Telelink Offices

The existing roof was a built-up metal roofing system that had reached the end of its serviceable life. Beneath the roof structure was occupied office accommodation complete with lighting and suspended ceilings, which meant the existing rooflights were no longer required for natural daylighting. The building also featured a mansard-style perimeter roof detail, creating a visual transition around the external elevations.

Before works commenced, detailed site visits and drone surveys were undertaken to better understand the live-site constraints, access arrangements, and the coordination required alongside simultaneous internal refurbishment works. These early investigations allowed the project team to develop practical access and delivery solutions while ensuring accurate information was relayed to all parties involved in pricing, planning, and installation.

One of the key early decisions on the project involved the treatment of the redundant rooflights. To maintain safe working conditions during the over-roof installation, sacrificial safety netting was installed above the existing rooflights. This provided fall protection for operatives working across the roof while allowing the refurbishment to progress efficiently and safely.

Although the project was considered logistically straightforward from a roofing perspective, careful planning was still required due to the live nature of the site and the concurrent internal refurbishment works taking place within the building. Access arrangements, safety controls, and delivery sequencing all had to be coordinated to minimise disruption and maintain safe working conditions for all personnel on site.

Health and safety remained a key priority throughout the programme. The installation of sacrificial netting above the existing rooflights ensured operatives were protected during installation works, particularly across the multi-pitched roof areas. Drone surveys and pre-construction planning also played an important role in identifying site constraints early and ensuring the works could be delivered efficiently.

The completed refurbishment has provided Telelink Offices with a modern, durable roofing system that enhances thermal performance, improves rainwater management, and extends the service life of the building envelope. By retaining and upgrading the existing roof build-up through an over-roof approach, the project also delivered sustainability benefits through reduced waste generation and improved energy efficiency.

Central Group delivered a full over-roofing solution across the multi-pitched roof structure, avoiding the need for extensive strip-out works and significantly reducing waste materials generated during the refurbishment. Retaining the existing roof build-up also enabled the project to preserve the insulation already in place, while additional insulation was incorporated within the new roofing system to improve the building’s overall thermal efficiency.

The refurbishment included the installation of a new metal roof system designed to provide long-term weather protection and low-maintenance performance. Alongside the roofing works, the project team redesigned and upgraded the rainwater drainage arrangement. The existing gutters were no longer fit for purpose, so larger-capacity gutters were incorporated into the new design to better accommodate increased rainfall volumes and futureproof the building against changing weather conditions.

The straightforward nature of the over-roof installation, combined with the large uninterrupted roof areas, enabled works to progress efficiently on site. Central Group worked closely with Rowan Mill Capital, the project’s principal contractor, while Intanet provided scaffold access and safety netting systems to support safe delivery throughout the programme.