Latest Posts
May 5, 2020 10:13 am
Published by Summit Cladding
People say that you can find anything on the internet if you know where to look. Our latest clients, Bob and Jo from Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, did just that and managed to find Summit Cladding very quickly. They knew what they wanted their house makeover to look like, so they searched on Pinterest, the site that allows users to find ideas from photos and other images. And when they saw pictures of work done by Summit Cladding, they knew they had found what they were looking for. Before the lockdown Bob and Jo contacted us in early March, before the start of the coronavirus lockdown, so there was no problem going to their house for a consultation over a cup... View Article
April 20, 2020 9:41 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Summit Cladding loves a challenge – and here is one that certainly tested us. Our clients were in the process of changing the doors and windows at their home in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, when they took a long hard look at the front of their house. The new windows looked great, but they really did not like the front elevation of the house which was, well, a bit ordinary. As the “before” picture shows, they had a bay window with a Georgian style flat fibreglass roof, which was very fashionable when it was installed ten years ago. But as we’ve said before, fashions change and the style looked very dated. Summit’s challenge The question for us, then, was how to... View Article
April 16, 2020 10:50 am
Published by Summit Cladding
The Coronavirus lockdown has been a massive challenge for businesses and traders, but Summit Cladding is still open and getting the work done. We have just completed our first installation since the restrictions were introduced, taking extra care to observe the government’s guidelines on social distancing. When we first met our clients six weeks ago, at their home in Great Dunmow, Essex, before the lockdown started, they had just had their windows replaced and were keen to have new gutters and fascias to match them. Wide range of colours Their chosen colour was Anthracite Grey number 7016, one of a large range available on the so-called RAL Chart, which always comes up with an exact match. One of the consequences... View Article
March 14, 2020 10:03 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Summit Cladding recently completed an installation for a client who knows quality when he sees it. Steve’s profession was fitting interior furnishings for luxury superyachts, so we knew he would have an eye for detail and craftsmanship. He contacted Summit Cladding after he watched us working on an identical property to his and decided that he wanted the same makeover. As you can see from the photographs, Steve’s house was tile-hung, which can be a very dated look, so we started by removing all the tiles to the centre of the apex. Next, we fitted Kingspan insulation for thermal efficiency, followed by a breathable vapour barrier. James Hardie Cladding comes in a range of colours and as Steve is a... View Article
January 29, 2020 3:07 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Here’s a story about cowboy builders and how to avoid them. Summit Cladding are contacted at least once a month by clients who’ve lost confidence in their general builders. Our latest victim was Joe from Uxbridge, whose builder had promised to build an extension to his bungalow, complete with uPVC fascias and soffits. But it wasn’t long before Joe could see there was a problem and called in the experts. Summit specialises in supplying the very best cladding on the market, installed by skilled craftsmen with years of experience. One look at Joe’s house told us there was a job to be put right. His general builder had left the old timber in place but covered it with uPVC, resulting... View Article
January 20, 2020 1:40 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
We all know that the British weather takes no prisoners, so what better way to stay out of the rain and improve the look of your house than by installing a front door canopy? After one too many soakings on their doorstep, our clients in Woodford, Essex, came to Summit Cladding’s showroom at Crews Hill in Enfield, to see what we could offer. They had thought about building a complete porch, enclosed on both sides, but there just wasn’t enough room to build out on to the driveway. The answer: a bespoke canopy to blend in with the design of their house. Matching design Here at Summit Cladding we offer design suggestions as well as building the product, so after... View Article
January 10, 2020 2:38 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
The start of a new year can prompt many of us to think of renewal and improvement, or just doing something different — which is when Summit Cladding can offer some real choices. We were contacted by prospective clients, in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, who’d had a good hard look at the outside of their house and decided it was time for a makeover. The house was structurally sound, but the owners wanted our advice on how to improve its appearance and drainage efficiency using deep flow guttering. Building styles are just like all other passing trends that come in and out of fashion, and so it was with this property. The photographs taken before we undertook the work shows hanging tiles... View Article
October 23, 2019 12:03 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
If there’s one thing you can say with certainty about the Victorians it’s that they knew how to build houses. Good strong bricklaying with lovely thick woodwork around the roofline. But that means it’s quite a challenge to replace those old bargeboards while keeping the authentic Victorian look. Summit Cladding had been contacted by our client, Patricia, who was maintaining her sister’s property in Haringey, North London, which had been owned by the family for over 50 years. The house had served them well, but with Patricia’s sister due to return home after living in the Caribbean, it was time for a bit of a makeover. Fresh new look The paintwork on those Victorian bargeboards was in poor condition and... View Article
August 22, 2019 9:11 am
Published by Summit Cladding
There’s nothing quite like genuine cedarwood cladding to make a house stand out from the crowd. We’ve written before on here about the importance of getting the right materials, when there is such a wide choice available. Summit Cladding were called to a stunning property in the heart of Epping Forest, not far from Waltham Abbey, Essex. Our clients had employed general builders to do most of the conversion work, but they felt let down when the builders failed to deliver the finished quality demanded by their architect. As a company specialising in cladding, Summit were able to advise on the best choice of timber cladding to suit the look of the property. And, as with every other building material,... View Article
July 23, 2019 11:17 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Here’s a cautionary tale for anyone thinking of fitting seamless guttering on their house: make sure the fascia boards can take the weight! Seamless gutters can look great but supporting them properly is a challenging task. Summit Cladding was contacted by clients in Hadley Wood, who’d been living in their lovely home for over 20 years. They had a large extension built five years ago, when the seamless aluminium guttering was recommended by their builders. When we viewed the property, we saw that the single piece of guttering was over 12 metres long – or about 36 feet – and was hanging off the fascia board at one end, threatening to come right off. Summit’s solution The builders had also... View Article
