External render cost UK 2026
The going rate for external render in 2026 is sand & cement: £40–£70/m² · monocouche (through-colour): £50–£90/m² · silicone thin-coat: £55–£100/m² · pebbledash: £45–£75/m² · lime: £70–£120/m² (supply & fit, ex scaffold). Below: a calculator, what the job involves, materials at three price levels, and the prep that changes the price.
External render calculator
Market bands
| Option | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|
| sand & cement | £40–£70/m² | Trade2Base |
| monocouche (through-colour) | £50–£90/m² | Trade2Base |
| silicone thin-coat | £55–£100/m² | Trade2Base |
| pebbledash | £45–£75/m² | Trade2Base |
| lime | £70–£120/m² | Trade2Base |
What the job involves
| Stage | Task | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| prep | Mask windows, doors and paths | 3 h |
| prep | Clean down, fix beads and mesh at openings | 0.2 h per m² |
| scratch | Scratch coat | 0.45 h per m² |
| top | Top coat and finish | 0.5 h per m² |
| top | Unmask, clean down, clear site | 2 h |
Some stages wait for materials to cure first, which can mean a return visit — that's why the worked example has 2 visits.
Materials at three price levels
| Material | Budget | Trade | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand & cement render (per m², two coats) per m² | £4 Site-mixed sand & cement with waterproofer — T2B: 30–40% of the price is materials | £6 Premixed render (e.g. one-coat base) — Consistent mix, fewer site errors | £8 Premixed fibre render — Less shrinkage cracking |
| Render beads and mesh (3m) 3m bead | £3 PVC render stop bead — Edges and openings | £4 Stainless render bead — No rust staining | £6 Stainless beads + alkali-resistant mesh — Stops cracks at corners of openings |
| Dust sheets, polythene and masking job | £6 Polythene and tape — Checkatrade: quotes include area protection | £10 Dust sheets, poly and floor protector — Protects floors and furniture | £18 Self-adhesive floor film + zip door — Lived-in homes |
Trade prices ex VAT, estimates checked 2026-09-27. Log your receipts in Grafto and your own prices replace these.
What changes the price
- Render system? sand & cement · monocouche (through-colour) · silicone thin-coat · pebbledash · lime big effect
- Wall now? bare brick or block · sound render (overcoat) · hack off old render big effect
- Storeys? 1 · 2 · 3 big effect
- Elevations to scaffold?
- Paint the render? masonry paint (2 coats) · no - left for decorator
Good practice
- Monocouche: through-coloured, scraped finish, no painting
- Silicone: basecoat and mesh over the sand & cement, then a 1.5 mm topcoat
- Lime: three coats, 5–7 days between the main coats
- Hacking off old render: T2B +£10–£25/m² plus disposal
- Sound render: prime and single coat over it
Prep to look for
| Condition | Check | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Hollow or cracked render | Tap the render: hollow, cracked or bulging areas? | Cut out and patch loose render £100–£350 |
| Damp or salts | Moisture meter: damp readings or white salts? | Don't plaster over live damp: find and fix the cause first |
Questions
How much does external render cost in the UK in 2026?
The researched market band is sand & cement: £40–£70/m² · monocouche (through-colour): £50–£90/m² · silicone thin-coat: £55–£100/m² · pebbledash: £45–£75/m² · lime: £70–£120/m² (supply & fit, ex scaffold), from Trade2Base. A worked example of 60 m² comes to about £3,714–£4,208 across budget, trade and premium materials.
How long does external render take?
The worked example of 60 m² takes about 5.5 working days over 2 visits (waiting for materials to cure in between).
What changes the price of external render?
Mainly render system, wall now, storeys, plus any prep found on site: hollow or cracked render, damp or salts.