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.
Every house in Chatham is a little different, so we never price cladding from a brochure. We look at the structure, access and existing finishes first, then put in writing a fixed figure for the scope we settle on. As a rough steer, homeowners in the South East should budget £5,600–£13,500 including VAT, with work typically taking 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area.
- Guide price
- £5,600–£13,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Postcodes
- ME1, ME2, ME4, ME5 and ME7
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Medway
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for cladding in Chatham?
Use the table to gauge the cost of cladding in Chatham before we visit. Figures include VAT and are scaled for the South East, coming out about 12% above the national guide, which gives £5,600–£13,500 overall. After a free survey, you receive a fixed written price.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Chatham |
|---|---|---|
| Feature area or dormer | A gable, dormer, bay or small feature wall in uPVC, timber or composite. | £1,700–£5,600 |
| Extension or upper storey | About 40–60m² of timber, composite or fibre cement with membrane and battens. | £5,600–£13,500 |
| Whole house | Cladding most elevations of a house, often with added insulation. | £13,500–£33,500 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Cladding material and board profile
- Insulation behind the cladding
- Window reveals, corners and roof junctions to detail
- Scaffolding, access and distance from boundaries
What’s included?
- 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
- Waste removal and a clean site on completion
What are homes like around Chatham?
Kent's older buildings include oast houses, weatherboarded cottages, Wealden timber-framed houses and Kentish ragstone walls. Medway towns have long rows of Victorian terraces, Margate and Ramsgate have Regency and Victorian seafronts, and Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford have seen large new estates alongside interwar and post-war housing.
Victorian terraces suit loft rooms and rear extensions; weatherboarded and timber-framed buildings may need cladding repairs and lime work. Newer estate homes often take garage conversions, porches and landscaping.
That mix of housing shapes how we approach cladding in Chatham: the age and construction of your home affect the materials, the method and, in the end, the price.
Do you need permission in Chatham?
Because Chatham falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
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.
From survey to handover
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.
Written quote
The quote arrives in writing, not over the phone. It covers the full scope, the finishes you've chosen, any exclusions and the payment schedule, with a fixed price tied to that specification.
Dates and permissions
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
Build and hand over
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.
Why homeowners choose us
Questions about cladding in Chatham
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.
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.
Will timber cladding change colour?
Untreated timber cladding naturally weathers to a silver-grey over a year or two as sunlight breaks down the surface. The change can be uneven at first, especially under eaves where rain does not reach. If you want to keep the original colour, a UV-protective stain or oil is needed and must be renewed every few years. Pre-weathered and coated boards are also available.
Do you cover Rochester, Gillingham and Strood?
Yes. As well as Chatham, we cover Rochester, Gillingham and Strood and the rest of Kent. Our coverage is UK-wide, so the process is the same wherever you are: a free site survey, a quote in writing that fixes the price for the agreed scope, and one point of contact while the work is planned and carried out.
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
Also covering areas around Chatham
Homes across ME1, ME2, ME4 and ME5 in Chatham are within our coverage, as are those in Rochester, Gillingham and Strood. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.