What We Do
Our specialist machinery and expertise is available in three formats: non-operated hire, operated hire and contracted works where we carry out the whole job for the client. Many of our customers are qualified to operate the machines in their own right, and provided they have appropriate insurance (or pay a 20% premium on the hire charge to be given an insurance waiver by our insurers) can hire machines as required without one of our operators.
Most professional clients prefer to hire a machine with an operator, thereby getting maximum efficiency from a hire simply because we take all the worry out of operating an unfamiliar (and probably quite daunting) machine.
Where a basic maintenance task such as gutter cleaning around a building is required, the majority of clients prefer to hand over the job to us. These small contracts are carried out under our own insurance, and for an agreed fixed price, which is much simpler than having to hire a machine, and engage a local builder (who then has to be trained to operate the machine) separately. Numerous clients from private householders right up to large school estates engage us annually to carry out the routine care work on their buildings.
Operated Hire Service
- Complete bespoke service for professional clients
- Ideal for architects and surveyors
- We deliver and operate the machine for you
- We comply with health and safety legislation
- We comply with Work at Height regulations 2005
- Ground protection provided for all surfaces
- Non-operated machines available for hire to qualified, insured clients
Roof Cleaning
We are an approved user of the DOFF superheated water/steam cleaning system. A combination of extremely hot water (150 degrees) and variable pressure, we are able to scald off moss, lichen and other biological matter from roof fabric, leaving a clean, moss-free surface. Spores and seeds of roof colonising plants are also killed by the DOFF, greatly extending the period of time before eventual re-establishment. Roof cleaning, just like gutter cleaning is a cyclical maintenance issue and needs to be repeated periodically in order to keep the roof fabric in tip top condition.
Gutter Cleaning
We are vastly experienced in cleaning and maintaining gutters of all ages and styles. A typical church or historic house may have eaves, parapet,and valley gutters – combined with various outflow pipes, gargoyles,lead or cast iron hoppers and downpipes. A blockage at any point can lead to major damage to the interior and exterior fabric of the building.
We offer a comprehensive gutter cleaning service – usually on an annual basis – to clear all debris including the jetting of blocked downpipes where necessary. Most gutters are beyond safe reach of ladders, and would cost a huge sum to reach by scaffolding. Using our range of tracked and vehicle mounted cherry pickers we are able to access virtually any gutter on any building.
We provide our clients with photos of work done (before/after) and will always photograph any obvious roof/high level defects which we notice while working at high level and which may be difficult to spot from the ground. Clients can access these photos and comments by entering the secure client page of our website – and are free to download any material they wish to keep.
Gutterclear
In 2007 The Diocese of Gloucester in conjunction with Maintain Our Heritage launched a pioneering scheme encouraging Churches to carry out an annual inspection and clearance of their gutters, hoppers and downpipes. This fundamentally simple measure is the most effective way to reduce the likelyhood of serious problems developing as a result of rainwater ingress.
We have been enthusiastic supporters of the Gutterclear Scheme from the start, and are currently carrying out scores of Gutterclear contracts annually. Year upon year we are noticing an increased uptake among Churches within the Diocese – along with those of many other denominations, and in neighbouring Diocese such as Worcester, Bath and Wells and Oxford.
Churches who engage our services for a gutter clearance also benefit from before/after photos of the gutters, along with photos of and a brief report mentioning any obvious defects (e.g. broken/missing roof tiles, damaged flashings, suspect masonry etc) which we will upload to our client login page and then accessed by the client and their appointed architect.
If our visit coincides with a quinquennial inspection, we are often able to accommodate requests from architects who wish to make a high level inspection – numerous architects in the Gloucester Diocese are now used to taking the opportunity of a birds eye view while we are on site clearing gutters.
The SPAB (Society for the protection of ancient buildings) Faith in Maintenance team recently produced a DVD for Churches encouraging and demonstrating to them the simple maintenance steps which can keep a church building in good condition. This DVD featured Forrester Access demonstrating a gutter clearance at St Stephen's Church, Cheltenham – further evidence that planned routine maintenance is becoming accepted by leading organisations within the heritage sector as the best way to conserve and protect our built heritage.
Copper Strip
After an ongoing consultation with various specialist architects and surveyors, we have developed a long term means of controlling moss on roof slopes by installing a copper strip. The copper reacts with the atmosphere and rainwater to produce a solution which will kill moss as it leaches down the roof slope during wet weather. We access the roof using one of our cherry-pickers, and fix a 50mm copper strip in place using stainless steel anchors (which does not involve drilling or damaging the tiles). This system of controlling moss is most effective after an initial clearance of existing moss, and provides a very simple ongoing control. Effectiveness may of course vary in any given situation, but the use of copper wire/strip is well known anecdotally as a means of discouraging excess moss getting established.
Please contact us for further details if you have a moss problem.
Tewkesbury Abbey Cleaning
In May 2011 we used our 23 metre machine to reach and clean the windows at Tewkesbury Abbey.
SmartWater at Althorp
St Mary's Church, Great Brington – on the Althorpe Estate – recently awarded Forrester Access the contract to apply SmartWater to the lead roof of the Church and the Spencer Chapel. With a great increase in Lead theft over recent years, we have applied SmartWater to dozens of Churches in the last year or so. We can offer this service as part of or separate to a gutter clearing project – having been trained and approved as a supplier by SmartWater themselves. Churches are finding their insurance situation strengthened if they take action to protect their lead and copper by SmartWater treatment.
Why remove moss?
Moss traps moisture. In winter this moisture is continually freezing and thawing, causing 'frost shattering' of tiles and slates as thawed water infiltrates tiny cracks and fissures which are then subject to huge expansive forces as ice forms on a frosty night, invariably damaging the tile. A less obvious but equally significant problem can occur beneath the tiles where extended periods of damp and retained moisture trapped by excess moss can lead to rot and decay in the wooden batons and roof timbers.
Simply by the periodic removal of excess moss, the life of a roof can be extended. The roof fabric is permitted to 'breathe' naturally with prevailing weather conditions rather than remaining permanently damp.
Removing moss - before and after
Clients include:
- Diocese of Gloucester
- Gloucestershire NHS
- Orders of St John Care Trust
- Peverel Property Management Services
- Gloucestershire County Council
- Cheltenham Borough Council
- Fosseway Living
- BK
- Easton Bevins
- Cheltenham Ladies College
- Dauntseys School (West Lavington)
- Malvern St James School
- Kingswood School (Bath)
- Cathedrals: Gloucester, Worcester, St Davids, Brecon, Liverpool RC, Westminster and St Chad (Birmingham)