Polymer Render Cost

Polymer render is a modern alternative to traditional renders, incorporating polymer additives like acrylic, silicone, and other synthetic resins for enhanced water- and weather-proofing.

It's ideal for both internal and external walls, offering a modern look without the traditional rendering appearance, such as pebbledash.

We can also connect you with polymer render contractors in your area, which means you can get at least three quotes for the job.

How Much Is Polymer Rendering?

The typical cost of polymer rendering per m² is £60. This means that, for an average semi-detached house of around 200m², the total polymer rendering cost will be in the region of £10,000 to £14,000.

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If you opt for a polymer render system, your costs will largely be the same as that of acrylic render, with monocouche, which can rise to £75 per m², being more expensive. For all types of house rendering, it's common to see higher prices in cities where the demand is higher.

Polymer Rendering Prices

Labour Cost of Polymer Rendering and Timescales

Labour costs for hiring a polymer rendering specialist would be between £130 and £250 per day. The higher the cost, the more experienced the trader is likely to be. With an average day rate of £190, the table below shows typical labour costs for the different-sized projects:

Hiring a specialist can help to reduce your overall material costs as they can take advantage of bulk buying opportunities, with the discount being passed on to you. So, instead of buying your supplies one by one, you can get them all at once at a reduced price.

Polymer render is typically quicker to cure than traditional sand or cement render, so both the overall installation and drying don't usually take as long.

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Supply Cost of Polymer Rendering

While supply costs for the polymer render finish coat are usually around £15 per m², average supply costs for a complete polymer render system will be about £30 per m². This includes the polymer render finish coat along with the additional materials such as base coats, primers, reinforcement mesh, and beads that are typically required for a render installation.

These additional materials would usually be about the same cost for whichever type of render system you decide to go with, but the exact materials required will vary depending on the type of render and the condition of the wall.

Labour costs and the chosen render system make up the majority of the total installation costs, with the remaining amount usually covering additional project costs such as scaffolding, skip hire, equipment, consumables, and other associated costs.

Polymer rendering is a specialised job. You're not advised to undertake it as a DIY project as there is precision required in how you lay the materials, and doing so incorrectly can not only look bad but have structural repercussions that will require remedying.

Rather than buying all the necessary supplies yourself, it's a good idea to speak to your contractor to find out if they would source the items for you. This way, you can take advantage of their trade discount for bulk buying, as opposed to spending more on individual items that you source yourself.

Additional Polymer Rendering Costs

You will also need to consider any additional costs, as well as the basic polymer render cost. Here, we'll take a look at some of the fees that might be forgotten but are essential components in your rendering project.

Scaffolding

Scaffolding is likely to cost between £750 and £900 to fit a semi-detached house for painting or plastering access, with the cost rising to £900 to £1,150 for a detached property. This is for a 1-week hire period, and prices can fluctuate based on your location and the period of your hire.

Waste Disposal and Skip Hire

If you are having old rendering removed, you are likely to need a skip.

Mini skips are around £90, while the largest skips can cost closer to £800. Large skips are most suited to rendering projects. A 20-yard skip will cost between £300 and £600, with a 40-yard costing between £400 and £800.

Costs in London are expected to be between £50 and £350 higher than in other locations, due to increased demand. You will need to ensure that your skip is suitable for the type of waste you will be producing, as incorrect labelling can lead to fines.

You'll need to check with your local council to see if you need a permit for your skip hire, which can range from £10 to £70, depending on your location. You can face fines of £1,000 if you don't get a permit before having your skip delivered if you're storing it on the roadside.

Factors That Impact Polymer Rendering Costs

More factors impact the cost of polymer rendering further to the supply and labour charges. There are a few decisions you can make along the way that can impact your project's fee, which we'll look into now.

Location and Ease of Access

Starting with the non-negotiables, location and ease of access. It's common to see higher charges for labour in cities as opposed to smaller towns due to the increased demand. You're also likely to face longer wait periods due to this.

If you live in a house without a driveway or a private place to park, you will also need to consider the collection of parking permits. This is also true if you require skip hire. To store it on the road, you'll need a permit, which can range from £10 to £70 depending on your area, and you can face fines of £1,000 if you store a skip on the road without a valid permit.

