Will I regret rendering an ugly brick house?

[user1471530109]

I have spent the last 3 years since moving into my ugly little 3 bed semi, trying to plan how to make it more appealing. I've done a fair bit inside and it's starting to feel like home. The garden is also keeping me busy (big plot)! Very cottage garden (or so I hope once I've finished).

But. It is really ugly. It's an ex authority yellow bricked semi in a very pretty village. It's in a road with a real mismatch of other ex council houses ranging from 30s to 80s and most extended or changed (but none like I'm suggesting of 'my type'). So keeping it 'in keeping' is not a worry. It's a house I can honestly see me and the DC staying in. They love the house despite it being tiny! But, coming home to it always makes me feel a bit sad as it's so ugly!

It needs new windows and a new door which will help. But I can't help wondering dreaming about doing something more drastic like rendering it in a white/ cream/ v pale grey? Or maybe adding coloured windows? Would I regret rendering brick? I'm guessing painting is expensive to keep it looking fresh? I'm constantly looking on Pinterest and keep being drawn to transformations from back to front exteriors 🙈. Anyone?

We’ve rendered our house recently, alongside other works, it wasn’t hideously ugly but wasn’t a particularly nice brick. It has transformed it, we absolutely love it. If you can afford it I would say it is worth it. Our neighbours over the road have rendered theirs too (completely different size/style of house but again not a nice brick). It looks amazing too.

Just leaving this for inspiration. Before and after pics of a yellow brick house. Go for it!
www.backtofrontexteriordesign.com/rowlands-castle

We live in a rendered house and does get a bit grubby, so factor repaints every few years into your costs and the faff of cleaning. I'm told a jet washer will do the job, but the render job on our house is a bit dodgy so I don't want to try it in case it comes off!

We've just had it repainted to sell and it looks so fresh!

New windows will also help, and wait until you've had your windows done though or they may need to chip out some of the render to replace them.

Get a through colour render so you shouldn't have to repaint.

I thought you'd all say 'dont do it! You will regret having to paint every x years'

@dopenguinsdance that's the company's pictures I've been coverting.

I'm not sure I can afford it! But I do need new windows and I can't help but think, new windows are so expensive but won't have the impact that rendering would add too? It's not really really ugly...but it could be so much nicer!

Thankfully it's a small house (in terms of cost). I was thinking front and side only. It a semi with adjoining neighbour at 90 degrees so I don't think it would look odd if I rendered and they didn't iyswim.

@tortoiselover100 is that much more expensive?

I just need to win the lottery! I have so many bloody plans for this house. It's certainly kept mind busy planning over the past 12 months!

We needed to re rendered about 5 years ago and at the time there was a government grant

The company was called westville and they did all the grant forms

We had a layer off insulation then they rendered on top of that and offered plain render or pebble dash

From memory it cost us about 2k but we've saved so much in heating bills since

Yes look into government grants, green deal etc. Also weather boarding - looks great and won't need much maintenance.

The website links to a Times article mentioning a rendering company that guarantees the work. I don't know how old the article is but it puts the cost at £60 per sq metre. Why don't you get an estimate? FYI the house opposite my parents was rendered when it was built in 2004 and still looks pristine. it hasn't been painted.

Oh thank you! I hadn't considered the insulation aspect more the cosmetic. That's really helpful. It's a really cold house but I'd put it down to 20+yr old double glazing. As far as I know, the grants are only if you need insulation in loft etc? I have that already. I did look into it for replacing windows and I wouldn't qualify. But definitely worth another look.

We didn't need to do anything else for the grant (attic etc) was just the insulation under the render but it was a few years ago

just be aware that damp can be an issue...if bricks cannot breathe then damp is trapped between them and the render etc...there is a new product from australia that is now in the uk and its sprayed on...cant remember the name of it tho !!

Looks like the grant has finished unfortunately.

@earsup is there any indication of when damp might be a problem?

The more I think about it, the more I think it's a good idea. Looks like around £10k for rendering and new windows so it may be something I need to plan carefully. I think the windows are probably closer to 40 years old to be honest! It will make a huge difference i'm quite excited. Always need a project.

Damn it OP, I always get sucked into a black hole when I look at Back to Front stuff.... that's 2 hours this afternoon gone: planning and dreaming, and about £30k mentally spent on windows/new roof/new guttering for a house I don't even own yet

Back to Front transformations are amazing. I'm sure I read on here once that they cost 75% of the rebuild cost of your house though, so sadly I shan't be employing their services any time soon

Have you got a photo op?

Render can look good when it's just done but it can soon get grubby. It can cause damp too.

Beware of cracks - water seeps in and causes damp.

If you have signs of damp then proceed with caution...am aware of a few neighbours that rendered over some awful stucco stuff and have a few damp issues...but maybe they dont ventilate house enough..??...the product i was thinking of is K rend....available in uk now..i think its breathable....my old house was a 1920's with half render and that never had damp issues etc.

Windows will make a bigger difference than you think! Plus plus they'll make a big difference inside too (we had ours done recently - really amazed at the impact!!)

If it’s a semi won’t you need your neighbour to render at the same time? It would look daft to have only half a semi rendered!

The front and back of our house is rendered and painted white. The side is still red bricks. It's by far the nicest looking house on the street and really brightens up the back garden. We've had it for five years and haven't needed to paint or clean it yet. We had to cover some dots from cavity wall insulation a couple of years ago and the paint the owner left behind blended in seemlessly. He used Dulux Trade Weathershield in Brilliant White if that helps.

Just seen your in a semi. I'd not. It will look odd unless your neighbours did it.

Have a watch of "ugly house, lovely house" to get some ideas.

I'm currently considering wood cladding for mine...

Sorry @BlueCherryBlossom . It's addictive!

I honestly don't think being a semi will matter. The house adjoining is at 90 degrees to mine. So their side gable end is next to my front iyswim.

I'm too scared to post a pic! More so because I can't find anything on Google that remotely like it!

There are no signs of damp at the moment-sorry if that was unclear. The windows get condensation on in the mornings which I've not had in previous houses. But the windows are double glazed aluminium frames (but white). I think when the previous owners bought it off the council in the 80s, they did nothing to it after. I've had a new kitchen, bathroom, rewire and boiler. It still needs some cosmetic things inside but it's a different house to what I bought! I have tried to sort out the front with planting etc. But I'm dreaming of bigger impact!

Thanks @MilduraS. I'm sure it looks lovely. I'd love to know how long it stays looking lovely-when does it get to the point it's starting to look tatty? I'm guessing DIY paint job isn't easy.