Latest Posts
February 3, 2021 12:53 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Nobody who saw the pictures of the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower in 2017 can forget how the cladding on the side of the building fuelled the flames. Perhaps that helps explain why, during the past three years, Summit Cladding has been asked to supply cement-based composite boards. There are two manufacturers of this product and in our opinion the brand we use, James Hardie cladding, is the best, and the one we used on this property in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Back in the 1990s house cladding was made of uPVC and generally only available in white. In the 2000s we saw the introduction of colours, mainly wood grain and black, although these were technically white with a coloured foil.... View Article
January 29, 2021 3:40 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
We have written before on this blog how cladding had developed over the years, as a cheap and plentiful building material. As one of the most heavily wooded countries in Europe in days gone by, Britain had a constant supply of trees to make timber cladding. But things have come a long way since then and you can now get facing materials in a much wider range than just wood. Composite materials can include blends of cement and plastics, aluminium, vinyl, even compacted straw fibres. So, the choice is huge if you are looking for an alternative. Our clients in Heybridge, near Maldon, Essex, loved the look of their house, but they were not looking forward to regular maintenance of... View Article
January 18, 2021 12:07 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
If every picture tells a story the photograph of the wall of this house before work was started on our latest project speaks volumes. One glance at the damp brickwork underneath the large concrete gutter tells you all you need to know about so-called Finlock gutters. Actually, there’s a lot more to know about Finlock guttering, as we’ve discussed on this blog before. This style of concrete guttering was all the rage in the 1950s and 60s, when there was plenty of concrete available, but not much ironwork because so much had been used up in the war. Design flaws with Finlock guttering Summit Cladding was called in by our clients in Brookmans Park, Hertfordshire, to sort out the many... View Article
January 12, 2021 11:48 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Just imagine how nice it would be to get rid of all those dirty old paint brushes in the garage and never have to buy another tin of paint. With Summit Cladding, that becomes a reality. We were contacted by clients near Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, who were fed up with the constant round of painting and renovating their wooden bargeboards, fascias and soffits. It’s a laborious job at the best of times, and not without danger standing at the top of a ladder. And if you hire a contractor every few years it doesn’t come cheap. Fit and Forget Our clients were renovating their substantial and attractive property and wanted to retain the period features, so Summit’s solution was to fit... View Article
January 5, 2021 11:13 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Summit Cladding is always prepared to take on a major renovation project, but sometimes it’s the smaller jobs that can make all the difference to the look of a property. We were contacted by a client who lives in a lovely period house in Bush Hill Park, just outside Enfield, north London. It’s a beautifully restored property complete with period features. But there was one thing letting it down. At the back of the garage was a single storey extension which had clearly seen better days. It was coated in rough, poor quality white render, with a door and window that needed a lick of paint. The whole thing contrasted badly with the lovely old brickwork at the back of... View Article
November 23, 2020 9:34 am
Published by Summit Cladding
A marvellous example of how James Hardie cladding can transform the exterior of a property in Royston, Hertfordshire. During the Tudor period 500 years ago, house builders had a plentiful supply of materials to work with — mainly, of course, timber. Britain was a much more heavily-wooded country in those far off days and many of the timber-framed houses which were built then still survive today. They look solid and attractive, which is why there was a recent design fashion for “Mock Tudor” — homes built with modern materials but clad in strips of timber to give the appearance of structural beams. Damp problems This design might look nice, but it can give rise to big problems with damp penetration.... View Article
November 6, 2020 3:31 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
One of the challenges facing Summit Cladding when starting a new job is to find out whether any restrictive covenants might influence how we do the work. Covenants are rules and regulations that are agreed between landowners, developers and homeowners, such as stipulations about building materials, paintwork and access. Our client, Alison, who lives in a quiet close in Croydon, came to us about replacing her front door canopy. But her road had a covenant in place, ruling that the window frames and canopy had to remain the same colour. Worn out roof The covenant did not, however, stipulate what materials should be used, and Alison urgently needed to replace the feather-edge timber canopy roof, which was far from watertight.... View Article
October 26, 2020 2:51 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
We have written several times on this blog about the problems caused by cracked render, and how Summit Cladding is called in to help homeowners find a solution, particularly using James Hardie cladding. When rendering works properly it can extend the life of a wall by stopping damp penetration and adding a layer of insulation. But when it cracks, bulges or flakes you know you’ve got trouble. Our clients in the leafy Kent town of Westerham called us in before things got that bad, although hairline cracks were starting to appear in their external render. It was a case of “just in time.” Famous location As you may know, Westerham is near Sir Winston Churchill’s country home, Chartwell, which is... View Article
September 19, 2020 11:07 am
Published by Summit Cladding
This was a very unusual project for Summit Cladding and one with its own unique set of challenges from the start. The targets were three superb penthouse flats in the heart of Chelsea, one of the most desirable parts of London. But they sat on the sixth floor of a residential block just off the Kings Road, and the question of how to get the materials up there caused a bit of head-scratching. Our initial inspection of the penthouses had revealed the problem that Summit was tasked to fix: fascias and soffits made of plywood that had been badly affected by the weather. Water penetration damage The big disadvantage of plywood is that, over time, water can start to penetrate... View Article
September 8, 2020 4:42 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Summit Cladding is often called to the rescue by homeowners when things go wrong with their walls. And number One on that list of problems is cracked render. Now, render can be a good thing. It can extend the life of a brick or breezeblock wall, it can add a layer of insulation and stop damp penetration. But the problems start when the render cracks and lets in moisture. Cracking, bulging and flaking are all telltale signs that water has got in and frost damage has done the rest. Summit recommended This is what faced our clients at their home in Theydon Bois, Essex when they came to Summit Cladding for a solution, after being recommended by a friend we... View Article