Perhaps your property overhangs a public pavement, in which case you may need to have a public right-of-way closure permit from your council to ensure that no health and safety regulations are breached. Your contractor will be able to advise you on the need for this, but generally speaking, if you are working from a height and this obstructs a public footpath, you will need a closure permit to make the working environment safe for your labourer and the general public.

Condition of Substrate

You may have already had your existing render taken off, which can lead to damage to your property's substrate. Most commonly seen with pebbledash removal due to the harsh nature of the removal process, your contractor will need to repair any problems (costing between £150 and £350 for small patches) before starting work on the new render to ensure your structural integrity and thermal efficiency aren't compromised.

Complexity of Application Process

If your home spans multiple storeys, you are likely to see a rise in your labour costs as a result of the added labour and potential for more specialised scaffolding equipment.

Opting for a low-effort rendering application is the best way to negate any potential spikes in price, meaning choosing off-the-shelf colours instead of bespoke ones, and smooth textures instead of time-consuming, hand-drawn variations is best for cost-effectiveness.

Building Regulations Related to Polymer Rendering

If you're applying polymer render to your home's exterior for the first time or removing an existing external coating to replace it with something new, you will need to ensure that your property's insulation isn't compromised in doing so. Your rendering specialist will need to consider both the U-value (thermal transmittance) and the reciprocal R-value (minimum thermal resistance) to calculate the need for additional insulation as a result of the change.

While polymer render application is likely to fall under permitted development, you may still need to have an assessment to confirm the proposed changes. This is because alterations to a property's exterior can have impacts on fire safety, structural stability, and insulation, all of which fall under building regulations' jurisdiction.

To make sure your rendering project doesn't cause any issues with the local authorities, it's worth bearing the following in mind:

• If your home is a listed property, you will not be allowed to change its appearance from its original state. This will prevent you from making changes to the external facade, including the colour, texture, and finish.
• Those living in conservation areas will also encounter restrictions to ensure the characteristics of a certain geographical area are conserved for historical purposes. This will likely prevent you from making any changes beyond minor modifications in the form of maintenance to your existing wall coating.
• Whatever your circumstances, you should check with your local planning authority or conservation officer before you start any external rendering project to ensure that you adhere to the guidelines in your area.

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Types of Polymer Rendering Finishes

Able to bond to cement, clay, concrete, and more, polymer rendering is a premium exterior wall coating with in-built waterproofing. Further to this, you can choose to personalise your rendering with different types of finishes, as well as colours, to suit your desired aesthetic, but these choices do carry different budgetary requirements.

Opting for a smooth finish will always have the lowest charge when compared to a specialised pattern or decorative finish, and is best suited for those looking for a comparatively cheap option. If budget isn't an issue, you can choose a decorative finish, such as a pattern or stippled effect to add more personality to your design, but this will add to your contractor's labour hours, and therefore raise your prices.

How Does Polymer Render Compare to Other Types of Render?

Polymer render is often seen as an excellent all-rounder, but it's worth understanding how it compares with other modern render systems. Each type offers different strengths in cost, flexibility, durability, and finish quality. The right choice for your home will depend on your budget, property type, and desired appearance.

Overall, polymer render offers one of the best balances between performance, breathability, and cost, making it a practical choice for most properties.

Alternative Types of Rendering

To help you choose the right rendering type for you, let's take a closer look at some alternative types of rendering, including cladding and painting, to give you an idea of what's available to suit your budget.

Render Over Existing Render

A common choice to keep costs down is to simply render over the existing render. This is only possible in situations where the original rendering is in good condition and shows no sign of failure.

If you apply new rendering without assessing the existing structure, you run the risk of having both the new and old layers of render falling off, leading to health and safety issues, as well as added costs for repair. If you have minor issues such as cracks, your contractor will need to repair these before starting work on your polymer render, with small patch repairs usually costing between £100 and £350, depending on your type of render.

This method is far more time-efficient than a full removal of old render and can help trim down labour charges as well as hire charges for additional equipment. Render applications can start at £3,000 for small properties and rise to £6,000 and above for larger homes and even more for premium materials.

