Every few summers it’s the same job. The ladder comes out, the old timber cladding gets scraped and sanded, and you spend a weekend or two painting it, or paying someone else to. Two or three winters later it’s flaking again, there’s a soft board by the window, and the whole thing starts over.
That’s the real cost of cladding, and it’s the part nobody puts on the quote. It’s not just what you pay to have it fitted. It’s what you keep paying to keep it looking decent.
We recently re-clad a dormer here in Ely that was a perfect example. Here’s what we found, what we fitted instead, and what you should know if you’re thinking about cladding a home in Ely, Littleport, Soham or anywhere around Cambridgeshire.
The job: a tired timber dormer
The dormer had been clad in stained timber boards years ago. From the street it looked dark and tired. Up close it was worse. Boards had split and warped, some had been patched with odd bits of wood, the bottom edges were going soft, and the stain had worn away in streaks where the rain runs off.
None of that is unusual. Timber on a dormer gets the worst of it. It’s high up, it catches every bit of weather coming across the Fens, and it’s awkward to get to, so it tends to get left until it’s really bad.
We stripped the old boards off, checked the timbers and battens underneath, and fitted new HardiePlank® fibre cement cladding in a dark grey, with new trims and new black guttering and downpipe to finish it off. The tiles and flashings either side were tidied in so the whole thing looks like one job, not a patch.
The difference is in the photo above. Same house, same dormer, but it looks years younger, and it won’t need a paintbrush near it.
What is Hardie Plank cladding?
HardiePlank® is a fibre cement weatherboard made by James Hardie. It’s a mix of cement, sand and cellulose fibres, pressed into planks that look like painted timber, with a wood-grain or smooth finish.
The colour is baked on in the factory, not brushed on after. That’s what makes the difference over time. It’s designed to hold its colour rather than fade and flake the way paint and stain do on timber.
There are a few products in the same family, and we fit them all. You can read more about each one on our cladding page:
- HardiePlank®: the classic overlapping weatherboard, like the dormer above
- HardieLinea®: a thicker board with deeper shadow lines
- HardiePanel®: large flat panels for a clean, modern look
- HardieTrim®: matching boards for corners, edges and around windows
Hardie Plank vs timber and uPVC cladding
People usually ask us about three options, so here’s how they compare in plain terms.
Timber looks lovely when it’s new, and there’s nothing wrong with it if you’re happy to look after it. But it needs treating or painting every few years, it can rot where water sits, and it moves as it gets wet and dries out.
uPVC cladding is cheap and easy to wipe down. The downside is it can look a bit plasticky, it can fade and go brittle in strong sun, and it doesn’t always suit older houses around Ely.
Fibre cement like Hardie Plank sits in between. It looks like painted timber, but it doesn’t rot, it isn’t eaten by insects, and it won’t need repainting the way timber does. James Hardie also rates it as non-combustible, which is worth knowing on any home. You can check the product details on the James Hardie UK website.
It’s heavier and more work to fit than uPVC, so it needs to go on properly, on sound battens with the right fixings and gaps. That’s where an experienced installer matters.
So what’s the real cost of cladding?
We get asked how much cladding costs more than anything else, and the honest answer is that it depends on your house. The main things that change the price are:
- The size of the area. A single dormer is a very different job to a whole gable end or a full house.
- Height and access. Dormers and upper walls usually need scaffolding. Ground-floor walls often don’t.
- What’s underneath. If the old cladding is hiding rotten battens or timbers, they need sorting first. We’ll always show you if we find something.
- The product and finish. Plank, Linea or Panel, and the trims and colour you choose.
- Extras done at the same time. Lots of people do guttering, fascias and soffits while the scaffold is up, because it saves paying for access twice. See our fascias, soffits and guttering page.
What we can tell you is how we price. We come out, have a proper look and give you a free, no-obligation quote. The price we give is the price you pay, with no hidden extras, and we don’t ask for deposits or money up front. You can read more about how we work on our about page.
And when you’re comparing quotes, think about the whole life of the cladding, not just the day it goes on. A cheaper option that needs painting every few years can easily end up costing more over ten or fifteen years than one that just needs a wash now and then.
Do you need planning permission for cladding?
Often not, but it depends where you live, and this catches people out in Ely more than most places.
According to the Planning Portal, you don’t usually need planning permission to clad your house, as long as the materials are similar in appearance to what’s already there. But if your home is in a conservation area you’ll need permission before cladding the outside, and listed buildings need listed building consent.
