How much does it cost to render a house

The cost to render an average low set house is approximately $7,880.00 to $10,890.00 including GST, while the cost to render an average high set house is approximately $11,130.00 to $14,640.00 including GST.

This includes the subsequent painting that is required over the rendered surfaces.

Of course, the question is what is “average”? That’s where it can get a little tricky… but let me try and cut through some of the noise surrounding the cost to render a house by addressing 10 contributing factors that affect the cost of rendering.

 

Firstly, everything is based on the surface area, that is m2.

This is the magical formula that assists with labour estimations and product ordering. But it’s never that simple right?..

Of course, as renderers, we much prefer working with flat straight uninterrupted surfaces. So in order to account for the additional work required to work around windows, doors, sills etc – we leave the small ones in, typically anything less than 2m2.

We then take into consideration a number of other factors such as….

Height doesn’t just add the cost of access equipment, it slows us down (and for some of us makes our knees wobble). In most residential scenario, we can access all surface areas of a highset home with the use of an approved trestle system. On some houses – we need scaffold, or in some cases an elevated work platform such as a cherry picker. The need for this equipment, as well as the detriment in work pace – will add costs.

We normally don’t let obstacles get in our way, but the reality is – they really slow us down. All the extra ‘finesse’ and protection of the existing fixtures takes its toll on the clock. The rule of thumb here is that the more straight forward the run of work – the better. But don’t let that put you off if your house is a jungle of added conduits and fixtures, you’ll be surprised just how far we can get behind most things, and for the things that we can’t – we work in with licensed trades that can assist in the removal/re-installation of a fixture… OR the tricks on where you can gain the overall effect of a rendered finish, without the added cost of rendering behind a permanent fixture – such as a hot water tank that’s snug up against a wall.

We haven’t come across too many situations that we can’t overcome, but sometimes access (or lack of it) can be an added cost with equipment or time. I am sure you can appreciate that safety is our highest priority, and should any specific need be identified we’ll inform you during the quoting stage. Of course, this won’t be a burden for you to carry, we will cover all required equipment as part of our fixed priced quote.

We love new trends, but the move towards replacing large windows with multiple smaller ones just adds cost. Reveals needing externals, sills needing added attention, and glass needing to be protected adds time. Typically the inclusion of all smaller openings less than 2m2 in the overall surface area accounts for this, but on some rare occasions, we might have to charge.

Other existing fixtures can account for added costs in the protection. Render is a messy job, but we believe that avoiding render getting on adjoining works or fixtures is far better than the potential for irreparable damage or time-consuming cleaning. This is a case where prevention is definitely better than a cure. Airconditioner compressors, tiles, driveways and even plants can all be protected from any stray render with the right care!

Narrow widths include items such as piers, archways, quoin stones, corbels etc etc. Generally any area with a surface width less than 1 meter is what we class as a narrow width. With every narrow width comes the additional time to correctly prepare the surface, and in most cases a truckload of external beads.

The existing surface area can sometimes add the most, and those expensive tumbled bricks that someone choose in the 1980’s tend to chew the material the most. The bricklayer who lovingly may have laid the bricks, probably never really considered the tsunami of customer trend to swing toward a rendered finish back then, and while it’s absolutely possible to render even the most uneven of surfaces – will all that extra material and labour needed to straighten it up at times comes at a cost. The general rule here is that the flatter the surface the cheaper is it to render.

Prep can be a lot of things, but in this case we are talking the (often) 30 years of grime on the wall. We’ll sometimes recommend a high-pressure clean, and we can take care of it if you’d rather keep your hands clean! Dirt, grime, mould – a good high-pressure clean and the right treatment can get those bricks bright and shining and ready for render. Occasionally we’ll come across a painted brick or perhaps the repair of some existing render, in these cases – sometimes more drastic measures are needed. This might be the removal of the existing finish, or more often than not, a suitable preparatory key coat. We’ll advise you if this is the case.

Last but not least, the desired finish can play a big role in the overall price. There are literally thousands of different products and finishes available – but don’t get overwhelmed! 95% of the industry opts for a standard ‘sponged finish’ render, which is very likely the flat, smooth finish you have already fallen in love with.

We hope the pricing guide has been helpful in your early research in the affordability and pricing of your project. Don’t forget that if you would like more specific ballpark estimations, or you are ready to take us up on an obligation free measure and quote – just reach out here, we’d love to hear from you.

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