Having gained an Ordinary National Diploma in Building Construction in 1977, my original intention was to become an architect. However, at the time, the class was told that out of every six who qualified, only one of us would get a job as an architect. I therefore got a job at a building merchant and have remained in the construction industry ever since.

In 1985 I joined Sandtoft roof tiles, and so my specialization in pitched roofing began. I started as a technical sales representative and then in 1992 I went on to setting up and running a busy technical department, where detailed knowledge of the use of roofing materials and systems, together with all relevant Standards and Building Regulations, was essential. The role specifically included designing and writing specifications for complete roof systems, product development and assessment. I also wrote and illustrated the company’s technical literature and produced installation videos.

Since 1994, I have been a member of several industry committees and expert groups responsible for writing and revising British and European roofing Standards, including BS 5534; British Standard for tiling and slating, BS 8000-6, British Standard Code of practice for workmanship on building sites, BS 5250: British Standard for control of condensation in buildings, EN 490 and 491: European Standards for concrete roof tiles and the EN1304: European Standard for clay roofing tiles. I was Chairman of the Roof Tile Association (RTA) Technical Committee for 10 years until 2018.

In 2018 I decided to semi-retire. I set up as an independent consultant and now carry out regular consultancy work for several manufacturing and construction companies.

I write regular technical articles under my own name on pitched roofing for several industry publications, including Total Contractor, Roofing Today and RCI (Roofing, Cladding & Insulation).