Exhibitor News
You will find over 300 specialist home improvement companies at the show – and the number of companies that will be at the show is going up every day! To find out who is the latest specialist company to be joining us – and the latest product information of launches, reviews and news – take a look below! And don’t forget to take another look in a few days time… this page is updated regularly!
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COMPETENT ROOFER- Government Recognises Competent Roofing Companies
Thursday, August 04, 2011
The launch of the latest Competent Person Scheme to be authorised by Government is already cutting red tape, saving both time and money for property owners and roofing contractors. CompetentRoofer is the first scheme specifically for roofing refurbishment work, and allows competent, vetted professional roofing companies to self-certify on Building Regulations for replacement roofs.
This is another step towards stamping out the ‘cowboys.’
Whether you are a homeowner, private landlord, commercial or industrial owner, all work carried out by the government authorised CompetentRoofer scheme involves special self-certification. This eliminates time consuming local authority building control procedures and, consequently, may save up to £400 for each roof!
The positive implications of CompetentRoofer will help generate an increase in small and large existing roofing improvements, because it represents all-round cost reductions for clients, whilst maintaining high quality workmanship and compliance that is a legal requirement!
Ray Horwood, CBE, chief executive of CompetentRoofer explains: “Roofing companies are inspected prior to joining the CompetentRoofer scheme on their respective roofing disciplines and then allowed to self-authorise only in those disciplines. Members are then regularly inspected at least twice annually.”
“This means that the homeowner or business owner get an ‘all-in-one’ service and do not need building officer approval. The homeowner or building proprietor receives a Building Regulations Control Certificate and the work is automatically registered with the relevant local authority.
“Overall, this is a big step forward in further professionalising the roofing industry, helping the consumer and eliminating cowboy roofers and rogue companies!”
All CompetentRoofer companies receive random work validation inspections and any failures are immediately rectified. A special training course has been developed to increase operative awareness and there is a ‘hot-line’ to report errant companies.
FULL LABC SUPPORT
Local Authority Building Control (LABC) fully supports the introduction of competent person schemes where they assist in delivering building works complying with the Building Regulations.
LABC chief executive, Paul Everall, CBE, points out: “A successful CompetentRoofer scheme will be a real asset to this country and may well be of great assistance when the government comes to implement its Green Deal!
“We are confident that the NFRC scheme limits entrants to those who can clearly demonstrate their competence. This is not just in the physical aspects of refurbishing roofs but also in ensuring that in carrying out the work no other part of the Regulations is breached! Likewise, that the performance of scheme members is regularly monitored.
“CompetentRoofer is a real measure of assurance to the client that the work has not been done by a rogue trader and LABC is committed to working with the government and organisations such as TrustMark, to ensure that the public is properly protected.”
PROOF OF THE PUDDING!
The success of the NFRC CompetentRoofer scheme is already paying dividends in many roofing categories, including thatching.
David French of D & J Roofing, says: “Frequently we strip off a roof and then have to wait for an inspection before we can carry out any reroofing. This can reduce work continuity, sometimes for as much as half a day of important time!
“As a CompetentRoofer, we have undergone all the necessary training, instructions and inspections, so we can now confidently complete the job and self-certify, which means no hold ups!
Simon Wright of Richardson Roofing Co Ltd, confirms: “The NFRC’s CompetentRoofer scheme makes things a lot easier. We can just log in a re-roofing project and haven’t got to raise cheques or get building control in. It’s something we can do rather than the client. It eases our problem considerably.”
Richardson Roofing carries out work on the full range of roofing types and materials. In the domestic roofs arena, for example, for one of the company’s clients it’s completing between 100 – 200 roofs a year. Inspection fees and completion certification was costing around £300 - £400 for each roof, totalling some £80,000 overall – almost all this money is now saved!
Simon makes the very important point: “As a CompetentRoofer our client is completely satisfied he’s saving a lot of money and we are in total control of each project.”
