Refurbishment expert Prestige Developments introduces a product that it claims to be ‘the ultimate cladding system’ for park homes

The quest for a maintenance-free exterior wall system for park homes has been at the forefront of the minds of manufacturers, park owners and residents for as long as we can all remember. Vinyl-based ‘plastic’ cladding has had some success but, unfortunately, takes the appearance back to the caravan or chalet image of the 1970s.

More recently ‘pebble-dash’ coatings have been used on park homes across the country, again with some success but the pitfalls have come to the fore, i.e. the stone finish is very thin and offers little protection to the original ply boards on to
which it has been applied. In addition, the quality of works completed has been very inconsistent and the ‘lead’ used in the base adhesive has virtually resulted in the product being eliminated from the park homes industry.

The new Prestige cladding system, replacement uPVC framed windows and doors and Decra tiled roof have transformed this home into the attractive and weather-secure one at the top of the page

Totally Maintenance Free

Equally dramatic is the transformation seen from the side, compared with the ‘before’ picture below right

This is the side view of the original home, before Prestige added its new cladding system, new Decra roof and new uPVC-framed windows and doors.

With this always in mind, Prestige Developments, one of the country’s leading park home refurbishers, started to look further afield for a product which would encapsulate all of the criteria required, i.e. be maintenance-free, lightweight, flexible and with a traditional and natural ‘bungalow-style’ appearance.

The search ended when the company’s sales director, Silvano Geranio, visited Germany, and on his return he introduced a new product to the UK park homes industry. He showed some samples to a resident on the lovely Turners Hill Park in Sussex who was interested in a full re-clad, new windows and a Decra tile roof. Without hesitation, a deal was struck and the ‘Prestige Cladding System’ was born.

The results can be seen in the photographs, including a close-up showing the stone finish on the next page. Firstly the old external cladding is removed and any damaged or rotten timbers replaced. Extra 38mm x 25mm timbers are then added horizontally to allow an extra layer of Celotex insulation to be fitted, increasing the home’s warmth in the winter while keeping it cool in the summer. The cladding is then installed vertically and has a built-in 20mm breather cavity to eliminate the age-old problem of condensation which always besets park homes.


Reduce your heating bills

The Prestige cladding system is applied in narrow vertical strips and cut as necessary length to fit accurately around windows and doors.

  
This close-up shows the external pebble dash look
of the Prestige Cladding System. A small range of
colours is currently available

Cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter

To enhance this first application, the client chose Prestige’s uPVC window system with matching bay windows and tiled canopies to match the new Decra roof. At the same time, all new uPVC fasciaboards, bargeboards and guttering were installed.

A project such as this is usually completed in about five days and causes little disturbance to the home owner during this time. The final results are as striking in real life as they are in these photographs and Prestige Cladding is now claimed to be the fastest-growing and most efficient maintenance-free finish in the U.K.

Whether you are renovating to sell or to enhance the appearance of your home, or to improve the comfort and efficiency of heating (with the obvious cost savings), the Prestige Cladding System is the ultimate answer as the company says that it will
increase the home’s value way beyond the cost of the work carried out.

The directors of Prestige have asked us to express their sincere thanks to Mr Bodimead, the Turners Hill park resident who showed total confidence in the new product, and for his ongoing assistance with the project.

The Prestige Cladding System is now being installed on park homes virtually every week all around the U.K.