Any changes to the outside of your house may require planning permissions and should be discussed with the committee before work commences.
Please contact us at if you cannot find an answer to your question.
FRAL is keen to support everyone connected with Fieldend in their effort to look after the external appearance of the houses. A booklet titled “Looking after the outside of your house” has been produced, informing residents how best to maintain and repair the outside of their house. See the Download section below.
The following guidance has been designed for Fieldend to inform development that has been brought under the control of Article 4 (2) Directions. This guidance does not pre-judge any planning application.
Doors
– Original front doors have a simple letter box and escutcheon plate. This should be retained or reinstated on a like-for-like basis and door furniture should be in aluminium or brushed/satin stainless steel, and not in shiny polished materials, including brass.
Windows
– The painted timber windows should be retained or replaced on a like-for-like basis. Any other alteration that is not like for like will require permission. uPVC is not considered an appropriate material.
Facade
– The façade of houses are treated with shiplap boarding and brick. These materials should be repaired and retained on a like-for-like basis. The fascia panel should also remain uninterrupted and should remain of timber construction. uPVC is not considered an appropriate material.
[Note from FRAL: The fascia panel is Chrysotile Asbestos. It is not possible to replace this like-for-like. Click here for the current advice about a suitable replacement material.]
The enlargement of a property, hard surfacing, or provision of an enclosure that is visible from public view could unbalance the regularity of the development. As such, permission will be required for these developments.
Roof
– The appearance of the flat roof should not be altered from public view and like-for-like aluminium roof trimming should be used along the top of the fascia. Any flue, soil or vent pipe should not come through brickwork or boarding on the fascia, or any other area visible from public view.
Porches
– The porches are a very specific design, and repairs and replacement should be to the original design. Porches are steel framed with a timber transom and should have semi-transparent glass without a pattern, decoration or wire grid.
Boundary Treatment
– Hedges, white-painted timber gates and brick walls are the original treatment and should be retained or reinstated to match the original.
Exterior paintwork
– Windows, fascia and shiplap boarding were originally painted, and any repainting in a matching colour will not require permission. External painting in areas that are not currently painted or paintwork in colours other than existing will require permission.
Satellites dishes
– Satellite dishes should not be installed on the fascia or the roof, and should only be located out of public view.
FRAL is responsible for the repainting of FIeldend houses. The programme runs on a 4-year cycle.
The year before the re-paint FRAL arranges for a condition report for every house. Homeowners receive this report highlighting areas of the property that need attention before they can be repainted.
In order for the timber to be sufficiently protected from one paint cycle to the next, it is essential that any maintenance is carried out on a regular basis. The condition reports that are issued in advance of the paint cycle serve as a final check and reminder to rectify any areas identified as requiring attention, all actions must be addressed prior to the commencement of the painting. The upkeep and maintenance of the houses is legally binding under the Scheme of Management and FRAL has a duty to ensure that this obligation is upheld.
The colour scheme changes periodically. Any change is voted on at the AGM.
The current scheme is:
Johnstone's Trade Stormshield Satin
Boarding: Brilliant White Satin
Window Frames: colour ref: Dusk Puddle
Fascia: colour ref: Blue Willow
Front Door: Osmo Natural Oil Woodstain Clear Matte
Residents can opt out of the FRAL repaint if they commit to completing the work themselves within the same period and to the same specifications. Please contact FRAL for more information.
For the timber to be sufficiently protected from one paint cycle to the next, any maintenance must be carried out regularly
Some specific recommendations:
A recurring problem for residents seeking to maintain the exterior of their houses is the replacement of the fascia board that sits just below the roof line of all Fieldend houses. The original board is made of asbestos and has a unique finish, which has made it extremely difficult to find a suitable replacement material. The asbestos panels themselves seem to last forever but, because on many houses the wooden structure they are fixed to has rotted, they must be removed. However, whilst they are quite inert in sheet form, because of safety issues they cannot be re-fixed by builders and so must be disposed of. For the strict regulations on the disposal of asbestos see: https://www.richmond.gov.uk/services/waste_and_recycling/bulky_items_and_other_waste_collections/asbestos_waste.
