed up by regular on-site visits to pull ongoing roofing reports together and ensure standards are being met.
“This should include going through the areas installers are pleased with, as well as any areas that need improvement, before a final site warranty sign-off can be given. This is also ideal added value for contractors, as they get the reassurance of ongoing quality control checks, for both products and services.” Lotay says that, as every project is unique, with its own challenges to navigate, which is why PermaRoof lets its PRIs work alongside our design, technical and quality assurance teams to widen their experience and knowledge. “Lack of knowledge and working on assumptions is the most common pitfall – we have seen unqualified roofers watch a video online and think this is enough to go on, without undertaking the relevant tests or
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researching materials thoroughly enough. “Surveys and core testing, including wind testing, should be undertaken for every single roofing project to prevent issues developing further down the line prematurely. By simply taking the time to test effectively, it is easy to identify why a roof is failing and help find solutions to fix it.
There is also a lack of knowledge around the compatibility of materials, such as knowing how to correctly interface new waterproofing to join existing waterproofing. For example, we recently took on a project for a residential new- build where the installer did not install a vapour control layer (VCL) - a crucial component that controls all the transmission of vapour through a roof. Because of this, the “built-up system,”
TRAIN TO GAIN
Proper, well-structured and delivered training courses can make a solid difference to sales, service, quality and margins. BMJ talks to one roofing supplier about their offering.
when materials layers are added, was missing a key step, and the roof was failing prematurely. Missing something this crucial can and will have a profound effect on the rest of the build, incurring added costs and delays that could have been avoided by having the right knowledge in the first place.
Act now
Around 20 per cent of the site surveys we undertake is about finding a solution or rectifying roofing installation mistakes that could have been easily avoided, which is a considerable number of projects in a year. Effective training can not only help address this statistic, but also the major skills shortage within the construction and roofing industry, as well as helping individuals succeed and progress. We undertake high level installer training, such as our PRI scheme, to impart the right knowledge and skillset and actively striving to meet accreditation and compliance requirements also means increased number of tenders for the installer who are looking for quality and design assurance working with people that have the right knowledge and have completed projects under their belt ensuring a high-quality result that’s delivered the right way, the first time, every time. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net July 2022
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