Brandon Roofers installs and repairs exterior cladding for homeowners in Littleport, using timber, composite, and fibre cement systems.
Exterior cladding is a protective outer layer fixed over your walls on a batten framework. It keeps wind-driven rain and frost from reaching the masonry or render behind it, and it gives the property a clean, updated appearance. We install timber, composite, and fibre cement cladding on homes around Littleport, making sure the system integrates correctly with the roof line, fascias, soffits, and guttering rather than cutting across them.
The choice of material affects cost, appearance, and how much upkeep the finished job needs. Softwood timber is the most affordable entry point but requires treating regularly. Composite boards offer a timber-like finish without the same maintenance demands. Fibre cement is the most durable of the three - non-combustible and highly stable - with installed costs typically in the range of £100-£150 per square metre. Softwood starts lower, at around £60-£90 per square metre installed. Final costs vary with area, board profile, storey height, and the complexity of the junctions.
Once you have booked a cladding installation or repair and you are waiting for the work to begin, there are practical steps you can take that help the job go smoothly - and a few things it is important not to attempt yourself in the meantime.
The biggest delay on a cladding start is access blocked by garden furniture, bins, planters, or parked vehicles along the wall that needs work. Move anything within two metres of the wall before the team arrives. If you have trellis, climbers, or wall-fixed items attached directly to the area to be clad, those need to come down before the work starts. Climbers that are secured with fixings through the wall face are the most time-consuming to deal with on the day - removing them in advance saves delay and prevents the plants being cut rather than carefully detached.
If scaffolding is needed (which it usually is for any work above ground-floor height), the scaffolding contractor will need a clear working space along the relevant elevation. Check whether the booking includes scaffolding or whether that is a separate arrangement, and confirm the access requirements before the scaffolding arrives.
If your gutters are blocked or pulling away from the fascia, water is already running down the wall that is about to be clad. Telling your installer about any known gutter problems before work starts gives them the chance to factor in any additional work or to advise whether the guttering needs sorting first. A gutter that overflows against fresh cladding will shorten the life of the installation.
Before the work begins, look at the wall and make a note of anything you have already seen - damp patches on the internal wall, cracks in the existing render, areas where the existing surface sounds hollow when you tap it. Tell your installer. That information helps them plan the job and alerts them to areas where investigation may be needed before the new cladding goes on. Surprises found mid-job usually mean extra cost and delay; surprises flagged upfront can be planned for.
This matters as much as the preparation steps above. A few things that seem helpful can actually create more work or make the job more difficult.
It is tempting to try to speed things up by taking down old or loose boards before the team arrives. The problem is that cladding boards, battens, and flashings connect to each other in ways that are not obvious from the outside. Removing boards without knowing the sequence can pull down adjacent sections, damage the window reveals or soffit connections, and expose the wall beneath to rain before anyone is ready to protect it again. Leave the removal to the installer.
If you have noticed gaps, cracks, or peeling areas in existing cladding while waiting for the work to start, leave them as they are. Filling cracks with general-purpose filler or applying exterior paint over failing boards creates a surface the installer has to deal with before they can properly assess what is underneath. If a section is actively letting in water in advance of the repair date, use a temporary measure such as a cover sheet fixed securely rather than touching the boards themselves, and let your installer know.
A board that has pulled away from its batten fixings will be doing so for a reason - usually that the fixings have corroded, the batten has moved, or the board itself has expanded. Screwing a board back in through a different spot without knowing the condition of the batten behind can split the board further or go into nothing at all. Point the problem out to your installer and let them deal with it properly.
If you notice a damp patch appearing on an internal wall in the period between booking and the start date, photograph it and tell your installer before they begin. A patch that appears during rainy weather and fades when it dries tells them something useful about where water is getting in. That information helps them check the right area when they are working on the outside.
Cladding installation and repair often brings related issues to light. Fascias and soffits are inspected as part of any proper cladding job at roof level - if they are rotten or pulling away, the cladding cannot be correctly terminated at the top of the wall. Guttering is another common linked job: a system that is cracked, blocked, or incorrectly graded sends water down the wall rather than away from it.
Where cladding is not the right answer for a wall, external rendering is worth considering. It is a different approach - applied wet rather than mechanically fixed - and suited to different wall types and circumstances. We can discuss that option at the survey stage if it is relevant.
Boards should be level and evenly spaced, with no open gaps at joints, corners, or where the cladding meets any other surface. Fixings should be stainless steel or hot-dip galvanised - not standard zinc-plated screws, which will corrode and stain. All cut edges should be sealed. The top edge should sit cleanly against the soffit with no gap large enough for water or wildlife to enter. If you can see daylight through any part of the installation when it is complete, point it out before the team leaves.
What if weather is forecast for the day the work starts? Light rain does not usually prevent cladding work from starting, but your installer should be able to tell you what conditions would cause them to postpone. Ask that question when you book.
Will I need to be at home during the work? Not necessarily for the whole job, but being available at the start so the team can flag anything they find is helpful, and being present at the end to check the finished work before sign-off is always a good idea.
How do I protect the wall if there is a gap between removal of old cladding and fitting new boards? Your installer should not be leaving the wall exposed overnight without temporary protection. If the job spans more than one day and sections of wall are stripped back, ask how they will protect the exposed area at the end of each working day.
If you are in Littleport and your cladding project is coming up, call us to talk through the preparation so the job goes smoothly from day one.
No obligation · We usually respond within 2 hours
Storm damage, active leak, damaged ridge - we aim to be on-site within 24 hours.
