House rendering cost

Rendering is the protective covering that shields the exterior exposed walls of a house or property from the elements. Think of it as the equivalent to a thick waterproof jacket that keeps the rain out and acts as a barrier to the cold.

The outer layer of your house, if built of brick, is pretty porous. Without intact rendering, the property will quickly absorb moisture from the rain and air, allowing the dreaded damp to penetrate and cause all kinds of expensive problems. Prevention is most definitely better than a cure when it comes to rendering.

Many homes with single skin (usually 225mm/9”) brick construction are suitable for rendering, whilst considering this, it is a good time to consider your insulation. This can be inside, though this will take valuable space. Outside insulation would be affixed to the wall, a mesh placed on top, with a final render layer. Note modern day render materials can be found in colours to save the cost of decorating. If your home is cavity insulated already, then you only need to focus on the external render.

Traditional rendering, using a layer of either cement or lime on top of a scratch coat(layer of mortar or plaster applied to a wall surface before the final finish), has a life expectancy of around 30 years. But modern formulas such as acrylic or resin-based renders can be good for up to 40 years, plus they are less prone to cracking and they usually hold a higher insulation rating than their older counterparts. So, not only will you save money in the long run, but you will also reduce the environmental footprint of your home.

With the average house rendering cost starting at around £5,000, it’s not an inexpensive investment. But while there are many property maintenance jobs you can undertake yourself, painting tired walls or treating rotted fences for example, it is highly advisable to leave rendering to the pros. If the wall surface is not perfectly prepared, even the highest-quality rendering material will peel and crack before it should.

Hiring professional and skilled tradespeople is easy at Find a Craftsman. One simple click here gives you access to a choice of specialists who are rendering installation experts and accredited for their skill, integrity and expertise by the Guild of Master Craftsmen. This blog will give you an overview of rendering cost, e.g. silicone render cost, an explanation of the steps involved, different types of rendering available and their suitability, and other key things to consider.

Step-by-step

An understanding of the entire rendering process is advisable, even if you do hire a Find a Craftsman tradesperson to do the job.

1 Wall preparation: Repairs to the brickwork and an assessment of structural damage/stability are important parts of this. Features including alarm boxes, drainpipes and weather protectors around windows and door frames will also need to be removed and refixed at the end.

2 Insulation layer: This forms the base of the installation and comes in sheet form or block cladding. You can also add insulation internally if this is easier. Note that cavity insulated homes should not require this in most instances.

3 The right foundation: A vital stage, where a render ‘mesh’ or scratch layer is applied, to make sure the subsequent layers stick and don’t crack prematurely.

4 Render layers: Depending on whether you plump for cement, lime, acrylic or resin-based materials, the number of layers required will vary.

5 Finishing touches: One advantage of contemporary resin-based renders is that they come in pre-coloured options, so they are good to go. A textured finish, such as pebbledash or roughcast may be used to give increased weather resilience. At this stage, you may choose to paint the dried render yourself, as a way to keep costs down.

Which rendering material is suitable?

If you’re scratching your head over the bewildering choice of rendering options, the table below will help.

House rendering cost guide

Now you’ve got a better idea of the material you want to use, take a look at the average supply-only cost. We will go into labour and installation costs further down.

*Source: Myjobquote.co.uk, 2022

High-quality render brands
Now it’s time to consider the advantages of using a specific render brand that your skilled Find a Craftsman installer may recommend.

K Rend
This waterproof coloured silicone lasts way longer than traditional cement and you can choose from silicone thin coat or silicone scraped texture, depending on the finish you want to achieve. While it is substantially more expensive – k render cost per m² comes in at between £30–£70, depending on your location – it requires no maintenance.

Weber
If you’re going down the pebbledash route, this brand has a one-coat rendering product that can save you time and cash. Weber render cost per m² ranges from £25–£65, and your choice will again be affected by the durability and longevity you desire.

Parex
This brand offers monocouche, acrylic and silicone renders amongst others and it’s a go-to choice for more industrial-scale undertakings such as bridges and railways. Therefore you can be confident in a long lifespan. Parex render cost per m² ranges from £20–£60, dependent on location and render selection.

Don’t forget to factor these costs and issues in

Rendering can be a time-consuming process – for example, a large, detached home may take up to two weeks. Let’s consider the ‘extras’ you should think about.

• Removal of old rendering: Scaffolding may be required as well skip hire to take the debris away.
• Hidden problems: Hopefully the brickwork will be intact with no serious damage, but if damp has crept in, you will need to address that before rendering work can progress. Again, you can source a reliable and trusted damp-proofing specialist at Find a Craftsman.
• The weather: It’s advisable to wait until the spring or summer, if possible, to avoid delays caused by heavy downpours. Each layer has to dry completely before another one is applied.
• Labour costs: Prices vary but as a rough rule of thumb, you should budget for between £130–£250 per day for a rendering specialist. However, you can benefit from a discount on materials, which will bring the overall cost of the project down. It’s also worth comparing several estimates to make sure you are being quoted the best price for the job. A specialist may also advise you that only certain areas of the property actually need to be rendered, for example isolated cracks, missing chunks and discolourations can be easily ‘patched’. In this case, you will be looking at a render price per m² of between £15–£30, again depending on the material used.

As our blog has outlined, there are many aspects to rendering work you may not have previously been aware of. As the UK’s most established trade association, The Guild of Master Craftsmen has been proudly representing tradespeople and artisans who have skill, integrity and expertise for over 40 years. At Find a Craftsman, hundreds of reliable, trustworthy and experienced contractors all over the UK are at your fingertips, so you’ll have peace of mind that the completed rendering will stick around for a long time to come.