Over the years, various residents have come up with different solutions, including the use of plywood, which is too smooth and prone to moisture-induced rot.
There is no comparable replacement product that matches the panels' unique vertical texture. However, there is a product that seems to fit the bill, though it wasn’t its original purpose.
Before the 2016 re-paint, residents of houses 5, 6, 43, 44 and 46 appointed a local builder to replace asbestos panels with a waterproof cement tiling board (normally used to line shower cubicles and bathrooms before tiling). This gives a uniform subtly textured finish and seems to be stable in damp conditions. It is also very economical.
In the interests of continuing the exterior uniformity of our houses, the FRAL board would like to encourage the use of this product by any householder thinking of replacing their fascia boards.
The precise product description is as follows:
HARDIEBACKER 500 WATER RESISTANT TILING BOARD 1200 X 800 X 12mm
It is available from the Selco builders’ depots in Feltham & Isleworth.
Following a vote at the FRAL 2009 AGM diffused white laminate glass was approved as a replacement for the glazing of Fieldend
In 2008 – 2009 the FRAL Board looked at various materials that might be used in conjunction with or as a replacement for, the glazing of Fieldend porches, to reduce the visual impact of the many items we now store in our porches. Diffused white laminate glass was identified as a possible solution. Following consultation with residents, its use was approved at the AGM in February 2009. Richmond upon Thames Conservation Department informally agreed that the diffused white laminate glass would be a sympathetic replacement and had no objection in principle to its use. The FRAL Board issued a notice to all Residents advising them that diffused white laminate glass could now be used for re-glazing of the porches and that Planning Permission was not required.
We have now learnt that as a result of the Article 4 Directive, this is no longer the case. Planning permission is required for changes to the glazing in the porch and any alterations that have been made since the introduction of the Article 4 direction will require a retrospective planning application to “regularise” the change of glass. Please note that the Article 4 Directions has resulted in a number of small-scale changes requiring planning permission.
Residents wishing to replace their porch glass should therefore not only inform the Board in writing but also apply for planning permission. The following should be sent to Richmond’s Planning Department and an approval issued before the commencement of any work:
The Planning Office has been sent a sample of the glass and the technical specification, and applicants should note this on their form.
At the time of writing, no fee is required for this application.
The original glass is no longer available and Residents should also be aware of the need for the use of safety, shatterproof glass in the lower panels. Residents who used boarding in their porches before the Article 4 Directive in October 2009 need not be concerned but other Residents should be aware that this style of porch is now unlikely to gain approval.
The diffused white laminate glass is available from A1 Glass, Heath Road, Twickenham. Any alternative glazing materials would require permission from both the FRAL Board and approval from the Planning Department at Richmond.
The timber of the porch requires attention from time to time. The top of the timber window projects a few millimetres in front of the metal roof frame and it is advisable to run a thin line of mastic sealant along this joint to keep it watertight. Minor repairs to the woodwork can be dealt with by scraping out the rot, making sure the surface is dry, filling with external grade filler, smoothing down and painting with primer. Larger repairs should be undertaken by a competent joiner, who could cut back the rot and replace the front surface of the timber or replace the whole member from INSIDE the porch.
Porch frame: The porch has an unusual structural frame made from welded mild steel angle sections, 50mm by 50mm, 6mm thick. The horizontal timber transom, the window frames, and the front door are fixed to the inside of the metal frame.
The pure rectilinear shape of the porch is an important feature in the design of the houses.
The special roof detail along the top of the porch is a distinctive feature and gives a crisp profile. If you have to renew the roof covering of the porch, note that the roofing felt slopes up and onto the top of the metal frame where the flat surface of the steel angle provides a good base for securely bonding the edge of the felt. This is a sound detail which has lasted for over forty-five years.
Unfortunately, some builders are not used to this detail and have used different fixings which detracts from the appearance of the porches around the estate.
The flashing of the porch roof into the main wall of the house should fit under the bottom shiplap board. Please do not take the flashing over the face of the lower board.
