Roof Tops & Pit Stops – A Week in the Life of the Cherry Picker Man

Danny Iwanejko

Week Beginning 16.11.25

Welcome back to another episode of Roof Tops & Pit Stops, where I, your friendly neighbourhood Cherry Picker Man, spend the week dangling off buildings, battling British weather, and trying not to lose my woolly hat.
It’s been a packed one, leaks, cladding, critters, cherry pickers, Christmas lights, and even Ghostbusters. Let’s dive in.

Sunday – The Great Woolly Hat Reunion

The week kicked off in Mansfield, meeting Dale to give him access for some lead repairs on a solicitors’ office. That wrapped up around 11am, and then it was straight into survey mode: eight roof surveys across Newark and Nottingham. By the time I got home, I was knackered.

But the big moment?
It was freezing, properly freezing and for the first time since March, I rummaged through the Hilux and rediscovered my long-lost woolly hat. A glorious reunion. It was like being hugged by a warm sheep.

Monday – Squirrels, Mortar, and a Grumpy Neighbour

Started the day in Radcliffe-on-Trent, teaming up with the lads from Metworks to stuff wire wool into gaps in tiles to stop squirrels turning a three-storey block of flats into a penthouse nest.

Next stop: Nottingham city centre, where Mani and I unblocked a downpipe on a four-storey building. Someone had repointed the ridges previously and the mortar had dropped straight into the hopper. Lovely.

Then off to Bluecoat Close, where I needed to install a new downpipe. Complication: the neighbour (not the cheeriest chap) had gutters lower than ours, so I fitted the downpipe entirely on our customer’s side after, of course, a classic Screwfix run because round pipe + square gutter = chaos.

The day ended in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, helping a tenant try to escape his lease by attempting to tame a roof that looked like it had survived a tornado. Armed with AquaPol and CT1, I patched what I could… but let’s just say: expectations are modest.

Tuesday – Weather Games & Bay Window Mysteries

I should’ve been helping a plumber in Wilford, but after he fell off his ladder (yet another reason ladders are medieval torture devices), the job was cancelled.

So instead I headed to Bulwell, reflauched a chimney, and repaired some tiles.

When the drizzle arrived, I switched jobs and drove to Southwell to finish installing unions on the deep-flow gutters at MJC Motors.

Next stop: Hallam to investigate a leak above a bay window. The only clue? A small hole in the lead. Roofing detective mode activated.

Back to base afterwards to load up materials for Wednesday’s planned ridge re-bedding job in Warwick… which, ironically, didn’t happen.

Wednesday – Dairy Farms & Dad Duties

The Warwick job was cancelled thanks to wet weather, so instead I did the school run with Robyn — always a win.

Then it was off to Grantham, where I tackled leaks on an old dairy farmhouse. A bit of repointing, a bit of leadwork, a bit of gutter clearing the holy trinity of roof repair.

Finished in time to pick Robyn up from school and take her swimming. A simple, wholesome Wednesday.

Thursday – Warwick Wanderings & Hedgehog Escapes

Up at 5:30am and straight to Warwick to work with the team at Wrights Roofing, who look after much of the Warwick District Council housing stock.

  • Job 1: Repair an air vent on a three-storey block.
  • Job 2: Block gaps around solar panel mesh, now that the pigeons have vacated.
  • Job 3: Reattach flashing on another tall block whose chimney had decided to molt.

Then it was over to Kenilworth, where I reattached loose gutters and wrangled some hedgehog gutter brushes that had yeeted themselves out of place. Wildlife everywhere this week.

Friday – The Hinowa 2010 Test Drive & Family Time

Out the door before 7am, heading to Caythorpe in Lincolnshire to meet Samuel at St Vincent’s Church. He was providing access with his Hinowa 2010 but truthfully, I was also there to check out the machine.

And Samuel was an absolute star.
After the builder had finished, he spent hours walking me through the machine:

  • Outreach
  • Tracking
  • Boom functions
  • Pros & cons
  • Full hands-on review

If he ever reads this (unlikely), thank you, Samuel genuinely appreciated.

I got home early enough to take Wren to her swimming lesson, then picked up Robyn, and with Hannah out at a meeting, the three of us had a movie night: pizza, popcorn, and Ghostbusters 2.
Perfect Friday.

Saturday – Cladding, LED Lights & the Final Family Finish

Another early start, off to Ashbourne to meet Dean from Wrights Roofing at Spire House. In the rain.
Thankfully my Granite Workwear waterproofs kept me dry and as I like to remind people, I’m not made of sugar.

I reattached the fallen wooden cladding, then popped screws into every third tongue-and-groove board to secure the whole lot properly.

Then off to Mansfield to help my mate Spencer (aka King Louie) install LEPRO LED colour-changing lights around his house. I did the front with the cherry picker, the side on ladders, wired everything in, and the lights looked brilliant. He even sent a night time video they look spectacular.

Got home around 2pm, only to be met by my mate Ben the digger driver, who came to inspect next door’s ivy-covered shed. Spoiler: we’re going to need a digger.

With Hannah at hockey and Robyn at a friend’s, I spent the afternoon with little Wren, playing ball and staying out of trouble.
A fantastic way to end the week.

Follow Me Online

Stay up to date with my weekly chaos, roofing adventures, and cherry-picker shenanigans:

Workwear Shout-Out

A huge thank you to Granite Workwear for keeping me warm, dry, and looking half-respectable all week.
Whether it was sideways rain in Ashbourne or freezing mornings in Mansfield, their waterproofs and winter gear took an absolute battering and didn’t let me down once.

If you want proper kit that stands up to British weather (and cherry picker abuse), check them out:
👉 https://www.graniteworkwear.com/

Related Posts

Roof Tops and Pit Stops

Week Beginning 9 March 2026 A Week in the Life of the Cherry Picker Man Some weeks in this job…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *