'I just needed to have a black house' - This former pebble-dash house has been completely transformed

We all know that transforming our home's interior can make a huge difference, but actually, the exterior is just as important. As well as bringing your home up to date and giving it a completely different vibe, it's great for creating a good first impression, which is crucial if you're thinking of selling it in the future. 

Using the right exterior paints and finishes is important for sprucing it up on a budget, but if you're looking to spend a little more, then you might want to take some inspiration from this homeowner, who gave her house an exterior makeover and added instant kerb appeal. 

House exterior makeover

Exterior cladding and new lighting and plants have given the place a total facelift, something that Jade Doutch from North Wales worked hard to achieve. Her 1930s semi-detached house in Anglesey had the same pebble dash look as many properties in the area, but Jade was keen to give the exterior a brand new appearance.

Before

An effort to re-render the exterior walls eight years ago hadn’t quite gone according to plan, leaving the house with a strange textured finish. 'The walls looked like they’d been Artexed,' says Jade. 'I lived with them, but really hated what it looked like outside.'

As a content creator on Instagram, Jade regularly posts photos of her interior home projects, but now it was time to tackle the exterior.

After

The new-look house has been given a modern glow-up with beautiful cladding in two different materials, along with a new open driveway and paving – and the result is incredible. 

Dark dramatic black cladding covers three-quarters of the front of the house, while a smaller portion features a composite wood trim to soften the overall look. 'I saw a few black houses and that was it, I just needed to have a black house,' says Jade. 'I couldn't get over the obsession!'

Cedral's Click cladding was the perfect choice, as it doesn't rust, warp or rot, and has the look of real wood. 'I love this product because of the grain,' says Jade. 'Plus it's hard-wearing and requires very little maintenance. I live on my own, so that was important to me.'

'I used a Cedral Select installer for the job and the whole process was absolutely brilliant.' she continues. 'The work took two weeks and in that time the installers not only fitted the cladding, but also put in new windows and a door, and fixed the guttering. The installer took control of everything and was really clear about the process – I wish I had other tradesmen that worked like this! '

So, how much does a project like this cost? To install the Cedral cladding, it was around £3,418, while the timber work, including fixings, cost £400. 

'The team worked in all weathers, including horrific rain and storms,' Jade recalls. 'They had a little pop-up tent to protect the tools and materials – nothing stopped them. With a big job like this, you’re almost waiting for something to go wrong, but that just didn't happen.'

A new front door completed the look, along with matching black planters and some plants for texture. 

'I’m quite emotional about the house now it’s finished,' Jade admits. 'I love it so much. In fact, my neighbour caught me a couple of times just pretending to take things to the bin, when really, I was going outside to admire the walls!'

'The house has been finished for several months now and people are still coming up to me to tell me it looks amazing.'