Cladding is a protective outer layer of boards or panels, such as timber, composite, fibre cement or uPVC, fixed to battens on the outside of a wall to change its appearance, shed rain and, where insulation is added, reduce heat loss.
We offer cladding throughout Cornwall, from Redruth, Falmouth, St Austell and Truro to the smaller places in between. Each project starts with a free survey at your home and ends with a written figure, fixed for the work you choose. Because Cornwall is in England, we work to the planning system and building standards used there, and guide prices for the South West run at £5,100–£12,000 including VAT.
- Guide price
- £5,100–£12,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 2% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 7
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Cladding prices in Cornwall
What will cladding cost in Cornwall? Our guide range is £5,100–£12,000 including VAT. That figure is adjusted for the South West, about 2% above the national guide, and is intended for planning a budget. A firm written price for your chosen specification follows a free survey at your home.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Cornwall |
|---|---|---|
| Feature area or dormer | A gable, dormer, bay or small feature wall in uPVC, timber or composite. | £1,550–£5,100 |
| Extension or upper storey | About 40–60m² of timber, composite or fibre cement with membrane and battens. | £5,100–£12,000 |
| Whole house | Cladding most elevations of a house, often with added insulation. | £12,000–£30,500 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Wall area to be clad and the height of the building
- Cladding material and board profile
- Window reveals, corners and roof junctions to detail
- Scaffolding, access and distance from boundaries
Scope of the work
- Survey of the wall, boundaries, damp and window details
- Scaffolding or access towers as needed
- Breather membrane and treated battens fixed to the wall
- Cavity barriers and fire-stopping where regulations require
- Cladding boards fixed with suitable stainless or coated fixings
- Corner trims, window reveals and ventilated top and bottom edges
Housing across Cornwall
Older Cornish homes are often built of granite or slatey local stone, with slate roofs and sometimes slate-hung walls facing the weather. Cob cottages survive in places, Truro and Falmouth keep Georgian and Victorian streets, and many towns have rendered post-war houses, bungalows and newer estates on their edges.
Stone and cob properties often need breathable lime render, careful repointing and roof repairs. Post-war and newer homes commonly benefit from new windows, roofline renewal, external rendering and single-storey extensions.
Cornwall faces Atlantic gales, driving rain and salt-laden air, so render, pointing and window hardware on exposed elevations need a suitably robust specification.
Planning and building rules in Cornwall
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Cornwall, the answer is England, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
In England, re-rendering or cladding a house is often allowed without planning permission, but stone, render, timber, plastic or tile cladding is not permitted development in conservation areas, and listed buildings need consent.
If you render or re-clad more than 25% of an external wall, Building Regulations usually require the wall’s insulation to be improved where that is practical, and building control should be notified.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
Free site survey
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about cladding.
Quote in writing
After the survey we send a quote for cladding that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Booking the work
With the quote agreed, we book the work in and handle preparation: permissions where needed, building control notifications, material orders and access arrangements for your Cornwall property.
Finish and handover
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
How much will cladding cost in Cornwall?
As a guide, expect to pay £5,100–£12,000 including VAT for cladding in Cornwall. That range is adjusted for the South West, which runs about 2% above the national guide. Where your project lands depends on size, materials, access and the condition of what is already there. We confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey of your home.
Are there fire-safety rules for cladding?
Building regulations limit the fire-spread performance of cladding on walls close to a boundary and on taller buildings, which can rule out some timber or composite products in those positions. Cavity barriers behind the cladding also help stop fire spreading through the gap. Fibre cement is non-combustible. We check boundary distances and product data before recommending a material.
Do I need planning permission to clad my house?
Whether cladding needs planning permission depends on the material and how it changes the look of the house, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you live in. In England, cladding is generally permitted development only if the materials look similar to the existing house, and it is not permitted development in conservation areas. We check before quoting.
How much does house cladding cost?
Cladding around 40–60m² of wall, such as an extension or upper storey, costs £5,100–£12,000, including membrane, battens and trims. As a guide, allow roughly £80–£180 per square metre plus fixed costs for scaffolding and set-up. uPVC and softwood sit at the lower end, while hardwood, composite and fibre cement cost more. Adding insulation increases the price. We confirm a fixed figure after the survey.
Towns in Cornwall
Find your town below. Every place listed in Cornwall is covered for cladding, with the same survey, written quote and fixed-price process.