Breathable render recommendations

[larry]

Hi, 

I've just posted a question about my solid walls where I have been hacking back old cement render (link below)

 

But I'd also like to ask about advice about what render to use and likely prices. I've had one quote back for lime render to be done at £160/sqm+VAT which frankly is over double what I was expecting and not really affordable. 

 

I've been looking at various options and came across this monocouche render which promises to be breathable https://www.vimark.co.uk/products/one-coat-through-coloured-render-monochrome/

 

It isn't lime, but it is about a third of the price - and monocouche has the big advantage of not having to paint also! Does anybody have any experience of this product or similar?

 

I can get scaffolding reasonably cheaply locally. And as you can see I can hack off a good amount of the render myself (I hate ladders but have managed to get to the bottom of the 1st floor window with my A-Frame ladder, SDS drill, and a long pry bar - the advantage of the render being knackered is it comes off very easily!). 

 

so questions are:

1. Recommendations for render to use for solid walls - is lime the only option?

2. Rough cost for rendering, it's approx 50sq/m in total that needs doing (am I being unreasonable?). 

 

 

 

)

[nod]

I run a render company and use most types and brands of render 

I used K scraped on our build and plan to use K Roughcast on our current build 

Both breathable 

Expect to pay £50-60 m2 

Dont use a local plasterer that does a bit of rendering 

50-60 will get you an established company that will have lots of finished and ongoing jobs you can go and see 

 

[Iceverge]

Sounds like an excellent opportunity for some EWI as the render is the majority of the cost anyway. 

[larry]

7 minutes ago, nod said:

I run a render company and use most types and brands of render 

I used K scraped on our build and plan to use K Roughcast on our current build 

Both breathable 

Expect to pay £50-60 m2 

Dont use a local plasterer that does a bit of rendering 

50-60 will get you an established company that will have lots of finished and ongoing jobs you can go and see 

 

 

Thank you so much for a quick and honest reply - that's hugely helpful. 

[larry]

5 minutes ago, Iceverge said:

Sounds like an excellent opportunity for some EWI as the render is the majority of the cost anyway. 

 

Ah yes, I'd wondered about that... the top room though now is already IWI'd (wood fibre) and my guess is that for our case (at least on this wall) an EWI install would be a bit fiddly - extending the roof line over the gable end, moving two soil stacks (one cast iron original) that abut the wall... dealing with the fact the dwarf cavity at the bottom protrudes by about 50mm, and we quite like the bricks on the dwarf wall, so does that mean brick slips... yada,yada I'm sure these are not insurmountable issues but am trying to keep down costs. Or am I being too pessimistic?

[larry]

On 04/01/2023 at 20:56, nod said:

I run a render company and use most types and brands of render 

I used K scraped on our build and plan to use K Roughcast on our current build 

Both breathable 

Expect to pay £50-60 m2 

Dont use a local plasterer that does a bit of rendering 

50-60 will get you an established company that will have lots of finished and ongoing jobs you can go and see 

 

Just to update where I got to with this... So you can at least have a laugh...

Two rendering companies out to quote... Mid sized companies... 

One quite back work out at nearly £200/sq m (for a Vimark breathable mono render). And that was with me chipping off the old render. 

And another came out to see it and hasn't quoted... Despite a couple of nudges. 

I've got a few more leads before I give up and have a go myself (which essentially is the story of my entry into DIY...)!! 

What am I doing wrong? Not the first time I've had sky high quotes. Is it me? Do I just look like a walking cash machine? Or is it actually it standard business practice to offer sky high quotes in the hope 10% say yes? Feel like I'm asking for dating advice!! 

 

[nod]

I’m not sure where you are located 

But companies are still very busy 

Especially outdoor trades with two months of wet and freezing weather in Dec and Jan and will try and pull back the money that they have lost 

[Sparrowhawk]

@nod Is there a quiet time of year for render companies when they may want to price more reasonably? The summer?

[nod]

Summer time is the best time for a quote