Some days you leave the house expecting a steady run of jobs. Other days you’re saying bye to the family, loading the kit, and realising you’re about to do a full Nottinghamshire tour with a to-do list that reads like a “best of” compilation: downpipes, a chimney liner install, roof surveys, a Velux window drama, and because life is never boring repairing a bit of a pavilion/pergola that local ruffians have decided is fair game.
This was one of those days.
If you’d rather watch the action than read about it, this is your first reminder to watch the full video and come back for the behind-the-scenes write-up.
“Be Good… If You Can’t Be Good, Don’t Get Caught”
The day starts grey and miserable (standard British weather), with a quick goodbye to the family and a couple of words of wisdom from my daughter that genuinely shouldn’t be as funny as they are. One was the classic: “Be good. If you can’t be good, don’t get caught.” The other was an even better one, referencing a certain influencer: “Have a little grow up, you little weasel.”
If you know, you know.
Then it’s straight into work mode: collect the machine, grab the materials, and crack on.
Job 1: Park Estate, Nottingham – Tight Access Downpipe Replacement
First stop is The Park Estate in Nottingham right in the centre of the city, but it feels like a different world. Lovely area, awkward access… and that’s exactly why they wanted a cherry picker.
The job: replace a leaking cast iron downpipe that’s running water down the wall. The challenge isn’t the downpipe itself it’s getting the machine in:
- through a narrow garden gate
- across wet ground
- up steps
- and into position without chewing up someone’s carefully-tended (and very soggy) garden
Because it was properly wet, I laid boards down to spread the weight and reduce damage. You’ll always get a bit of marking when it’s that wet, but it’s a world better than turning the whole lawn into a motocross track.
Once set up, it’s harness on, tools out, old pipe off, new kit on. Happy days.
When Gutters Are “Nasty” and Access Is a Nightmare
While I’m up there, it’s obvious the guttering is in a grim state and likely blocked on a joint. But there’s a real-world problem you only learn by doing: if you unblock it in the wrong place, you don’t “clear a blockage”… you release a water bomb down the wall.
This is the sort of thing that sounds simple until you’re actually there at height, trying to do it cleanly and safely without soaking everything underneath.
Job 2: Over to Annesley – Chimney Liner Time (and Parking Shenanigans)
Next up: head across Nottinghamshire to Annesley to drop a chimney liner, working alongside the lads from Village Stoves.
First issue: parking. When your truck and trailer are about 10 metres long, sometimes you don’t get the luxury of the “perfect spot.” You find the safest, least obstructive option you can and make it work.
Then it’s into the technical bit:
- tape down the chimney pots
- smoke test (smoke bomb) to confirm the correct flue
- note any issues with the chimney structure (like compromised internal feathering)
Smoke appearing from both pots isn’t ideal, but in this case it doesn’t derail the plan because the liner is going in anyway.
If you want to see exactly how we identify the right pot and set up for the liner, watch the full video here because it’s far easier to understand when you can see the chimney and smoke test happening in real time.
Tools of the Trade: What I Actually Use Up There
For anyone who likes the practical detail, here’s a snapshot of the kit I’m using for a liner install:
- 8mm drill bit
- screw/flip bit (for the jubilee clip on the cowl)
- driver
- universal key
- goggles
- gloves
And yes my workspace could do with a tidy. Just not today.
A Wobbling Pot and a “Best of a Bad Situation” Fix
During the install, the chimney pot is wobbling, and the flaunching is rough. One of those moments where you can’t (and shouldn’t) pretend everything is perfect.
So the approach is practical:
- use slate if available to help pack and steady the pot
- seal with mortar
- add concrete around the pot for temporary stability
But I’m also clear on the bigger picture: the flaunching needs removing and redoing properly, and there’s some brickwork that wants attention too just not as part of this job on this day. I took photos for the record and moved on.
Back to Nottingham: The Velux Window That’s Had It
Next callout is on Cedar Road, Nottingham—a letting agent asking if I can help with a faulty Velux window that won’t close. Access with the cherry picker is questionable, so it’s a case of: try the sensible option first, investigate from the ground, then see what’s possible.
Inside the property, the situation becomes clear: the window is knackered at the back and physically won’t shut properly. I managed to get it closed to a point, which at least helps the tenant in the short term, but the honest outcome is the only one that matters:
It needs replacing.
And as I said on the day: I’m the cherry picker man, not the window installing man.
Quick Surveys: Ridge Tiles, Damp Concerns, and Mansfield’s Confusing Street
With a few things to quote up, I squeeze in some surveys starting with a roof where a ridge tile has gone at the top, and it looks like a bigger ridge rebedding job rather than a quick patch.
Then there’s a damp issue reported in a bedroom plus the added comedy of being on a street in Mansfield that appears to have three street names on one street, purely to confuse anyone trying to find the right property. Hope Street, Peele Terrace… and I’m looking for Bowling Street. Naturally.
One final survey is a bit of a rough one: newly fitted soffits and fascias have ended up fouling windows, and it’s been flagged on a buyer’s survey. The fix isn’t cheap, and it’s a classic example of when a “cosmetic upgrade” becomes a much bigger headache later. I’ll quote it properly, but I’m not going to pretend it’s going to be pocket change.
The Charitable Job: Bilsthorpe’s Pergola vs the Ruffians
After saying I’m not a charity (true), the day ends with… a charitable job.
In Bilsthorpe, local ruffians have been treating a pergola like a carnival game, trying to knock off a wooden “knobbly thing.” The parish council chairman (a friend) asks how much to put it back on and for something like this, it’s a community job. So I head over, line it up, and screw it back on properly.
Of course, now it’s screwed on, it’ll be even more of a sport for them. We’ll see how long it lasts.
Final Thoughts: A Proper Mixed Day
This one had everything: tricky access, wet ground, high work, chimney diagnostics, honest outcomes on surveys, and a bit of community spirit at the end. It’s the kind of day that reminds you why high-access maintenance is never boring every job is different, and the plan changes about five times before lunch.
If you’ve watched the video, I’d genuinely like to know: which job was your favourite part the Park Estate downpipe access, the chimney liner and smoke test, or the ruffians’ pergola antics?
And if you haven’t yet, go and watch the full video. It’s always better seeing the reality of it on site than reading about it after.
Follow Me Online:
• 🌐 Website: www.dji-uk.co.uk
• 🎥 YouTube: @dan_cherrypicker_man
• 🎵 TikTok: @dan_cherrypicker_man
• 📸 Instagram: @dan_cherrypicker_man
• 👍 Facebook: Dan the Cherry Picker Man
• ⭐ Google Business Page: DJI High Access Services – Google Search
• 🛒 Amazon Shop: https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/danthecherrypickerman?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_0H3MM4YGDVAPRTXQJAYV_1
My workwear is sponsored by Granite Workwear, and all of the clothing I’m wearing in the video can be purchased on their website: Workwear Clothing Supplier | Protective Safety Clothes
