Rendering across the UK

What this work involves

Rendering is work we take on regularly, on both older and newer buildings. Protect and re-finish the outside of a property where render has cracked, blown or stained. What the work involves depends on the condition of the existing surface, so we price from what is there.

Where we work

We work across the UK, travelling to jobs where the scope makes the journey sensible for both sides.

What is included

This normally includes:

• Full re-render
• Patch repair
• Through-coloured render
• Monocouche
• Bell casts and beads
• Mesh reinforcement

Typical jobs

The requests we see most often:

• Failed render replacement
• New extension finish
• Whole-elevation refresh
• Crack and damp remediation
• Full re-render
• Patch repair
• Through-coloured render
• Monocouche

Preparation and process

Preparation is the part people see least and notice most, so it is not skipped.

1. Assess substrate and detailing
2. Remove failed render
3. Prepare and reinforce
4. Apply coats in sequence
5. Finish and detail edges
6. Clear site

Materials used depend on the substrate and finish: Sand and cement, Silicone thin-coat, Monocouche and Bonding coats and primers.

Suitable properties

Property types this suits:

• Terraced house
• Semi-detached house
• Detached house
• Extension
• Bungalow

Problems this solves

Situations where this work is the right answer:

• Hollow or drummy render
• Cracking
• Damp patches inside
• Staining and organic growth
• Paint failure

Rendering that protects the outside of your home

External render does two jobs at once: it gives the building a clean, uniform finish and it forms the weather layer that keeps driving rain out of the masonry underneath. When render fails, both jobs stop working — hollow patches let water sit against the wall, hairline cracks widen with every freeze, and staining spreads from wherever water is being shed in the wrong place.

We work on solid brick, block, stone and previously rendered walls, using sand and cement systems as well as modern through-coloured and silicone-based finishes. The right specification depends on what the wall is built from and how it needs to breathe, which is why we look at the substrate before recommending a system rather than after.

What rendering work covers

• Full re-render — removing failed render back to sound masonry and building the system back up in coats
• Patch repair and making good — cutting out blown or cracked sections and blending into the existing finish
• Through-coloured and silicone systems — finishes coloured throughout rather than painted on, so chips don't show a different colour underneath
• Monocouche — one-coat through-coloured render, typically scraped back to an even texture
• Bell casts, beads and stop ends — the detailing that decides where water leaves the wall instead of tracking behind it
• Preparation and reinforcement — mesh, primers and bonding coats where the substrate needs them

Where a wall needs to breathe — older solid-wall construction in particular — a cement-rich system can trap moisture and cause more harm than the original problem. We'll say so before quoting rather than fitting the wrong product.

Problems rendering solves

• Hollow or drummy areas — render that has lost its bond and sounds hollow when tapped; it will eventually come away in sheets
• Cracking — fine crazing is usually cosmetic, while straight or stepped cracks often follow movement or a failed detail underneath
• Damp patches inside — frequently traced to render bridging a damp course or water running behind a cracked bell cast
• Staining and organic growth — green or black marks where water runs down the same path repeatedly
• Patchy paint failure — coatings peeling because moisture is trying to escape through the paint film

Rendering questions

Can you render over existing render?

Sometimes. If the existing render is well bonded across the whole wall, a thin-coat system can go over it after preparation. If large areas sound hollow, overlaying just hides the problem — the new finish will fail wherever the old one lets go, so those sections come off first.

How long does a re-render take?

A typical house elevation is usually a matter of days rather than weeks, but render is weather-dependent. Coats need time between them, and applying in frost or heavy rain damages the finish, so we plan around the forecast rather than pushing on regardless.

Does render stop damp?

A sound render sheds water and keeps the wall behind it dry, which resolves damp caused by water getting into the masonry. It will not fix damp coming from a failed damp course, a leaking gutter or a bridged cavity — those need dealing with first, or the same patches come back.

Will the colour match the rest of the house?

With through-coloured systems we can work to the closest available colour, but a patch repair on a weathered wall rarely disappears entirely, because the old surface has aged. Where an exact match matters, rendering the whole elevation gives a consistent result.

Related services

You may also need:

• Plastering
• Skimming
• Dry Lining
• External Rendering
• Silicone Rendering

Common questions

Where do you work?

We work across the UK on rendering, subject to the size and timing of the job.

Rendering over existing render?

This depends on the property, so we would rather answer it properly once we have seen the surface than give a general answer that may not apply to your job.

Do I need to move out or clear the room?

For most jobs the room needs to be clear of furniture and floor coverings protected. We will tell you exactly what to move before we arrive.

How much does rendering cost?

We do not publish a fixed price, because cost depends on the size of the area, the condition of the existing surface, access and the finish you want. We give a written quote after assessing the job rather than an estimate that changes later.

Timescales and weather?

This depends on the property, so we would rather answer it properly once we have seen the surface than give a general answer that may not apply to your job.

Is there anything you do not cover?

We do not carry out damp-proof course installation, guttering replacement or structural crack repair.

How long does the work take?

It depends on the area and how much preparation is needed, and drying time between coats cannot be shortened safely. We give a realistic timescale with the quote instead of a generic figure.

How we work

We quote in writing, explain what the work involves before starting, and tell you if a different approach would serve the building better. If a job is not right for us, we say so.

Service coverage

We work across the UK on this service, subject to job size and scheduling.

Ask about your job

Send a short description of the work, along with rough measurements or photos, and we will reply with a written quote.