How much will it cost to render my house? [2024]

Are you looking for a way to transform the appearance of your house and add more to its resale value than the cost of a renovation? Then you should consider rendering your walls.

Render is most commonly applied to exterior walls, which is where it makes the most dramatic visual difference, but you could also consider plastering interior walls as an alternative to simply repainting.

Read this guide to the cost to render a house for an overview of:

• What is render?
• Types of render and finishes
• How much will it cost to render my house?
• Can I render a house myself?
• How long does it take to render a house?
• Hiring a renderer
• Getting quotes for your rendering job

What is render?

Thicker than paint, render is a surface finish that can be applied to a wall to give it a completely different appearance. When a brick wall is rendered, the gaps between the bricks are filled, giving a smooth or textured finish that can be pre-coloured or painted over.

Render is different from plaster, which is used indoors and is softer and slow-drying. The difference between render finishes and ordinary paint is that render is much thicker and gives a surface a textured appearance.

Types of render and finishes

The most common types of render used in Australia are:

• Cement render
• Acrylic render
• Polymer-modified cement render
• Bagging render

Cement render

Traditional render is a mixture of sand, cement and clay and/or lime that is spread over the surface of a wall to "render" or give it a smooth or textured finish. Advances in technology have seen other types of render being developed, such as render that comes ready mixed and is more resistant to cracking.

Acrylic render

Acrylic render is a popular alternative, because it is more durable and resists cracking, which is a common problem with cement render. It also gives you a range of options in terms of texture finishes and colour as well as water resistance. It is typically applied over cement render, which makes it much stronger, flexible and able to breathe underneath.

Polymer-modified cement render

A newer version of cement render, polymer modified cement render is supplied pre-mixed. While it costs more, polymer modified cement render adheres better than cement render. Because it comes in a variety of colours, it may also save you the cost of painting.

Bagging render

If you want a coarser look, or to save money, bagging render is the cheapest rendering option. This will show up more of the imperfections in the underlying brick or masonry.

Read our comparison guide to acrylic render vs cement render.

How much will it cost to render my house?

The cost of rendering can vary according to the type of render used, the amount of render needed and the difficulty of the job.

For professional rendering, expect to pay anywhere from:

• $30–$50 per square metre for basic cement render
• $30–$80 per square for acrylic or polymer render

These prices are for rendering a single-storey home and include labour costs. They will increase if you have a multi-storey home, where you will need to factor in scaffolding to your budget. Most renderers will include this in their quote.

Before you go ahead with your rendering project, take the time to work out if it is worth the expense. Paying a professional to render the average sized house could set you back anywhere from $12,000 to $32,000, or more for a larger home. You need to balance this outlay with what your home is likely to be worth after your project is complete.

Can I render a house myself?

You could save money on your rendering costs by ordering premixed render and taking care of some of the project DIY, as long as you know what this involves.

If you are planning on tackling a rendering project yourself, ask your supplier for their advice. Some surface preparation may be needed and they may advise you to apply a sealant and paint over the render.

Whether you're doing the job yourself or hiring a professional service, don't skimp on the "little" details. If you are renovating to sell, the benefits of achieving professional results can far outweigh any savings you might make by cutting corners.

How long does it take to render a house?

The time it takes to render a house depends on the size of the project as well as the type of render used.

• Cement render can take 1 to 2 days per wall or around 1 week for the average house
• Acrylic render can take 2 to 3 days per wall or up to 2 weeks for a whole house

Acrylic render can take longer to apply than cement render, but it is much faster to cure and dry, so your walls will be ready to touch and to paint sooner.

• Cement render takes around 28 days to cure
• Acrylic render cures in just 48 hours

Acrylic render can be expected to last far longer before it needs to be redone.

If you also need to paint your render, this can take another few days to a week. You could avoid this by buying pre-pigmented rendering solutions.

Hiring a renderer

When it comes time to hiring a renderer, take the time to make sure they are right for your job. Some questions to ask them include:

• Are you licensed or qualified?
• Are you insured to work in my home?
• How long will my job take?
• Can you provide a written quote?
• Do you have references I can follow up?
• Can I see examples of your work?

Getting quotes for your rendering job

The best way of finding out the cost to render a house is to get quotes from local renderers. This will give you a sense of what market rates currently are and whether rendering is within your budget.

As well as comparing rendering costs, also look into the background of companies and their previous work to make sure they are right for you.

*Costs and prices in this article are indicative and should only be used as a guide. They also vary locally and are subject to market forces.