THE ART OF MATCHING MATERIALS

When you take on an extension and opt to match materials like-for-like, it can be a challenge. Chartered surveyor Ian Rock shares his advice on how best to source exactly what you need

- Ian Rock

Creating a new extension that harmonises with an older main house rather than opting for something ‘a bit different’, means sourcing appropriate materials to achieve the required likeness — which can impose constraints on the choice. The bricks and roof tiles you’re keen to replicate may have been out of production for well over a century and will probably also have mellowed, adopting a distinct patina of age.

It may also require trades versed in traditional skills, such as lime rendering. Unless carefully executed, the project may detract from the aesthetics and consequently the value of your property. For instance, halfheartedly replicating intricate Georgian or Tudor workmanship with cheap modern materials diminished by lackadaisical workmanship is a recipe for dismal ‘pastiche’ that ends up looking a bit naff. Planning application drawings for extensions commonly include the words ‘to match existing’ but unless detailed drawings are also produced to provide practical guidance on site, this can potentially trigger problems later on when the builders start trying to interpret it.

Fortunately, you only need to focus on the parts of the building’s exterior that are actually visible. You don’t need to clone every detail, so areas that are hidden from view, such as flat roofs and stuff below ground or indoors, can be built using standard materials. The need to comply with modern performance standards for thermal efficiency and suchlike means you have little choice other than to build a modern structure cloaked by a traditional façade. So the key components that need to be matched are the roofs, windows and walls.

Blending brickwork