[michael papworth]

I had a little play cleaning the roof of my sister-in-law's conservatory the other day. The finials moved as soon as I touched them (gently) with the brush. I tried being ever so gentle, but they wobbled quite a lot. To make life bearable, I didn't clean them.

It's put me off doing conservatories.

Here's the questions:

* Are ALL finials so delicate, or were hers exceptional?

* Is there a technique to cleaning wobbly finials?

I want to do conservatories, but not if it's going to be a nightmare of a job full of worry that I'm going to be causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage to flimsy bits of plastic tat!

So far I've turned down a couple of jobs because I'm scared of causing damage or of having to leave the job half done. I'd hate to have to say, "I've finished your conservatory and it's looking wonderful now ... except for those algae-covered bits of plastic frippery running along the ridge."

(Why do people have this tat on top of their conservatories anyway? To my mind, it's like putting lace on the tops of your wellies!)

[Londoner]

The answer to your question is both yes and no. Most are OK but some are really lose.

I am sitting here watching the rain come down and one of the jobs I have to do is to investigate hiring a conservatory ladder to repair a broken roof trim. I didn't really break it I just touched it with my pole while cleaning the window above and it was off. Still, its down to me to get it fixed.

Don't be put off conservatories are good money

[michael papworth]

I've got a lightweight alloy 12 foot extension pole. Is it worth taking that with me when I look at jobs? I could give the finials a gentle touch and see if they are loose.

If they seem firm, accept the job. If they are loose, point it out to the customer and tell them that I'm declining the job for that reason.

If they want the job done, it's up to them to get on to the people who fitted the conservatory and get them to fix the finials properly.

I really want to do the work. As you say, Vince, it's good money, but I don't want to be doing what you are doing now and having to fix damage or pay to have it fixed.

[steven ainger]

just explain to the customer the situation with the wobbly finials and say you will do the best you can and also i find that spraying them with tfr from a garden sprayer loosens up the grim easier and so you dont have to scrub so hard

[chrismroberts]

How do conservatory roof ladders work? What do they rest on? Could do with a set myself.

Tried to clean some of those "finials" the other day... not only were they wobbly, I couldnt access them straight on, so had to scrub them side on.... explained this to the customer and she was fine with it. She was just happy the roof was clear of moss!

[michael papworth]

Got a feeling that this should be another thread, but:

conservatory ladder: www.ladders4sale.co.uk/conservatoryladders.htm

Knowing someone who erects conservatories, I personally wouldn't feel confident about the trusses bearing the weight of a pair of mating butterflies, much less a fully-grown man!

[chrismroberts]

Got a feeling that this should be another thread, but:

conservatory ladder: www.ladders4sale.co.uk/conservatoryladders.htm

Knowing someone who erects conservatories, I personally wouldn't feel confident about the trusses bearing the weight of a pair of mating butterflies, much less a fully-grown man!

FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY QUID?!  Hmmm.... maybe not then.... only charge about £30 at most for conservatory roofs.... would take a long, long time to pay for itself 

I see what you mean, so the horizontal bar rests on the trusses?? That does sound dodgy 

[L.J.Thorpe]

you can hire conservatory ladders from HSS shops
£22 1st day
£11 add day
£27 wknd
£44 week
bargain i reckon

[Cleaner Windows]

a low pressure and lightweight pressure washer works well on some of them as long as you can get to each side properly and get enough height to aim downwards on it (making sure not to get water under the seals of course)

[007 or what]

LOts of TFR only use one jet on a small brush, works every time. Just got back from doing one £50 took me an hour custy was well chuffed.

[niceandclean]

The finial and cresting slide into the plastic ridge capping. The ridge capping is held down by normally 3 or 4 plastic/ali bolts (best way to discribe them) into the solid ali ridge. They will all generally move when you clean the cresting and finial, never had one fall off yet.

[L.J.Thorpe]

why don't you just get up onto the roof and clean it by hand, this is how i do them. i've only come across 2 conservatories that the pitch of the roof was too steep to get on   

get up on it how
what about pent roof ones
do you use crawl boards or anything?

[windowwashers]

why don't you just get up onto the roof and clean it by hand, this is how i do them. i've only come across 2 conservatories that the pitch of the roof was too steep to get on   

I am guessing you insurance is void when you do this ?

[Londoner]

why don't you just get up onto the roof and clean it by hand, this is how i do them. i've only come across 2 conservatories that the pitch of the roof was too steep to get on   

I am guessing you insurance is void when you do this ?

Strangely enough I have been sorting out my public liability insurance today and because its been raining I actually had time to read the small print.
It says that no damage that is caused while working off a ladder is covered by the policy. It seems that the policy writers are making it up as they go along.

When I have already declaired my trade as window cleaner it seems a bit naff. So what exactly am I insured for?  

[windowwashers]

why would my insurance be void?

most people dont even realise that there insurance probably isn't what they think anyway!!!!

i noticed on my last policy that i only had cover but not for glass i was working on (whats the point of the insurance then?)

i dont use no boards just walk and stand on the roof bars, after all they are strong enough. with the glass roofs you can walk and stand on the glass anyway. just get on them, you'll wish you did much alot sooner

I asked to be insured for doing this, and every place I went said no, this is why I am asking you.
You do as you please as do I , I personally would not walk on a con roof anyway your very trusting do it.

Ian

[ronnie paton]

well i dont think my customers would think that was suitable standing on the conservatiry safe or not, and im sure its not very safe.

[ronnie paton]

well done!

any conservatory roof builders i know dont build them by standing on the roof especially has it wouldnt of been built

each to there own i say

[L.J.Thorpe]

you can hire conservatory ladders from HSS shops
£22 1st day
£11 add day
£27 wknd
£44 week
bargain i reckon

now line up 5 maybe 6 or 7 good size conservatory roofs
charge what ???anywhere from 50 to 250 quid from the posts on here
i know what i would do
i have worked off roof spars before
only because i pushed the finial out of its mounting
would not do it again
either give it a light brushing and tell em its a fragile thing(most are happy anyway cos it loks miles better)
or get a con ladder ,scrub it by hand, charge big bucks
if you want to stand on a glass con roof then you go for it
me?......neveragain

[jonah]

you can hire conservatory ladders from HSS shops
£22 1st day
£11 add day
£27 wknd
£44 week
bargain i reckon

now line up 5 maybe 6 or 7 good size conservatory roofs
charge what ???anywhere from 50 to 250 quid from the posts on here
i know what i would do
i have worked off roof spars before
only because i pushed the finial out of its mounting
would not do it again
either give it a light brushing and tell em its a fragile thing(most are happy anyway cos it loks miles better)
or get a con ladder ,scrub it by hand, charge big bucks
if you want to stand on a glass con roof then you go for it
me?......neveragain

couldnt you just get a good cons ladder and do it by hand , the old fashioned way ?

[NWH]

Buy a con ladder for about £450 it`s well worth the investment,how many are you gonna clean before you need to buy another 1,to clean the tricky delicate bits you need to get up there.