Has anyone removed cement fibre slates from inside the loft?

[RandomGrinch]

The next minor project has invaded my head; a roof window...
The problem is, the budget is whatever I can get here and there, without alerting the OH!
It just wouldn't be feasible If I needed to hire a scaffold tower etc.

Has anyone tried to remove cement fibre slates from the inside?
I was considering slicing battens with a multitool and pulling a slate and batten (section) out at a time, until there was reasonable access.
Does this sound achievable, or am I missing something?

Thanks all

PS, I know this will involve BC, who has already visited the loft on a separate occasion.

 

[Mr diy a lot.]

This is possible yes. We once did this from the inside on a 5th floor tenement roof with a man on the street on watch in case any tiles slid off in the process and donked any passers by on the head below (and killed them)

Big ladder and/or ladder with roof hooks might also be an affordable method to to it from the outside.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Yes it is doable. The pain comes if you have felt/membrane under the slates- getting the weathering right on that from the inside can be tricky so be very careful where you cut.
If no felt then it's still a fiddle but gets a lot easier once you can get your shoulders through the hole

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Does this sound achievable, or am I missing something?

Clay tiles, no felt, but I installed my Velux 40 years ago entirely from the inside. It took me much of a day's work.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Thanks for your thoughts so far

in case any tiles slid off in the process and donked any passers by

Not a risk in my case, the window will be on the rear. If anything were to fall, it should hopefully land in my back garden!

The pain comes if you have felt/membrane under the slates- getting the weathering right on that from the inside can be tricky so be very careful where you cut.

Yes, it is felted - 1980's brittle stuff. I'm expecting it to be a pain, but was going to get a felt collar wih the window - it may mitigate to an extent?

It took me much of a day's work.

It's definitely something I will take time over, and a job that's waiting for some settled weather!
Hopefully, with BC's blessing, I can get the rafter sistering and trimmers in a good while beforehand.

Thanks again

 

[oldbutnotdead]

The felt collar will help. Where it gets tricky- the flange of the collar/whatever needs to be below the felt above and to the sides of the window and above the felt below the window. If you can achieve that then gravity does the work, you don't have to faff about with sealant creating a waterproof join between ageing felt and modern whatever. Same with the flashing kit.

 

[datarebal]

It can be done but not dead straight forward as it sounds .
It's risky and I wouldn't encourage .

Plain tiles a different kettle of fish altogether . Again i wouldn't encourage without external protection

 

[noseall]

The next minor project has invaded my head; a roof window...
The problem is, the budget is whatever I can get here and there, without alerting the OH!
It just wouldn't be feasible If I needed to hire a scaffold tower etc.

Has anyone tried to remove cement fibre slates from the inside?
I was considering slicing battens with a multitool and pulling a slate and batten (section) out at a time, until there was reasonable access.
Does this sound achievable, or am I missing something?

Thanks all

PS, I know this will involve BC, who has already visited the loft on a separate occasion.

Have you thought about the difficulties making good and retro-fixing the FS slates? As Data has said, it's a tad more complicated with 'slate' style roofs.

 

[catlad]

If you drill a 4mm hole in one of those fibre tiles you can then screw a 5mm screw in a short way, that will allow you to use a reciprocating saw with one of those long flexible slim metal blades to get at the nails without the tile slipping out.
Once you have done a couple you can then cut out the baton and that will allow you to remove the first tiles, start at the top!

 

[RandomGrinch]

If you drill a 4mm hole in one of those fibre tiles you can then screw a 5mm screw in a short way, that will allow you to use a reciprocating saw with one of those long flexible slim metal blades to get at the nails without the tile slipping out.
Once you have done a couple you can then cut out the baton and that will allow you to remove the first tiles, start at the top!

Thank you, that's a really great tip
I hadn't thought of anything like that.

Have you thought about the difficulties making good and retro-fixing the FS slates? As Data has said, it's a tad more complicated with 'slate' style roofs.

I have done a small amount of retro-fixing repair work on a lean to roof; I have had a play with tingles and disc rivets!
I know this isn't a straight forward proposition, but as I said in my OP, these ideas do tend to invade my head!
So, this thread is really part of the feasability study; eventually my logical head will take over and weigh up the pros and cons