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.
Planning cladding for a home in Greenwich means making a handful of decisions about materials, layout, finish and timing. We help you work through them at a free survey, then confirm in writing what it will cost for the options you pick. Most projects of this type need 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area, and we cover every SE3, SE7, SE10 and SE12 address as well as the rest of London.
- Guide price
- £6,500–£15,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Postcodes
- SE3, SE7, SE10 and SE12
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Greater London
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for cladding in Greenwich?
Budgeting for cladding in Greenwich? The numbers below include VAT and are adjusted for London, where costs are about 30% above the national guide. The headline range is £6,500–£15,500. Nothing is final until we have measured up at a free survey and agreed the specification with you.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Greenwich |
|---|---|---|
| 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
- Insulation behind the cladding
- Scaffolding, access and distance from boundaries
What’s included?
- Survey of the wall, boundaries, damp and window details
- Scaffolding or access towers as needed
- Insulation behind the cladding where agreed
- Cavity barriers and fire-stopping where regulations require
- Cladding boards fixed with suitable stainless or coated fixings
- Waste removal and a clean site on completion
What are homes like around Greenwich?
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.
London Clay shrinks and swells with the seasons, and street trees close to houses can contribute to movement, which affects foundation design.
Building traditions across London also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for cladding in Greenwich at the survey stage.
Permissions for cladding in Greenwich
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Greenwich, 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.
The four stages
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
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.
Dates and permissions
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.
On site to finish
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
How we work
Common questions
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.
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 Greenwich 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.
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.
Which postcodes in Greenwich do you cover?
We cover SE3, SE7, SE10 and SE12, along with the rest of London. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
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.
Near Greenwich
Live in Greenwich? Our coverage takes in the SE3, SE7, SE10 and SE12 postcode areas and reaches out to Blackheath, Canary Wharf and Blackwall, so homes on the outskirts and in the next town along are included.