- knowledge of building and construction
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with others
- to be flexible and open to change
- leadership skills
- customer service skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
Your day-to-day tasks may include:
- removing or repairing broken tiles or slates (stripping)
- checking roof timbers
- fitting felt sheets to roofs
- measuring and cutting materials
- covering roofs with slates, tiles or cladding
- cutting and fitting lead 'flashings' around chimney stacks and walls
- sealing roof joints with mortar
You may need to wear safety clothing and use safety equipment.
You could work on a construction site, at a client's business or at a client's home.
Your working environment may be at height, dirty, outdoors in all weathers and physically demanding.
You can improve your career options with a qualification like the Level 3 (NVQ) Diploma in Roofing Occupations. You can do specialist skills training in areas like heritage conservation, thatching or installing solar panels.
With experience, you could become a roofing surveyor, estimating costs, dealing with contracts and working with architects. You could also become a site manager or move into technical sales. Other options include training, setting up your own business or working as a roofing consultant.
You'll find more details about careers in roofing from Go Construct.
