Bain & Irvine Ltd

Bain & Irvine Ltd is a specialist Scottish roofing contractor providing traditional roofing, heritage conservation, architectural leadwork and roof restoration services for historic buildings, listed properties and architecturally significant structures.

Established in 1946 by George Irvine and Jimmy Bain, the business has developed a longstanding reputation for traditional roofing craftsmanship, particularly in the conservation of Scottish slate roofs, historic roof coverings and associated architectural features.

Operating from offices in Peebles and Musselburgh, Bain & Irvine undertakes conservation and roofing projects across Edinburgh, the Lothians, the Scottish Borders and other parts of Scotland. Its clients include private homeowners, conservation architects, heritage organisations, commercial property owners and those responsible for maintaining historic buildings.

The company's work combines traditional roofing skills with contemporary surveying, project management and specialist conservation techniques. Its services extend from individual repairs and preventive maintenance to substantial roof restoration programmes involving complex historic structures.

Heritage Roofing and Historic Building Conservation

Bain & Irvine specialises in the conservation, repair and restoration of traditional roofs on listed buildings, historic properties and buildings of architectural significance.

Historic roofs frequently incorporate materials and construction techniques that differ from those used in modern building practice. Traditional Scottish roofing may involve natural slate, stone slabs, lead coverings, decorative ridge details, complex roof junctions and architectural features requiring specialist knowledge.

The company's conservation approach places particular emphasis on understanding existing roof construction, assessing the condition of original materials and selecting repair methods appropriate to the character and significance of individual buildings.

Where practical, traditional roofing materials can be retained, repaired or reused, reducing unnecessary loss of historic fabric. Where replacement is required, consideration is given to the selection of compatible materials and the preservation of traditional roofing details.

Bain & Irvine undertakes heritage roofing projects involving historic houses, ecclesiastical buildings, institutional properties and traditional Scottish architecture. Its published project history includes work at Fettes College, Donaldson's School and other significant historic buildings.

Traditional Scottish Slate Roofing

Traditional slate roofing forms a central part of Bain & Irvine's specialist expertise.

Natural slate has been widely used throughout Scotland for centuries, contributing to the distinctive architectural character of historic towns, rural settlements, country houses and institutional buildings.

Scottish slate roofing encompasses a variety of regional traditions, including diminishing courses, carefully graded slates, traditional fixing methods and distinctive detailing around roof junctions, dormers, chimneys and turrets.

Bain & Irvine undertakes slate roof repairs, re-slating, replacement of deteriorated coverings and the restoration of complex traditional roof forms.

Work may include careful stripping and assessment of existing coverings, inspection of underlying roof timbers and sarking, replacement of defective battens or fixings where applicable, and reinstatement of slate coverings using suitable materials and detailing.

The company's experience extends to ornamental slate roofing and the conservation of historic roof features where the original proportions, slate patterns and architectural appearance are particularly important.

Lead Roofing, Flashings and Architectural Metalwork

Bain & Irvine provides specialist leadwork services associated with traditional and historic roofing.

Lead has long been an important roofing material, particularly for the construction of roof valleys, flashings, gutters, parapet coverings, dormers, watergates and complex junctions between masonry and roof coverings.

The company undertakes the installation, repair and replacement of architectural leadwork, including lead flashings, roof junctions, traditional weatherings and associated waterproofing details.

Historic leadwork requires careful consideration of sheet dimensions, thermal movement, fixing methods and traditional jointing techniques. Inappropriate detailing can contribute to water penetration, metal fatigue and deterioration of adjacent building fabric.

Bain & Irvine also provides zinc roofing and associated architectural metalwork services, extending its capabilities to contemporary metal roof coverings and specialist detailing.

The combination of traditional lead craftsmanship and modern roofing expertise is particularly relevant to complex heritage buildings where several roof-covering materials must function together.

Roof Surveys, Condition Assessments and Conservation Advice

Bain & Irvine provides professional roof surveys and condition assessments for historic buildings, commercial premises and residential properties.

Its surveying services combine conventional close inspection with contemporary techniques, including drone-assisted assessment where appropriate.

Surveys may be undertaken to investigate water penetration, assess the condition of existing roof coverings, identify deteriorated flashings or drainage components, and establish priorities for repair and maintenance.

For historic buildings, roof surveys can provide essential information concerning the condition of traditional materials and the suitability of proposed conservation interventions.

The company prepares roofing assessments and recommendations intended to assist property owners and professional advisers in planning appropriate remedial works.

Its surveying services are also relevant to property acquisition, insurance investigations and the preparation of planned maintenance programmes for individual buildings or larger property portfolios.

Roof Repairs and Planned Maintenance

The company undertakes roof repairs, emergency weatherproofing and preventive maintenance for traditional and contemporary buildings.

Services include replacing slipped or broken slates, repairing defective flashings, addressing water penetration, maintaining gutters and rainwater goods, and undertaking remedial work following storm damage.

For historic buildings, regular inspection and preventive maintenance are particularly important because small defects in roof coverings or drainage systems can result in substantial damage to traditional masonry, timber structures and historic interiors.

Bain & Irvine offers ongoing roof maintenance services designed to identify defects before they develop into more extensive conservation problems.

Its services are relevant to private homeowners, churches, educational institutions, property managers and organisations responsible for the long-term maintenance of historic building portfolios.