We are occasionally asked by residents to consider allowing uVPC windows. This page sums up nicely why we do not consider uPVC to be an appropriate option. https://www.redbricks.org/2011/03/16/why-we-do-not-want-upvc-windows/
New timber windows can be made to accommodate double-glazed sealed glass. These have to be purpose-made by a joinery firm to ensure that they look identical to the existing windows. Details of the timber profiles for the new windows can be obtained from the FRAL committee.
Secondary glazing: Internal secondary glazing is an acceptable answer to reduce heat loss. Be careful to align the new secondary glazing members with the timber windows.
Do not install ventilators or extractor fans into the glass of the windows which face the communal areas. If you have an extractor fan fitted then we ask that you remove it the next time you are renovating the room/replacing glass.
The most economic approach is to repair any defect as soon as possible. Minor problems can be dealt with by scraping out the rot, making sure the surface is dry, filling with an external grade timber filler, smoothing down and painting with primer. Larger repairs should be carried out by a competent joiner who will replace the whole length of board.
FRAL has a stock of new shiplap boards which you can buy for your use.
The door fittings consist of an aluminium letter box, with a bell push and an escutcheon plate for the door latch with deadlock. These fittings can be brightened up with very fine sand or emery paper (better to take them off to clean them). You should be able to get the bell push working by cleaning the contacts. If it is impossible to conserve your letterbox, replace it with a plain satin-finished stainless steel box from a good ironmonger. A slim bell push on the door frame is acceptable. Please do not add any other fittings to any part of the door.
Please ensure that any new fittings are plain and simple (not Georgian or Victorian) and that they are satin-finished aluminium or stainless steel (not shiny polished finish or brass).
Following a vote at the FRAL 2012 AGM it was decided that the installation of satellite dishes should be permitted subject to the approval of the FRAL board.
Maintaining the visual integrity of the estate remains the overriding objective of the FRAL board. We have drafted guidelines which set out the factors the Board will consider when deciding whether to grant permission for the installation of a satellite dish. See Downloads section below.
Roof Trim: If you need to renew your roof covering, be sure that your contractor uses a matching thin aluminium roof trim along the top of the fascia. Do not let flat roof material wrap over the edge and into view.
Roof ventilation: If, for any particular reason, you need to provide ventilation into the fascia or a roof void, use a fascia soffit strip inserted along the bottom edge of the fascia panels. Alternatively, breather ventilators through the roof felt but set back so they cannot be seen. Do not insert ventilators into the face of the fascia panels.
Services for the houses have all been carefully designed inside the house, leaving the exterior free and clean of any pipes and wires. If you are considering an alteration to the inside of your house make sure that the design will not require a boiler flue or any service pipes through the front or side wall of the house.
With care and thought, most cables can be routed inside the house. If, as a last resort, you need to have cables outside, ensure that they are fixed neatly under the bottom of the boarding or along recessed corners. Do not let cables pass over the face of the boarding, the brickwork or the fascia.
Fieldend is a very safe estate with residents looking out for each other.
Please do not install CCTV cameras or alarm boxes on any outside part of your property.
If you have moved into a property with an alarm box we request that you remove it at your earliest convenience.
Garden soakaways are the responsibility of the homeowner(s). They are often shared between a few properties with the soakaway crate in one garden.
The board recognises that it is not always possible to repair our ageing garage doors and, consequently, there are many different door styles in the two long garage blocks. We have tried to find a style that closely resembles the original, but this has proved impossible. Instead, we are asking residents to select the Garador Horizon style, which two residents have already installed. It is available in manual and electronic versions. We're asking residents to pick the Window Grey (RAL 7040) option, this way the door won't have to be painted as part of the 4-year painting cycle. Please also notify the board so that we can maintain our records.
https://www.garador.co.uk/garador-range/up-over-doors/steel-panel/horizon.aspx
Tradesmen recommended by residents
If residents have a recommendation to add to this list please let the committee know.
Carpentry repairs
Glazing
Roofing contractor
Ironmongers
Painting/Decorating/Plastering
Bricklaying/Fencing
General builder (walls, extensions etc)
Garage Doors
There are at least two local contractors who offer repairs:
http://garagedoorsandmore.co.uk/ (8892 1111/07949 020111) and http://localgaragerepairman.co.uk (07983 433921).
Gardening
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