Cambridge Roofers installs exterior cladding in Grantchester, and this page covers what to do when cladding fails unexpectedly - and the limits of what you should attempt yourself before the professionals arrive.
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Exterior cladding protects the outside walls of a building from rain, frost, and wind, adds a layer of insulation, and changes how the property looks. The main systems fitted on residential properties are timber boarding, composite planks, fibre cement, and metal panels. Each is fixed over a breather membrane and ventilated battens, creating a cavity between the cladding and the wall that allows moisture to escape rather than build up.
Cladding fails for several reasons: treatment breaks down on timber and allows water in; fixings corrode and boards pull away; sealant around windows and at junctions cracks and opens; vegetation grows into gaps; and sometimes the original installation cut corners on the membrane or cavity that were invisible at the time. When any of these things happen, the question becomes what to do next and, critically, what not to do while you wait for a qualified installer to attend.
Supply-and-fit costs for timber cladding in the UK generally run from around £80 to £150 per square metre depending on the timber species and board profile. Composite cladding typically costs £120 to £180 per square metre fitted. Fibre cement systems sit in a similar bracket. The total cost for a project depends on the size of the elevation, access requirements (scaffolding adds cost), the condition of the substrate, and what trims, reveals, and junctions need to be made good.
For repairs to existing cladding, costs vary widely depending on how many boards need replacing and whether the battens and membrane behind are also damaged. A small localised repair might cost a few hundred pounds; widespread damage that requires stripping back and restarting from the membrane can cost as much as a full reclad.
If cladding boards are cracked, blown off, or badly damaged - by impact, storm, or obvious structural failure - the priority is to prevent further water entry while the repair is being arranged. There are practical steps that do not require specialist skills or tools.
Photograph the damage. Before anything else is touched, take clear photographs from multiple angles. These are useful for any insurance claim and help a contractor assess the job before visiting, which can speed up the process of getting a price and scheduling the work.
Keep the area below clear. If boards have partially detached and are hanging or flexing in the wind, keep people and vehicles away from beneath them. A board that is hanging by one fixing can drop without warning, particularly in windy conditions.
Cover exposed wall areas temporarily. Where boards have been lost entirely and the wall surface, membrane, or battens are exposed to the weather, covering the gap with heavy-duty polythene sheeting fixed with battens can limit water ingress. Use enough fixings to keep the cover from lifting in wind. This is a temporary measure only - it keeps the situation stable but is not a repair.
Contact a cladding installer. Arrange a site visit from a qualified contractor as soon as practical. The longer exposed substrate or a failed membrane sits open to driving rain, the more secondary damage accumulates in the wall behind.
This is where many homeowners cause additional problems while trying to help. Some interventions that seem sensible in the moment actually make the repair more expensive or more complicated. Avoid the following:
When you contact a cladding installer to arrange a visit, having the following information ready will help the assessment go more smoothly.
A good contractor will want to check behind the boards in any area where damage is visible before quoting, rather than pricing from photographs alone. The condition of the batten, membrane, and substrate drives the scope of the work as much as the boards themselves do.
If the damage has prompted a decision to reclad rather than repair, the choice of material is worth taking time over. Timber featheredge and shiplap remain the most popular options for residential properties, offering natural appearance and good performance when correctly installed and maintained. Composite boards cost more upfront but require less ongoing treatment. Fibre cement planks are the most durable option for exposed elevations and will not rot or be affected by insect activity.
The right choice depends on the exposure of the wall, the maintenance commitment you are prepared to make, and the visual result you want. A contractor who knows the system they are fitting should be able to talk through the trade-offs honestly rather than defaulting to whatever material they happen to stock.
Where cladding damage has involved water tracking up or down the wall, the soffits and fascias at the roof edge are worth inspecting at the same time. Water that has been running behind cladding for some time can reach the eaves, and rot in a soffit or fascia board is not always obvious from below. An installer already working on the elevation can usually cast an eye over the roof edge timbers without significant additional effort.
Cambridge Roofers works in Grantchester and the villages close to Cambridge. If your cladding has been damaged or you have concerns about its condition, call us to arrange a site visit and a detailed written quote before any work is agreed.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
