James Hardie composite cladding installation in Whetstone, North London

The sudden increase in the price of energy has focused everyone’s mind on the best way to keep those gas and electricity bills as low as possible. But apart from turning down the thermostat and switching off unnecessary lights and appliances, what more can we do?

Well, Summit Cladding is already helping to lead the way in thermal efficiency, which was a key requirement of this task in Whetstone, North London. James Hardie concrete composite cladding ticks all the boxes for good looks, good insulation and zero maintenance.

Energy saving target

Our client, Desmond, contacted us two years ago, long before the energy crisis had come to dominate the news. But even then, he was concerned about the escalating cost of heating his home and wanted our work to maximise energy efficiency.

When his house was built, fitting insulation to keep warmth in and save money on fuel bills was not part of local development and building control guidelines – unlike today.

Back in 2020, Desmond was preparing to modernise the rear of his house when the covid pandemic lockdowns brought most things to a halt, including the supply chain of building materials. Fast forward to this summer and, fortunately, the project has just been completed.

Huge colour choice of cladding

Summit’s brief was to fit cladding to the upper storey of the house, covering up the rather dated pebbledash. The colour chosen was “cobblestone,” one of over 25 colours in the James Hardie range, so there’s always one to suit every taste.

As usual, we began by fitting treated timber battens to the walls, which left an ideal cavity to introduce Kingspan fire retardant insulation. Next came a breathable vapour barrier and finally, the cobblestone cladding. The transformation was instant and dramatic – a bright, modern appearance that blends in well with neighbouring properties.

Our client Desmond was away on holiday with his family while the work was completed and kept in touch with progress via video calls. But he’d be the first to agree that nothing beats seeing it in person!

Categorised in: James Hardie Cladding

This post was written by Summit Cladding