Re-pebbledash and paint or smooth render? Anyone?

[mazzamoo123]

Hi there.

So we have a 1930’s pebbledashed semi - our next door neighbour has the same. We are currently having work done to the house and part of it is to improve the outside.

Our options are:

1. Re-pebbledash (they’ve chipped as much as they can off and are planning to do one layer of breathable render to smooth it out then a layer of new pebbledash) and paint some kind of white colour

2. Smooth render in white

Although our builder thinks option 2 would be best, we’re worried that it will look odd next to our neighbour’s original pebbledash.

Also, most people in the street have just painted their pebbledash. There are a few mock tudors with smooth render but that looks ok because the black beams break it up - i’m not sure it will look right on ours. Almost like we’re trying to make our 1930’s house look modern? And that’s not really us - we’re more traditional in taste.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks

Not had it done myself but there's lads of houses near me that have gone 'smooth ' they don't look weird next to their bobbly friend, just makes the pebbledash look uglier. Usually the neighbour then gets theirs done as it's so much nicer. Quite a few semis have had it done at the same time, maybe ask your neighbour they are interested in doing that 👍

loads not lads ☺

If you paint a house once, you will have to paint it forever.

Bricks, render and pebbledash don't need to be painted.

Thanks @Spicylolly - I just wish I could see a picture of it in advance of taking the plunge!

Even if it’s painted it’s still pebbledash ( shudder). Render render render.

Option 2 for sure. I think pebbledash, painted or not, makes a house look a bit grubby.

Pebbledash is a bit 1930s isn't it?

If you have the opportunity to smpoth render and free yourself of the pebbledash, go for it!

We had our house re-rendered smooth and them painted. Next door is still unpainted pebbledash. Tbh it's made the house next door look really grey and miserable in comparison, but I don't think that's a reason not to do it.

I’m a bit weird about this, but I prefer pebble dash. I always think the smoothed out ones look a bit soul less.

Pebbledash is a bit 1930s isn't it?

LOL. As is the house 😂

I’d go with the render. I wouldn’t paint the pebbledash anyway.

I love all these messages - thank you! They’ve made me laugh.

@Phuquocdreams i’m kind of with you in that I do think the bobblyness gives a bit of character and the smooth render can look a bit clinical which is why i’m so torn! And it IS a 1930’s house so is it more suited to pebbledash anyway?

BUT I can definitely see that the whole point of pebbledash is that it’s low maintenance so as soon as you paint it, it becomes high maintenance and therefore pointless...

And also, as indicated here, pebbledash has a bad rep! So for the value of the house, maybe smooth render is the way forward... i’m SO bad at making decisions!!

There must be somewhere in the neighbouring streets that has been rendered that you could look at?

Is the pebbledash the gritty sort or smooth pebbles?

I like 30s houses looking like 30s houses, will you keep the windows?

But I would probably go with smooth render.

You are literally describing my neighbours homes - we live on a stret with mock tudor 1030s Smith style houses. All houses are semi-detached. New neighbour has rendered over pebbledash, removed all the 'mock beams' and just has a lovely smooth house. Smooth house does feel as if it has lost some of its character, but only due to losing the markings. The actual look of the smooth house is bloody marvellous - looks beautiful, and modern as opposed to our more traditional, and inkeeping with the street style.

HOWEVER, you sound like you might not actually like this aesthetic, the cool smoothness. Reckon t could add value though to your home for sure.

Mmmmm so much to consider. I’d keep md of ruled out the smooth render but between my builder and all of these messages, i’m beginning to think we’re mad and that even if our taste is more the painted pebbledash, smooth render might be better in the long run for re-sale!

What construction is it? If it's a solid wall construction (is no cavities) I'd look at getting external wall insulation. We did it a few years back and it dramatically improved the look of the house.

that's a good idea. It's not common in UK because it's more expensive than CWI and changes the appearance of the house, but if you're re-rendering anyway, worth looking into.

Knauf have specifications and drawings of how its done, and a vid on Utube of an apartment building being done. But I saw it being applied to a single house in Switzerland and looks straightforward. It is clad with a cement board and then rendered over the top.

It is not as impact-resistant as bricks so the ground floor might be left bare, or clad with something else.

However, since Grenfell, I would not have anything flammable. Foamglas is not often stocked in the UK, but they will import and deliver truck-sized orders.

It's becoming more common. About 4 years ago about 60% of the houses on my 1960s mostly-ex council estate had it done on a green deal grant (a true grant that doesn't need to be repaid). Cost about £4k for a 3 bed midterrace solid concrete construction house, there were three companies doing it- Anglian, Zest and Instagroup.

Our installation is Weber and their website says the insulation is "manufactured to comply with
the requirements for grey EPS 70 Class E (flame retardant) material to BS EN 13163 : 20"