House cladding serves two purposes: it protects the external envelope from water ingress and wind, and it dramatically changes the appearance of a property. In 2026, fully installed cladding costs range from £30/m² for a basic monocouche render to £150/m² or more for engineered composite or hardwood timber boards, including materials, fixings, battens, breather membrane, and labour.
The UK’s temperate, wet climate means durability and vapour management are critical — the wrong cladding system or a poor installation will cause interstitial condensation, mould, and structural decay within a few years.
Types of House Cladding
1. Timber Cladding
The most traditional choice for UK homes. Commonly used profiles:
- Feather-edge / weatherboard — overlapping tapered boards, typically 100–150 mm face width
- Tongue and groove — boards sit flush, horizontal or vertical
- Shiplap — rebated boards with a shadow gap
Species used in the UK include Siberian larch, Douglas fir, Western red cedar, and Accoya (modified timber). Untreated timber must be maintained every 3–5 years; pre-treated or modified timber extends maintenance intervals.
2. Composite / Fibre Cement Cladding
Fibre cement boards (e.g., boards 8–12 mm thick, pre-primed) offer the look of timber with significantly lower maintenance. They are not combustible (Class A2-s1, d0 in most formulations), which has made them popular following post-Grenfell cladding regulations. Composite WPC (wood-plastic composite) boards are another option.
3. Render Systems (EWI or Monocouche)
External Wall Insulation (EWI) with a silicone or monocouche render finish is not strictly “cladding” but achieves a similar visual outcome while adding insulation. Very popular on solid-wall properties.
4. Brick Slips
Thin brick veneers (20–25 mm) bonded or mechanically fixed to a substrate. Gives a traditional brick appearance on a non-brick building or on sections of a renovation. Particularly popular for ground-floor feature walls on extensions.
5. Metal / Rainscreen Cladding
Aluminium, zinc, or steel panels fixed on a ventilated rainscreen system. Common on contemporary builds and commercial properties, increasingly used on high-end domestic projects.
House Cladding Cost Comparison Table
| Material | Supply Cost (per m²) | Installed Cost (per m²) | Lifespan | Maintenance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monocouche render | £8–£15 | £30–£50 | 20–30 yrs | Low (clean/paint cycle ~10 yrs) |
| EWI render system | £40–£80 | £80–£120 | 25–40 yrs | Low |
| Untreated softwood weatherboard | £10–£20 | £50–£80 | 20+ yrs (if maintained) | Stain every 3–5 yrs |
| Pre-treated larch | £20–£40 | £60–£90 | 30+ yrs | Stain every 5–7 yrs |
| Accoya modified timber | £35–£60 | £80–£120 | 50+ yrs | Low |
| Fibre cement board | £25–£50 | £60–£100 | 30–40 yrs | Repaint every 8–12 yrs |
| Brick slips | £40–£80 | £90–£150 | 50+ yrs | Very low |
| Composite WPC | £30–£55 | £70–£110 | 25–30 yrs | Very low |
| Aluminium rainscreen | £50–£120 | £100–£200 | 40–60 yrs | Very low |
Installed costs include battens (for ventilated systems), breather membrane, fixings, and labour.
What’s Included in a Cladding Installation?
A professional installation should include:
- Removal of existing render or cladding (if applicable) — adds £8–£15/m²
- Substrate check and repair — structural defects in the substrate must be fixed first
- Breather membrane — vapour-permeable membrane over the sheathing (required for all ventilated cladding systems under BS 5534 or BS 8000-6)
- Counter battens and horizontal battens — creating a ventilated cavity (minimum 25 mm) per NHBC Chapter 6.9
- Cladding boards with appropriate fixings — stainless steel or A2-grade fixings for corrosion resistance
- Flashings and trims — particularly around windows, doors, and at eaves and soffits
- Mastic / sealant — at all penetrations and junctions
Planning and Building Regulations
Planning permission — re-cladding an existing property is generally permitted development in England, unless:
- The property is listed
- It is in a conservation area and the cladding changes the material character
- The new cladding is a material that would be restricted in the area (e.g., some Article 4 directions restrict cladding)
Always check with the LPA if in doubt.
Building Regulations Part B (Fire safety) — following the Building Safety Act 2022 and associated regulations, buildings over 11 m (and especially over 18 m) face strict controls on cladding materials. For domestic extensions and single-family houses under 11 m, the rules are less stringent but combustibility should still be considered — avoid expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in any ventilated void adjacent to combustible structure.
Building Regulations Part L (Thermal performance) — if you are cladding a solid wall and the work represents an upgrade opportunity, Part L requires you to install insulation to achieve a U-value of at most 0.30 W/m²K for the wall. This is a consequential improvement requirement triggered by the refurbishment work.
Tips for Getting the Right Result
- Specify properly — cheap fixings corrode and stain timber within 5 years; always specify A2 or A4 stainless.
- Detail the junctions carefully — most cladding failures start at windowsills, corners, and base of cladding where water ponds.
- Ventilated vs. direct fix — timber and many composites must be installed on a ventilated system; direct-bonded cladding traps moisture.
- Get three quotes from specialist cladding contractors — not general builders who occasionally do cladding. Ask for a system warranty backed by the manufacturer.
