Jonathan White, consultant at Gleeds R&D, gives an overview of cladding costs
Cladding has become a significant part of the construction process. Its selection, specification and procurement is now on par with building services as a major sub-element. For many large projects, its procurement can be a primary factor in determining the overall construction programme. Erection time can be of paramount importance, especially if access at street level will cause disruption.
Amendments to Building Regulations mean that the building envelope has to meet increasingly stringent performance criteria.
Changes to Part L have major implications for cladding design particularly with regard to overheating. Care must be taken when specifying insulation and when ensuring that the air tightness of the building is sound and tested.
With glazing still a preferred look for commercial buildings, innovation and smart designs are needed to achieve compliant performance.
The implications of sustainability and its effect on the appearance of the facades should be addressed early in the design process.
Cladding contractors usually have design responsibility but must consider the building’s dynamics. Elements that contain brittle components, such as facades, will need the building movement to have been fully assessed.
Other factors to consider early are buildability and access for cleaning and maintenance.
The rates below are a guide to cladding costs and are current at 1Q2015 and UK mean. No allowance is made for sundry or related preliminaries costs. VAT is excluded.
Panelled walling range: £/m2
Precast concrete panels; including insulation; lining and fixings generally 7.5 m by 150 mm thick by storey height
Standard panels or aggregate finish £200-£300
Reconstructed stone faced panels £250-£8200
Brick clad panels (pc £400/1000 for bricks) £350-£470
Natural stone faced panels (Portland stone or similar) £430-£520
Marble or granite faced panels £560-£750
Tiles (clay/slate/glass/ceramic)
Machine made clay / handmade sand faced tiles; including battens £30-£45
Concrete plain tiles; including battens £40-£50
Natural slates; including battens £70-£90
20 X 20 mm thick mosaic glass or ceramic; prepared surface £90-£110
Profiled metal sheeting
Steel covering, profiled A50-30 to outer face, GA600 lining to inner face, inc profile filers and sealing, fixing to and inc vertical and horizontal secondary supports
100 mm / 150mm shiplap £60-£70 / £50-£60
Composite wall panel; micro rib, coated steel outer and inner liners, 0.6m-1m widths
60 mm thick; u-value 0.35 £80-£90
80 mm thick; u-value 0.26 £80-£100
100 mm thick; u-value 0.20 £90-£110
Composite wall panel; flat, coated steel outer and inner liners, 0.6m-1m widths
60 mm thick; u-value 0.35 £130-£150
80 mm thick; u-value 0.26 £130-£160
100 mm thick; u-value 0.20 £140-£170
Rigid sheet cladding
6mm thick melamine finish solid laminate wall panels
Up to 300 mm wide / more than 300 mm wide £30-£40 / £80-£90
Mineral enamel faced rigid fibre cement sheeting
7.5 mm thick cladding
Up to 300 mm wide / more than 300 mm wide £25-£30 / £70-£90
To eaves, verge soffit boards, fascia boards, and the like
100 /200 / 300 mm wide £15-£20 / £20-£30 / £25-£30
Weatherboarding; resin-bonded cellulose fibre panels, supports and fixing
8 mm face fixed / adhesive fixed to timber battens / aluminium rails £130-£190
10 mm secret fixed to aluminium rails £180-£220
Rainscreen Range
Tongued and grooved tantalised softwood boarding; including timber battens or timber shingles, western red cedar, no sub-frame/battens
25 mm thick to walls £40-£65
Western red cedar T+G wall cladding on treated softwood battens on breather membrane, 10 mm backing board, 50 mm insulation, fixed to a steel frame including sealing all joints etc
26 mm thick to walls, boards laid horizontally £70-£90
Aluminium composite cladding with thermoplastic cores, back ventilation, including insulation, vapour control membrane and aluminium support system
4 mm thick, fixed to walls £130-£160
Terracotta cladding, insulation, vapour control membrane, aluminium support system
400 X 200 x 30 mm tile cladding; to walls £230-£280
Curtain walling excluding integral doors and/or windows
Stick curtain walling system, proprietary solution, PPC solid colour matt finish or natural anodized. Floor to ceiling glass sealed units with 8.8 mm low e coated laminated inner pane, air cavity and 8 mm monolithic heat strengthened outer pane with external beading. Includes glass fronted solid spandrel panels, all brackets, membranes, fire stopping contractor prelims and external access equipment
Flat system £310-£380
Extra over for:
High performance coating in lieu of low e coating £25-£30
Inner laminated glass to be heat strengthened laminated £25-£30
Outer glass to be heat strengthened laminated £25-£30
in lieu of monolithic strengthened
Ceramic fritting glass on surface £35-£40
Flush glass finish without external face caps £35-£40
Typical coping detail £190-£230
Typical sill detail £150-£180
Intermediate transom £35-£40
As above; unitised curtain walling system, proprietary solution, PPC
Flat system £630-£770
Extra over figures as above except:
Flush glass finish without external face caps £45-£50