National Rendering Dispatch provides emergency rendering when timelines are tight. K Rend, monocouche (Weber, Parex), traditional sand/cement. Scratch coat, topcoat, colored finishes. Waterproof render to BS 5262.
Site Monday. Scratch coat Tuesday. Topcoat Thursday. Cured by following Monday.
Premium thin-coat render. Single coat application (15-20mm thick). Self-colored (no painting needed). Silicone-based = waterproof but breathable. 25-year guarantee. Textured finishes: scraped, fine/coarse grain. Takes 2-3 days (one coat + drying). Cost: £40-60/m² including materials. Popular colors: white, cream, grey. No maintenance for 20+ years. Applied to blockwork with mesh reinforcement at corners.
One-coat colored render. 12-15mm thick. Factory-colored (consistent shade across batches—better than painting). Weather-resistant polymer additives. Applied directly to blockwork. Textured finish options. Takes 1-2 days application + 7 days cure. Cost: £35-50/m². Advantage over K Rend: slightly cheaper, good color range. Used on 60% of new-builds. Breathable, crack-resistant. 10-15 year guarantee typical.
Two-coat system: scratch coat (10-15mm) raked while wet, topcoat (8-10mm) floated smooth. Mix: 1:1:6 or 1:5 cement:lime:sand with waterproofer. Takes 5-7 days (scratch coat cures 3-5 days before topcoat). Cheapest option: £25-35/m². Needs painting afterward (£10-15/m²). Total: £35-50/m² painted. Lasts 20-30 years if maintained. Good for matching existing traditional render. Apply to brick or blockwork.
Existing render cracked/blown (sounds hollow when tapped). Water penetrating = damp inside. We hack off loose render, apply bonding agent, patch with matching render, blend edges. Small area (2-3m²): £200-400. Large area (10m²+): cheaper to re-render entire wall (£600-1200). Match existing render type and texture. Allow 5-7 days drying before painting. Some renders can't be matched (old 1970s Tyrolean)—may need full wall re-render.
External Wall Insulation (EWI): fix insulation boards to walls, render over top. 50-100mm PIR/EPS boards. Improves U-value from 1.5 to 0.3 W/m²K. Render system: base coat with mesh, topcoat silicone render. Takes 1-2 weeks (boards, render, cure). Cost: £80-120/m² (insulation + render). Building Regs compliant for extensions. Some planning restrictions (Conservation Areas). Reduces heating bills 25-40%.
1960s-80s pebbledash (small stones thrown at wet render). Ugly, dated. Removal: grind off with scarifier or hack off by hand (messy). Creates 5-10 tonnes waste per house. Then re-render with modern K Rend/monocouche. Takes 1-2 weeks (removal + render + cure). Cost: £60-90/m² (removal + re-render). Transforms appearance. Skip hire: £200-400. Some pebbledash is asbestos-based (pre-1985)—needs testing first.