St Brelades Bay Hotel in Jersey

Client

St Belrade’s Bay Hotel

Duration

3 Days

Location

Jersey

Sector

Hotels

A return to Jersey to remove lichen from the roof of a beautiful seaside hotel.

The brief

Orb Rope Access has been attending St Brelades Bay Hotel in Jersey for several years to carry out essential maintenance work, as and when required.

On this occasion we were called in to kill and remove the lichen that had accumulated on all roof facets, and to clean any gutters that had become blocked since our last visit.

What is lichen on a building?

A quick science lesson for you! Lichen is an invasive organism. It is the byproduct of fungus and algae combined. Its dominant component is the fungus which needs algae to produce the nutrients that give lichen the power to spread on slates, rocks, decking and some outdoor features and furniture.

Lichen can present as one of many colours, although the greens and yellows are the ones most regularly seen.

What damage can lichen do to a building?

Lichen that is left to grow can cause permanent damage to outdoor structures. It can create holes in external surfaces (pitting corrosion) which can result in leaks. It can also hold moisture where you least want it, which speeds up the wear and tear process. When the moisture becomes frozen it can result in frost damage.

Lichen can be particularly damaging to roofs because they collect moisture. Ignoring lichen not only makes your building unsightly, it can also be costly. Prevention is cheaper than cure. By regularly removing lichen you can avoid expensive remedial work and long term damage.

The building

St Brelade’s Bay Hotel is located in the South West of Jersey, overlooking Ouaisne Bay. It was founded in the mid 19^th Century, and is a very popular hotel with couples and families.

The hotel underwent a full refurbishment in 2011, and now features a state-of-the-art DW Health Club with an indoor swimming pool.

The Work

Our IRATA-certified rope technicians used sodium hypochlorite with water, in a 50/50 mix, to disturb and kill all the lichen and moss on the roof.

They then cleaned the area where lichen had been, and carried out the usual maintenance work including unblocking gutters and downpipes.

How can you prevent lichen from growing on your roof and other outdoor surfaces?

Lichen thrives on moisture, so the best way to prevent it from growing is by carrying out regular maintenance like removing debris from the roof, paths and driveways and cleaning the gutters so that moisture doesn’t accumulate.

Benefits to the client

Using rope access to clear away lichen, and other growth that can cause damage to buildings, is a cost-effective option due to the absence of heavy equipment such as scaffolding and MEWPS (mobile elevator work platforms). It is also much quicker which keeps project costs to a minimum.

The work was completed at height, away from hotel guests, so there was no inconvenience caused, whereas machinery would have been a noisy distraction from the facilities of the hotel, and an obstruction and safety concern for guests and staff. Upon completion of the work, our technicians were able to simply derig their ropes and equipment, leaving behind no mess or hint that workers had been on site.

“Over the past two years, St Belrade’s Bay Hotel has worked with Matt Lavery and his team at Orb Rope Access. Our hotel has a large and challenging roof which has seen significant improvements under their care, particularly with our problematic gutters. “They have not only managed to keep our gutters impeccably clean but have also brought our persistent lichen problem under control. This has greatly enhanced the appearance and maintenance of our hotel’s exterior. “The ease of working with Orb Rope Access cannot be overstated. Their professionalism and commitment to delivering a high quality service make them an outstanding partner. We are deeply appreciative of their dedication and the noticeable difference they have made to our property. “I highly recommend Orb Rope Access for its excellent service and am looking forward to our continued collaboration.”

What our clients say about us

Absolutely delighted with the outcome of the works, can't praise ORB highly enough for the all elements of the project, will certainly be using them again on any future projects.

The gutters on our building had not been cleaned for some years. In places they were choked with vegetation and this was causing water ingress into the building whenever we had heavy rain. Access, because of height was an issue. Orb Rope did a fantastic job and resolved the water ingress problem which had become a big concern. The technicians came when they said they would, carried out the work they said they would and left the area clean and tidy. The work was done promptly. We found the technicians knowledgeable and helpful. We would have no hesitation in recommending your company.

“Orb Rope Access have run several projects at Scarisbrick Hall. We have found them to be efficient, reliable and have completed their works on time and on budget. We would have no hesitation in recommending them. Well done Matt and team, keep up the good work.”

" I have worked with Matt and Orb since 2010, on many various tasks within the stadium and training ground, this includes floodlight painting and lamp changes, high level window cleaning, maintenance and repairs to various roofs to include tin, plastic and fiberglass roofs. The fitting of new high level signage and banners, and many other jobs. They helped to develop our rescue plan for our own engineers when working on the floodlights. They are always available when we have had storm damage, working well into the night to complete repairs. I would not hesitate to recommend them to any other company for any type of rope work/high level maintenance, and have done on several occasions. "

"Orb Rope Access have completed numerous projects at St Johns for the past 5 years; Including the reseal of the famous St Johns Beacon! I find them professional, reliable, and very financially competitive. They are a highly recommended contractor of mine and a joy to work with."

"Orb Rope Access were introduced to us as we required a high-level structural inspection solution. Given the nature of the project we needed a service partner who could provide excellent levels of safety coupled with knowledge and capability in delivering the standards we required. Orb didn’t fail to impress, there attention to detail and professionalism throughout the process was second to none."

"I have had the pleasure of working with Orb rope access on a few roofing projects now, and have to say that despite the difficult nature of the work that they do in terms of access they also have an ability to transfer that expertise and attention to detail to the work carried out on site. Top work from a top company!"

"Inleaf specialise in the design, installation and maintenance of living walls throughout the UK. Living walls, by their nature, often require specialist access for installation and maintenance and so we commonly work with Orb Rope Access to provide specialist advice and assistance with projects that require abseiling access. Orb Rope Access have always been friendly, straightforward and professional to deal with. We've found them to be 100% reliable and excellent at working closely with our team when on site, either following specific instructions or using their own initiative when required."

This is the second time we have used Orb for high-level work. We are very satisfied with the job done. The team arrived on site at exactly on time, kept me informed of progress and provided photographs of the completed work for my records. I would have no hesitation in using the company for future work.

Here at Liverpool Cathedral , as you can guess there is a challenge to gain access to problems at height. We have used the services of ORB for several years now and they provide us with a professional and safe service which is beyond our means.

Before ORB came to us for roof work it was very difficult to find anyone who would go on the roof. Scaffolding is very expensive. The men who come to carry out the work are polite and a pleasure to deal with and St Oswald's are so grateful for their expertise.