THIS WEEK saw five young roofers complete skills tests, trialling to be selected to represent Great Britain at the international IFD Young Roofers World Championship.

The two successful candidates were announced today by NFRC –

Tyler Norris from Karl Terry Roofing Contractors
Joe Gallager from IH Gallager Roofing Ltd

The two will now go forward to compete in the IFD Young Roofers pitched roofing championship taking place later this year at Innsbruck, Austria in November.

Ben Rowlands, NFRC Technical Manager, said: “The competition wasn’t easy to judge as the skills and talent on display were such a high standard, but these two skilled young men were awarded the most points. This is a fantastic achievement and Tyler and Joe have done themselves and their employers proud.”

The skills trial took place on Tuesday at the Centre for Roofing Excellence (CORE) in Hereford, the specialist roofing training centre operated by Andy Rowlands.

The other roofers who took part in the skills trial were:

Jordan Condren – Hodgson Sayers
Bradley Hodges – Richard Soan Roofing Services
Adam Humpries – Moulton Roofing Ltd

Young Roofers Tested

The day-long skills test involved the roofers completing a roofing rig to an unseen specification. This involved felting and battening the rig, plain tiling with an optional ornamental element, installing a dry verge system and completing a laced valley detail that none of them had attempted before.

Judged by the NFRC technical team, the young roofers were evaluated on a whole range of skills. Ben Rowlands, NFRC Technical Manager explained, “These talented young roofers were scrutinised all day on their roofing skills – their accuracy, their ability to follow the instructions and complete the spec. They also have to be able to think on their feet because they were asked to install materials they are new to. They had to keep their work area tidy and show good health and safety practice.

“But it’s not only roofing skills that are important. At the IFD Young Roofers Championship they can only win if they complete the rig, so their ability to balance precision with speed is something we looked out for too. They must feel comfortable being observed, enjoy the competitive process and work well as part of a team of two.”

Bob Coutts, veteran UK mentor and coach for the GB World Championship team, added, “It’s also about how they work together and how they will work under competition conditions. We want to find the best team to take forward, each roofer having complementary skills.”

Team GB Training

Bob, who has been coaching Young Roofers GB teams for 15 years, added that once the GB team is chosen, NFRC will purpose-build a replica of the championship rig, which is much bigger and heavier than normal UK roofing rigs. It encompasses three sections, counter-battening and includes two rooflights. The young roofers will then have 11 days of training on it at CORE.

Bob explained that the challenge of competing internationally demands the GB team quickly becoming familiar with how roofing is commonly done in Europe. “Everything under the roof covering is different, the build-up is much deeper at 50cm and more complex with layers of insulation and membranes, airtight seals on joints and unfamiliar additions such as snow guards.

Bob Coutts (left) and Ben Rowlands (far right) observe Joe Gallagher on the rig.

Fellow GB team coach, Matt Timby of Timby Roofing is no stranger to the international competition himself, having won the gold medal and the President’s Prize. He said, “I’m not competitive normally, but I’m passionate about the Young Roofer championship. It’s great to see the team developing their skills and knowledge, adding to their understanding of roofing throughout the world and becoming the ones who can pass all that down.”

Andy Rowlands, NFRC Vice President, Master Craftsman, director of Rowlands Roofing and the CORE training centre said, “The standard of the roofers completing the skills test today is very good and it will be hard to judge who has the best aptitude for the championship and should be part of the GB team.”

Andy, who will be NFRC President in 2026 and chairs the IFD Pitched Roofing Commission, added: “It’s important that the UK roofing industry maintains its skill level and the value of UK representation and NFRC’s involvement in the international arena of IFD is promoted.”

Andy thanked suppliers for their support of the skills test through their donation of materials, which were provided by Glidevale, Marley and Hambleside Danelaw.

Matt Timby judging the IFD skills test.

About the Young Roofers

Jordan Condren – Hodgson Sayers

Jordan has competed in the roof tiling and slating Skillbuild competition twice, winning in 2019. He was also awarded the Generation4Change Apprentice of the Year in 2020.

He said, “I’m enjoying the skills test, I like competing, I’m very competitive. But it is challenging – particularly getting the number of cuts done within the time. The spec sets out a lot of information to follow so it was quite daunting at first, particularly for the valley, which I’ve not done before.”

Tyler Norris – Karl Terry Roofing Contractors

Tyler, whose day-to-day work mostly specialises in heritage projects, said, “I was excited to see the spec and I’m really hopeful to get a place.” He added, “It’s been fascinating to see how the other roofers are approaching it and their techniques; the standard is amazing.”

Tyler Norris, Karl Terry Roofing Contractors

Bradley Hodges – Richard Soan Roofing Services

At 22 years old, Bradley’s roofing experience is mostly pitched, often working on school projects. Getting a place on the GB team would mean a lot to him: “I want to say I’ve competed, not just because it looks good on a CV, but also because I would be proud to compete for our country. It would be a story to tell.”

Joe Gallager – IH Gallager Roofing Ltd

Joe, who is still at Bolton College, said he also relishes the chance to experience a different country and learn about different methods of roofing. During the skills test he has focused on “not panicking, keeping a steady pace and keeping an eye on the time. I’d like to get a place on the GB team and build my name as a good roofer,” he added.

Joe Gallagher, IH Gallagher Roofing

Adam Humpries – Moulton Roofing Ltd

Adam has represented GB before, competing in his chosen sport of badminton. For this reason he says he is confident of performing in front of a crowd if he is chosen for the GB team: “It would be a great accolade and a great opportunity to learn more and become a better roofer. Plus, I would love to go to Austria!”

>> Read more about the IFD World Championship

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