Applying a new coat of render can dramatically improve the appearance of a building. There are a few types of render available. In this blog, we are going to look at the cost per m2 of the two most popular types of render – thin coat silicone renders and monocouche render.
Silicone render is often now preferred over monocouche render due to the range of colours available. In fact, since it is tinted, colour choice is essentially unlimited. Silicone render is also far more flexible than monocouche render so it is much more crack resistant.
In the blog, we are going to look at the coverage rates of the products required for each type of render. Then, we’ll look at the total cost per m2 of the render (with all components) and, finally, how you can quote your own home to give you an idea of material costs. Please note all our prices are calculated excluding VAT. If you need the Inc VAT prices (e.g., as a homeowner), then multiply the numbers by 1.2.
The m2 cost of Silicone Render
Components required:
Primer – Assuming the substrate is standard masonry, we recommend that you use our Water Based Primer, which costs £16.75. So, a coverage rate of 20m2 will cost around £0.84 per square metre.
Basecoat – Typically, we use Lightweight Basecoat in our render-only systems. However, a stronger EWI-225 Premium Basecoat can be used instead. Our Lightweight Basecoat is priced at £13.84 and each bag will cover approximately 2.8m2. The cost per m2 is, therefore, £4.94.
Mesh – Our orange fibreglass mesh is incredibly popular and gets embedded into the basecoat to provide added flexibility. The mesh costs £49.90 by the roll, with each roll covering 50m2. The cost per m2 is, therefore, £0.99.
Primer – The EWI-333 Topcoat Primer needs to be applied between the render and the basecoat. The 20kg tub covers approximately 60 m2 and at £65.81 per bucket, it works out at £1.09 per m2.
Render – Our most popular render is the EWI-075 Silicone Render, which is available in thousands of colours and several different textures. Each bucket is £86.99 and covers approximately 10m2 so the meterage rate is £8.69 per m2.
This means that in total, the cost of Silicone render is £16.55 per m2.
The m2 cost of Monocouche Render
Primer – Much like Silicone Render, if applying to standard masonry, we recommend that you use our Water Based Primer. This costs £16.75 for a coverage rate of 20m2 will cost around £0.84 per square metre.
Monocouche – A 25kg of monocouche will normally cover 1m2 (when applied in 2 passes to a total thickness of 18mm and scratched back to 15-16mm). The cost of the monocouche is £10.99.
Mesh – Our orange fibreglass mesh doesn’t have to be used within monocouche, however, we recommend it to help limit the potential for cracking. The mesh is £49.90 and each roll covers 50m2. The cost per m2 is, therefore, £0.99.
Tallying that up shows us that the cost of the monocouche render is £12.82 per m2.
Beading per m2
Finally, we find that beading usually costs approximately £2 per square metre, although this can vary depending on the property.
Which render do I choose?
In the example above, we used Silicone render. However, we have a huge range of coloured renders to choose from, all of which are BBA-approved and of the highest quality on the market.
We also provide tester pots that allow you to test different colours. It’s always best to see the coloured render in person to ensure that you are happy with your decision before it’s applied all over your property.
How to work out the cost of the materials to render a house
To work out exactly the quantity of coloured render you will need for your property, we first need to work out the approximate square meterage of the property.
Working out the square meterage of your external walls is easy. Simply go outside and measure the length and height of the wall, then multiply the two numbers together. This needs to be repeated for each wall you intend to render, then totalled together. This total will give you the external wall area.
Take for example a front wall – which is 5 metres across and 5.5 metres high (typically the measurement for a two-storey building). The total area is 27.5m2.
Now, obviously, you won’t want to put any render on windows and doors, but typically we don’t remove these areas from the calculation as they cover wastage. It is worth mentioning that if there is an unusually large span of glazing (e.g., a bifold door) then we would normally take this out of the calculation. Otherwise, you may end up with too much material on site.
Once you have worked out the total area for each elevation of the property, add these areas together.
e.g., Front wall 27.5m2, Side wall 45m2 , and back wall 27.5m2 for an end of terrace property
27.5 + 45 + 27.5 = 100m2
Then multiply this total meterage by the meterage rate.
100 m2 x £13.66 (cost per m2 for Silicone Render) = £1,655.
18 thoughts on “Coloured Render Cost Per Square Metre”
This is very helpful. Thank you. I only need 15m2 of coloured render, but i have noticed the rolls of mesh are 50m2. Can you by a third of a roll so we don’t have it left over! If so can you please let me know how!
Hi Benji, due to high demand we now sell fibreglass mesh by the square metre. You can purchase it here: https://ewistore.co.uk/shop/ewi-66640-fibreglass-mesh-1m2-coverage/
really interesting blog, have been thinking about re-rendering my property for some time but it’s so difficult to get a real idea of how much materials actually cost
This is a very clear and useful blog post. It has helped clarify the distinction between the different renders and selling the renders by the squared metre has certainly made things easier when purchasing quantities.
Thanks Sophie glad you found it useful!
Very interested in your product and am curious if it is available in USA.
Also can this render be applied to the existing one, stucco wall, Thankyou.
can i apply colored render on top of old render?
Hi Liz, it can be done depending on the condition of your old render. If it’s in good shape then you’d just need to use our premium adhesive as a basecoat rather than the EPS basecoat.
How much would it add to the total to put insulation in as well?
this popped up as an advertisement on my e-mail today, very interesting but could do with being updated for current rates.
Maximum depth of traditional sand and cement on render boards
Hi Tony, the maximum depth of traditional sand and cement render on render boards varies depending on the type of render board used and the specific application. As a general rule, traditional sand and cement render can be applied in layers, with each layer typically not exceeding 10-15mm in thickness to ensure proper adhesion and to avoid cracking. For total thickness, it is recommended not to exceed 20-25mm in total depth when applying multiple layers.
Hi, i am looking at matching some colour render on my house to what is there at the minute. We bought the house about 6 months ago and I have been waiting for the weather to warm up a bit, but i don’t know the type of render on their at the moment. Having scratched a bit off, it is not a painted render, the render itself defintely has a colour, so doing a bit of research i guess it is monocouche or silicone render, but how do i tell the difference. Any help would be greatly appreciated
Hi Lucy, there should be a noticeable texture difference; monocouche will feel like rough stone, whereas silicone is likely to be smoother and have small particles of aggregate in it. Silicone Render is also a thin coat system so likely to be thinner than monocouche.
Hi, I am currently looking to do the side wall of my semi detached house. My question is if I don’t do the front and back of the house and just do the side will I still benefit from the energy savings of the solid wall insulation or do you need to do the whole house to make it worthwhile? The side wall only has has a couple of windows and the rooms that are on that wall seem to all be really cold.
Thanks in advance for help
Hi John, you can just insulate one or two walls but the whole point behind EWI is to create an uninterrupted thermal envelope. The walls you don’t insulate will act as significant thermal bridges and you’ll lose a lot of heat through them as heat looks for the path of least resistance. As a result, the savings will be far lower. What type of insulation were you looking to use?
Great insights on the costs associated with coloured render! It’s really helpful to break down the price per square metre. I appreciate the detailed analysis, especially when considering EWI options for home improvements. Thanks for sharing!