Swish Calculator
The timber used for most fascias may come from renewable resources, but how sustainable is it? How much might it cost a housing provider, private or public, to re-paint the exposed timber (eg roofline and windows) of the homes it owns over a period of 35 years?
You can try some figures here. Just mover the slider bars to input some figures.
Timber must be repainted every 5 years (source: BRE Green Guide) to maintain its protection and reach a service life of 35 years.
PVC and timber fascias cost roughly the same fo install. The BRE gives both timber and PVC a 35 year reference service life. A Reference Service life is based on real time evidence of a material’s lifetime performance. PVC has only been around in construction for 35 years, timber for considerably longer.
The BRE estimate the Service Life of a dwelling to be 60 years. Swish estimates that its PVC cladding and fascias are capable of lasting longer than this.
Notes
- Housing providers procure maintenence services in different ways, some as one off contracts and some as part of long term general maintenece agreements.
- Which ever way maintenence is paid for there is a cost. The money paid could be better used to provide insulation, invest in solar power or other green energy sources.