Chimney Restoration and Associated Masonry Conservation

Alongside roofing, Bain & Irvine undertakes chimney repairs, stonework restoration and associated traditional masonry services.

Historic chimney stacks and roof-level masonry are particularly exposed to weathering and may suffer deterioration through failed mortar joints, defective flashings, frost damage and the movement of masonry components.

The company provides chimney maintenance and restoration services, including repairs to masonry, associated lead flashings and weatherproofing details.

Its published services also include stone restoration, lime mortar pointing, traditional harling and repairs to masonry associated with historic buildings.

These related capabilities allow roof repairs and associated conservation work to be considered together, particularly where water ingress originates from the interaction between roofing materials, chimneys, parapets and traditional masonry.

Rainwater Goods, Rooflights and Traditional Roof Features

Bain & Irvine provides installation, repair and maintenance services for gutters, downpipes, rooflights, skylights and related roof components.

Traditional rainwater drainage systems are essential to the protection of historic buildings. Defective gutters, blocked outlets and poorly maintained downpipes can contribute to prolonged saturation of masonry, deterioration of external finishes and damage to internal building fabric.

The company's services include the repair and replacement of rainwater goods, including traditional cast-iron components and modern alternatives where appropriate.

Bain & Irvine also undertakes work associated with dormer windows, rooflights, skylights and roof cupolas, including repairs to surrounding roofing materials and weatherproofing details.

For listed buildings and properties within conservation areas, modifications to historic roof features may require particular consideration of architectural character and statutory consent requirements.

Flat Roofing and Contemporary Roofing Systems

In addition to traditional conservation work, Bain & Irvine provides contemporary roofing services for residential, commercial and institutional buildings.

These include flat roof repairs and replacement, bituminous roofing membranes, selected single-ply systems, roof insulation and modern waterproofing solutions.

Such services may be relevant to historic properties containing later extensions, altered roof structures or contemporary additions requiring waterproofing systems compatible with their existing construction.

The company's wider roofing capabilities enable it to undertake projects involving both traditional pitched roof conservation and modern roofing systems within the same property.

Selected Heritage and Conservation Projects

Bain & Irvine's published portfolio includes roofing conservation and maintenance projects at significant historic buildings across Scotland.

Fettes College, Edinburgh

Fettes College is one of Edinburgh's most recognisable historic institutional buildings, distinguished by its elaborate roofscape, steeply pitched roofs, towers, turrets and ornamental architectural detailing.

Bain & Irvine has undertaken heritage roofing work associated with the college, including specialist maintenance and conservation of its traditional roofing.

The building's complex roof forms illustrate the importance of traditional slating skills, carefully detailed leadwork and specialist knowledge of historic roofing construction.

Donaldson's School – The Playfair, Edinburgh

The former Donaldson's School, now known as The Playfair, is a prominent historic building designed by William Henry Playfair.

Bain & Irvine has contributed to conservation and roofing work associated with the building, whose architectural complexity requires particular attention to traditional materials and roof-level detailing.

The project forms part of the company's published history of work on significant Scottish institutional buildings.

Gracemount Mansion House, Edinburgh

Bain & Irvine has participated in conservation work at Gracemount Mansion House, a Category B listed historic property in Edinburgh.

Originally constructed in the eighteenth century and subsequently altered, the building is the subject of a wider programme intended to secure its future as a community resource.

The company's involvement included emergency roofing works, waterproofing and specialist leadwork intended to protect the historic building from further water penetration.

These works illustrate the importance of early roof stabilisation and weatherproofing in wider programmes of historic building conservation and adaptive reuse.

Historic Property at Whitekirk, East Lothian

At Whitekirk in East Lothian, Bain & Irvine undertook specialist roof maintenance at a Category A listed seventeenth-century property incorporating substantial Caithness stone roof slabs and traditional Scottish crow-stepped gables.

The conservation work included preventive maintenance and careful attention to lead watergates and associated masonry junctions, with repairs intended to reduce the risk of water penetration.

The project demonstrates the specialist knowledge required to maintain unusual traditional roofing materials and historic construction details without unnecessarily disturbing significant original fabric.

Additional Conservation Work

The company's published project history also includes heritage roofing and maintenance associated with Merchiston Castle School and traditional masonry repairs to historic buildings in Edinburgh.

These commissions demonstrate the range of roofing and associated conservation activities undertaken by Bain & Irvine, from preventive maintenance to more extensive programmes of historic building repair.

Professional Recognition and Traditional Craftsmanship

Bain & Irvine is a longstanding member of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors and is recognised for its expertise in traditional roofing and heritage conservation.

The company's published professional information identifies membership of the NFRC and recognition within its heritage roofing framework, together with construction industry accreditations associated with quality management and workplace safety.

Managing Director Jamie Anderson has received individual professional recognition for his expertise in traditional roofing craftsmanship.

The company also places emphasis on training, apprenticeships and the continued development of traditional roofing skills.

Its work illustrates the importance of maintaining specialist knowledge of historic slate roofing, architectural leadwork and traditional construction techniques within the modern roofing industry.

Working with Historic Building Owners and Conservation Professionals

Bain & Irvine works with private homeowners, conservation architects, building surveyors, heritage organisations, commercial property managers and institutions responsible for significant historic properties.