In this article
With that pack in front of us, the take-off, panel selection and access strategy are settled in one sitting. That is why we come back within 24 hours with a priced package, or with the exact questions holding it.
What to send: the 24-hour pack
Six items cover almost every industrial or commercial envelope enquiry.
- Drawings. Elevations, roof plan, sections and, where they exist, the steelwork general arrangement. PDFs are workable. DWG is better, as it removes scaling assumptions from the take-off.
- The specification. Target U-values, the required reaction-to-fire and roof classification, any insurer-driven requirement, finish and colour, and the panel family assumed by the design team.
- Areas. Even approximate m² by elevation and by roof plane, so we can sense-check our own measure and flag any discrepancy on day one.
- Programme dates. Steel completion, target watertight date, and any sectional completion or phased handover.
- Site access. Height to eaves, crane and MEWP access, laydown area, working hours, and any live-site, security or clean-area restrictions.
- Commercial detail. Tender query deadline, form of sub-contract, insurance levels, and whether ancillary certification is required.
If some of it is missing, send what you have. We price on stated assumptions and list every one, so you can see where the risk sits.
From a specification target to a panel thickness
Most of the cost of an insulated envelope is decided by two lines in the specification: the U-value and the fire classification. The U-value sets the core thickness, the thickness sets the panel weight, and the weight feeds into lifting plant and installation rates.
| Element (buildings other than dwellings) | Area-weighted maximum U-value, W/m²K | KS1000 RW core reaching that U-value | Panel weight, kg/m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitched roof, insulation on the slope | 0.16 | 115 mm (0.16 W/m²K) | 11.8 |
| Flat roof | 0.20 | 91 mm (0.20 W/m²K) | 10.9 |
| Walls | 0.21 | 91 mm (0.20 W/m²K) | 10.9 |
Two further lines are worth checking before you send the enquiry. TGD L treats 5 m³/(h·m²) at 50 Pa as a reasonable upper limit for air permeability, verified by a pressurisation test at completion[1]. Insulated panel envelopes are declared capable of 3 m³/hr/m² at 50 Pa or less[2], so a demanding airtightness target is usually a detailing question rather than a product one. Roof geometry matters too: KS1000 RW is intended for pitches of 4° or more after deflection[2].
What changes the price
No two cladding packages of the same area cost the same. These are the drivers, in roughly the order they bite.
- Access and lifting. Eaves height, hardstanding, crane positions and permitted working hours change the plant and the productivity far more than the panel does.
- Panel lengths. Standard lengths run to 14.5 m, with non-standard lengths up to 29.2 m[2]. Longer panels remove end laps and sealing work, but need heavier lifting and a clear run at the elevation.
- Number of interfaces. Copings, flashings, corners, rooflights, louvres and door surrounds are where the labour hours sit. Aluminium fabrications also need a movement allowance. MCRMA advises in the order of ±1 mm per metre, a single fixed point per length, and butt straps on material thicker than 0.9 mm[7].
- Fire and insurer requirements. Reaction-to-fire classification under Table 19 of TGD B, and roof covering classification under Table 22, are set by purpose group, building height and distance to the boundary[5]. BROOF(t4) coverings carry no distance restriction, whereas lower designations are restricted by distance and some are excluded from industrial and storage buildings[5]. LPCB and FM approvals are declared over defined thickness ranges[2][3], so an insurer’s condition can narrow the panels you may fit.
- Height. Some coating ranges are not suitable for external wall applications above 18 m[3], so on taller elevations the system choice narrows.
- Steelwork readiness. Many composite panels require a minimum end bearing of 10 mm onto a purlin[6], and published load and span tables assume a steelwork tolerance of ±5 mm between the bearing planes of adjacent supports[2]. Out-of-tolerance secondary steel is the most common cause of a variation.
- Programme and phasing. A single continuous run is cheaper to install than the same area split into three visits around other trades.
How the quote is structured, and what happens next
How the quotation is set out
- Measured quantities by system, separated so that the insulated panel element, the architectural façade element, priced by profile and panel width[4], and the aluminium copings and flashings can each be read on their own.
- Access, plant and preliminaries as visible lines, not buried in a rate.
- A schedule of assumptions and exclusions, including the steelwork tolerances and site conditions we have priced on.
- Certification and handover deliverables: the ancillary certificates, product documentation and O&M information the package produces.
- Programme allowance and quotation validity, so the offer can be tied to your own tender date.
After you receive it
Within the same day we come back with any query that would change our assumptions. From there: a survey where access is unusual, colour and finish confirmation, then RAMS and a lift plan before mobilisation. Panels are ordered to suit the steel programme and installed to the manufacturer’s instructions and industry guidance on handling, sealing and fixing[8]. At completion we issue the ancillary certificates and records the Assigned Certifier needs, as a specialist sub-contractor contributing to the Certificate of Compliance on Completion[9]. As an experienced installer of Kingspan systems, we work to the published product data and to the project fire strategy, not to a rule of thumb.
Send us the drawings
If the package is on your desk this week, the fastest route to a number is one email: drawings, specification, areas, dates and access.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cladding package really be priced in 24 hours?
For a defined scope with drawings and a specification, yes. Where the fire strategy is unresolved, or the façade is a bespoke build-up still in development, we tell you the same day what is holding the price and what we can commit to meanwhile.
What if the specification is not finalised?
Send it as it stands. We price on clearly stated assumptions (thickness, classification, finish, access) and list them, so the quote can be updated by changing a line rather than re-tendering the package.
What do you need in order to price the roof as well as the walls?
A roof plan with the pitch, the distance to the relevant boundary (it governs the acceptable roof covering classification), the rooflight and non-fragility requirement, drainage details, and the access route for future maintenance.
Sources
- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Technical Guidance Document L, Conservation of Fuel and Energy, Buildings other than Dwellings (2022)Accessed 14 September 2026
- Kingspan, QuadCore KS1000 RW Roof Panel, product data sheet, Insulated Panels UK & IrelandAccessed 14 September 2026
- Kingspan, QuadCore KS1000 RW Wall Panel, product data sheet, Insulated Panels UK & IrelandAccessed 14 September 2026
- Kingspan, QuadCore AWP Wall Panel, product data sheet, Insulated Panels UK & IrelandAccessed 14 September 2026
- Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Technical Guidance Document B 2024, Fire Safety, Volume 1: Buildings other than Dwelling Houses (2026 Edition)Accessed 14 September 2026
- MCRMA GD27, Installed tolerances: best practice design guide (2016, updated 2020)Accessed 14 September 2026
- MCRMA GD26, Aluminium fabrications: a guide to good practice (2020)Accessed 14 September 2026
- MCRMA GD17, A guide to site installation of insulated roof panels (2015, updated 2019)Accessed 14 September 2026
- Code of Practice for Inspecting and Certifying Buildings and Works, Building Control Regulations 1997 to 2015 (September 2016)Accessed 14 September 2026
