Old coach house ivy invasion

[Djwilliams37]

Hi
I have recently moved to Wales and the property has an old coach house at the side of it. I am looking to make this good as it has been very neglected. The ivy has taken a big hold of the building. I have cut the large trunk through at the bottom but it is still all over the roof. I have been using a ladder to get to the roof edges but I cannot reach far over. The first image shows a roof on the extension which is against the coach house and I am not sure if a builders plank supported each side would give access to the coach house roof. All the roofs are slate and not sure of the strength of them. I guess I may need to get a company to scaffold the building and probably remove tiles. The inside of the roof has been covered by planks which I will have to remove also. Has anyone experience of removing Ivy from buildings?
Cheers
Dave

 

[bill marsano]

Hi
I have recently moved to Wales and the property has an old coach house at the side of it. I am looking to make this good as it has been very neglected. The ivy has taken a big hold of the building. I have cut the large trunk through at the bottom but it is still all over the roof. I have been using a ladder to get to the roof edges but I cannot reach far over. The first image shows a roof on the extension which is against the coach house and I am not sure if a builders plank supported each side would give access to the coach house roof. All the roofs are slate and not sure of the strength of them. I guess I may need to get a company to scaffold the building and probably remove tiles. The inside of the roof has been covered by planks which I will have to remove also. Has anyone experience of removing Ivy from buildings?
Cheers
Dave

Don't consult DIYers on this--ask at you botanical garden and ask any arborists you can locate. It will help to know jusy how ivy attaches itself: that will be the key to removal w/least effort from you & disturbance of the slates. As to your roof, there are 2 questions: 1. are the rafters sound enough to bear your weight? 2. How to maneuver on a slate roof w/o breaking slates. Try to find a slater--not just a roofer. Then I think you'll do well to beat back a lot of the vegetation of all kinds--trees, saplings, shrubs, whatnot--that crowd your coach house, thus providing ideal conditions for invasive plants. Look at it this way: at least you don't have trumpeter vines. And good luck.