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.