Author Archives for Summit Cladding
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
August 21, 2020 10:21 am
Published by Summit Cladding
The history of weatherboarding on buildings is a topic that Summit Cladding is keenly aware of when it comes to its modern equivalent. Timber cladding is thought to have been in use since around the 5th Century, wherever there was a plentiful supply of wood such as in Britain, Scandinavia and North America. It’s still widely in use today, of course, and it’s lovely to look at. But to keep it in top condition it has to be carefully maintained and re-stained or painted every few years. Cladding revolution In recent years Summit Cladding has been at the forefront of the evolution of traditional timber to the James Hardie composite material with a wood grain effect that is so good... View Article
August 14, 2020 9:34 am
Published by Summit Cladding
What do you do when you have to cancel your dream holiday because of the pandemic? The answer: fulfil another dream and give your house a makeover instead! That was the choice facing our clients in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire when Covid-19 put paid to their plans for a holiday in San Francisco. They had also wanted to update their property, after living there for over 20 years, so this seemed the right time to do it. The 1970s bungalow was looking a bit dated, as any house would after 50 years. In those days replacement aluminium windows were just being introduced to the market and Formica kitchen worktops were thought to be cutting edge. New Cladding Colour Things have moved on... View Article
July 21, 2020 11:44 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Who would imagine going shopping for garden plants, but ending up getting a house renovation? That’s what happened for our clients, Mark and Roz, after they visited Springtime Nurseries in Crews Hill, Enfield, where Summit Cladding have their showroom. They had been thinking for some time about getting work done on their house, but they didn’t know who to approach. Seeing our showroom at the nurseries was a “lightbulb moment” and after talking to us they knew they’d found the right place. New soffits and fascias Summit Cladding are proud to have a showroom where prospective clients can see actual examples of our work and discuss their needs with a professional company. Mark and Roz wanted to replace the wooden... View Article
July 6, 2020 2:24 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Estate agents love to talk about “kerb appeal” when describing a house for sale. Does it look good from the front – like a perfect smile with a good set of teeth? Well, one way to be sure that your property has kerb appeal is to fit a brand new front door canopy. Summit Cladding was contacted by Kevin, from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, just before the pandemic lockdown. He and his wife had lived in their home for five years and were getting fed up with the existing flat canopy that was fitted when the house was built. Every time it rained, water would flow over the front of it, soaking anyone trying to get in or out of the... View Article
May 17, 2020 2:02 pm
Published by Summit Cladding
Some of our older readers might remember the Danny Kaye song from many years ago: “There once was an ugly duckling…” Well that was how our client, Chrissy, saw her own house when compared with her neighbours’ homes in a leafy part of Kingston-upon-Thames, south London. Chrissy’s “ugly duckling” house had fallen into disrepair due to personal circumstances, but she had watched as all the neighbouring properties were refurbished and she wanted to make her mark as well. Cracks to fill When I visited for the first time I noted that much of the cement and brickwork had minor cracks. Although the building was structurally sound, this would have to be remedied before Summit could fit the cladding. There were... View Article
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
