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.
For a homeowner in Blackheath, planning cladding tends to begin with two questions: what will it cost, and how disruptive will it be? Our guide range is £6,500–£15,500 including VAT, and a typical job runs to 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area. Both numbers firm up once we have seen the property, measured up and agreed exactly what is included.
- Guide price
- £6,500–£15,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Postcodes
- SE3, SE4, SE7, SE10 and SE12
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Greater London
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
Cladding prices in Blackheath
No two jobs cost exactly the same, but the ranges below give a fair picture of cladding in Blackheath. Pricing for London runs about 30% above the national guide, and the overall guide is £6,500–£15,500 with VAT included. We'll confirm your figure after surveying the property for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Blackheath |
|---|---|---|
| Feature area or dormer | A gable, dormer, bay or small feature wall in uPVC, timber or composite. | £1,950–£6,500 |
| Extension or upper storey | About 40–60m² of timber, composite or fibre cement with membrane and battens. | £6,500–£15,500 |
| Whole house | Cladding most elevations of a house, often with added insulation. | £15,500–£39,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- 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
- Insulation behind the cladding where agreed
- Cladding boards fixed with suitable stainless or coated fixings
- Waste removal and a clean site on completion
Local housing and cladding
London's housing is dominated by Victorian and Edwardian terraces, often in yellow London stock brick, with Georgian terraces in central districts and mansion blocks across many inner areas. Outer boroughs have large belts of interwar semis, and there are extensive post-war council estates. Many houses have been split into flats, and conservation areas are widespread.
Terraces suit side-return extensions and rear dormer loft conversions; interwar semis commonly take hip-to-gable lofts. Shared party walls, restricted parking and conservation rules often shape the plans and the programme.
If your house in Blackheath 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 Blackheath?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Blackheath 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.
What happens after you get in touch?
Survey and measure
Book a visit and we'll come to you. The survey covers measurements, the state of what's there now and any obvious constraints, so the price that follows is based on your actual home, not an average.
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.
Plan and prepare
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 Blackheath property.
On site to finish
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
Do I need planning permission in Blackheath?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Blackheath is in England, so England'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.
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.
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.
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.
Who do I deal with during the job?
One point of contact manages your project from survey to handover. They schedule the trades working under our contract, keep you updated on progress, and are the person to call with any question. You don't need to coordinate builders, electricians or decorators separately, because that is part of what we do.
Also covering areas around Blackheath
Homes across SE3, SE4, SE7 and SE10 in Blackheath are within our coverage, as are those in Greenwich, Catford and Eltham. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.