As the owner of a 1980s brick-built detached house in Chessington, Toby Spencer had never liked the austere timber cladding that covered most of the top half of the house. When time and weather finally began to take their toll on the black painted wood after 10 years, he decided to consider a tougher, longer-lasting option.
Having researched plastic cladding as a replacement, Toby was introduced to HardiePlank® cladding by JamesHardie® preferred contractor Square Deal. And by choosing the product in Traditional Red, he said goodbye to the black weatherboard in favour of a brighter future.
‘I never liked the black wood, it looked like a shed,’ says Toby. ‘Condition-wise it was all right, but gradually got worse. We started getting damp in one of the bedrooms and found that the soffits, gutters and wood were worn out. We needed to do something, and it was an opportunity to change the colour, so we thought we’d go for that too. I was going to go for a plastic replacement initially, but Andrew from Square Deal came round and convinced us that the HardiePlank cladding lasts longer and is more durable, so we went for that.’
Another key factor in Toby’s decision to opt for fibre cement cladding was its low maintenance. Having seen the samples and learned how the HardiePlank requires minimal upkeep, it was a straightforward choice.
‘Square Deal brought some samples round, and I liked it,’ says Toby. ‘Discovering it was low maintenance was another plus, as I’m often busy with work and don’t have the time to be keeping on top of maintenance needs. I wasn’t keen on the plastic, so the HardiePlank definitely turned out to be a better option, it certainly looks better. We thought the red might end up being a bit bright but it blends really well and we’re happy we chose it.’
Square Deal began work on the house in May, and the job took two weeks to complete. The response from friends and neighbours has been overwhelmingly positive.
‘Our neighbours are all happy with it,’ says Toby. ‘We live in a row of four houses, where two are tiled and two have wooden cladding, but everyone’s been complimentary. It’s certainly been a worthwhile solution and will prove value for money. All that will need doing is the odd bit of wiping down, and I’d like to think it has added value to the house. Square Deal provided a really good service, we were certainly happy with them. They also insulated underneath, which wasn’t insulated before so hopefully we should be that bit warmer in the winter.’
Now the work is finished, Toby is reflecting on a job well done and some impressive results.
‘We’re really happy with it,’ he says.
‘A lady stopped outside the house the other day to ask what it was, and who had done the work so we told her about HardiePlank and Square Deal. It’s nice to get positive feedback.’
‘If you want a job doing, you may as well do it properly and I think we’ve achieved that.
Overall we’re so pleased with the results, and would recommend HardiePlank to anyone else looking to replace cladding.’
For more inspiration check www.jameshardie.co.uk or request a sample here.
