External coarse rendering (art decor), how to smooth out???

[Kellez]

Hello everyone,

I am planning to hire a builder to carry out some external works on my house external rendering. This is a very coarse rendering like an art decor rendering but a lot more coarse. It looks like there are stone pebbles inside this render. However before i start i want to get an idea on the procedure needed to smooth this out and i would like to know what exactly this is.

Please see the pictures below

 

[vinn]

In your first photo the black bitumen(?) just above ground level was most probably painted on because of previous damp problems. Its a bad idea.
Above you have painted pebbledash or roughcast as its sometimes called. It looks to be in good condition.
The paint seems to be "plastic" paint instead of masonry paint. Because plastic paint is impervious its generally a bad idea too.
If you cover the roughcast with another layer of whatever you might get damp problems inside the house. Why do you want to change things?

What is the round object in the first photo? Is it a cut-off & abandoned pipe or one of those rubbish Dutch damp devices? Are there any more of these objects in your walls?

 

[Kellez]

Maybe the black bitumen was used because the ground along the driveway and around the property was covered with non permeable tarmac therefore to protect it from water????

i can understand that this is not a good idea since the wall needs to breath, i have seen this being used on concrete foundations to cover the sides of the foundations but not on bricks walls. maybe if the black bitumen is below the DPC could this be ok?

i wasnt the one to carry out the external painting so i dodnt really know what type of paint was used?

I wanted to change these because i am planning to renovate and then sell on, i wanted to make it look more contemporary, but it looks like there is a lot of work required.

About that round object i dont really know what that is, and there are no similar objects around the house. It doesnt make any sense because that is the entrance lobby inside the house, therefore no waste pipes.


If i was to paint over the external render, what would you suggest?

 

[vinn]

If the bitumen is below the DPC then the DPC is being bridged by the render.
To paint over, use the best masonry paint you can afford. But first wash the old paint or power wash it as someone else suggested.
Gas meters used to be sometimes installed in hallways or the lobby. Perhaps thats an old gas pipe conduit? Anyhow, it can be ignored.