How Much Does It Cost to Replace Cladding?

As a broad UK guide, full cladding replacement typically costs in the region of £150 to £500 or more per square metre of facade, combining strip-out, access and the new system. For a single house, projects commonly run from several thousand pounds for a small elevation with uPVC or timber to £20,000 and above for full replacement in a rainscreen system. For residential blocks, whole-project budgets routinely run from the low hundreds of thousands into the millions. These figures are indicative only - a survey-led, measured scope is the only reliable basis.

Replacement on a house#

Domestic replacement is usually priced as a whole job rather than per square metre. The main variables are the elevation area, the system chosen, whether access needs scaffolding, and what is found behind the existing boards. uPVC sits at the lower end; fibre cement, timber and metal systems cost more but last longer and need less maintenance.

Replacement on a block or commercial building#

On larger buildings the budget breaks into distinct phases:

• Investigation: facade surveys, intrusive inspections and testing to establish what is actually on the building
• Design and compliance: specification, building regulations approval and, on higher-risk buildings, gateway approvals
• Enabling works: scaffolding or other access, protection and temporary weatherproofing
• Construction: strip-out, disposal, and installation of framing, insulation, cavity barriers and the new facade
• Certification: testing, building control sign-off and handover documentation

Access, prelims and professional fees together commonly account for a third or more of the total, which is why headline per-m2 material rates understate real project costs.

What moves the price most#

• Building height and access method
• The replacement system and its required support framing
• Condition of the substrate and structure revealed at strip-out
• Occupation - working around residents or operations adds programme and protection cost
• Compliance requirements driven by building height and use

Who pays#

Where replacement follows the discovery of fire safety defects, the cost may be met by a developer commitment, a government funding scheme, or the building owner rather than leaseholders, subject to the protections in the Building Safety Act 2022. Our guide to who pays for cladding remediation explains the position.

How to budget reliably#

The sequence that avoids surprises is: survey and intrusive investigation first; performance specification second; competitive tendering against a measured schedule third. Contingency for discoveries behind the old cladding should be held until strip-out is complete. Contact us to arrange a facade survey as the first step to a dependable replacement budget.