Roof access problem

[mrcharly-YHT]

Our house has a long dormer, surfaced with some sort of weatherboard (I suspect synthetic).
There are joints in this, which look to be leaking when rain is driven from the south.

The roof pitch is a bit steep to walk on, and the roof is made of quite old eroded concrete tiles.

The dormer is about 1.5m back from the gutter and there is about a 3m drop to the ground.

I'm trying to work out how to get access to the dormer front.

Only half decent idea I have is to use a roofing ladder to go up the back of the house, another roofing ladder laid going past the dormer and then walk along the dormer flat roof. Not overkeen on this due to potential for damage to flat roof (but I suppose I could lay planks on it).
That's not a great solution though, because the dormer is taller than the length of my arms.

I did wonder about a 'conservatory access ladder', but these seem to be a bit short.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

It sounds like the safe option is a scaffold tower or maybe one of those platforms that can be hung on a pair of ladders.

[aidan.f]

FWIW If you are running  a business there are now Roolz about not working off ladders. If you are not paying for scaffolding you are employing the cowboys. . .Of course DIY is at your own risk.
The brackets that support boards that span two ladders are know as cripples, nominative determinism?

[aidan.f]

But on the DIY  front I did a solar panel install on a slippy shingle roof. Full body harness and climbing rope over the ridge. Together with a roof ladder also roped in place was a big confidence boost as I could stand up supported by the rope.

[Pingu]

Sounds like a FTFAGOS, GAMI situation.

[Jurek]

Cherry picker.
Job done.

[Kim]

Sounds like a FTFAGOS, GAMI situation.

Or an xkcd://2375 one.

[Jaded]

Cherry picker.
Job done.

This man speaks sense.

However, a cherry picker from Inverness would take a few days.

[Wowbagger]

Sounds like a FTFAGOS, GAMI situation.

Or an xkcd://2375 one.

That cartoon sums my late father up perfectly.

His lateness is in no way related to his cavalier attitude to ladder/roofing/chainsaw use, but the fact that he was 92 and just conked out.

[Pingu]

IMG_6315_01 by The Pingus, on Flickr

[Wowbagger]

He really ought to rope those pallets to that chimney…

[mrcharly-YHT]

No chance of getting a cherry picker in, due to garden.

A scaffold tower (could probably borrow one from neighbour) would still leave me with the 1.5m to bridge to the front of the dormer. Ditto a platform between ladders.

Using a rope over the entire house has potential. It would be irritatingly slow, I'd have to relocate it for each repair spot (there are three). Not sure where my old climbing harness is, almost certainly back in york. Could improvise tie one though. Would be a bit concerned about the point loading on the ridge tiles, that's a lot of force.

I'd ruled out conservatory ladders because I thought that the height was too much (they all seem to just be 3m). However the roof is only 3m up, and there is concrete below, creating the possibility of a pallet stack. Maybe even securing the ladder foot somehow.

[canny colin]

Couple of catwalks ( roof ladders ) one each side of the dormer  and ladder brackets  clipped on to the rungs use slaters lath under alloy catwalks to spread weight  .Board out ,jobs a good inn . Or build some cripples in 3" x 2" on to the catwalk . Done this loads of time painting dormers windows , fitted  velux windows and pointed / rebuilt chimneys .  I have over 4 tonne of tube and fittings  ,alloy tube , alloy towers and ally chimney scaffold . But I can re bed a ridge in a day instead of four by the time L erect and strip scaffold with that method .

[mrcharly-YHT]

Couple of catwalks ( roof ladders ) one each side of the dormer  and ladder brackets  clipped on to the rungs use slaters lath under alloy catwalks to spread weight  .Board out ,jobs a good inn . Or build some cripples in 3" x 2" on to the catwalk . Done this loads of time painting dormers windows , fitted  velux windows and pointed / rebuilt chimneys .  I have over 4 tonne of tube and fittings  ,alloy tube , alloy towers and ally chimney scaffold . But I can re bed a ridge in a day instead of four by the time L erect and strip scaffold with that method .

Do you have a picture of what you mean?

What runs under the dormer?  This is nearly the full length of the house, so about 15m