What do housebuilders want from their roofing specialists?

What do housebuilders want from their roofing specialists? 

The housebuilders of today face a myriad of challenges. Materials costs are rising due to inflation, there’s a labour and skills shortage across the entire construction industry, there’s extra scrutiny on build quality and compliance, and all the while, the government is urging  housebuilders to  build more homes to meet their housebuilding targets. This all has to be achieved, while minimising the risk of post-construction issues, commonly known as snagging. With these increased pressures, roofing contractors play a pivotal role in this ecosystem.  

As the demand for new homes continues to rise, with government targets requiring over 1.5 million more homes, roofing contractors are in a prime position to secure regular work from housebuilders. To serve these contracts effectively, having the right reputation, with both proven work and positive testimonials, is key. As part of this, they must provide a great service from the outset, which centre around speed of installation, performance, reputation, and technical knowledge. 

Speed of Installation 

More so than ever, housebuilders need to ensure build timelines are fast, accurate, and crucially, not pegged back by delays, so that they can complete homes and developments and move onto their next schemes . Here is where roofing specialists and contractors can help, and why the need for a speedy installation has risen to the top of housebuilders’ priority lists. Speed, in this case can mean two things, be that the actual time needed to install products on the roof, alongside the ability for the roofer to source products quickly and efficiently to deal with tight building schedules.  

For Klober, these two things are top priorities, and is why our products are designed to be easy to install. For example, our Wakaflex lead free flashing is straightforward to apply without the need for any specialist tools or training. 

Besides being easy to fit, our products are also universal and readily available. With a 97% OTIF (on-time and in full) score for deliveries, this means that no roofer (or housebuilder) should be waiting on products to finish a roof build. 

Alongside this, our team at Klober provides constant technical support, so that if installers run into any difficulties, there is always someone on hand to help. Our website features a Training Zone that contractors can sign up to, and contains both written and video tutorials on how to install many of our most popular products.  

Technical Knowledge and Product Performance 

Technical knowledge of major issues is crucial. Being aware of the problems that housebuilders are facing, such as condensation and overheating, means that roofers can come armed to a project with the right tools to help make it a success.  

Condensation, particularly in new builds, is a significant concern for housebuilders and homeowners alike. For homeowners, water stains on ceilings can cause significant worry that it may lead to mould later down the line that could go on to affect their health and breathing. On the flipside, for housebuilders, defects of such nature can now quickly spiral into reputational damage, and remediation works can be costly.

Typically, condensation appears in the first 12 months after a building is completed, when the building fabric of a new build home is drying out. This is normal, but it can be mitigated with accessories like eaves ventilation products, dry ridge kits and also breathable membranes.

Membranes consisting of a non-woven spunbonded polypropylene sheet material assist with the ventilation process, mitigating the possibility of internal condensation in the roof space. For further reading on how to ventilate roof spaces effectively, housebuilders and contractors can turn to the NHBC ventilation, vapour control and insulation guidelines for assistance. 

Overheating is another common issue in new builds, especially during warmer months. Typically, this is due to solar gain combined with poor ventilation, leading to homes being uncomfortably warm. This potentially results in an increased risk of illness from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. 

Here, adequate ventilation can help mitigate overheating. Solutions include mechanical extract ventilation (MEV) and mechanical extract with heat recovery (MVHR) systems, which are now required in many new homes thanks to the revision of Part F of the Building Regulations, and the introduction of the Future Homes Standard. Here, Klober has a range of products that help serve as the outlet for these systems.

For example, Klober’s range of 20k slate and tile vents offer a 20,000mm² ventilation area and can be coupled with a 150mm adaptor to enable pairing with MVHR systems.  Different tile vents are also available to accommodate 100mm, 125mm, and 150mm adaptors for different systems. 

Innovation and Solar Integration 

Another area roofing contractors must be up to speed with is solar panels, and how to ventilate roofs that do include these solutions. In the Future Homes Standard, which is expected to come into effect later this year, options have been laid out for new homes to include solar panels as standard. However, integrating solar panels into a roofing system requires careful planning and execution. 

Guidelines by the NHBC (the National Housebuilding Council - the UK’s leading independent provider of warranty and insurance for new-build homes) advise that the choice of membrane will impact the required ventilation detail. Membranes fall into two main categories for this purpose - low resistance (breathable) and high resistance (non-breathable) - this refers to the amount of resistance the membrane offers to the passage of water vapour. Klober has solutions for both scenarios, offering a protective secondary barrier to prevent moisture from penetrating the roof.

No matter which membrane is specified, Klober’s team is on hand to support roofing contractors with installations that meet the highest standards of quality and performance. 

Compatibility and Availability 

Availability of product is another key issue, especially when dealing with different roof tiles. Contractors need accessories that can seamlessly integrate with various roofing systems to ensure a uniform and professional finish. Klober accessories are designed to be compatible with all types of roof tiles, making them a versatile choice for any project.  

Our universal products are engineered to meet all relevant UK standards, and where applicable, products such as Wakaflex and our breathable membranes achieved the British Board of Agrement (BBA) Certification for added peace of mind. These technologies also have been trusted by tradespeople and contractors for many years, going all the way back to the 1980s.