Newly rendered garden wall - can we paint over the cracks?

[jessie79]

Part of our newly rendered garden wall has dried with these cracks in. Do we need to get the builders back out - is it fixable and something that should be fixed? Or is it something that just happens and once we paint it, they’ll look filled in?

We were happy with the rest of the work but they were hugely unreliable in terms of promising a date and then not coming out - they cancelled five times in total. I haven’t got the headspace to deal with them any more. But DH isn’t happy with it.

What to do?

I would sand it back and possibly use some filler then sand again before repainting.

I'd get them back. Or if you haven;t paid in full, not pay them for that bit and get someone else in. Render ought not to crack like that if it's put on right. And the coping stone on the right looks like the pointing is crap and it doesn't line up right.

I am 8.5 months pregnant and just don’t think I have the energy to get them back! I didn’t know filler for render existed so I’ll get a tin of that and get DH on the job, thank you!

I think (no idea really!) that the mix had to much water in it, and now it is shrinking.

You can get a flexible paint, but with that many cracks I would fear that bits may start falling off, especially over winter.

Sorry but that's an awful job, have you paid for it?

Water will run in and could damage the wall and pop the render off so the cracks do need filling before you paint.

Yep; it was smooth when applied and it was the last job they did.

Yup, that’s a god awful job and they need to come back and rectify it. They may have missed the scratch coat if they were bodgers - they should have done a rough scored coat of render first, let that dry and then done the smooth coat over the top. The other thing they should have done is apply rendering mesh which would bond the whole thing and minimise / eradicate contraction / expansion. I’d be tempted to pull off an area and see what is underneath. If they have rendered straight onto brick then this is all going to be in pieces on the floor by next summer. Your husband is right to be very unimpressed.

What’s gong on around the steps too? Not sealed / finished!?

Worst rendering job ever!
Remove it completely and get someone competent to do it over.

I really think you should get them back in that case, it's a terrible job. Or you'll have to take the hit and get someone else out and pay them.

They’re now coming back later this week…