St Dunstan’s College Roofing, South East London
Project Overview
St Dunstan’s College is a well-established independent school in Catford, South East London, with a history dating back to the late 19th century. The campus comprises a mix of historic and later buildings, each requiring a considered approach when undertaking refurbishment works.
Maguire Brothers were appointed to deliver a comprehensive college roofing refurbishment across multiple roof areas, including complex flat roofs and the pitched roof to the former Headmaster’s Quarters. The project required careful planning and sensitive detailing to improve long-term performance while allowing the college to remain fully operational throughout.
The Challenge
Working within an active school environment presented a number of challenges. Safety, programme control and minimal disruption were critical, particularly with pupils and staff on site daily. The roofing systems also presented technical constraints, including limited threshold heights around windows and the discovery of multiple historic roof layers beneath the pitched roof.
All works needed to enhance thermal performance and waterproofing while respecting the existing architecture and maintaining access and drainage across the campus.
The Pitched Roof Solution
The pitched roof to the Old Headmaster’s Quarters was fully stripped and replaced. During strip-out, an additional historic roofing system was uncovered beneath the existing covering, resulting in a double strip. While increasing programme complexity, this allowed new insulation to be installed throughout, bringing the roof up to current thermal standards.
The roof was divided into three sections, including a central vaulted area, with a combination of PIR boards and roll-out insulation installed to suit each zone. All leadwork was renewed, including chimneys, dormers and flashings, and a mechanically fixed dry ridge and hip system was installed for long-term durability.
Dormer roofs were finished with liquid waterproofing, while existing timber cornices were repaired and redecorated to enhance the building’s appearance.
The Flat Roof Solution
To the large flat roofs, a high performance reinforced built up felt system was installed. Due to threshold restrictions at window interfaces, insulation was strategically introduced at window head levels where heights allowed, improving performance without compromising detailing.
All window abutments were treated with a cold applied reinforced liquid waterproofing system to ensure a seamless, flame-free waterproof finish. Parapets were fully encapsulated in plywood to form a “once-weathered” detail, allowing rainwater to fall back into the internal drainage system rather than tracking across exposed edges.
Brickwork and External Detailing
As part of the wider college roofing works, we also undertook a carefully planned restoration of the existing brickwork chimneys, key architectural features of the school. Each chimney was assessed for defects, with damaged bricks removed and replaced using materials closely matched in colour, texture, and profile. Traditional construction methods were maintained throughout to preserve the historic character and ensure the chimneys continued to complement the building’s appearance.
In addition, all dormer structures were fully prepared and redecorated to refresh their appearance while retaining their traditional character. High-quality, sympathetic finishes ensured the dormers were rejuvenated without compromising the historic aesthetics.
The Outcome
The completed works have delivered a robust, futureproof college roofing solution that improves waterproofing, thermal efficiency and overall performance across key areas of the campus. By combining modern roofing systems with careful detailing and phased delivery, the project was completed efficiently with minimal disruption to daily school life.
This project demonstrates Maguire Brothers’ expertise in college roofing, particularly within live educational environments where technical precision and programme management are paramount.
Contact us today
If you’re planning a project for an educational establishment, get in touch with the team to discuss how we can find the best solution for you.