Full external refurbishment to a residential block for Castle Estates — decayed fascias and soffits removed and replaced, timber windows and bargeboards prepared and repainted, and a hard-wearing exterior paint system applied to protect the building for years to come.
BeforeAfterCastle Estates appointed Four Oaks Painting & Decorating to carry out a full exterior refurbishment to a residential block of flats. The aim was to improve the overall appearance of the building while addressing areas of timber decay that, if left untreated, would have continued to deteriorate.
Following a full inspection, it became clear that this project required far more than simply applying fresh paint. Several timber sections had suffered from weather exposure and previous repairs, meaning replacement joinery and extensive preparation were essential before decorating could begin.
Because the block remained occupied throughout, the programme was planned around residents — with safe access, clear signage and a clean site maintained from start to finish.
The residential block as we found it — a red brick apartment building with dark timber trim, fascias, soffits, bargeboards and cladding all showing years of weather exposure and requiring both timber repair and full redecoration.
Every elevation was surveyed before work began so we knew exactly which timber sections needed replacing, which could be repaired and filled, and how access would be sequenced around residents living in the block.
Fascia boards showed classic signs of long-term water damage — splitting, delamination and rot beneath failing paint. Painting over this would only hide the problem; the affected sections were marked for full removal and replacement.
Timber window frames and bargeboards had suffered similar decay, with previous cosmetic repairs no longer holding. Rotten timber was cut out and salvageable areas cleaned back ready for filling and priming.
New timber sections were fitted where boards had rotted out, and repairable areas were filled and shaped so the fascia line ran straight and true across each elevation before any paint was applied.
Soffits were repaired in the same way — decayed timber replaced, joints filled, edges sanded flush — so the finished paint system had a sound, stable substrate to bond to rather than sitting on top of failing wood.
New and repaired timber fully primed and finished in a durable exterior paint system, giving the fascia and guttering line a clean, uniform dark brown finish across the elevation.
Bay cladding sections repainted in the coordinated exterior scheme — a flexible coating designed to move with the timber and shed water, protecting the building rather than trapping moisture behind the paint.
Upward view of the finished eaves and cladding against the sky — timber lines crisp, cut-ins sharp against the brickwork, and every previously decayed section now replaced and protected.
The finished gable cladding and side elevation — a smart, well-maintained block handed back to Castle Estates with residents kept safe and informed throughout, and the exterior timberwork protected for years to come.
Every external timber section was inspected before work began. Rotten fascias, soffits and bargeboards were cut out and replaced with new timber; salvageable areas were repaired and filled. All timber was sanded back, failing paint systems removed, and bare wood fully primed before the finish coats. Window frames, downpipes and detail work were prepared alongside the main elevations.
New and existing timber was finished in a coordinated exterior paint system — a durable, flexible coating designed to move with the timber and shed water rather than trap it. The result is a smart, uniform exterior with fascias, soffits, bargeboards and timber windows all reading as one clean, well-maintained building.
The completed block now presents with smart, uniform timber fascias and soffits, professionally finished timber windows and new timber installed where decay had taken hold — a much cleaner, better-maintained appearance across every elevation.
More importantly, the building is now properly protected. Paint cannot stop decay once moisture has entered the wood, so decayed sections were removed and replaced before the protective paint system was applied — extending the life of the external timberwork and helping Castle Estates avoid far more expensive repairs in the future.
For managing agents and leaseholders alike, maintaining communal buildings is about protecting long-term assets as much as improving appearance. This project is a strong example of how Four Oaks Painting & Decorating supports block management companies, estate agents and property managers across the West Midlands with exterior decorating, timber repairs, communal area decorating and planned maintenance.
Learn more about the services used on this project and the area we cover.
Send a few photos of your project — rooms, stairwells, exteriors, panelling or joinery — and Four Oaks Painting & Decorating will come back with an indicative figure within one working day.
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Send up to 6 photos of the areas you'd like decorated and we'll come back to you with clear next steps.
Whether it's a single room or a full home redecoration, we'd be glad to discuss your plans and provide a detailed, no-obligation quotation.
We are best suited to well-planned decorating projects — full rooms, multi-room redecorations, exteriors, spray finishes, panelling and commercial works.
