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.
If you live in Antrim and are weighing up cladding, the starting point is a visit to measure up and talk through what you want, which costs nothing. We cover homes across BT41, and a typical project of this kind in Northern Ireland lands somewhere in the £4,300–£10,500 bracket, including VAT. The exact figure depends on size, access and the finish you choose.
- Guide price
- £4,300–£10,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Postcodes
- BT41
- Planning rules
- Northern Ireland
- Local area
- County Antrim
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Cladding prices in Antrim
Use the table to gauge the cost of cladding in Antrim before we visit. Figures include VAT and are scaled for Northern Ireland, coming out about 14% below the national guide, which gives £4,300–£10,500 overall. After a free survey, you receive a fixed written price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Antrim |
|---|---|---|
| Feature area or dormer | A gable, dormer, bay or small feature wall in uPVC, timber or composite. | £1,300–£4,300 |
| Extension or upper storey | About 40–60m² of timber, composite or fibre cement with membrane and battens. | £4,300–£10,500 |
| Whole house | Cladding most elevations of a house, often with added insulation. | £10,500–£26,000 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Wall area to be clad and the height of the building
- Cladding material and board profile
- Insulation behind the cladding
- Scaffolding, access and distance from boundaries
What’s included?
- Scaffolding or access towers as needed
- Breather membrane and treated battens fixed to the wall
- Insulation behind the cladding where agreed
- Cavity barriers and fire-stopping where regulations require
- Corner trims, window reveals and ventilated top and bottom edges
- Waste removal and a clean site on completion
Building in Antrim
Belfast has long rows of red-brick Victorian terraces, Edwardian villas in the north and south of the city and large post-war estates, while towns such as Ballymena, Antrim, Larne and Carrickfergus mix terraces, semis and newer developments. Dark basalt appears in older rural buildings, and pebbledash or roughcast is a very common finish.
Terraces suit loft conversions and rear extensions, and many need window and roof renewal. Pebbledashed homes commonly need re-rendering, and detached rural houses often take extensions, porches and driveways.
If your house in Antrim fits one of these patterns, it helps us anticipate what cladding will involve, though we always confirm the details on site.
Do you need permission in Antrim?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Antrim is in Northern Ireland. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In Northern Ireland, re-rendering is usually treated as repair, but conservation areas and listed buildings are controlled.
Significant re-cladding or external insulation should be checked with building control under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland).
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
What happens after you get in touch?
Survey and measure
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price cladding properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Written quote
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Booking the work
We handle the paperwork side: checking whether planning permission or building control approval is needed, submitting applications where they are, and scheduling the trades and materials around your dates.
The work itself
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
Can you combine cladding with other work?
Yes. Because we manage several trades under one contract, we can plan cladding alongside other work on your Antrim home, such as new windows with rendering, or a kitchen refit with an extension. Combining jobs can reduce repeat set-up such as scaffolding, skips and access, and every element is listed and priced in the same written quote.
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.
Which cladding material needs the least maintenance?
Fibre cement, composite and uPVC cladding need the least upkeep, usually just an occasional wash. Thermally modified and hardwood timber can be left to weather naturally to a silver-grey, which needs no treatment, but keeping the original colour means re-staining every few years. Painted timber needs repainting regularly. We explain the long-term care of each option.
How long does cladding take to install?
Cladding a small dormer or gable usually takes a few days, an extension or upper storey around one to two weeks, and a whole house two to three weeks or more. Scaffolding, insulation and detailing around many windows add time. Timber boards may need to acclimatise on site first. We give you a programme with the written quote.
Do I need planning permission in Antrim?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Antrim is in Northern Ireland, so Northern Ireland's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Also covering areas around Antrim
Live in Antrim? Our coverage takes in the BT41 postcode areas and reaches out to Ballymena, Newtownabbey and Belfast, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.