Roof slaters and tilers lay new roofs and also replace broken slates and tiles on existing roofs. They lay slates and tiles in horizontal rows, working from the bottom of the roof to the top and cutting tiles to fit corners and gable ends. Built-up felt roofing involves putting layers of felt on top of each other. Roofers measure and cut materials to fit, and use a blowlamp to melt bitumen on the back of the felt as it is laid. You may finish off the roof with fiber cement tiles, slabs or granite chips.
Lead sheet is used as a weatherproof shield for flashing weathering. It can be used on houses as well as unusual shapes such as spires. Some roofers also waterproof and damp-proof masonry and concrete walls and floors. You will hammer and chisel away rough spots, or remove them with a rubbing brick, before applying a coat of liquid waterproofing compound. You may also paint or spray surfaces, or attach waterproofing membrane.
Bricklaying is an altogether different skill, but no less physical. Bricklayers build the interior and exterior walls of buildings, as well as other types of walls such as the linings of tunnels. You may also repair existing walls and refurbish old buildings. Bricklayers use different grades of standard and special bricks and materials such as mortar, firebricks, blocks and patterned blocks for work such as ornamental walls or archways.
Building a wall is a skilled job. On larger sites, designers and engineers set out the positioning of the walls. The bricklayer's job is then to cut bricks using hammers, chisels or portable power tools and complete the wall ensuring it is straight and level using lines and spirit levels. On smaller jobs you may have to carry your own bricks, mix the mortar and erect scaffolding. You might lay several hundred bricks a day in a team of bricklayers working on different sections of a building at the same time. Self-employed bricklayers often work additional hours, especially when first becoming established.
Bricklayers are needed for new construction work and to carry out maintenance and repair on buildings. They may work for:
· private householders, re-pointing walls or adding extensions
· building or mechanical engineering services contractors
· public sector bodies such as local authorities
· specialist contractors in the marine, chemical and gas industries
· contractors abroad
