PROFILE: Cook & Son Roofing Contractors
Cook & Son are a small family business with over 40 years
experience in the roofing trade. In 1964 Michael Cook started as a
trainee roofer with the London Borough of Waltham Forest. Having
learned the trade Michael then in 1967 started his own business,
gaining more knowledge over the years as new materials and
techniques arrived. Michael's son, Peter, joined him in the
business in 1985 and he was able to teach Peter all aspects of the
roofing trade. In 2002 they went into full partnership and formed
the Ltd Company.
As a company they continue to keep up with latest developments in
the roofing trade. Peter has gained a Level 2 NVQ (National
Vocational Qualification) in Roofing Occupations - Roof Slater and
Tiler and has successfully completed an Assessed Training Module in
Sheet Lead Bossing and Welding. In addition Peter passed a
Construction Industry Training Board Health and Safety Test and
attended and passed a St John Ambulance Emergency Aid in the
Workplace course.
Cook & Son have concentrated on the domestic side of the
roofing market with most of their work being within and around the
London Borough of Waltham Forest. A high percentage of their work
comes from recommendations and references. Michael's wife,
Elizabeth is responsible for the office work, answering the phone
and dealing with the paperwork. Elizabeth keeps portfolios and
files of letters and references from customers. These are available
on request if you are considering having some roofing work
done.
All new work carried out complies with local authority building
regulations. Cook & Son are registered with the Environment
Agency and hold a licence as a carrier for the disposal of
controlled waste. They are members of the Federation of Master
Builders and the Guild of Master Craftsmen and also hold full
Public and Employee's Liability insurance.
It is important for homeowners planning to have work carried out
on their roofs to be very careful over their choice of contractor.
As a result of huge increases in insurance premiums and difficulty
in securing cover some roofing contractors have gone out of
business and illegal trading contractors have started up. It is
important for property owners to make sure they are using a
reputable contractor who has adequate insurance. The National
Federation of Roofing Contractors advises that householders should
insist on seeing evidence of the contractor's Public Liability
insurance. You can rest assured that Cook & Son meet all this
criteria. They are a well-established local family firm with a good
reputation for quality work and service.
Sue Lavery
