Recladding Tenders Are Not Standard Facade Tenders
A recladding tender requires more than a standard new-build facade submission. You are replacing existing cladding - usually combustible aluminium composite panels (ACP) - on an occupied building, working around existing structure, tenants, and potentially hazardous materials. Missing a key item does not just weaken your submission - it can cost you the job or create serious problems during delivery.
What Should Your Scope Definition Cover?
The single most important part of any recladding tender is a clear, unambiguous scope definition. The tender assessor needs to see that you understand exactly what you are removing, what you are replacing it with, and what you are leaving in place.
Your scope should address:
- Removal extent. Full facade strip-and-replace, or partial? Which elevations are in scope and which are excluded?
- Replacement extent. What cladding is going back on? Define the product, finish, and fixing method. If different products are used on different areas (panels on walls, battens on soffits), specify each zone.
- Retained elements. What stays? Windows, flashings, penetration seals, and sometimes the existing subframe often remain. Be explicit about what you are and are not touching.
- Make-good work. Removing cladding inevitably disturbs adjacent elements - flashings, window head details, penetration seals, sealant joints. Your scope must include making good anything disturbed during removal and reinstallation.
A site survey before tendering is essential. The condition of the existing substrate, fixings, and concealed elements can only be confirmed on site.
What Does the Removal Scope Need to Cover?
ACP removal is not straightforward demolition. Cutting and removing composite panels can release fine particles, and some older ACPs may contain hazardous materials. Your tender should include or allow for:
- Hazmat assessment. Allow a line item for a hazardous materials survey if one has not already been completed. Even where the ACP itself is not hazardous, adhesives, sealants, and backing materials from the original installation may be.
- Removal methodology. How will panels be cut and removed? What dust and particle controls will be in place? If the building is occupied, these controls become critical.
- Waste disposal. Combustible ACP is classified waste in some jurisdictions. Confirm disposal requirements and include the cost.
Tender assessors - particularly on government-funded programs - look for evidence that you have thought through the removal process. A line item that simply says “remove existing cladding” is not enough.
Why Is a Structural Assessment Necessary?
The existing subframe - brackets, rails, fixings into the primary structure - may or may not be suitable for the replacement cladding. Your tender should account for this.
- Load compatibility. The new cladding may be heavier or lighter than the ACP being removed. Solid aluminium at 8.13 kg/m2 is typically comparable to or lighter than the original composite panels, but the subframe was designed for a specific load. A structural engineer needs to confirm that the existing fixings and brackets are adequate.
- Condition of existing fixings. Brackets and fixings that have been in place for 10 to 20 years may have corroded, loosened, or been compromised by water ingress behind the old cladding. A structural engineer should inspect and report.
- New subframe allowance. If the existing subframe is not suitable, the tender needs to include for a new or supplementary framing system. This is a significant cost and programme item - it should not be a surprise during construction.
Allow a provisional sum for structural assessment if one has not been completed before tender. Pricing it transparently is better than ignoring it.
How Do You Select the Right Replacement Product?
The replacement product must be non-combustible, tested to AS 1530.1, and suitable for the application. This is the entire point of the remediation.
element13 is Valmond & Gibson’s 3mm solid aluminium cladding panel and the standard replacement for combustible ACP on recladding projects across Australia. It is tested non-combustible to AS 1530.1 by CSIRO (Report FNC12545), with full fire property results under AS 1530.3 (Ignitability 0, Flame 0, Heat 0, Smoke 1 - Report FNE12552). At 8.13 kg/m2, it is lightweight enough to work with most existing subframes without structural modification.
interloQ - an extruded aluminium interlocking rainscreen system tested non-combustible to AS 1530.1 (CSIRO Report FNC12595) - is used on recladding projects where the design calls for a different aesthetic, such as a linear profile rather than flat panels.
In your tender, name the specific product, reference the relevant test reports, and confirm the finish. Avoid generic descriptions like “aluminium cladding” - assessors need to see a specific, tested product.
What Compliance Documentation Should You Include?
