How long can I leave the roof uncovered for?

[aa44]

I am about to start building my house. The house is quite long and thin and I was going to do the end with the garage / workshop in it first (this autumn) so that I have a workshop to work out of while I build the rest.

I was going to roof this part of it (plywood sarking, counterbattens, membrane, battens, slates) but, talking to the builder who is doing some of the drawings, he said don't put the slates on until you do the whole roof as you will always see the line where the two parts meet up. (Plus there's the rework where some of the slates will need to be taken off to form the join).

If I follow his advice then I will have the battens and roofing membrane providing all the protection from the elements (here in Shetland!) all over the winter and probably the first half of next year.

Do you think he's right? Will the trusses / sarking / membrane / battens be damaged by leaving the slates off for that long?

Thanks for your help.
Andrew

 

[Alastairreid]

i would get the roof covering on! especially in shetland.

the felt/battens may or may not weather the winter....

you will not be able to make out the join when you follow the roof through.

 

[joinerjohn]

Surely you are not thinking of just putting the roof on one end then doing the rest later?? What's going to happen to the end that's open? First gale force wind will have the roof off. You really have to get the whole roof covered.

 

[joinerjohn]

Surely you are not thinking of just putting the roof on one end then doing the rest later?? What's going to happen to the end that's open? First gale force wind will have the roof off. You really have to get the whole roof covered.

 

[aa44]

Surely you are not thinking of just putting the roof on one end then doing the rest later?? What's going to happen to the end that's open? First gale force wind will have the roof off. You really have to get the whole roof covered.

Not as bad as that. The house is going to be built using ICF and the garage / workshop end would be built as a standalone building with the rest of the house added effectively as a big extension next year. There would be a solid gable at each end and the roof would be finished as if it was the final building (e.g. slate and a half at the end etc.). When the rest of the house is built I will have to unpick that end of the roof.

 

[williswestcott]

Breathable felt will be no good after 3 months on open roof as it breaks down in UV light. This is what we tell all our customers when selling felt.

 

[aa44]

Thanks for the replies. I'll put the slates on!

 

[garyo]

Me too - mine's been sat for at least a week with the felt and battens exposed!