Bracknell Roofing has demonstrated its ability to cover all aspects of roofing work by providing training and supervision on a stunning new hotel project in Kenya, Africa.
The work was carried out on behalf of Kenya-based Hemingways hotel group, developer of the luxury new hotel that overlooks the beautiful Ngong Hills.
The management team at Hemingways Hotel had specified 50,000 fibre cement slates for the development and had then asked the manufacturer to recommend a reliable and professional roofing contractor, which it did with Bracknell Roofing.
The client subsequently commissioned Bracknell Roofing to demonstrate correct fitting of the fibre cement slates to the roofing team on site, as well as provide supervision during initial stages.
Being briefed in advance by the client about the scope of work required meant that Phil Mulvaney, Bracknell Roofing Contracts Manager, had already prepared a detailed programme before arriving in Kenya.
Phil knew that training and supervision would be the best use of his time because it would provide the locally based building professionals with the necessary skills to complete the job once he had returned to the UK.
After seven days on site and following ongoing training, including Health & Safety, Phil was confident that the local team were proficient enough to continue without further guidance.
Phil’s 25 years’ experience enabled him to cover all aspects, including creating the roof structure, providing adequate ventilation, through to installing valley and step flashings as well as the slating.
The roof itself was a challenging design, featuring several valleys, a hipped end and a number of gables. The slates were nailed to battens, whilst a reflective membrane was used above the felt underlay to reduce solar gain.
“It was a great experience,” says Phil Mulvaney, who is based at Bracknell Roofing’s Warrington branch office. “The people in Kenya were so friendly and extremely keen to learn new skills. Because I needed to demonstrate the techniques, I spent most of the week up on the roof of the three-storey building in glorious sunshine, which was quite a change to the weather in the UK!”
The fibre cement slates were specified for the roof by one of Hemingways Hotel directors, Dicky Evans, a British ex-patriot who was seeking to create a high quality, aesthetically pleasing look for the complex.
In contrast to the popular pantile roofs in the area, Mr Evans decided that the aesthetics of the development should be inspired by the slate roofs of the Cornish countryside where he had previously lived. He specified the shipment of 50,000 slates from a major UK manufacturer after viewing their online catalogue.
The development is due for completion later this year and will comprise 46 suites overlooking the beautiful Ngong Hills, close to the former coffee plantation where the true story ‘Out of Africa’ was based.
Jim Forsyth, Managing Director of Bracknell Roofing, explains: “This project demonstrates that at Bracknell Roofing we don't just build roofs - we provide a service that gives clients the confidence that the job will be completed right first time. Our expertise extends to training and advising clients on Health & Safety.”
For more information on Bracknell Roofing, call: 08705 626800 or visit the website at: www.bracknellroofing.com
