NHBC Sites

[SurreyRoofingEstimator]

Guys.

Those of us who work on NHBC sites are going to have to be extra vigilant, there has just been a seminar on roofing by them (with representation from the NFRC) about failing roofs, this has mostly come down to mortar but we seem to finally have some back up when roofs have been built out of square (when aren't they) as to comply with NHBC it has to be put right before we start, hopefully this might start getting rid of fascia heights that go up and down like a fiddlers elbow and verges that wave about like the sea.

 

[mikric]

Yes, a roofer on site told me last week that NHBC have now started to insist that they inspect the roof before the scaffold is dropped due to the amount of claims regarding failing mortar work.

 

[Nige F]

Even with dry verge/ridge systems

 

[^woody^]

Yes, in the NHBC's February tech standard supplement, they say that 60% of all the claims last year related to poor pitched roofing

They are making a big issue of it.

There are many basic detailing problems, but mostly problems relate to poor quality work and in particular mortar failing.

It is interesting that the NHBC are not actually bothered about the poor work, but rather the claims which are resulting from the poor work and the money it is costing them.

Rather than try and address the issue of training and inspection or the way the industry uses cheap unskilled labour, the NHBC offer the advice ...

".... consider moving to dry systems if possible. If you traditionally use mortar, when was the last time you considered the latest dry systems available"

I have always found it odd/amusing that you can have a look around the typical new housing estates from say the 80's onwards, and just look at the ridges and verges where repair work is easily seen. Compare this to the older houses say the pre or post war semis, and you see the original ridges/verges/hips with some eroded mortar but still firmly fixed to the roof

 

[SurreyRoofingEstimator]

Agreed Woody,

No actual headway towards getting proper prices & workmanship on site work, it will still be a case of cheapest wins rather than value for money

 

[BethesdaSlate]

Agreed,

its infuriating that the NHBC are pushing these plastic products instead of addressing the real workmanship issues.

These plastic and GRP products will all become brittle and begin failing much before 'proper' mortar work fails.

I wonder if the NHBC were taking any advice on this by people connected with manufacturers of these products.