External rendering is applying a protective, weather-resistant coating to the outside walls of a house, using sand and cement, monocouche or thin-coat silicone render, to give a smooth or textured finish that protects the masonry and improves appearance.
Cornwall is part of our UK-wide coverage for external rendering. Places we cover include Redruth, Falmouth, St Austell and Truro, and we travel to smaller communities across the area as well. Since your property is in England, the relevant planning and building rules are the ones set there. In the South West, budget around £7,100–£16,500 with VAT; the figure is confirmed after a survey that costs you nothing.
- Guide price
- £7,100–£16,500 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 1–3 weeks on site, depending on weather
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 2% above the national guide
- Towns listed
- 7
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does external rendering cost in Cornwall?
These are guide costs, not quotes. For external rendering in Cornwall the range is £7,100–£16,500, VAT included, reflecting prices in the South West that are about 2% above the national guide. Once we have visited for a free survey, you get a firm figure for the scope you approve.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Cornwall |
|---|---|---|
| Front elevation or small terrace | One elevation or a small terraced house, including scaffolding and preparation. | £3,100–£7,100 |
| Typical semi-detached | All rendered walls of a 3-bed semi in monocouche or silicone, with scaffolding. | £7,100–£16,500 |
| Detached or full strip and re-render | Larger houses, or homes needing old render removed and walls repaired first. | £15,500–£30,500 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Wall area to be rendered and the height of the house
- Render system: sand and cement, monocouche or silicone
- Scaffolding, access and protection of neighbouring property
- Detailing around windows, bays, sills and pipes
Scope of the work
- Removal of loose or failed render and pebbledash where needed
- Windows, doors and surfaces masked and protected
- Beads at corners, edges and above the damp-proof course
- Mesh reinforcement and base coats to suit the chosen system
- Finish coat in your chosen colour and texture
- Making good around pipes, vents and fixings, and a site clean-up
Homes in Cornwall
Older Cornish homes are often built of granite or slatey local stone, with slate roofs and sometimes slate-hung walls facing the weather. Cob cottages survive in places, Truro and Falmouth keep Georgian and Victorian streets, and many towns have rendered post-war houses, bungalows and newer estates on their edges.
Stone and cob properties often need breathable lime render, careful repointing and roof repairs. Post-war and newer homes commonly benefit from new windows, roofline renewal, external rendering and single-storey extensions.
Cornwall faces Atlantic gales, driving rain and salt-laden air, so render, pointing and window hardware on exposed elevations need a suitably robust specification.
Planning and building rules in Cornwall
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each handle planning a little differently. Cornwall comes under England, covered below, and we raise any questions with the council before your quote is finalised.
In England, re-rendering or cladding a house is often allowed without planning permission, but stone, render, timber, plastic or tile cladding is not permitted development in conservation areas, and listed buildings need consent.
If you render or re-clad more than 25% of an external wall, Building Regulations usually require the wall’s insulation to be improved where that is practical, and building control should be notified.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
From survey to handover
A visit to your home
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about external rendering.
Written quote
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Plan and prepare
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
Finish and handover
During the work we protect the areas around it and tidy up at the end of each day. Once complete, we check the finish, remove our materials and hand over paperwork such as building control sign-off where it applies.
What you can expect from us
Frequently asked questions
Do I need planning permission to render my house?
Whether rendering needs planning permission depends on how it changes the appearance, your home's location, whether it is listed or in a conservation area, and which UK nation you are in. Rendering over brick may need permission in some places, while replacing existing render like for like often does not. Listed buildings need consent. We check the position before quoting.
Do I need planning permission in Cornwall?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Cornwall is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
Which render system should I choose?
The right render depends on your walls and how much upkeep you want. Sand and cement is the lowest-cost option but needs repainting every few years. Monocouche is coloured through, so it needs no painting, and suits block and brick walls. Silicone thin-coat is flexible, water-repellent and stays cleaner, but costs more. Lime render suits older solid walls. We recommend a system after inspecting your walls.
Can you render over pebbledash or old render?
Rendering over existing pebbledash or render is sometimes possible if it is firmly bonded, but if it sounds hollow, is cracked or is coming away, it must be removed first. Covering failing render simply hides the problem until the new coat fails too. We tap-test the walls and explain whether removal is needed. Removal adds time and cost but gives a sound base.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from external rendering, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Towns in Cornwall
We offer external rendering in each of the towns below, all within Cornwall. Select yours for guide prices, postcodes covered and nearby places.