Tackling the problem of delivering better homes at a faster rate, Donald Matheson, Technical Manager for Roofing and Flooring in Saint- Gobain Off-Site Solutions explains how off-site constructed roofing products may be the answer.
With the new Labour Government promising to build 1.5 million new homes during their first term, the conversation between housebuilders and manufacturers to the building industry is now centred around how best to provide these desperately needed new homes quickly and in volume. But how can that be achieved without compromising on quality?
Donald Matheson, Technical Manager for Roofing and Flooring in Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, says that by adopting off-site constructed roofing systems more widely, progress can be made in delivering higher quality homes.
How do off-site constructed roofing products work?
Simply put, off-site roofing structures are manufactured in specialist factories and then delivered to site ready to be assembled. As an example, when Saint- Gobain Off-Site Solutions deliver their Roofspace Solutions i-Roof, it is transported to site from the factory as fully insulated panels that then form a room-inroof solution. Similarly, when they deliver Pasquill Roof Trusses or floor joists, the structural elements are pre-manufactured to the specified design, and can simply be unloaded and installed.
How can off-site roofing deliver better quality?
Off-site manufacturing supports the high levels of precision required within modern construction. Before this method became widespread, the materials required to construct the roof were typically cut-to-size on-site, which takes valuable time during a build programme and potentially reduces the accuracy of the build.
When working with an off-site roofing manufacturer, components are manufactured in a controlled factory environment. Each component of the build is precisely cut to the size stipulated within the drawings, before being assembled into its final form and transported to site ready for installation. As these elements are manufactured in a factory, strict quality control processes are carried out during each step of production. This reduces the risk of poorly manufactured roofing components, and in turn reduces problems on site for the housebuilder saving money and, more importantly, time.
Automation is becoming increasingly key in manufacturing processes, further helping to ensure quality is of the highest standard. We have recently invested £4m in the Randek AutoEye Truss System for our Redhill site, which streamlines the truss production process while ensuring the quality of the product remains high.
This automation will come onstream next year, increasing our capacity ready for the challenge of delivering more homes.
Save time by embracing off-site roofing
Off-site construction boasts a host of benefits to housebuilders of all sizes. Aside from potentially saving money by reducing costs, embracing off-site can also significantly speed up build times. Once the roofing components are delivered to site, they’re unloaded from the transport and craned into place. This allows for a swift installation carried out by skilled operators, which greatly minimises the time spent on-site. A home needs to be watertight before follow-on trades, such as plasterers, electricians and plumbers can complete their work. By opting for an off-site constructed roof, these trades can move in much faster to speed up the build programme further.
For example, the i-Roof room-in-roof solution offers incredible time savings, with a pair of i-Roofs able to be installed in just one day, ready for internal finishes to be applied.
Enhancing on-site safety
Arguably the most beneficial aspect of offsite constructed roofing is the ability to decrease the risks to health and safety on-site. It’s an unfortunate, yet welldocumented fact that falls from height remain the leading cause of fatalities in construction. The very nature of constructing a roof means a large portion of build time is spent working at height.
By using off-site constructed roofing products, the time spent working on the upper levels of buildings is significantly reduced. The pre-manufactured components are lifted in using cranes ready for finishing, and are designed to give safe attachment points and protection to the teams who are completing the installation.
Tackling the skills crisis
It’s well-reported that there’s a growing construction skills shortage in the UK. It’s estimated that over 250,000 additional workers will be required by 2028 in order to keep up with housing demand. With one third of the workforce expected to retire in the next decade, and less young people reportedly interested in pursuing a career in construction, something needs to change.
Off-site manufacturing relies less on traditional on-site labour and more on trained operators working with specialist machinery in factories. Factory efficiency allows for faster production in a controlled, safe environment, and its adoption can help reduce some of the labour pressures on site.
Why consider off-site constructed roofing for future projects?
The UK is in dire need of more affordable homes, which are desperately required now more than ever. But what good are more new homes if their quality is not up to standard?
As part of the Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions division, we are proud to support housebuilders across the UK in delivering affordable, high-quality housing where it’s needed most, as we continue our mission to Make the World a Better Home. By selecting off-site constructed roofing, new homes can be delivered more quickly, safely and in volume without any compromise on quality.
