Roofing ensures the long-term survival of a building’s fabric. This is because the roof plays a vital role in construction; it protects the house and its inhabitants from the elements and changing weather conditions. The comfort and safety of a home depend on a high-quality roof. This is why it is essential to hire a building professional to install a watertight covering—a specialist known as a "roofer". A professional roofer is accustomed to handling all manner of roofing issues to specific industry standards, ensuring the workmanship isn't shoddy or merely 'a botch job' that looks good on the surface but leaves underlying problems. Nowadays, many households habitually find a roofer online using the search term ‘roofer near me’.
But what exactly does their work involve?
What is a roofer?
Everyone wants a roof that is both attractive and durable, which necessitates hiring a building professional. To define a roofer simply: they are a tradesperson who guarantees the correct installation of roofs to provide the best possible shelter for a home's occupants.
A roofer maintains and repairs roofs using a wide variety of materials. These typically include clay or concrete tiles, slate, zinc, metal sheeting, bitumen, thatch, shingles, and timber, among others. A roofer can carry out new-build installations, detect water leaks, and perform chimney sweeping. The role of a roofer is indispensable to a property because their profession consists of keeping people sheltered from the weather by covering the timber frame with appropriate materials. In practice, it is the roofing that ensures the protection of the rest of the building structure.
The various responsibilities of a roofer
The importance of the roofing trade has been established above. To look closer at the subject, let’s discuss the specific tasks a roofer performs. In practice, the profession has a dual focus: weatherproofing and insulation, but also aesthetics, depending on the local area. In the UK, many regions have strict aesthetic requirements (especially in conservation areas) because the roof is a prominent visual feature.
A roofer's missions are varied and include:
Requirements for practicing the roofing trade
Because this is an essential trade for ensuring the comfort and safety of a home's residents, a roofer must possess specific skills. If you are looking to have roofing work done, it is helpful to understand what makes a qualified professional.
To practice this profession, one must have a deep knowledge of materials, geometry, and roofing processes. Furthermore, a roofer must know how to cut slate, perform lead welding (soldering), and take accurate pitch measurements. Finally, they must be physically dextrous and have an excellent sense of balance to work safely at height. Got it? What are you waiting for? Just get in touch with a roofer in Manchester!
