In short
- Knaphill's twentieth-century estates are mostly cavity-walled and suit silicone or monocouche render.
- Older cottages in Knaphill, Brookwood, Bisley and Chobham often have solid walls and need breathable systems.
- Chobham's village centre is a conservation area with listed buildings, where rendering brick needs permission.
- Knaphill is in Woking borough; Chobham and Bisley are in Surrey Heath.
Knaphill, St Johns and Brookwood
Knaphill grew as a Victorian village and expanded with large estates through the twentieth century. Most of those estate homes are cavity-walled brick and block, which suit through-coloured silicone or monocouche. Older terraces and cottages in the village core, St Johns and Brookwood may have solid walls; for those, see rendering period and solid-wall homes.
Chobham
Chobham is a historic village with a conservation area around its High Street and church, and many listed buildings. On these, render is a conservation matter: lime render and limewash are usually right, and consent is often needed. Twentieth-century houses on the edges of the village are more straightforward.
Bisley and West End
Bisley and West End are a mix of older cottages, interwar homes and later houses, often on larger, tree-lined plots near the commons and heathland. Shaded elevations grow algae, so plan for occasional render cleaning and fit sills with proper drips.
Planning
Knaphill, St Johns and Brookwood are in Woking borough; Chobham, Bisley and West End are in Surrey Heath. Both are currently handled by their borough councils, but Surrey's councils are being replaced by new unitary councils, so check which authority handles planning when you apply. Much of the area is Green Belt, which mainly affects extensions rather than re-rendering. See planning permission for rendering.
Questions people ask
Do you cover Brookwood, Bisley and West End?
Yes, along with Knaphill, St Johns, Brookwood, Bisley, Chobham and West End.
Can I render my cottage in Chobham?
If it is in the conservation area or listed, you will need consent for most render changes, and a breathable lime-based system is usually the right material. Take advice before getting quotes.
Why is the render on my house near the common going green?
Shaded, damp walls near trees and heathland grow algae once the render's biocides leach out. A low-pressure biocidal clean usually restores the colour.