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Rendering Cost: A Complete Guide to Exterior Wall Rendering Prices

Last modified: 22.01.2026
Rendering Cost: A Complete Guide to Exterior Wall Rendering Prices
To render or not to render…that may not be a question everyone asks…yet. Although more and more homeowners are starting to consider it.
Before deciding if it’s worth it, let’s first clarify what it actually is. Put simply, exterior wall rendering is a protective and decorative finish applied to the outside of your home. Think of it as a luxurious coat for your walls.
The benefits are clear:
  • Improved weather resistance: shields your walls from rain, wind and frost.
  • Enhanced appearance: gives your home a smooth, modern or textured finish.
  • Damp protection: Helps prevent moisture from seeping into your walls.
In short, exterior wall rendering is about protection, aesthetics and long-term value for your home.
A free life tip for you: in life, always consider the costs. Rendering is amazing, it protects your home, enhances its appearance and adds long-term value. Consider it a smart investment that yields returns over time.
Costs vary depending on render type, property size and preparation work, but with careful planning, it’s manageable. For a detailed look at different renders and their costs per square metre, you can check out the EWI Store’s render guide. 
Keep in mind, renders rarely work alone; you’ll also need a basecoat, mesh and beading to strengthen the system. If you combine rendering with external wall insulation, total project costs can range from £6,000 to £20,000, depending on your home type and the system used.
Understanding these costs upfront helps you budget wisely, choose the right render and ensure a durable, high-quality finish that truly adds value to your home.
Let’s be real and address the elephant in the room, or the elephant on your street, no one wants to be that house in the neighbourhood: cracked walls, tired surfaces and a dusty, run-down look. It doesn’t feel great, does it?
Some might say, “Get over it, stop being shallow.” Often, this desire is not merely a matter of vanity. The way your home looks does reflect the standard you set for yourself, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting it to look its best.
Exterior wall rendering can significantly enhance your home’s appearance. It gives you the freedom to choose your preferred colour, texture and grain size, resulting in a clean, modern and durable finish. The transformation can be dramatic.
Simply put, a professionally rendered home stands out for the right reasons, it boosts curb appeal, improves first impressions and can even increase property value. Your house won’t just blend in, it’ll be the one that others admire.
Silicone render is a thin-coat exterior render known for its flexibility, breathability and water-repellent properties. These features allow your external walls to withstand harsh weather conditions while helping to resist staining, algae growth and cracking over time.
One of the key advantages of silicone render is its low-maintenance finish, which helps keep your home looking clean and fresh for years. This makes it a popular choice for homeowners looking for long-term value and durability.
In terms of material cost, silicone render typically comes in at around £16.78 per m² (excluding labour and additional system components). For a full breakdown of pricing, materials and system requirements, check out our dedicated guide on silicone render cost. 
Acrylic render is often chosen when you want your house to stand out. It bonds exceptionally well with colour pigments, meaning the finish stays vibrant and consistent for years, often well over a decade without fading. This makes it a popular option for homeowners who want a strong visual impact with minimal repainting.
Another advantage is cost-efficiency. Due to the colour being built into the render, you save both time and money by avoiding regular repainting cycles. However, acrylic render does take slightly longer to dry, which means it’s not ideal for installation in wet conditions.
While acrylic render is breathable, it is less breathable than silicone render. It’s also not hydrophobic, making it less resistant to extreme weather over long periods. For this reason, it’s best suited for milder environments or where appearance is the main priority.
In terms of material cost, acrylic render typically costs around £44.39 - £47.99 per 25kg tub (excluding labour and additional system components).
Traditional render, often referred to as lime render, is a popular choice for older and solid-wall properties, particularly homes built in the 1930s and earlier. One of its biggest advantages is its high breathability, which helps prevent damp and mould by allowing moisture to escape naturally from the walls.
Lime render is also flexible, meaning it can accommodate small movements in the building. As it reacts with rainwater over time, it can help self-heal minor cracks, extending the lifespan of the render. 
From an environmental standpoint, it’s a strong option too. Lime absorbs CO₂ as it cures, making it a more eco-friendly, low-carbon building material. Aesthetically, lime render offers a traditional, heritage-style finish, ideal for homeowners who want to preserve the character of their property.
Drawbacks to consider:
  • Requires regular maintenance and repainting
  • Has a longer curing time than modern renders
  • Is sensitive to weather conditions during application
In terms of material cost, NHL 3.5 lime render typically costs around £10.86 per m² (ex. VAT), based on a 23kg bag priced at £16.62, with coverage depending on application thickness.
Let’s talk… money! Rest assured, not in a scary, spreadsheet kind of way, but in a “what am I actually signing up for?” way.
Rendering costs can feel a bit over the place and that’s because they are. The final price depends on what render you choose, how big your house is and whether you’re just giving your walls a glow-up or going all-in with insulation too.
Important note before we dive in: the figures below are material costs only.
Let’s start with the basics. In 2026, most render materials sit somewhere between £3 and £12 per square metre (ex. VAT).
Here’s what that looks like in real terms:
 
