Cladding advice

• It is now accepted that the design and selection of curtain walling and cladding systems may require specialist advice and expertise comparable with that required for structures and services, and a growing number of specialist consultancies provide this service. But, just as the architect may not always need a structural engineer to design structures, or a services engineer to design services, it is not always necessary to employ a cladding consultant to advise on the cladding.
• Do you know the difference between a system fabricator and a system designer?
• Do you know what happens when you contact a system supplier such as Schuco, Kawneer, or Technal?
• Do you know how to make a short list of suitable sub-contractors, and choose the correct one?
• Do you really understand how the cladding industry works?
• Do you know if you need advice?
• In short, are you sure that you really know what you're doing and, with cladding up to 25% of the total cost of some buildings, can you afford not to know?
• I am not a specialist cladding consultant, but I am acknowledged as a practising architect with an extensive experience of the UK cladding industry and how it works. I can provide advice on cladding systems, cladding contractors, and even on which cladding consultant may be the most suitable for your project.

• CV and contact details
• Architecture
• Cladding advice
• Knowledge sharing
• Mentoring
• Specification writing

Page reviewed: 27 May 2011