UPVC cladding exterior- what the catch?

[Ricardus]

The front 1st floor of my semi has tiles over battens and I'm thinking of replacing the tiles with upvc cladding and filling between the battens with insulation boards. I can buy the cladding, boards and fixings relatively cheaply from several of the big diy chains.
However my local paper carries adverts from DG companies asking £1000's for the cladding.
Is there some trick to fitting cladding that justifies the extra cost? Looks to me like a simple case of couple of blokes with ladders, hammers and a saw.

 

[s60tsy]

for a start dont use hollow cladding if it is suggested as some people do think its ok to use, use 150mm shiplap. Fascias etc are quite cheap but the labour clocks up as it is a job at heights. Also white profile is a lot cheaper than foiled (coloured), If you can get the right discount at the right place 150mm x 5M white shiplap is around £10 a length and rosewood etc. is around £25. There are other trims that may be needed too eg. starter trim, angle, join, arc etc.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You should consider Marley Eternit Cedral Weatherboard, a manmade timber cladding, a hundred times more attractive than upvc and pretty comparable in cost I recall especially if DIYing.

 

[Ricardus]

Thanks s60tsy, I thought the extra cost was probably the 'standing on a ladder' premium.

 

[geraldthehamster]

Thanks s60tsy, I thought the extra cost was probably the 'standing on a ladder' premium.

Also includes a penalty for using stuff that looks ****e.

Cheers
Richard

 

[s60tsy]

I think that depends on the house and the budget though ^

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

No it doesn't it always looks like shoite.

 

[geraldthehamster]

No it doesn't it always looks like shoite.

Perhaps some of it could be mistaken for wood when it's new, but it will all be blotchy and mis-shapen before long. uPVC is no replacement for proper materials.

Cheers
Richard

 

[mattylad]

Its also more likely to be blown off in the wind.

 

[jj4091]

for a start dont use hollow cladding if it is suggested as some people do think its ok to use,

I have often heard this said, but nobody has ever been able to tell me why. If it is ok for soffits etc. then why not facing, especially for the application the op has.

 

[s60tsy]

well its called hollow soffit board, so its specifically a soffit in the name, plus its hollow, which makes it weak. if used on a face, it looks very wavy and where each piece connects it becomes a little dirtier that the rest of the grooves. it also becomes britle and apart from using it as a soffit it shouldnt be used on anything else really. It used to be printed on the back. I dont know what the fitters are like round mattys area, but if fitted right upvc shiplap wont blow off? i still think (if fitted correctly) upvc shiplap looks good in the right area