Diss Roofers fits exterior cladding to homes in Gislingham and the surrounding area, and this page explains clearly what drives the cost of a cladding job so you can budget realistically before you call anyone.
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Ask three homeowners what they paid for exterior cladding and you will get three different answers. That is not because prices are arbitrary - it is because no two jobs are the same. Wall area, material choice, access difficulty, substrate condition and the quality of detailing around windows and corners all feed into the final figure. Understanding each factor means you are better placed to read a quote and know whether it reflects what the job actually involves.
Cladding is priced primarily by the square metre of finished face area. As a rough guide, uPVC cladding installed on a straightforward single-storey elevation typically falls in the range of £50 to £80 per square metre supply and fit. Composite boards generally sit between £80 and £150 per square metre depending on the product and profile. Hardwood timber cladding can run from around £90 to well over £150 per square metre when a quality species and finish are specified. These are indicative figures for typical UK installations and will vary by location, access and specification.
Wall area sounds simple, but it is not just length multiplied by height. Openings such as windows and doors are usually deducted from the area for material purposes, but they add to the labour because every edge needs trimming, sealing and detailing. A wall with six windows costs more to clad per square metre than a plain gable of the same area.
The board material is usually the biggest single variable in a cladding quote. Here is an honest breakdown of what each tier typically involves financially.
uPVC is the lowest-cost option on both supply and installation. Boards are light, cut easily, and go up quickly on a straightforward elevation. The material cost advantage is real, and for a large area it can be significant. However, the cheapest uPVC boards are also the thinnest and least rigid. A modest step up in board quality - choosing a solid or thicker-walled profile rather than the lightest hollow-back available - adds relatively little to the overall cost but makes a noticeable difference to the finished result.
Composite boards cost more per board and are heavier, which adds to the fixing requirements and the installation time. On a large elevation the material cost difference between uPVC and a quality composite can run to several thousand pounds. Whether that premium is worth paying depends on whether the appearance and lower maintenance of composite matter enough to you over the long term.
Softwood timber is cheaper than hardwood and composite but carries a higher maintenance cost over time. The timber market is also more variable than the plastics market, so timber prices can shift meaningfully between the time a job is scoped and the time materials are ordered on a large project.
Access is a significant cost that is not always broken out clearly in quotes. A single-storey rear elevation can often be worked from ladders or hop-up staging without additional access costs. A two-storey front elevation or a tall gable will almost always need scaffolding, and scaffold hire for a full elevation can add £600 to £2,000 or more to a job depending on the size and duration.
If multiple elevations are being done at the same time, sharing the scaffold cost across a larger area brings the per-square-metre access cost down considerably. Doing elevations one at a time means paying for scaffold erection and strike separately each time. Where it is practical to do so, completing all planned cladding in one mobilisation is usually the more economical approach.
The condition of the wall behind the cladding has a direct effect on cost, and it is the factor that is hardest to price accurately from a distance. A clean, sound brick or block wall needs little preparation before battening begins. A wall with loose or cracked render, areas of damp or old fixings to remove adds remediation time before the cladding itself can start.
A common problem is render that looks sound from a distance but is hollow or delaminating beneath the surface. This is not always visible on a first look and may only become apparent once the installer is working close to the wall. If remediation work is found once the job has started, it adds cost. A thorough pre-start survey reduces the chance of surprises, but it cannot always eliminate them entirely on older properties.
The detail work around windows, doors, corners, pipes, meter boxes and other obstacles takes proportionally more time than the open boarding. A plain rectangular gable with no openings is quick to board. A front elevation with bay windows, a porch, multiple window frames at different depths and services coming through the wall needs careful cutting, fitting and sealing at every junction.
Corner trims, window surrounds, fascia trims and sealant all carry a materials cost on top of the boarding itself. These components are not optional - they are what makes the finished installation weathertight. A quote that does not include them is not a complete quote.
Pressure-treated battens and stainless-steel fixings cost more than untreated timber and zinc-plated screws. The difference in material cost is modest. The difference in longevity is significant. Untreated battens behind cladding in a humid cavity will eventually rot, and replacing them means removing and refitting all the boards above. Using the right materials from the outset is cheaper over the life of the installation.
Before accepting any quote for exterior cladding, check that it specifically covers:
A quote that does not address these points clearly leaves room for additions once work is underway. Two quotes that look similar on the headline figure can represent very different scopes of work.
If the job involves removing old cladding before fitting new, stripping and disposal adds cost. Old timber cladding that has rotted may also have damaged the battens beneath, and the wall behind may need attention once the old system comes off. Replacement jobs therefore carry more uncertainty in their final cost than installations on bare walls. A good installer will inspect what is behind the existing cladding as early in the process as possible and update the scope if additional work is needed.
The only reliable way to get a realistic cost for exterior cladding on your home in Gislingham is to have someone look at the actual walls. Call Diss Roofers and we will carry out a proper survey, go through the options with you and give you a detailed quote that covers the full scope of the work.
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