  • Mineral render starts from around £3.05 per m₂
  • Acrylic render comes in at roughly £4.30 per m₂
  • Silicone renders range between £5.90 and £11.77 per m₂
  • Lime render averages about £10.86 per m₂
These are our standard coverage rates using current supplier pricing. If you want to go deep into individual render systems, we’ve broken it all down here.
Using lime render as an example and average UK house sizes (based on Office for National Statistics data), here’s a rough guide for material costs:
Once again, this is materials only, not the full installed price. Think of it as your starting point, not the final invoice.
Standard rendering is mainly about protection and aesthetics. If you decide to add external wall insulation (EWI) at the same time, you’re stepping into long-term savings territory.
An insulated render system includes:
 
Type of Home Average Size (sqm) Bedrooms Cost per m² Approx. Material Cost
Detached 147 4 £10.86 ~£1,596
Semi-detached 96 3 £10.86 ~£1,043
Mid-terraced 64–100 2–3 £10.86 £695 – £1,086
Bungalow 77 1–2 £10.86 ~£836
 
  • Insulation boards (EPS or mineral wool)
  • Fixings and adhesives
  • Basecoat and reinforcement mesh
  • All the fiddly detailing around windows and doors
As a result, a full EWI and render system typically lands anywhere between £7,000 and £25,000, depending on your home and the products you choose.
Mineral wool costs more than EPS, but it brings extra perks like fire resistance and acoustic insulation, which, for many homeowners, is a fair trade-off. For more on energy efficiency and insulation benefits, the Energy Saving Trust has some solid, no-nonsense guidance.
Ultimately, you want your house to look good, we all do. Now imagine buying all the rendering materials, equipment and tools, only for it to end up looking the complete opposite of what you were expecting, all because you didn’t have the expertise to do the job. You’ve now spent thousands on something that looks worse than before. 
This is where professionals come in. A good rendering contractor knows how to achieve a clean, consistent finish that genuinely elevates your home’s appearance. Of course, always do your due diligence. Check reviews, look at previous projects and verify credentials. Once you’ve found the right team, trusting professionals can make all the difference to both kerb appeal and property value.
When rendering is installed properly, it’s not just about looks, it’s about protection. It can save you from constantly repainting your walls and worrying about cracks and water ingress.
Let’s be honest, this is the UK. The weather isn’t exactly gentle. Rain, frost, wind and the occasional hailstorm all take their toll on external walls. Hiring a professional ensures your render system is applied correctly, giving your home the best possible chance of standing up to the elements for years to come.
If you want to take things a step further,insulated rendering can help improve your home’s energy efficiency. By reducing heat loss, you can lower energy bills and create a more comfortable living space.
It’s also a strong selling point. Should you ever decide to move, an energy-efficient home is far more attractive to buyers, making insulated rendering a smart upgrade, not just an aesthetic one.
You’ve probably got a lot to think about when it comes to rendering your property: materials, costs, finishes and whether insulation is right for you. The good news? With the right guidance, it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming.
We’re here if you have any questions or concerns and we’ll support you through the process from start to finish.

To make things easier, we’ve created a materials calculator that takes less than a minute to use. Simply choose your property type and the materials you’re considering and you’ll receive a free, no-obligation quote.

Rendering your home shouldn't feel like you’re stuck in a maze, it should feel clear, simple and manageable.

Professional rendering is the route we believe in. That’s why we work with EWI Pro system specialists, who not only train installers but also recommend professionals who consistently deliver high-quality results. For those who fancy a DIY approach, EWI Pro offers courses to guide you through the process
When installed correctly using approved systems and trained installers, rendering becomes more than just a facelift, it’s a long-term investment in your home.