In Plain English
Quick Answer
The exterior skin of a building that protects the structure from weather and gives it its visual appearance.
Definition
Definition
Cladding is the exterior skin or covering applied to a building's structural frame to provide weather protection, thermal performance, and aesthetic appearance. Common cladding materials include fiber cement, metal panels, brick, stucco, and composite panels. Cladding systems must be designed to manage moisture, air, and thermal movement.
Context
Why It Matters in Bidding
Cladding is a major exterior scope that combines material cost, labor, and weatherproofing risk, and the system selected, fiber cement, metal panel, brick, or composite, can shift the envelope budget substantially. Estimators must take off not just the panel area but the supporting substructure, flashing, sealants, and air/water barriers, because the cladding ties directly to weathertightness, warranty, and the schedule's ability to dry in the building before interior work proceeds.
Example
Example
Bidding a commercial facade, the estimator takes off the metal panel area, the subgirt and clip substructure, and the flashing and sealant at every opening, then confirms whose scope includes the air and water barrier behind the panels.
See Also
Related Terms
FAQ
Questions Contractors Ask
What should be included in a cladding takeoff?
Beyond the panel square footage, include the supporting substructure or rainscreen framing, fasteners and clips, flashing, sealants, the air and water barrier, trim, and corner and opening details. Estimators who price only the visible panel area routinely miss the substructure and detailing labor that often equals or exceeds the panel cost.
How does cladding selection affect a building's budget?
Material choice drives both unit cost and installation labor: brick and stone are labor-intensive, metal and composite panels carry higher material cost, and fiber cement sits in between. The chosen system also dictates the substructure and weather barrier requirements, so the decision ripples through the entire envelope portion of the estimate.
Why is the air and water barrier important in a cladding bid?
Most cladding is a rainscreen that sheds bulk water, while the air and water barrier behind it provides the actual weather seal. Clarifying which trade installs the barrier and the flashing prevents a common scope gap between the cladding sub and the building wrap or waterproofing sub, avoiding finger-pointing and change orders.
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