Instead of polymer, you can opt for cheaper alternatives if choosing a particular colour isn't a big deal to you, or if you don't need added benefits such as temperature adaptability as seen in plastic-bearing renders. Lime render costs around £20 per m², while cement render is cheaper still at £10 per m², compared to the cost of polymer render, which is around £60 per m².

Clad Over Existing Render

Another option to avoid the removal of the old rendering is to install cladding over your rendering. Like before, this is subject to your existing render being in good condition.

Cladding installation can cost around £3,800 and will take anywhere from 2 to 3 days, making it more time-efficient than removal of the existing render. The material you choose for your cladding (timber, uPVC, or aluminium) will give you lower or higher costs, with timber being the cheapest and aluminium being the most expensive option.

Paint Over Existing Render

Our final option for homeowners with existing rendering in good condition is to paint your house over the existing render. If the full removal of the render isn't necessary, this can be a great way of giving your home's exterior a new lease of life while being budget-friendly.

Your contractor must assess your property's render for any defects, and fix any problems before painting to both preserve the structural integrity of the existing rendering and ensure the paint finish is as seamless as possible.

Prices for masonry paint vary, but you can find 5-litre tubs for around £15, giving you a cost range of between £10 and £25 per m², which equates to £800 to £2,000 for supply costs only for a two-bed semi-detached house. You will then need to add on equipment costs, such as scaffolding, as well as factoring in your labourer's day rate.

Explore Different Types of Render

If you're still deciding which render is best for your home, take a look at our detailed cost guides for other popular finishes:

• Cement Render Costs.
• Acrylic Render Costs.
• Lime Render Costs.
• Silicone Render Costs.
• Monocouche Render Costs.

Removing Existing Rendering

If your home's rendering is in a state of disrepair, you will need it to be removed before any work can start on replacing it. Removing pebbledash and other types of render may be the best option when defects are too far gone to repair, such as when large areas of the surface have fallen away, and opting to repair these instead of replacing them can be a costly mistake.

A common job for contractors concerns the removal of pebbledash render. This can cost anywhere from £2,100 to £7,800 and up, depending on your house size.

You may have already had your rendering removed, and for instances where it was pebbledash, you will need to assess your property's substrate for damages during the removal. Issues with this layer cannot be ignored, and a fix is required before the new render or cladding is added, as failure to do so can negatively impact your home's thermal efficiency.

Checklist: Hiring Contractors for Polymer Rendering

The quality of your project is only as good as the skill of your contractor. Here's what to take into consideration when selecting your tradesperson to ensure you are getting the best results for your money.

• Are they qualified for the job? While there aren't set qualifications for external renderers, it's a good test of character to see if they have industry-recognised certifications. Ask if they hold a relevant CSCS card (Construction Skills Certification Scheme), which verifies their qualifications and health and safety training. You can also check if they are registered with a Government Endorsed Quality Scheme like TrustMark.
• Are they insured? Your trader should have proof of liability insurance. This is essential to keep you covered in the event of an accident at your residence that causes damage to either the home, yourself, or the worker.
• Do they understand building regulations? A professional renderer will understand how the project impacts your home's thermal performance. As mentioned in our 'Building Regulations' section, they must consider the U-value and R-value to ensure insulation isn't compromised, especially when replacing an existing render.
• Can they provide references and a portfolio? Find a contractor with a proven track record in polymer render application. Take a look at their website and any relevant reviews. You can also check their MyJobQuote profile to read verified reviews, see ratings, and view their past work.
• Have you compared detailed quotes? It's essential to collect several quotes from different polymer rendering specialists. Ask for an itemised quote that breaks down all potential 'hidden costs' — find out if you need to arrange for skip hire, scaffolding, or parking permits, and what the time contingency is.
• What guarantees are included? Ask if they have any maintenance guarantees if the render fails in the first few years of application. A reputable trader should be confident in the quality and durability of their workmanship.

Following these steps will help you choose a qualified, insured plasterer or renderer with a proven track record, ensuring your home's new exterior is completed to the highest standard.

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