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.
We arrange cladding for homeowners in Smethwick and the wider West Midlands. The job is planned, priced and managed by us and carried out by tradespeople engaged under our contract, so there is one agreement and one contact. On a typical home the work takes 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area, and guide pricing in the West Midlands is £4,900–£12,000, VAT included.
- Guide price
- £4,900–£12,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3 days to 3 weeks depending on area
- Postcodes
- B16, B18, B21, B66 and B67
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Sandwell
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for cladding in Smethwick?
What will cladding cost in Smethwick? Our guide range is £4,900–£12,000 including VAT. That figure is adjusted for the West Midlands, about 2% below the national guide, and is intended for planning a budget. A firm written price for your chosen specification follows a free survey at your home.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Smethwick |
|---|---|---|
| Feature area or dormer | A gable, dormer, bay or small feature wall in uPVC, timber or composite. | £1,450–£4,900 |
| Extension or upper storey | About 40–60m² of timber, composite or fibre cement with membrane and battens. | £4,900–£12,000 |
| Whole house | Cladding most elevations of a house, often with added insulation. | £12,000–£29,500 |
Expect these to shape the final quote:
- Wall area to be clad and the height of the building
- Cladding material and board profile
- Insulation behind the cladding
- Window reveals, corners and roof junctions to detail
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
- Corner trims, window reveals and ventilated top and bottom edges
Local housing and cladding
Red-brick Victorian and Edwardian terraces are common in the inner areas of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and the Black Country, ringed by large swathes of 1930s semis with bay windows and hipped roofs. You'll also find post-war council estates, some system-built blocks, Coventry's rebuilt centre and larger detached homes in Solihull and Sutton Coldfield.
1930s semis often suit side and rear extensions, hip-to-gable loft conversions and garage conversions. Victorian terraces tend to need repointing, roof work and replacement windows, and many have room for a side-return extension.
Building traditions across West Midlands also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for cladding in Smethwick at the survey stage.
Do you need permission in Smethwick?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Smethwick 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?
We look at the job
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for cladding so the price reflects your home.
Your fixed price
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.
Plan and prepare
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
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
What you can expect from us
Common 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 Smethwick 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Smethwick
Homes across B16, B18, B21 and B66 in Smethwick are within our coverage, as are those in West Bromwich, Birmingham and Aston. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.