Strip and reroof method statement example
Finished method statements for common jobs: the steps in order, who does each, and the emergency arrangements. Read one, download it, or build your own.
Build your ownChoose a job
- Electrical second fix and testing in a house refurbishmentLived-in 1970s house, accessories and consumer unit fitted, one circuit dead at a time, tested dead then live before handover.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Hot works: cutting and welding in an occupied warehouseSteel brackets cut out and replaced on a live bay, with a permit for each shift and a separate fire watcher.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Erecting an independent tied scaffold on a two-storey houseIndependent tube and fitting scaffold to a TG20 compliance sheet, family at home, rescue kit on the wagon.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Stripping and re-tiling a pitched roof from a scaffoldLived-in house, tiles, battens and underlay off, one section made weathertight each day.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Digging a 1.2 m trench for strip footings and a drainBeside a lived-in house, services located first, excavator then hand tools, trench sheets and props before anyone goes in.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Repainting occupied officesWater-based paint from a podium, walls filled and sanded first, one bay screened off at a time while staff work on.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Bathroom first and second fix in a lived-in houseOnly bathroom replaced, press-fit pipework under the floor and in a duct, tested before anyone closes it up, suite fitted after tiling.5 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Tarmac resurfacing on a car park that stays partly openOld surface tested and planed off, private retail car park, laid bay block by bay block with shoppers around.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Unloading a builders’ merchant delivery with a lorry loaderPacks of blocks and plasterboard landed on a small building site, on a standing lift plan reviewed for this site.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Cleaning the outside of a two-storey office with a water-fed poleAll from the ground, in an open office set back behind its own car park, on cold November mornings.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- MIG welding a pump frame in a plant roomMIG welding bare mild steel at floor level in a closed plant room, with on-torch extraction, while the retail park keeps trading.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Stripping out a vacant single-storey workshopOffice ceiling, partitions, carpet and benches out by hand, building empty, every service including the fire alarm disconnected on a certificate, lit by roof lights and a 110 V string.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Skimming and patching walls in an occupied houseGround floor living room of a 2006 house, family at home, plaster mixed in the room with the door shut, from a hop-up.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Building a garden wall in blockwork and facing brickA 5 m long, 1 m high wall, one brick thick, on a foundation already in, laid from the ground.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Core drilling a flue hole through a cavity blockwork wallOne 125 mm wet core, rig fixed to the inner leaf, through an external wall of a single-storey extension, with the core caught outside.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Replacing damaged ceiling tiles and grid in an occupied office, out of hoursLike-for-like tiles and tees on the existing hangers, from a podium, with the offices empty and the fire alarm left live.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Clearing gutters on a bungalow from a ladderEight ladder positions of under 15 minutes each, one hand on the ladder, with a stand-off keeping it clear of the gutter.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Laying a block paved patio in a lived-in gardenDug out by hand to 250 mm, sub-base compacted, blocks laid on sand and cut wet, family at home.4 pages, checked 2 November 2026
- Hanging office doors in existing linings, out of hours in a working buildingSix heavy non-fire meeting room doors, trimmed and routed on trestles after the staff have gone.3 pages, checked 2 November 2026
Strip and reroof method statement example
Stripping and re-tiling a pitched roof from a scaffold
Lived-in house, tiles, battens and underlay off, one section made weathertight each day.
What to change
- Company, people, site and dates
- Slate or clay rather than concrete tile
- Bat records and nesting birds
- Tile loading agreed with the scaffolder
- Fragile rooflights, conservatories or lean-tos
- Building control and the insulation rules
- Emergency arrangements
Sources
- HSE HSG33: health and safety in roof work
- HSE: roof work
- GOV.UK: bats, protection and licences
- HSE: domestic clients under CDM
Checked
The same sheet as text
Worked example of a method statement. Change it to fit your job before you use it.
Stripping and re-tiling a pitched roof from a scaffold
Job details
- CompanyHollins & Reed Roofing Ltd
- Site and work area22 Mill Lane, M33
- Planned dates12 to 23 October 2026
- CustomerMs Patel
- In charge on siteDan Hollins
- TeamThree roofers: Dan Hollins leads and checks the forecast each morning; Tom Ellis and Priya Shah work with him. Tom is the first aider.
