Background:
Mallwood Roofing, based in Poole, has been in business since 2006 and has worked on various roofing projects for Julia’s House Hospice Charity over the years, particularly for their local charity shops and the nearby Hospice in Corfe Mullen. In March 2024, Mike Heritage, the Hospice’s Maintenance Manager, contacted them about a new project, which was more urgent than usual and located 90 minutes north of Mallwood Roofing in Devizes, Wiltshire.
The Challenge:
When Mike identified the problem, he found that the contractor who had re-roofied the extension a few years earlier was no longer in business, so they could not be contacted. Mallwood was, therefore, tasked with inspecting the 165m2 flat roof extension at the Devizes property, where the felt was blistering badly.
Further investigation revealed that the roof had blistered because the wrong insulation had been initially used with the felt, which also voided any manufacturer guarantee. Foil-backed insulation had been used, which cannot be torched and had resulted in the felt blistering badly. Urgent action was required as the blistering was worsening and starting to split, which would soon lead to leaking. The rooms underneath this roof are regularly used, and it was unacceptable that they might become unusable. A re-roofing job was necessary.
Mallwood agreed to take on the job, and the Hospice shut down for a week to allow work to start and the roof to be stripped. Mallwood then contacted Chris Walbridge, the Manager at SIG Roofing in Poole, his usual supplier of roofing materials. Chris and his team got to work, contacting manufacturing suppliers to source the products.
Both Mallwood and SIG Roofing were very conscious that the Hospice had limited funds to rectify the problem. They were also concerned that the charity had only recently paid for this roof work, and it was now failing after a relatively short period of time. So, SIG Roofing was not only sourcing materials quickly to rectify the problem but also asking suppliers for extra special terms to substantially reduce the cost of the job for the hospice.
“Our supplier’s generosity was overwhelming,” said Chris Walbridge from SIG Roofing. “They not only provided materials at a low cost, but they delivered them quickly so that the job could be started promptly. Mallwood really led the funding efforts; they regularly work for this hospice and always keep their invoices at cost. In fact, each roofer on the job volunteered to give up a lot of their time for free to complete the work.”
Recticel supplied 130mm Powerdeck U insulation, a high-performance rigid PIR insulation board for use in warm flat roofs with bituminous torch-on felt waterproofing systems. The product has optimum stability, strength, and structural integrity, allowing for the flattest finish. Combined with its precision-cut dimensions, the installation is easier and quicker to complete.
Moy supplied Eurogum 3mm underlay with a 5kg tecnoflex cap sheet. Eurogum is a polyester reinforced SBS modified bitumen membrane, available in 3, 4, 5 & 6mm thicknesses and supplied with a sand or granular finish.
Both suppliers agreed to supply the products quickly so that the work could start on time. Over a three-week period, the contractor made several trips to Devizes to complete the job, fitting in the work around times when they were allowed access.
