Back from holiday, straight into the wind, rain, and a skip full of rubbish.
This was my first week back after a two-week holiday, and while I was away my truck, trailer, and cherry picker all went in for some well-deserved TLC — servicing, repairs, the lot.
So when Monday rolled around, I was back, refreshed, and ready to get stuck in with all the kit working like new.
Good job too, because the week ahead was a busy one.
Monday – Wind 1, Cherry Picker 0
Kicked off in Oxton where I was supposed to replace some gutters and roof tiles. Except the wind had other ideas.
Imagine trying to balance on a cherry picker basket in gale-force gusts, I’d have looked like a kite on a string. To make matters worse, the materials hadn’t turned up either. That one got pushed back to later in the week.
Next up was Lowdham Grange, where I managed to get a chimney liner installed despite the blowy conditions. I even reinforced the chimney pot with a bit of extra concrete for peace of mind. While I was up there, I spotted some pointing that needed attention, so I arranged to come back later in the week.
By the afternoon, I admitted defeat against the wind and headed home. Instead of rooftops, I built shelves in my garage. Not quite as exciting, but at least I didn’t get blown away.
Tuesday – The Rare “No Drama” Day
Tuesday took me to Wysall. And let me tell you, this was one of those rare jobs where nothing went wrong.
No wind, no rain, no missing materials, no surprises. Just a straightforward days work with a very decent customer. If every day was like that, I’d almost be bored.
You can see me in action on this job over on YouTube – Busy Day on Site – Multiple Roof Repairs, Repointing & Chimney Work in Nottinghamshire (catchy tile)
Wednesday – Rain Stopped Play
The heavens opened on Wednesday. Mapperley Park was meant to be the main job, but the rain forced me to reschedule that one. Arnold was also on the list, but I couldn’t get the cherry picker into position there, so that one got binned entirely.
It wasn’t all bad though. I had a productive meeting at Granite Workwear where we finalised a sponsorship deal for my new branded gear we even decided where the embroidery should go. After that, I cracked on with some side jobs: restocking sand and cement, clearing out the chicken shed, doing a tip run, and even fixing the gutters on the new DJI HQ’s garage.
Meanwhile, my other business, Shindigs of Sherwood, ticked along nicely. One of my games packages went out for a wedding at the weekend.
Thursday – Forecast Said Dry, Reality Said Drizzle
Thursday’s forecast promised dry skies, but the reality was drizzle. Luckily, it wasn’t enough to stop me working. I headed over to Mapplebeck and got stuck into chimney repairs: new flaunching, fresh pointing, and a tidy re-flaunch of a smaller stack. A wet start, but a successful finish.
Friday – The Big One
Friday was stacked. I started the day in Farnsfield with an emergency call-out for a roof leak. Traced it to a valley blocked up with moss — cleared it, problem solved.
From there it was a busy circuit:
- Back to Lowdham Grange to sort the chimney pointing I’d spotted earlier in the week.
- Over to Derbyshire to refit bird spikes that had come loose.
- Then to a social club in Kirkby-in-Ashfield to reseal flashing and fit a new downpipe.
- And a quick stop in Bilsthorpe to repair a slipped tile.
As if that wasn’t enough, I squeezed in two surveys too, one in Mansfield and another in Edwinstowe. Both involved chimneys (they usually do), with leaks and damp patches being the main culprits.
By the end of Friday, I’d earned myself a sit down and a cuppa.
Saturday – Skip Day
Saturday was all about the chicken shed. I’d ordered a skip earlier in the week, and with the help of my father-in-law (Grumps), we got more done than I ever expected. The main shed is now well on the way to being cleared out, which means I’m that much closer to handing it back to the farmer.
This is part of my wider plan to save £7,500 a year in rent by moving my base of operations to a new HQ closer to home. It’s a big job, but with Grumps on side and a very understanding landlord, it’s looking more achievable by the day.
Looking Back
Not a bad first week back after holiday. Between the wind, rain, and a skip full of rubbish, I managed to:
- Install chimney liners, repair pointing and flaunching.
- Replace flashing, downpipes, and slipped tiles.
- Clear moss-clogged valleys and fix roof leaks.
- Bird-proof with spikes.
- Complete multiple surveys.
- Move Shindigs wedding games out the door.
- Progress the chicken shed exit plan.
All with the cherry picker, truck, and trailer back in action.
Not bad for a bloke who spent half the week fighting the weather and the other half making fun of himself for it.
👷♂️ Need Help at Height?
From chimney repairs and liner installs to bird proofing, gutter repairs, roof leak investigations, and more, no two weeks are ever the same in this trade. If you’ve got a high-level job that needs doing safely and efficiently, get in touch.
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📧 danny@dji-uk.co.uk
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