Ely has a large conservation area around the cathedral and the old city centre, and there are others in villages across East Cambridgeshire. If you’re not sure, check with East Cambridgeshire District Council before work starts. We’re always happy to talk it through when we come out to quote.
Does cladding help with damp or insulation?
Cladding on its own isn’t insulation, but it does protect the wall or frame behind it from the weather. Fitted properly, with a breathable membrane and a ventilated gap behind the boards, it lets moisture escape rather than trapping it.
That gap is important. Cladding that’s fitted tight to a wall with no ventilation can hold damp against it. If you want to add insulation at the same time, it can usually be built in behind the new cladding, and we’ll talk you through what’s sensible for your house.
Looking after Hardie Plank cladding
This is the good bit. There’s not much to do.
- Give it a wash with water and a soft brush now and then, especially on the side that gets green.
- Keep gutters and downpipes clear so water isn’t pouring down the boards.
- If a board ever gets knocked and chipped, it can be touched up in the matching colour.
That’s about it. No sanding, no stripping, no repainting every few summers.
Why choose Ely Roofing Company for cladding?
We’re a family-run firm based in Littleport, and we’ve been on the tools for over 35 years. We fit cladding, roofs, fascias and guttering for homes in Ely, Littleport, Soham and across Cambridgeshire.
- Free site visit and no-obligation quote
- No deposits or money up front
- All our work is guaranteed
- Clean, tidy and on time
Don’t just take our word for it. Have a read of what our customers say on our reviews page, and see more finished jobs on our portfolio. If your roof needs attention while the scaffold’s up, we can look at that too, from roof repairs to full pitched roofs.
Whoever you use, make sure they’re properly established and insured. Schemes like TrustMark are a good place to start if you’re checking out a tradesperson.
Get a free cladding quote in Ely
If your cladding is looking tired, or you’re fed up with repainting it, give us a ring. We’ll come out, have a look and tell you honestly what we’d do.
📞 01353 861590
📱 Call or WhatsApp 07970 753613
✉️ Get in touch on our contact page
Cladding FAQs
How much does it cost to clad a house in the UK?
It depends on the size of the area, how high it is, what’s underneath and which product you choose. A single dormer and a whole house are very different jobs. We’ll come out, measure up and give you a free, fixed quote, and the price we give is the price you pay.
Is Hardie Plank worth it?
If you don’t want to keep repainting, usually yes. It costs more to fit than uPVC, but the colour is baked on, it doesn’t rot and it doesn’t need repainting the way timber does, so it tends to work out better over the life of the cladding.
How long does Hardie Plank last?
Fibre cement is built to last for decades when it’s fitted properly. Our Hardie Plank cladding comes with a 15-year guarantee, so you’re covered long after we’ve packed up.
Does Hardie Plank cladding need painting?
No. The colour is factory-applied and designed to resist fading, so it doesn’t need repainting like timber. A wash now and then is all it really needs.
Is Hardie Plank cladding waterproof?
The boards themselves don’t soak up water and swell like timber, and they won’t rot. Like any cladding, it’s part of a system, so it needs a breathable membrane and a ventilated gap behind it to keep the wall dry.
Is Hardie Plank fireproof?
James Hardie rates HardiePlank® fibre cement as non-combustible, which is one reason it’s often chosen over timber and uPVC. Check the current fire rating on the James Hardie UK website for your project.
Do I need planning permission for cladding my house?
Usually not, if the material looks similar to what’s already there. But in a conservation area, which covers much of central Ely, you’ll need planning permission, and listed buildings need listed building consent. Check with East Cambridgeshire District Council if you’re unsure.
Does cladding cause damp?
Not if it’s fitted properly. Cladding needs a breathable membrane and a ventilated gap behind it so moisture can escape. Cladding fixed tight to a wall with no air gap can trap damp, which is why fitting matters as much as the product.
Is uPVC cladding any good?
It’s cheap and easy to clean, but it can look plasticky, fade and go brittle over time. Fibre cement like Hardie Plank looks more like real painted timber and lasts better, especially on older houses.
Do you fit cladding in Littleport, Soham and the villages?
Yes. We’re based in Littleport and fit cladding across Ely, Soham and the surrounding Cambridgeshire villages. Give us a call on 01353 861590 to check we cover your area.