Re cladding our house opinions?

[BLKWDW]

Hey all we recently had 2 companies come out to the house, looking at recladding the outside of the house. First company was formplex using a plastic based cladding with insulation. Cost to do the house and shed was $18500. We had another company come out called panelspan also to give us a seperate quote and they use a steel cladding with insulation and for the house, shed and gabbles was $18600.

They both had done a few houses in the area so we went for a look to see what they looked liked. Well i can say i wasnt that impressed really. None of them looked any better then our current fibro type cladding we have currently on the house. In saying the that a section of the back of the house is just hardiplank which we used for the outside walls on the addition so 2 different looks and the shed is in need of new walls regardless really.

So my question really is it worth spending the money on getting the everything done when apart from a few parts it wont look any better?
Would we be better of just fixing the shed up or possibly replacing it with new steel one as it was an extra 4k to include the shed.
Are there other options for r doing the external walls that are a similar price or possibly less like getting the house rendered which i really love.

Whats your opinions.

[D4D]

When I was younger (no experience with houses) I bought a house that was Formplex clad, never again. When trying to sell it every potential buyer wondered what was behind it (covered up) and it reduced the eventual sale price. It looks very 70's and I liken it to the fake brick panels that were also around at that time. For $18K that's a lot of paint and a freshen up for your existing exterior.

[BLKWDW]

Yeh i know what you mean. I would like the new addition to look the rest of the house though or maybe we should embrace its difference and make it a feature part of the backyard. this is the stuff panel span use but it looks exactly the same
http://www.pictonbros.com.au/Panelspan-Steelform-Exterior-Cladding

This is our house now


I was also thinking the extra 4-5k it was going to cost to do the shed we would be better of putting up a new colourbond shed for the same or less money.

[rags]

Have you considered recladding in colour bond corrigated sheeting,as it can look great when done well. Also consider some of the various weathertex or hardies cladding,needs painting but can look great also.
With my brother [carpenter]and I [plumber] we have just reclad mums old 1950 fibro house in a combo of weathertex millwood profile and some corri sheets and looks a treat amongst the new knock down rebuild houses in her street.
The problem with the type of cladding you have been quoted they will always look like a fibro house that has been reclad.
Get a quote from a carpenter for recladding in an alternative.
Or leave it as it is and spend the money on a camper and trip or two

[Murph]

When I was younger (no experience with houses) I bought a house that was Formplex clad, never again. When trying to sell it every potential buyer wondered what was behind it (covered up) and it reduced the eventual sale price. It looks very 70's and I liken it to the fake brick panels that were also around at that time. For $18K that's a lot of paint and a freshen up for your existing exterior.

+1

[ras]

Blueboard and render could work for you if you want a render look.

There is also a system where polystyrene panels are used for cladding (and insulation) which is then rendered.

You could use old fashioned weatherboard too, which I like.

Best bet is to settle on a look you like and then look for a product/system that will give it 

Note that any time you change the overall wall thickness, it gets fiddly and costly to blend in doors and windows, so try and keep the overall wall thickness. Once the cladding is off you can usually insulate the walls easily.

So many choices.

Ras

[Sir Kev + Darkie]

The polystyrene panels are not a Nationally compliant external cladding, they are still being regarded as an alternate solution with many failing to maintain a waterproof barrier due to the render failing. Which is causing quite a few $thousand in associated repairs.

[Nomad]

One of my good mates had the polystyrene panels and I have seen alot of homes done with it and it looks crap.
If you want render use blue board, but I don't think its characteristic of your house.

I think for the style of your house fibro with vertical timber strips would look good or weatherboards. Hardies have a newish profile weatherboard out which looks really nice.

Good luck.   

[GeoffA]

..........Hardies have a newish profile weatherboard out which looks really nice.

I agree. I have a mate that used Hardie weatherboards for his new build in a fire prone area. They look very smart.

[lino6]

I do like the look of corrugated iron cladding if it is done right. Done wrong makes your house look like a shed. Plus you need to pick your area to do it, in a flash residential area might look out of place.

[Nomad]

I do like the look of corrugated iron cladding if it is done right. Done wrong makes your house look like a shed. Plus you need to pick your area to do it, in a flash residential area might look out of place.

Used minimally it can compliment what ever your main cladding is, over do it and it looks crap and amateurish. I have it on a rental and it looks sh!t from where its rusting around the bottom cover section. Mini orb is the same and prone to denting.

[kylarama]

The problem with the type of cladding you have been quoted they will always look like a fibro house that has been reclad.
Get a quote from a carpenter for recladding in an alternative.

This.

Problem with these types of claddings is they are a one size fits all product.  They need H joiners to join the cladding sheets, internal and external flashings and plastic 'U' trims around windows and doors never look right compared to traditional architraves.

Without knowing your houses age, exact construction or if asbestos is present.  Maybe strip the cladding, insulate the walls (if not already done), sisalation and clad with trad weatherboards, Hardi Plank, corrie, or a mixture, fitted with proper corner beads and architraves.
A cheaper way would be to batten straight over the existing sheet and then clad, you just need to be able to trim around windows and doors neatly.

[Jon]

In short-
DON'T DO IT

Waste
Of
Ffing
Time
And
Money

[austastar]

Hi,
  I wouldn't clad over existing outside skin.
Do it properly, if it needs doing, replace the skin with new, and insulate with rockwool or similar while you have access.


