Brandon Roofers installs and repairs timber, composite, and fibre cement exterior cladding for homeowners in Downham Market.
Exterior cladding fits over your existing walls, creating a weather-resistant skin that keeps wind-driven rain, frost and damp out of the fabric of your home. Done well, it also sharpens the appearance of the property and can reduce draughts where wall construction is poor. We install timber, composite, and fibre cement cladding on homes across the Downham Market area.
Cladding is not a cosmetic job bolted on at the end. The junction between the cladding and your roof line, window reveals, and any existing rendering needs careful detailing. Water finds gaps, and if those junctions are not sealed and flashed correctly, moisture gets behind the boards and begins to rot the battens or corrode the fixings within a few years.
Timber cladding gives a natural look and is a popular choice on detached and semi-detached homes. Softwood boards are the cheaper option but need treating every few years; hardwood and modified timber last considerably longer with far less upkeep. If you want the timber look without the maintenance commitment, composite boards made from a wood-plastic mix behave similarly but do not warp, split or rot in the way untreated softwood can.
Fibre cement cladding is the most durable of the three common residential options. It is non-combustible, does not swell or shrink with moisture, and holds its factory finish well over many years. It costs more per square metre than basic softwood but significantly less in ongoing maintenance. For a straightforward comparison: timber cladding (softwood) typically starts at around £60-£90 per square metre installed; composite at £90-£130; fibre cement at £100-£150. These figures vary with board profile, storey height and any preparation work needed.
This is where many homeowners in Downham Market come unstuck. Cladding looks simple from the ground, but the work touches your roof line, your drainage, and the weatherproofing of your walls all at once. Before you agree to anything, you should be asking specific questions that tell you whether a contractor actually understands the job.
General builders can hang cladding boards, but roofers who install cladding are trained to think about how water sheds off a roof and moves down a wall. Ask how they handle the junction between the top of the cladding and the soffit board. Ask what flashing or trim they use where the cladding meets window frames. If they cannot give you a clear answer, that is worth noting before you sign anything.
A good installer will check the wall behind before they start. If there is existing render that is cracked or hollow, or masonry that has spalled, fitting cladding over the top does not fix those problems - it hides them. Ask whether they will survey the wall first, and what they would do if they found problems once the job started. You want to know their process, not just their price.
Adding cladding to an existing house may require building regulations approval, particularly in relation to fire spread. Fibre cement and composite products generally carry better fire ratings than untreated timber, but any contractor you consider should be able to tell you whether your project needs approval and how they will meet the relevant standards. If they dismiss the question, take that seriously.
A single figure on a piece of paper is not a quote - it is a starting point for disputes. Ask for the quote to show the area to be clad, the material specified, the fixing method, the treatment of all edges, reveals, and junctions, the disposal of any waste, and what is excluded. Scaffolding is often quoted separately; confirm whether you need it and who arranges it.
When a contractor is already working at height along your wall, it is sensible to look at the condition of your fascias and soffits at the same time. Rotten fascias and blocked or leaking gutters cause damp problems that new cladding will not solve. If those components are in poor shape, tackling them together avoids paying twice for scaffolding or access equipment.
We also carry out guttering installation and repair. A gutter that is pulling away from the fascia or overflowing at a joint will push water against your freshly clad wall, undoing the benefit of the work. Sorting the drainage at the same time as the cladding is the right sequence.
Boards should be level, with consistent reveal and tight joints or the correct open-joint gap depending on the system. All cut edges on timber or composite should be end-treated with sealant or preservative. Fixings should be stainless steel or hot-dip galvanised - standard zinc-plated screws will rust and stain the boards within a few years. At the top of the wall, the cladding should tuck neatly behind or under the soffit line with no open gaps for birds or water to get in.
If you are in Downham Market and want to talk through a cladding project before committing to anything, it is worth asking any contractor to look at the full wall and roof line together before quoting.
Can cladding go over existing render? Yes, in most cases. A batten framework is fixed through the render into the masonry, and the boards are fixed to the battens. The render surface needs to be assessed first to make sure it is not trapping moisture.
How long does installation take? A typical semi-detached front elevation takes one to two days. A full detached house with multiple elevations may take four to five days, depending on detail work around windows and corners.
Does cladding need planning permission? In most cases, no - but if your home is in a conservation area or is listed, you should check with your local planning authority before proceeding. Your contractor should be able to advise on this.
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Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
