CASE STUDY — RESIDENTIAL
Temporary Roof, Sevenoaks, Kent
Full temporary roof structure protecting an active residential build — loft conversion or upper storey addition in a busy Sevenoaks street
A temporary roof is one of the most practical and underused tools in residential construction. When a loft conversion or new upper storey requires the roof to be open while the build progresses, the work cannot simply stop every time it rains. A temporary roof solves that problem: a sheeted scaffold structure erected over the entire open floor plate, giving the building team a weatherproof envelope to work within for the full duration of the build programme.
This job in Sevenoaks involved exactly that. A residential property in a busy Sevenoaks street, the upper level being actively constructed with walls going up and the structure open to the elements. Pinnacle erected a full temporary roof over the building to keep the programme moving regardless of weather.
The Challenge
When the upper level of a house is being actively built, the structure is open. Rain, wind, and frost will damage new blockwork, saturate timber, and halt a programme that has a fixed end date. On a busy residential street in Sevenoaks, there is no option to simply wrap up and wait for dry weather.
The structural demands of a temporary roof go beyond standard residential access scaffold. The sheeted roof panels carry wind and rain loads that have to be transferred down through the scaffold structure to the ground. The frame has to be designed to carry those loads safely and independently, without relying on the new build walls beneath — which are still going up and not yet at full strength. Working platforms at wall-head level give the build team access to the full perimeter of the construction as it progresses.
The busy residential street setting adds the usual Sevenoaks access considerations: pavement licence management with Sevenoaks District Council, delivery route planning for scaffold lorries, and a structure that keeps the footway passable for residents throughout the contract.
Our Approach
Pinnacle designed and erected a full temporary roof structure over the building, with the scaffold frame carrying all sheeting loads independently. The corrugated sheeting panels were fixed at the top of the frame, spanning the full width of the open build and providing complete weather protection for the construction team below.
Working platforms were incorporated at the wall-head level throughout the structure, giving the build team safe, compliant access to the full perimeter as the new walls were being laid. The scaffold was designed to TG20:21 standards, with RAMS documentation and method statements provided before work began.
Pavement licence management with Sevenoaks District Council was handled as standard. The structure was inspected at the required intervals throughout the contract. On completion, the temporary roof and scaffold were struck and the site handed back cleanly.
Every operative held a current CISRS card.
KEY CREDENTIALS
What We Delivered
A temporary roof turns an open building site into a weatherproof workspace. For loft conversions, upper storey additions, and any residential build where the roof needs to be open while work progresses, it is the difference between a programme that runs to schedule and one that doesn't.
If you are a builder or homeowner planning a loft conversion, upper storey addition, or any works that will leave a building open to the elements, call us for a free site survey. We cover temporary roof systems across South East London, Kent, Essex, and Surrey.