Project:
Oakfield Drive, Glasgow
Specifier:
Perspective Building Consultancy Ltd
Contractor:
Glasgow Property Maintenance
Product Used:
Gallegas 35 400×250 slate
About the project
A listed tenement building in the centre of Glasgow, Oakfield Drive was deemed in desperate need of refurbishment and re-roofing, especially after a neighbouring building completely collapsed. Glasgow City Council was worried that something similar might happen to Oakfield and therefore deemed it in need of urgent attention.
Contractors Glasgow Property Maintenance were chosen by the client 91 BC to work on the roof, with work starting in October 2022. Glasgow City Council would be part-funding the project, on the condition the listed building was refurbished to the original standards including the type of slate on the roof.
To achieve this, SIG Roofing and Glasgow Property Maintenance specified Gallegas 35 as it’s considered a similar slate to Scottish slate and it is also present on other buildings within the area.
Gallegas 35 came with the added benefit of not requiring grading which, alongside being pre-holed, sped up the installation process. Something that was highly advantageous given the project deadline. Additionally, Gallegas 35 is incredibly durable which would reduce the chance of it being significantly damaged by the weather or by general wear and tear, reducing maintenance needs.
For Jamie Woods, the lead contractor at Glasgow Property Maintenance, these were only a few of the benefits that came with using SIG Roofing. “The fact that Gallegas 35 is quick and easy to install and is durable was obviously a huge benefit. But there was another key reason for choosing the Gallegas, and that was the warranty offered by SIG Roofing.”
“The One Warranty was a major attraction for us to use SIG Roofing. The warranty ensures that the products are guaranteed so, if there are any defects, we and the client are covered.
“This was a huge relief as it gave us some security and reassured us that SIG Roofing were willing to stand by the product they offered.”
Jamie Woods – Glasgow Property Maintenance
Installation
The Gallegas 35 slate was installed using traditional Scottish methods. This involved removing and replacing the existing slate and sarking that been used to keep it in place.
Once removed, new sarking was placed onto the roof. The gauges were then marked on the roof to ensure that there would be sufficient cover for the slates. With these marked, the new Gallegas 35 slate was nailed straight onto the sarking, using double headed 50ml copper nails.
Challenges
The biggest challenge was finding like-for-like slate to match the specification set by Glasgow City Council. This is where SIG Roofing came in.
As James O’Hara from SIG Roofing explains. “We’ve worked with Glasgow Property Maintenance on similar projects before, so knew what was required to both get approval and funding. When we received the specification, we immediately recommended Gallegas 35. Aside from its clear benefits in terms of reducing installation times and being durable, we’re also the supplier of Gallegas.”
“This meant it was easier for us to manage the supply of product onto site. If there were changes in the order, we could easily manage supply accordingly. We would also be able to let them know there and then if there was going to be an issue getting slate to them.”
This was a crucial reason why the team could get the work done so quickly. “Having the knowledge and security that SIG Roofing were able to ensure the slate would get to us when we needed it was huge. It gave us peace of mind and allowed us to work without concern.” Jamie explains.
A Successful Project
91 BC, the owner of Oakfield Drive had set a deadline of December 2022 for the project to be completed. Thanks to experience and close connections with SIG Roofing, Glasgow Property Maintenance were able to complete the project within the deadline. The end result was a roof which seamlessly worked with the surroundings, adding to the heritage of the area while providing long term protection to the building.
