Preparing Your Home for Winter: Essential Renovations to Stay Warm
Preparing Your Home for Winter: Essential Renovations to Stay Warm
Most traditional houses were built with cladding that might need a touch-up; pair that with thin walls and minimal insulation, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a chilly winter.
You can already see the potential issues that houses like these will face during the colder months.
Heat escapes, dampness creeps in, and you may face shivers indoors even with the heaters blasting. When the cold wind blows, any gaps or worn-out exterior panels can magnify these concerns, leading to drafts and unwanted moisture. This can also mean higher power bills each month since you’ll spend more on keeping every room warm.
That’s where recladding comes into play.
We’ve seen time and time again how it boosts a home’s defense against the chill by improving insulation and sealing gaps. Recladding your home is a great strategy if you want to avoid cold spots, mould problems, and the frustration of a home that never seems warm enough.
If you’re not yet onboard, read on to learn more about how working on your home’s cladding can make your life a whole lot better!
Recladding Explained: What It Is and Why It Matters in NZ Winters
We’ll show you how changing your home’s cladding can keep the cold away. You’ll learn why this step has special value when the weather turns wet and frosty.
What Is Recladding and How Does It Work?
Recladding means removing worn or ineffective exterior walls and replacing them with updated materials. By doing so, you reduce the chance of moisture sneaking through cracks while boosting your home’s insulation.
Modern cladding options are designed to improve thermal performance. Materials such as:
Colorsteel
Shou Sugi Ban
Shadowclad
Bevelback and Rusticated Weatherboard
Equitone
Aluminium Cladding
Stone Veneer Cladding
help slow down heat loss so you remain toasty in winter. When done well, recladding can make your place feel snug by sealing gaps, reducing leaks, and adding a protective skin against the elements.
Why Builders Use Cladding in NZ
Builders in Aotearoa usually add cladding to control moisture and shelter a house from unpredictable weather. Strong wind and rain can drive water through small openings, which leads to rotten framing and mould.
By having a solid outer layer, you keep those issues from becoming serious. That’s especially relevant when winter sets in and storms roll across the country.
In older properties, the existing cladding might be outdated or poorly installed. Recladding is a way to fix that. It renews the outer barrier and gives your place better insulation at the same time.
Planning a Recladding Project: Materials, Costs, and Permissions
Let’s step into the process of planning a recladding project. We’ll walk through how cladding materials differ and what you need to know before starting.
What Are the Best Cladding Options for NZ Homes?
When you’re looking to reclad, your choice of material will shape both the appearance and performance of your property. Common picks include:
Treated Weatherboard
Sturdy Engineered Panels
Weatherboard, on the other hand, provides a classic look and can suit traditional Kiwi-style homes.
Engineered panels are a more modern alternative and offer a balanced approach to insulation and style.
It’s also smart to think about maintenance when making your pick. Some materials might need painting or sealing every few years, while others do fine with minimal upkeep. Keep your budget in mind, and decide if you’d rather invest more upfront for less work down the road or manage occasional tasks over time.
What is the Lifespan and Cost of Cladding?
Most cladding types last between 30 and 50 years if they’re installed and maintained properly. Over that period, you’ll have fewer headaches with rot or leaks.
Think about the long game when picking a material. It might cost more at first, but solid cladding pays off in reduced repairs and better warmth for your family.
The price tag for a full recladding varies. Many factors play a role: the size of your house, the brand of material, and whether you need extra features like windows or insulation upgrades. On average, cladding costs 2,500 NZD per m².
This includes the following:
Site establishment
Project management
Scaffold
Demolition
Waste removal
New insulation
New weatherproofing to new E2/AS1 standards
New cladding, including materials and install
Exterior joinery costs (windows and doors) are excluded here.
Legal Requirements and Professional Support
Local rules often require building consent for recladding work. Councils want to make sure you meet the Building Code for weathertightness and safety. If you’re only swapping a small section, you might be exempt. However, large-scale jobs generally call for official approval to keep everything compliant.
When it comes to the actual work, builders do cladding as part of their standard scope. Professional teams have the experience to install materials correctly and avoid pitfalls like leaks or insulation gaps.
DIY or Professional Recladding: What Are Your Options?
Next, we’ll check if you can tackle cladding by yourself and what might happen if you do. Then we’ll compare the risks and benefits of DIY work versus enlisting specialists.
Can You Reclad Your Own House in NZ?
You might be tempted to strip off your house’s siding, replace it, and save on labour. However, regulations in New Zealand are quite strict. Many recladding tasks require a licensed building practitioner to oversee or sign off on the job.
Certain details, like how the flashing and waterproof membranes go in, can be tricky. If you get it wrong, you could face expensive repairs or fail council checks.
