How Much Does Recladding Cost?

As a broad UK guide, full recladding - strip-out plus supply and installation of a new system - is typically priced in the region of £150 to £500 or more per square metre of facade, depending on the replacement system, building height and complexity. Whole-project costs for residential blocks routinely run from the low hundreds of thousands into several million pounds. These are indicative ranges only; a survey-led, measured scope is the only dependable basis for a budget.

What sits inside a recladding budget#

• Pre-construction: surveys, intrusive inspections, fire engineering input, design and specification
• Access: scaffolding, mast climbers or rope access, plus temporary weather protection
• Strip-out: removal and licensed disposal of the existing system
• New works: support framing, insulation, cavity barriers, fire stops, panels and flashings
• Compliance: building control sign-off, testing and certification
• Professional fees: design team, project management and clerk of works

It is common for access, professional fees and prelims together to account for a third or more of the total.

What drives the price up or down#

The replacement system#

Fibre cement, aluminium, terracotta and high-pressure laminate systems sit at very different price points, and the support framing they need differs too. Material choice is the biggest single variable after access.

Height, geometry and exposure#

Taller buildings cost more to access and must meet more demanding performance requirements. Complex geometry, balconies and projecting features add detailing time.

What is found behind the old cladding#

Missing cavity barriers, damaged sheathing, corroded fixings or defective insulation are only visible once the old system comes off. Sensible budgets carry a contingency for remediation of the substrate.

Occupation and phasing#

Recladding an occupied block takes longer and costs more than an empty one. Phasing around residents, schools or trading businesses adds programme and protection costs.

Planning and compliance costs#

Recladding often triggers building regulations approval, sometimes planning consent, and - on higher-risk buildings - gateway approvals. Fees, specialist reports and the design work needed to demonstrate compliance should be budgeted from day one, not discovered later.

Funding#

Depending on the building and its height, government funding schemes or developer remediation commitments may cover part or all of the cost. Our guide to who pays for cladding remediation explains the current position.

Getting a reliable number#

The dependable sequence is: survey and intrusive investigation first, then a performance specification, then competitive tendering against a measured schedule. Budgets built on square-metre rules of thumb alone routinely miss by a wide margin. Contact us to discuss a survey-led cost plan for your building.