House with grey fibre cladding

Applying cladding to residential buildings has never been more rewarding, thanks to breakthroughs in manufacturing technologies. Offering many worthwhile features for homeowners across Britain, above all, high-performance cladding systems provide enhanced levels of thermal efficiency, weather resistance alongside an undeniable aesthetically pleasing boost.

So, if you’re contemplating cladding or re-cladding your home in the near future, we’ve taken the time to answer some frequently asked questions regarding this popular home improvement below.

What is external cladding for houses?

For houses that need additional insulation & protection from the elements & pests, external cladding is the ideal option as it cleverly adds a protective layer to the outside. Fibre cement cladding makes an ideal choice for external cladding for houses.

Do you need planning permissions for external cladding?

As long as a property isn’t a listed building or situated in a Conservation Area, a National Park or an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), in England it’s very unlikely that you’ll need to apply for planning permission to apply external cladding.

Related to this post: Do you need planning permission for cladding?

What type of houses are suited to cladding?

In effect, cladding is an additional protective barrier so it will practically enhance any property it’s applied to. With such a variety of cladding available, there really is a cladding style for every type of property. For example, corrosive resistant cladding is particularly effective at shielding coastal homes from the elements, whereas metal exterior cladding cannot be penetrated by rain, snow, mould or insects.

Contact us for further advice.

How much does house cladding cost?

We cannot give an exact figure on cladding cost as it varies from property to property, largely based on its particular type & size.

Please take a look at our cladding page for more information.

What are the different types of cladding?

There are many different types of cladding in construction. The most popular being:

  • Fibre cement cladding – Most commonly applied to residential buildings & garages, HardiePlank® Cladding has an expected life span of 60 years, can replicate timber with ease & is one of the most fire & pest resistant claddings around.
  • Cellular uPVC weatherboarding – Able to be fixed to any type of building, cellular uPVC cladding is a high-quality, cost-effective timber cladding alternative.
  • Rigid/metal sheet cladding – Industrial & Commercial settings.
  • Timber weatherboarding – Ideal for buildings located in damp climates or coastal properties where there is high risk from salt spray.
  • Glass reinforced concrete (GRC) – popular with architects & engineers of complex structures, due to its flexibility & high-strength.
  • Precast concrete cladding – Used in commercial, residential, retail, leisure, hospitals, schools, etc.
  • Metal composite panel cladding – Generally used in commercial settings, due to their cost effective and & fast installation qualities.
  • Natural stone cladding – Giving the impression that the building is constructed entirely from natural stone, this type of cladding can be applied internally and externally & is used across a variety of applications.
  • Rainscreen cladding – Also known as a ‘drained & ventilated’ or ‘pressure-equalised’ façade, this cladding is a form of double-wall construction where the outer layer repels the rain and the inner layer provides thermal insulation; most commonly used on tall commercial buildings.
  • Curtain wall systems – Most commonly found on large, multi-storey buildings, curtain walls are a type of non-structural cladding that only support themselves and the loads imposed on them.

What cladding colours do you offer?

HardiePlank® fibre cement cladding offers 21 diverse colour options.

Get a free quote now.

What is the fire rating of HardiePlank® Cladding?

At Kent Cladding, we only offer cladding of the highest quality, so you can be sure this is still the case when it comes to the fire ratings.

Please see: Fire Rating of HardiePlank® Cladding for more information.

How long does it take to clad a house?

How long is a piece of string?! … Similar to costings, the amount of time it takes to clad a house varies from property to property, largely based on its type & size, as well as the condition it’s in.

If you’d like to make an enquiry with specific details about the job that needs doing, feel free to get in touch with us.

Does cladding require any maintenance?

HardiePlank cladding is virtually maintenance-free. Quite simply, once installed, it will never need painting and will actively resist fading, chipping, peeling and cracking too.

To find out more about cladding, you can contact us or view our cladding page.

How do you clean cladding?

If needed, you can gently jet wash your cladding, ensuring a reasonable distance in between washes to avoid potential damage.

To find out more, get in touch or browse our cladding section.

Do you need to repaint HardiePlank® Cladding?

No, HardiePlank® Cladding offers colourfast technology that will last an exceptionally long time, so you won’t need to worry.

For more information on HardiePlank® cladding, you can browse our dedicated HardiePlank® cladding page!

What areas do you cover?

We install high-quality cladding across the whole of Kent and surrounding areas.

Contact us to find out if we can help you.

Do you supply only?

No, we do not supply. We specialise in the residential installation of low maintenance fascias, soffits, HardiePlank® cladding and guttering.

To find out more about what we do, take a look at our ‘About Us‘ page.

What warranty does HardiePlank® Cladding offer?

HardiePlank® exterior cladding includes a 10-year warranty as standard, meaning you ‘re protected for years to come.

Learn more about HardiePlank® cladding.

Do you offer free, no-obligation quotes?

Yes! For a free quotation simply get in touch with the Kent Cladding team by filling out this form.

Take a look at the outstanding quality of our cladding installations.

If you have further questions or queries regarding cladding, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Hardie® Plank colour visualiser

Lasting beauty is unmistakable

The colour visualiser tool gives you the power to experiment with our ColourPlus™ Technology range on different housing styles.

Click here to visualise how colours look on a property

Accreditations

Rewarded for our consistently excellent installations and a fantastic selection of high-quality products, Kent Cladding has been accredited by a number of esteemed schemes and organisations.

As a Swish Approved Installer, we’ve been fully vetted for financial stability and installation quality, whilst fantastic workmanship and customer service is always expected from us.

Get your FREE quote today

It was very easy arranging an estimate and the subsequent work. The team were careful and cleared up well each day. We opted for the external insulation followed by the cladding and we’re very pleased with the result. Thanks to Richard and team.

Review from James - Verified Customer

They were extremely accommodating to the urgency of our work, and they fitted us in the next day after unexpected storm damage. The work was completed on time and the end job finish was of excellent standard and was also reasonably priced. Richard was also very helpful in providing quotes and a breakdown of the work for insurance company purposes. I would recommend the company to family and friends.

Extremely accommodating

The work was completed as stated by Richard. Could not fault the workmanship and the price was competitive. They work in a tidy, methodical manner. The cladding has completely transformed the appearance to the rear of the property and I will have them back to do the front of the house soon. I would highly recommend this company.

Fascias to rear of property

I knew I was in safe hands with Kent Cladding from the beginning. Richard explained the whole process and I was impressed with the quality of the products he would be using. The work was carried out within a week of the quotation and was completed to a very high standard. Richard and his team were professional, polite and friendly. They worked very hard, cleaned up at the end of each day, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

New fascias, soffits and guttering.