Homeowner guide · Render removal · London

Can you remove render from a house?

Yes. When old render has cracked, blown or been patched one time too many, the lasting fix is often to take it off back to the brick and start again. This guide explains what render removal involves, what we usually find underneath, and why we re-render afterwards.

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When render needs to come off

Not every tired render needs removing. If it is still well bonded to the wall, it can sometimes be repaired or rendered over. Removal is the right answer when the old render can no longer be trusted as a base.

It sounds hollow. Render that has lost its bond will keep coming away, and anything applied over it goes with it
It is cracked across the elevation, not just in one or two places
It has been patched before and the patches have failed again
It is holding water. Damp patches inside, staining or blown areas after rain often mean water is getting behind the render and staying there
It is the wrong render for the wall. A hard, dense render on an older wall can trap moisture rather than let the wall dry out

We tap-test the whole wall at survey to find the hollow areas, so you know how much of the render has actually failed before anyone talks about removal. For help reading the cracks on your own wall, see our guide to cracked render: when to patch, when to re-render.

Old painted render being removed from the side wall of a London house, exposing the brickwork underneath — Old render coming off a side elevation. Underneath, the brick is a mix of colours and conditions, which is common on rendered houses.

How we remove render

Scaffold and protection. Windows and doors are sheeted, and the ground is covered so the debris can be cleared properly.
Removal back to a sound base. The old render is taken off with hand and power tools, working down the wall section by section.
Making good. Loose or broken bricks are repaired, and open or crumbling joints are raked out and filled. This repointing is preparation for the new render, which will cover it.
Preparing for the new finish. The wall is cleaned down and primed to suit the masonry, and beads are fixed at corners, reveals and the base of the wall.
Re-rendering. The new render system goes on: a reinforced base coat with mesh, then the finish coat.

Rear of a detached London house under scaffolding with the old render removed back to the brickwork — The rear of a detached house with the render stripped off. The patches of old render on the left show how much of it had to come away.

What we find underneath

Houses are often rendered for a reason. Once the old render is off, you see the wall as it really is.

Brick in several colours and qualities, because the wall was built to be covered
Earlier repairs, blocked-up openings and replaced lintels
Open or crumbling mortar joints where water has been sitting behind the render
A brick face scarred by the removal itself, especially where the old render was hard and well stuck

None of this matters once the wall is re-rendered, as long as the base is sound. It is also why we do not offer removal to leave the brick on show: that is specialist brick restoration, and the brick under old render is rarely in a state to be seen.

The new finish

With the old render off and the wall made good, you choose the new finish. We use through-coloured silicone render, K Rend and monocouche systems, smooth or lightly textured, in colours that do not need painting. On a solid-wall house, it is also the most sensible moment to consider insulation behind the new render, because the scaffolding and preparation are already in place. We explain both options at survey, and you decide.

The same rear elevation after re-rendering in a smooth white finish — The same rear elevation, re-rendered in white with new beads at the base and around every opening.

Front of the same detached house finished in white render with black timber detailing on the gable — The front of the same house finished, with the gable detailing kept.

Common questions

Can you remove render from a house?

Yes. Failed, cracked or hollow render can be taken off back to the brick or block, the wall made good, and a new render system applied. We do this regularly on London homes, and it is often the only way to get a lasting finish when the old render has let go.

Is removing render better than rendering over it?

If the old render is sound and well bonded, rendering over it can work. If it sounds hollow, is cracked across the elevation or has been patched more than once, new render applied over it is only as good as the failing layer underneath. In that case we take it off.

Will removing render damage the brick?

Some damage to the brick face is normal when hard cement render comes off, which is why we only recommend removal where the wall is going to be re-rendered. The new render covers the brick, so a scarred face is not a problem, but loose or broken bricks are repaired first.

Can I have the render taken off and leave the brick on show?

That is specialist brick restoration and repointing, which we do not offer. The brick under old render is often patched, mismatched or damaged by the removal itself. At survey we can tell you what we see, but our work is removing render to re-render.

Do you repoint the brickwork?

We rake out and fill open or loose joints as part of preparing the wall for the new render. That repointing is covered by the render. We do not do repointing for brickwork that will be left exposed to the weather.

How long does render removal take?

It depends on the size of the house and how firmly the old render is stuck. Removal and making good are usually a few days of a re-rendering job. We give a timescale with the quote after the survey.

Can you remove render from a house?

When render needs to come off

How we remove render

What we find underneath

The new finish

Do you need planning permission?

Common questions

Where we work

Not sure if your render needs to come off?