Thinking of having the house rendered... advice please?

[Marylou1974]

Hi, we are about to have some work done on hte house and the bricks are that foul 1970's yellow buff .. although many are replacements from work that was done. Also hoping to get oak windows put in in different sizes so we have decided to have the house rendered.

Any advice on what we should look for in a builder? we want it very smooth and clean lined and have no idea of cost at all. Have you had it done and how much was it? did you do it yourself and did you find it cost effective?

Weve been in a couple of years and the house is in DESPERATE need of updating!

Any advice is more than appreciated... particularly that with average quotes in.

Many thanks in advance
Marylou

 

[^woody^]

Rendering is a last resort or even a none starter for many situations.

Its prone to long/meduim term maintenance issues and costs. And this is reflected at sale time

More importantly the aesthetics mean that render is not just a covering, but has design implications which will make a house an ugly plain mass of masonry if used in the wrong situation.

IMO, the character of a building is the brickwork, and its not something that needs "updating" to the latest fashion

 

[Shytalkz]

And this is reflected at sale time

You reckon that two identical houses, one with fair-face brickwork, the other with render, will have different values??

IMO, the character of a building is the brickwork, and its not something that needs "updating" to the latest fashion

If the brickwork is a mess of alterations, disimilar bricks and poor bonding, then render (or some other cladding, or a mix, or part) has to be an improvement...

 

[^woody^]

They won't have different values, as the estate agent will bung them on the market for as much as he thinks he can get. But yes, the potential future maintenance costs of render is a bargaining point to bring the rendered one down lower than an equivalent brick faced property.

But, if the kitchen is black gloss units, then mrs purchaser will most likely pay the asking price whatever the outside is like

If it is a real issue, then there are better methods of tidying up a hotch-potch of differnent bricks than render ie replacement bricks and repointing if required

 

[noseall]

if the brickwork can be improved without rendering then so be it.

if not then a nicely pebbledashed property can be attractive and maintenance free.

if you do decide to render, pay the right money and do some research. there are some very good spreads out there and some pretenders. rendering is an art. i can wet plaster but i would not pretend that i could deal with a two storey expanse of masonry.

be prepared for £££.

 

[Marylou1974]

Hi and thankyou for your replies.

The house is already a mess of bricks and short of ordering and having made bricks to match you simply do not get the bricks in the same colour anymore. The house already stands out in the street as they are a yellow and red buff style. Very 70's and extremely ugly and difficult to match any kind of hard standing to. Luckily I am tucked away at the end of a cul de sac and the houses in the street are all cladded or individual in some way. I dont want the pebble dashed kind of render I want glass smooth done and I think we will be having oak windows and a complete renovation. Having done several (hundred!) CAD designs we have settled on render as the best Idea, pending costs.

The house is also rather big , 5 bed 2 bath detatched and the largest in the street. So the cladding idea would make it look like some kind of faux oversize cabin. Having already talked to local estate agents they have said that as long as the house is well updated and appointed they wont care if its rendered or not. So I am not overly worried.

I have booked a couple of builders who specialise is large jobs to give me a quote and ill go from there.
Thankyou so much for you replies and advice.
Marylou