In short
- Most cavity-walled brick houses built from the 1920s onwards can be rendered with silicone or monocouche systems.
- Solid brick walls, usually in houses built before about 1919, need breathable systems such as lime, and specialist advice.
- In conservation areas and the Surrey Hills National Landscape, rendering a brick house for the first time needs planning permission.
- Rendering adds thickness, so sills, roof overhangs and the damp-proof course must be checked before work starts.
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Cavity wall or solid wall?
This is the first question, because it decides which render is safe.
| Cavity brick wall | Solid brick wall | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical age | 1920s onwards | Before about 1919 |
| Brick pattern | Only the long sides of bricks show | Short brick ends (headers) appear in the pattern |
| Wall thickness at a window | Usually 270 mm or more | Often around 225 mm |
| Suitable renders | Silicone, monocouche, K-Rend, acrylic | Lime or specified breathable systems |
If you are not sure, a surveyor or experienced renderer can confirm it. See rendering period and solid-wall homes.
What rendering brick involves
- Clean the brick and remove anything loose.
- Fix beads at corners, reveals and the base of the wall, stopping the render above the damp-proof course.
- Apply a base coat with alkali-resistant mesh, with extra mesh at window corners.
- Prime, then apply the through-coloured finish.
Monocouche can go straight onto sound, even brick in one thick coat. Silicone thin-coat needs a meshed base coat first. See render system build-up.
Checks before you commit
- Damp-proof course. Render must stop at least 150 mm above ground on a base bead.
- Sills. Rendering adds 10–20 mm, more with insulation. Sills must still project with a drip, so short sills may need extending.
- Roof overhang. Shallow eaves and verges may need extending to cover the extra thickness.
- Services. Meter boxes, pipes, cables and satellite dishes need moving out or extending.
- The street. In a street of matching brick houses, a rendered house stands out. Choose colour with the neighbours in mind.
Planning in Surrey
Re-rendering a house that is already rendered is normally permitted development. Rendering brick for the first time is different on Article 2(3) land, which includes conservation areas and National Landscapes. Large parts of Surrey sit within the Surrey Hills National Landscape or a conservation area. Check before you get quotes. See planning permission for rendering.
Costs
Expect roughly £55–£90 per m² for monocouche and £60–£120 per m² for silicone thin-coat in 2026, plus scaffolding and any sill or eaves alterations. Use the rendering cost calculator for your house.
Render or cladding?
If you want warmth and texture rather than a smooth finish, cladding the upper storey and rendering the lower one is a popular alternative. See render vs cladding.
Questions people ask
Can you render straight onto brick?
Yes, with preparation. The brick is cleaned, beads are fixed, and a base coat with mesh is applied before the finish. The brick must be sound and dry.
Does rendering a brick house cause damp?
It can if the render bridges the damp-proof course, lacks proper sill drips, or traps moisture in a solid wall. Correctly detailed render on a cavity wall should not.
Do I need planning permission to render brick?
Usually not, but you do in conservation areas, the Surrey Hills National Landscape and other Article 2(3) land, and for listed buildings.
How much does it cost to render a brick house?
Typically £55–£120 per m² for through-coloured systems in 2026, plus scaffolding. A three-bed semi commonly lands around £6,500–£11,000.