This is where recladding tenders succeed or fail. The compliance burden on remediation projects is higher than on new builds, and assessors are looking for certainty. Include in your tender:
- AS 1530.1 test report for the replacement product, confirming non-combustibility
- AS 1530.3 fire property results if available - this goes beyond the minimum and provides fire engineers with a complete picture of fire behaviour
- AS/NZS 4284 weather performance report demonstrating the system meets weatherproofing requirements
- Evidence of suitability per NCC A5G2 - this is the NCC provision that defines how a building product demonstrates it is fit for purpose. It can be satisfied through test reports, certificates, or a combination of evidence
- Fire engineering report if the project follows a Performance Solution pathway rather than Deemed-to-Satisfy
V&G supplies compliance packs for element13 and interloQ that include the test reports and documentation listed above. Request these early - including them in your submission demonstrates that you have the documentation sorted, not just the material.
How Should You Handle Access and Logistics?
Recladding an occupied building introduces constraints that do not exist on new construction. Your tender needs to address these explicitly:
- Scaffolding and access. Full scaffold is typical. Include erect, hire, and dismantle as separate line items. Complex geometry or podium levels may require engineered scaffold design.
- Building wrapping. Dust and debris containment wrapping is standard on occupied buildings. It protects tenants, common areas, and neighbouring properties.
- Occupied building management. Noise restrictions, working hours limitations, dust control, access to common areas, and communication with strata management. These are real costs and real programme constraints - do not bury them.
- Material handling. How will panels be delivered, stored, and moved to upper levels? Hoist, crane, or manual handling? These logistics affect both cost and programme.
What Programme Considerations Apply?
Recladding on occupied buildings almost always requires staged work - typically one elevation at a time. Your programme should reflect this.
- Staged work plan. Which elevation first? What is the sequence? How do stages overlap?
- Weather contingency. Facade work is weather-dependent. Allow realistic float for rain delays, particularly on multi-month projects.
- Coordination with tenants. If the building is residential, work near balconies and living areas will be subject to noise and access restrictions. The programme needs to account for these.
- Lead times. Confirm product availability before committing to a programme. element13 stock colours ship from Sydney without minimum order quantities. Non-stock colours carry longer lead times.
How Should You Structure Your Pricing?
A recladding tender price needs to be transparent and detailed. Lump-sum pricing without breakdown raises questions. Structure your pricing to show:
- Removal and disposal - existing cladding strip, hazmat if applicable, waste disposal
- New cladding supply - product, finish, quantity, unit rates
- New cladding installation - labour, plant, fixing materials
- Scaffolding - erect, weekly hire, dismantle
- Building wrapping and containment - supply and install
- Make-good - flashings, penetration seals, window head details, disturbed elements
- Compliance documentation - fire engineering, testing evidence, certification
- Preliminary items - site establishment, insurances, project management, OH&S
- Provisional sums - structural assessment, hazmat survey, latent conditions
Do not forget make-good work. It is consistently underpriced on recladding tenders, and it is consistently where margin gets lost.
What About State-Specific Programs?
Several Australian states operate government-funded recladding programs, each with their own requirements:
- NSW Project Remediate provides interest-free loans to residential strata buildings for cladding replacement. Tenders must meet specific documentation and contractor registration requirements.
- Victoria’s Cladding Safety Victoria has overseen remediation of more than 360 buildings through its $600 million-plus program, with remaining work in later phases.
- Queensland’s Safer Buildings program required building owners to complete combustible cladding checklists, with remediation costs borne by owners.
If you are tendering under a government program, confirm the submission requirements early. They often require additional documentation or registration with the program administrator.
One Final Tip
Photograph the existing facade in detail during your site survey. Document every elevation, every junction, every anomaly. The tender assessor needs to see that you understand what you are removing, not just what you are installing. A well-documented site survey, included as an appendix to your tender, separates a considered submission from a price on a page.
V&G supplies compliance packs, product documentation, and technical support for recladding tenders. If you need test reports, specification details, or material availability, contact the team early in the tender process.
Related Reading
- Common Recladding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Recladding with Solid Aluminium: A Guide for Building Owners and Project Teams
- element13 Specification Guide: Solid Aluminium Cladding for Australian Projects
- Combustible Cladding Bans by Australian State: 2026 Update
Last updated: 4 April 2026