- WorkStripping and re-tiling a pitched roof from a scaffold
- Risk assessmentStripping and re-tiling a pitched roof from a scaffold: worked example RAMS, a separate document
Work and boundaries
- Strip the whole roof, fit replacement covering. Areas: Main roof, front and rear slopes; Skip and chute landing on the drive
Working arrangement
- Access: a scaffold.
- Working height: eaves about 5 m, ridge about 8 m, from an independent scaffold on all elevations, handed over and tagged; platform within 300 mm of the eaves.
- Ground or floor: block paved drive and garden.
- Dust control when cutting: Water on the blade.
- Other people will be using the area.
- The family stays at home; the loft and front path are closed to them. Waste goes down a rubble chute to the skip; tiles are never thrown. We strip only what can be made weathertight that day. Bats and nesting birds were checked before work. The re-roof is notified to building control. Old battens are not footholds or anchors unless a competent person has checked them, and boards or nets stop falls through the opened roof. Tile loading per bay is agreed with the scaffolder.
Emergency arrangements
- Voice alarm on the scaffold: shout “stop”. Fall from the eaves or through the opened roof: stop work; Tom Ellis climbs by the bay 3 ladder with the kit; we do not wait for 999 to reach someone on a roof, in the loft or on a lift. Do not move someone with a back or neck injury unless they are in danger. Sudden wind or rain: sheet down and secured, or leave it and get off the roof. Bat found: stop in that area, leave it, ring the National Bat Helpline and the office. Water coming into rooms: tell the householder, power off to those circuits, sheet up. Tile or debris hits anyone: stop, first aid, keep the path shut. First aid kit in the van cab. Priya Shah rings 999, gives 22 Mill Lane, M33, and meets the crew on the drive.
Planned method
- 1. Set up the work areaConfirm the work area and scope before starting. Keep other people outside the active work area. Keep entrances and escape routes clear.
- 2. Keep people clear of the workAgree how people get past or around the work while it is going on. Put barriers or signs where a route crosses the work. Do not leave open work unattended.
- 3. Plan the strip in sectionsWrite down the layers being removed, the order and the points where the team will stop and check. Brief who holds each piece, where it goes and how the area below stays protected.
- 4. Check for asbestos before you disturb anythingCheck the asbestos survey covers exactly what you will disturb, to the full depth. Register only, or nothing: get a refurbishment survey or a sample first. Read what it says about the old roof covering, underlay and insulation. No survey, or a material you do not recognise: stop and get it checked.
- 5. Find and isolate hidden servicesFind cables and pipes before you disturb anything: drawings, then a detector. Mark what you find. Not sure what is there? Turn the supply off, or do not start. Have cables and gas isolated by the right person and prove them dead before you start.
- 6. Check the weather before you startDo not lift or fix roof coverings and temporary sheeting in strong wind. Stop in heavy rain, ice or lightning.
- 7. Check the roof build-up before opening itConfirm the covering, underlay, battens and supports match the information for the job. Stop if the layer or support is different from what was expected.
- 8. Stop things falling on people belowKeep people out of the area below the work so nobody walks under the roof coverings, tools and waste. Keep toe boards and guards in place on any platform, and lanyard tools where you can.
- 9. Work from the scaffoldCheck the scaffold tag or handover shows an inspection within the last 7 days. Use only the lifts and access that were handed over. Keep materials within the loading the scaffold was built for. Keep off in high wind or ice, or when sheeting has come loose.
- 10. Use the hoistCheck the hoist's thorough examination report is in date and it can take the weight. Keep people out from underneath while a load is up.
- 11. Protect the area belowClose and segregate the area below, or put the planned temporary protection in place before stripping. Keep the protection in place until the section is closed and the waste is down.
- 12. Strip one roof section at a timeWork in the agreed sequence and keep the remaining roof supported while each section is opened. Remove loose pieces before moving to the next section.
