Render cost UK 2026
External rendering costs £45–£100 per m² fitted in the UK depending on render type, condition of the existing walls, and whether scaffolding is needed. A typical 3-bed semi (around 100m² wall area) lands £4,000–£10,000 fully rendered.
Cost guide ranges
| Render type | Per m² fitted | Small house (60m²) | Standard 3-bed (100m²) | Large detached (160m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand & cement (traditional) | £45–£70 | £2,800–£4,500 | £4,500–£7,500 | £7,500–£12,000 |
| Monocouche (one-coat) | £55–£85 | £3,300–£5,200 | £5,500–£8,500 | £9,000–£14,000 |
| Acrylic / polymer | £65–£90 | £4,000–£5,500 | £6,500–£9,000 | £10,500–£14,500 |
| Silicone (premium, breathable) | £75–£110 | £4,500–£6,800 | £7,500–£11,000 | £12,000–£18,000 |
| K Rend / Weber Pral M | £80–£115 | £4,800–£7,000 | £8,000–£11,500 | £13,000–£18,500 |
| Insulated render (EWI) | £120–£200 | £7,500–£12,000 | £12,000–£20,000 | £20,000–£32,000 |
What's typically included
- Scaffolding (typically 5–14 days)
- Surface preparation (washing, repairs)
- Mesh and beading on corners + reveals
- Render coats (1–3 depending on system)
- Coloured topcoat (if applicable)
- Standard install labour
- Disposal of waste material
What's typically NOT included
- Repairs to existing walls (cracks, blown render removal, damp work)
- New windowsills if existing don't suit (£40–£100 each)
- Painting if not pre-coloured render (£15–£30/m²)
- External wall insulation if upgrading thermal performance (£75–£140/m² extra)
- Removal of old pebbledash (£10–£25/m²)
- Decoration of trims, fascias, soffits
What drives the price
- Render type — sand & cement is the traditional cheap option but cracks more readily. Monocouche is single-coat coloured render, faster install. Silicone and K Rend are premium polymer-modified renders that are breathable, water-repellent, and highly crack-resistant.
- Existing wall condition — clean brick or block: easy substrate, low cost. Pebbledash removal: adds £10–£25/m² + scaffold time. Old loose render removal: £15–£35/m². Damp / structural repairs: priced separately.
- Scaffolding — required for almost all houses (anything taller than ground floor). £400–£1,500 of total cost depending on size and access.
- Reveals + sills — every window adds 2–4 hours of detail work for a clean reveal. Bay windows add more.
- External Wall Insulation (EWI) — render with insulation behind doubles cost but adds 100–200mm of insulation, dramatically improves thermal performance. Common on solid-wall (pre-1920) houses with no cavity.
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How we estimated these ranges
This is a guide only. The ranges below are intended for early budgeting and trade benchmarking. They are not a substitute for a site visit or an itemised quote from a qualified tradesperson. Always get a site-specific quote before agreeing work.
What's included in these ranges: typical labour costs, common materials at standard specification, and routine preparation or installation work for a standard project of this type.
What's excluded: unusual access (multi-storey, restricted parking), unforeseen structural issues, specialist design or architect fees, planning and building control application fees, premium or high-end finishes, emergency or out-of-hours work, and regional extremes.
Regional note: London, the South East and remote rural areas can vary significantly from the UK averages shown. London labour rates in particular can run 30–50% higher than national averages on the same scope.
Sources and checks used: publicly available UK trade supplier pricing (2025–2026), common day-rate and labour-duration assumptions used in trade quoting, internal example quote structures from TailoredQuote platform data, and where relevant cross-referenced regional contractor surveys and BCIS-style construction cost data.
Last reviewed: May 2026 by TailoredQuote. Prices in this guide will be reviewed and updated periodically.
Frequently asked questions
£45–£100/m² fitted depending on type. £4,500–£8,500 for a typical 3-bed semi in mid-range silicone or monocouche.
Sand & cement is cheaper but cracks easily and needs painting. Modern systems (silicone, K Rend, monocouche) cost 15–40% more but include the colour, are breathable, and crack-resistant. Worth the premium in most cases.
Aesthetic transformation can be huge. Adds insulating value (especially with EWI). Reduces maintenance. ROI varies by area — in many UK markets a well-rendered house adds 3–8% value, more in areas where rendered finish is the norm.
Modern polymer-modified renders are highly crack-resistant if applied properly with the right mesh and beading. Sand & cement on un-prepared substrate often cracks within 2–5 years. Use a breathable system on solid-wall (pre-1920) properties.
Related cost guides
Last reviewed: May 2026
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