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Q&As
How to Re-render a Victorian House?
My Victorian house needs rendering - there are some visible cracks and shoddy workmanship within the existing pebble dash. Does the existing render need to be removed? Should it be removed at all, and how?
And to get the most effective form of insulation, should I use a waterproof, acrylic render? Or is there another product that might work better?
Can you also give each rough idea of cost per square inch?
2 Answers
Hi Aileen,
Thanks for your question. I have popped this over to our expert team and will aim to get an answer across shortly.
Anamika Talwaria (features editor, Build It)
Since you say your house is Victorian I assume it has solid walls of what we call Traditional Construction ie soft red bricks set in lime mortar. This type of construction relies on evaporation to eliminate environmental moisture that is inevitably present in the building fabric and prevent the walls becoming damp.
That being the case any replacement render should be lime rather than cement and should certainly not be a waterproofing render as that would tend to trap moisture within the fabric. It is possible to use an insulating lime render, usually incorporating either cork or hemp. These can work well in improving thermal performance.
As to whether the render should be removed, that very much depends upon the individual circumstances. From what you say it does sound as though the existing render is unsatisfactory – the cracks are likely to be allowing in rainwater that will then become trapped. However it is important that it is properly assessed before going ahead. Stripping render is a significant intervention and will inevitably cause some fabric damage. The hardness of the existing render and how strongly it is adhering will have a major bearing. For that reason it is impossible to give a reliable indication of likely cost.
Alan Tierney (Build It expert)