My son took of his tired timber weather-boards and replaced them with a hardiplank product that looked similar but will never rot like the timber did.
With the outside skin off, it was obvious the window frames were rotting as well, so they were replaced with double glazed aluminium units.
Yep! it cost him money, but skinning over the existing structure would have possibly cost more in the long run, and now he has a neat trim job that he knows is sound and will never give him trouble for decades, and will not cause doubt and concern to potential buyers when he comes to sell.


cheers

[BLKWDW]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I dont think i'm real keen now on going a cladding based product as they all look pretty similar to what we currently have. If i was to change the exterior it would be for a different look i think. Most of the houses in the street are either a nice new modern looking brick house or an old fibro sheet house so a mix of new and crap looking. We fall in the middle. Colourbond sheeting would be nice i think would need to see a few houses done like it first to see.

Other option is to paint what we have. instead of trying to blend in the new renovated section at the rear of the house maybe make it a feature of the backyard(especially once the entertaining area gets done) and rear of the house. Its is a cladding done with hardie plank so similiar look but just different material to what son the house. The extra 5k it was going to cost to have the shed done(included in the 18.5k price) would prob be better of spent of removing the old shed and putting up a new colourbond shed.

The current cladding on the house is in good nick we just need to finish painting what we started 2 yrs ago or just start again.

its alot of money we are borrowing on the house so want to make sure it spent in the best possible way.

[Moggy]

When I was building & doing renos I always advised customers to get a picture of how you like the finished project & work towards that. So I would think that unless you're planning on selling soon, then perhaps do the entertainment area get some quotes to paint the lot & then look at the shed. If you're thinking selling just get a professional to do it. Make sure you 3 quotes

Sent from my XT905 using Tapatalk

[prodigyrf]

DIY-
http://www.weathertex.com.au/products/weatherboards/primelok/primelok-classic-smooth/
and don't forget to insulate the walls and add reflective laminate before the boards go on. Board plus fibre insulation for convection and conduction and foil laminate for reflection of radiant heat and you'll be snug and very smart looking.

With those Primelok boards once you have a single level run accurately positioned at the bottom you're just clipping the next one on top and fixing its top edge with no exposed fixings.

[Kit_e_kat9]

If you like the rendered look, why not try cladding in Hebel and rendering that.  It is a light weight concrete product that has insulating properties (both noise and heat/cold) and is easily cut to suit whatever purpose. 

Just a thought.

Kit_e

P.S.  A nice coat of modern colours would also look good.

[prodigyrf]

Rendered 'Hebel' or generically Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) panels do provide a fireproof, high R rating external walling but be aware it is designed to weight bear on the footing with the screw fixing to 20mm top hat steel battens across the studs merely holding the panels laterally as shown-
http://www.hebelaustralia.com.au/Pages/Systems-and-Finishes/Hebel-Systems-PowerPanel-houses.aspx

So with a fibro timber frame home you'll either need to provide a strip footing all round or fix a galvanised support lintel to the base of the stud walls in order to support the panels and any stumping problems will need to be addressed as footing movement with AAC will be more problematic than planking alternatives.

Personally I think AAC panel floating in mid air on lintels looks cacky but a feature brick base can overcome that but at greater expense. Like Weathertex, be aware Hardies have one man fixing (apart from the first base plank) planking in very smart finish- http://www.jameshardie.com.au/products/primeline.html and it can look great on a feature brick base but where do you stop?
http://www.realestate.com.au/home-ideas/results-facades-brick-weatherboard/list-1

[Sir Kev + Darkie]

If you like the rendered look, why not try cladding in Hebel and rendering that.  It is a light weight concrete product that has insulating properties (both noise and heat/cold) and is easily cut to suit whatever purpose. 

Just a thought.

Kit_e

P.S.  A nice coat of modern colours would also look good.

Hebel is yet another product that is not fully compliant to Current building requirements and it is only used as an alternate solution due to render failures, which then allow moisture to enter the building

Both Hebel and the Poly companies are working towards achieving a Building Code Compliance stamp.

[Robbo]

I would choose weatherboards. Done properly i think they would suit your house and they always look timeless and tidy.
I would also strip the existing cladding first and install insulation in the walls while you have access to them. You may even want to add extra electrical wiring for power points etc while the walls are open.

[brickiematt]

Hebel is yet another product that is not fully compliant to Current building requirements and it is only used as an alternate solution due to render failures, which then allow moisture to enter the building

Both Hebel and the Poly companies are working towards achieving a Building Code Compliance stamp.

Really I've done quite a few houses using hebel blocks, and we're installing hebel panels more and more at work in place of blockwork. We've done 2 towers in the Docklands where all internal walls were hebel panels.

I hate the stuff. Lightweight it definitely aint

[Mrs smith]

If it were mine.
I'd update the windows (large windows to the floor) remove old cladding, blue-board
the exterior and synthetic render it using two colours.   

[prodigyrf]

Hebel is yet another product that is not fully compliant to Current building requirements and it is only used as an alternate solution due to render failures, which then allow moisture to enter the building

Both Hebel and the Poly companies are working towards achieving a Building Code Compliance stamp.

Huh? There are many considerations to comply with the requirements of the BCA when using rendered AAC panels, just as there are for any cladding product and here's a sample of them with Hebel-
http://moreplas.com.au/residential-walls/external-walls.html
You meet those requirements and both Hebel and render suppliers like Dulux will back their product but step outside those parameters and you're on your own just like you are with any building product. Most product problems and failures arise because the user doesn't understand fully the underlying requirements for use and there is no such thing as some esoteric Building Code 'Stamp of Approval', just a range of parameters to be met.

[prodigyrf]

And note the Dulux Acratex coating system is a 3 step process applied by professionals and guaranteed and hence not for the handyman or novice and not some cheap rollon or paint job-
 http://www.dulux.com.au/specifier/our-brands/dulux-acratex/system-solutions
It's why I'd stick with those planking options for a timber frame fibro home built to practices that would be extremely difficult to confirm as being up to scratch for Hebel structural requirements nowadays.