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.
Cost is usually the first question about cladding, so here is the guide for the North West: £4,800–£11,500 including VAT. We cover the whole of Greater Manchester, with Manchester, Oldham, Wigan and Bolton among the main centres. Because each UK nation sets its own rules, we check the requirements in England for your property, then put a firm price on paper following a free survey.
- Guide price
- £4,800–£11,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 5% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 42
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does cladding cost in Greater Manchester?
Here is how the guide price for cladding breaks down in Greater Manchester. We start from national figures and adjust for the North West, which comes out about 5% below the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £4,800–£11,500, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Greater Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Feature area or dormer | A gable, dormer, bay or small feature wall in uPVC, timber or composite. | £1,400–£4,800 |
| Extension or upper storey | About 40–60m² of timber, composite or fibre cement with membrane and battens. | £4,800–£11,500 |
| Whole house | Cladding most elevations of a house, often with added insulation. | £11,500–£28,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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 do you get?
- Survey of the wall, boundaries, damp and window details
- Scaffolding or access towers as needed
- Breather membrane and treated battens fixed to the wall
- Insulation behind the cladding where agreed
- Corner trims, window reveals and ventilated top and bottom edges
- Waste removal and a clean site on completion
Housing across Greater Manchester
Rows of Victorian red-brick terraces fill much of Manchester, Salford and the mill towns, with stone terraces in the Pennine fringes around Oldham and Saddleworth. South Manchester has Edwardian semis and villas, Wythenshawe was built as a large interwar garden suburb, and city-centre apartments and new estates continue to grow.
Two-up two-down terraces commonly suit loft conversions, kitchen extensions and kitchen refits. Many need repointing and roof work, while semis in the suburbs often take side extensions, driveways and replacement windows.
Rainfall is high, especially near the Pennines, so brickwork, gutters and roof coverings take a steady soaking and freeze-thaw over winter.
Do you need permission in Greater Manchester?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Greater Manchester is in England. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
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
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.
Price and scope agreed
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 Greater Manchester property.
On site to finish
Work goes ahead as scheduled and you deal with one contact throughout. When the last trade leaves, we clear and clean the site, talk you through what has been done and pass on any certificates and care instructions.
What you can expect from us
Questions about cladding in Greater Manchester
Can cladding improve insulation?
Cladding can improve insulation if insulation boards are fixed to the wall behind the battens, which reduces heat loss and can help with cold or damp internal walls. This adds thickness, so window reveals, sills and roof edges need careful detailing. Cladding alone, without insulation, adds very little warmth. We can price both options so you can compare.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from cladding, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
How long will cladding take?
On a typical home, allow 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
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.
Can you clad over existing render or brick?
Cladding is usually fixed over existing render or brick using battens, as long as the wall is sound and dry. Loose render may need removing first so the fixings hold. The battens create a ventilated gap so any moisture can drain and dry. We check the wall during the survey and explain any preparation needed before cladding.
Towns in Greater Manchester
We offer cladding in each of the towns below, all within Greater Manchester. Select yours for guide prices, postcodes covered and nearby places.
- Altrincham
- Ashton in Makerfield
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Atherton
- Bolton
- Bury
- Chadderton
- Cheadle Hulme
- Denton
- Droylsden
- Dukinfield
- Eccles
- Failsworth
- Farnworth
- Hazel Grove
- Heywood
- Hindley
- Horwich
- Hyde
- Irlam
- Leigh
- Manchester
- Middleton
- Old Trafford
- Oldham
- Prestwich
- Radcliffe
- Rochdale
- Royton
- Saddleworth
- Sale
- Salford
- Stalybridge
- Stockport
- Stretford
- Swinton
- Tyldesley
- Urmston
- Walkden
- Westhoughton
- Whitefield
- Wigan