- 13. Weatherproof each open sectionRe-cover the section the same day or fix the planned temporary sheeting before leaving it. Check the cover is secure and will not let rain into the building.
- 14. Take off lead flashings with lead controlsHandle old lead flashings in gloves and disposable overalls. Wash your hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking.
- 15. Lower and stack stripped materialsLower tiles, slates, battens and waste by the agreed route; never throw them from the roof. Stack reusable material safely and keep waste clear of edges and access routes.
- 16. Brief the roof teamConfirm the covering, roof-system instructions, access and handover checks before laying starts. Stop if the supplied system differs from the brief.
- 17. Check the prepared roof supportsCheck the rafters, support lines and fixing points before fitting the new roof system. Stop if the supports are damaged, loose or different from the design.
- 18. Lay the underlayInstall the specified underlay before the battens. Keep the eaves and ridge layout to the roof system.
- 19. Fix the battens to the designSet out the batten gauge from the eaves to the ridge. Fix battens to the prepared rafters as specified.
- 20. Load out the tiles evenlySpread the tiles in small stacks along the battens and the scaffold. Keep within the loading agreed with the scaffolder and what the roof can carry.
- 21. Control the dust when cuttingCut tiles in one set area on a sacrificial board, never dry. Wear an APF 20 mask (FFP3 or P3) when you cut: fit tested and clean-shaven. Keep other people out of the dust.
- 22. Wet cuttingThis job is wet cutting: keep water on and collect the slurry.
- 23. Use the grinder or disc cutter safelyCheck the disc is the right type and speed for the tool and the material. Keep the guard on and both hands on the tool. Wear impact-rated eye protection.
- 24. Limit noise and vibrationWear ear defenders when cutting. Note how long each person's hands are on each tool while it runs. Take the tool's vibration figure from the maker or HSE's table and check it fits how you use it. Points per hour times hours on the trigger, added up for the day, gives the exposure: 100 points is the action value, 400 is the limit. HSE's vibration calculator does the sum. Over 100, cut it with lower-vibration kit or less time, and never pass 400. Write the result down. Sharing the work does not replace this. Keep the tools maintained.
- 25. Lay the covering from the eavesStart at the eaves and work in the specified rows. Use the product's fixing method as each course is laid.
- 26. Fit the flashingsFit lead flashings at every abutment and chimney, to the roof system and the design. Handle lead in gloves and wash before eating, drinking or smoking.
- 27. Check alignment, overlap and edgesCheck each course against the roof lines and specified overlap. Complete the ridge, verge and eaves details before handover.
- 28. Clear the gutters and sign the roof offCheck the roof is weathertight, clear the gutters and take down any hoist. Sign the roof off with the customer, and with building control where the job needs it, then hand the scaffold back for striking.
- 29. Clear and hand back the areaRemove tools, waste and unused materials. Check the area is clean and ready to use. Tell the customer or whoever runs the site when the work is complete.
What a finished method statement says
- The job and its boundariesWhat is being done, where, and what is not your work.
- How the work area is set upAccess, shared spaces and who else is around.
- The steps, in the order they happenOne action to a step, from arrival to sign-off.
- Who does each stepThe people in charge and the skills each step needs.
- What happens if something goes wrongWho to call, where to go and how help gets in.
Method statement or risk assessment: which one is this?
This is the method statement: how the job is done, step by step. The risk assessment says what could go wrong and what controls it.
Method statement example questions
Are these real jobs?
No. Every job, company, person and address here is made up, and every page says so.
Can I send one as it is?
No. Your site, your people and your emergency arrangements will be different. Change it to fit your job first.
Where is the risk assessment that goes with it?
In the Strip and reroof RAMS example. The method statement names it on page one.
Word or PDF?
Both. Word if you will change the wording yourself, PDF to read or print. Or press Use this and edit it in the builder.
Does a method statement need a risk assessment?
A method statement names the risk assessment it rests on. CDM 2015 does not set a form for either document.
Where is the blank?
On the method statement template page. These examples are all filled in.