Categories for James Hardie Cladding
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 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
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
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 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
May 20, 2019 9:42 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Stunning transformation using Hardieplank cladding In this blog – how Summit Cladding transformed an ugly old garage into a smart new home office using hardieplank cladding. We were contacted by Karen and her husband who live in a 1930s semi-detached house in Greenwich, South London. They were renovating their property, but with space at a premium, they just couldn’t find the room for the home office they both wanted so much. The answer was outside the house! At the side of the property was a single garage built of white-painted concrete panels, standing on an unsightly brick plinth extending part way into the garden. And as Karen and her husband looked at the old building, containing all the odd bits... View Article
March 8, 2019 10:06 am
Published by Summit Cladding
Replacing pebble dash Pebble dash – love it or loathe it? A lot of houses have been covered with this popular exterior finish over the past hundred years or more. But, in our experience, most of our clients want to get rid of it, as was the case with Tanya and her husband, based in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. A large section of pebble dash on the front of their house had fallen away, leaving broken tiles and an ugly mess on the wall. Time for Summit Cladding to put things right! Colour choice They had seen examples of James Hardie Cladding on other buildings and decided that was what they wanted. I showed them samples of different colours and after discussing... View Article