Risks of DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Going the DIY route to save a buck might backfire if the work doesn’t meet legal standards. You could end up tearing walls open again to fix mistakes.
Insurance might not cover damage caused by poor workmanship. And if there’s a leak, the long-term problems could include mould or rotting frames.
On the flip side, hiring a professional crew adds confidence that your project will be executed perfectly. Experts keep water out by sealing edges and installing insulation in the right way. They also use the proper materials for your site conditions.
While paying for a reputable team is a bigger investment, you usually avoid regrets down the road.
Recladding for Older Homes: Is It Worth It?
Up next, let’s talk about why older houses need extra thought. Then, we’ll see how these projects can raise value and how long they might take.
Why Older NZ Homes Are at Risk
Many homes built before 2004 were put together with outdated techniques. Some lack a good drainage gap behind the cladding, so water can build up where you can’t see it.
Over time, that leads to dampness and decayed wooden framing. In winter, older materials may also struggle to retain heat, causing you to spend more on heating bills.
Recladding can correct these weaknesses. By removing the outer shell, builders see what’s going on inside the walls. They can replace any damaged framework, add modern moisture barriers, and install better insulation layers.
Long-Term Value of Recladding
Spending money on new cladding might feel daunting, but it brings real gains down the road. Your home becomes more energy-efficient, saving you cash on power. The structure avoids ongoing harm from leaks, which keeps repair bills in check. Plus, many buyers in the market today are concerned about weathertightness, so a reclad exterior could help your house stand out if you decide to sell.
When you think about the payoff, try looking at it as an investment in your quality of life. Better insulation means fewer cold spots. That also helps cut down on mould, which is good for your health. In that sense, recladding is a step that pays off both now and in the future.
How Long Does Recladding Take?
A typical recladding job can run anywhere from several weeks to a couple of months, depending on the size and shape of your house. Unexpected snags, like hidden timber rot, may extend the schedule. You also have to factor in council inspections, as they’ll need to confirm that the work meets the Building Code at different stages.
Other Renovations That Help Winter-Proof Your Home
Now we’ll look at extra ways to keep in the warmth. You’ll see how you can tackle window upgrades, insulation, heating, and more in a practical manner.
Window Upgrades
Old windows allow heat to slip away. Consider replacing them with double glazing or even triple glazing if your location is extra cold. This adjustment helps trap warmth indoors while reducing chilly drafts. You may also notice less condensation around the frames, which is a frequent complaint in winter.
If you’re already doing recladding, it’s a chance to switch outdated windows for better ones. That way, your place benefits from an all-around fix. You can also choose frames that suit your design taste, whether you like sleek aluminum or prefer a classic timber look.
Insulation Improvements
Walls, ceilings, and floors all play a part in keeping the interior cozy. If your house has poor or missing insulation, you might feel the cold soaking in from every direction. Retrofitting insulation above the ceiling and under the floor makes a big difference, especially in older builds.
When combined with recladding, a proper insulation system forms a barrier that holds in heat on cooler nights. It also helps you manage your power consumption because you won’t need as much energy to keep things nice and warm. In the end, you’ll likely appreciate the comfort of a home that doesn’t cool down in a flash.
Kitchen and Bathroom Upgrades
Adding warmth where you spend time cooking or showering can make winter days more pleasant. Heated towel rails or floor panels are some simple improvements you might include when renovating your kitchens or bathrooms.
Proper ventilation is also an important step, since steam leads to moisture issues if it sticks around. Upgraded extractor fans can remove that damp air before it settles.
If you’re already taking on renovations, you might plan these smaller additions at the same time. A warm floor on a cold morning can brighten your mood, and well-ventilated spaces reduce problems like mould or mildew. These changes might seem small, but they contribute to a more comfortable home when winter sets in.
Stay Toasty With Quality Cladding
Here’s a final look at why it pays to plan for winter by focusing on the outside of your house. We hope our recap will prompt you to consider where to start.
Older NZ houses often struggle to keep the cold out, but a full recladding can make a big difference. If your cladding has worn down, you could be letting damp air inside and wasting your heating budget. Replacing outdated materials with stronger, insulated options helps you maintain warmth and deal with moisture in one go.
At the same time, you can combine this upgrade with other home improvement steps like better windows, upgraded insulation, or fresh heating systems. All these tasks strengthen your comfort level while protecting your home from further problems.
By investing in the exterior shell, you tackle major concerns that cause drafts and mould. Think of recladding as part of a broader plan that boosts your property’s future resilience.
If you’re thinking about renovations or even new builds, this is an opportunity to combine modern design with stronger weatherproofing. Our team at Peaky Builders has plenty of local knowledge in residential construction, including recladding, kitchens, and bathrooms. Are you considering a few changes before winter sets in? Reach out to us today for the support you need.
