Four walls to weather instead of two
A mid-terrace has a front and a back to look after. A detached house has every elevation open to sun and rain, including a gable that may take the worst of the weather. When Graham surveys an Ely house he looks at each side separately, because the north wall and the south wall rarely need the same work.
Shaded render often carries algae. We jet wash with an anti-fungal solution, let the wall dry thoroughly, then fill cracks with exterior filler and apply a breathable masonry paint. Timber fascias, soffits and sills are sanded, primed where bare and given fresh top coats.
Colour choices in the Ely conservation area
Ely has a designated conservation area, and 199 listed buildings sit within the parish. If your house is inside the conservation area, or listed, speak to East Cambridgeshire District Council before choosing a new exterior colour. We can paint a test patch on a discreet section of wall so you see the shade in daylight first. Period timber frames are covered on our sash window painting page.
Ely at a glance
- 12 milesby road from our Landbeach base, about 18 minutesOSRM routing
- 86%are houses rather than flatsCensus 2021
- 34%of homes are detachedCensus 2021
- 12%of properties were built before 1919VOA Council Tax stock
- 1conservation arealocal council
- 10%were built 1945 to 1964VOA Council Tax stock
How we approach exterior painting
On an Ely exterior we start with Graham's walk-round, noting blown render, cracked brickwork and soft timber. Then comes an anti-fungal jet wash and drying time, scraping and sanding of loose paint, repairs, primer on bare wood, and two finish coats chosen for each surface. Paths and plants are masked, and the job ends with a walk-round together. The full method, products and FAQs are on our exterior painting page.