At a Glance
A 1970s red brick home in the eastern suburbs, updated with a smooth acrylic render and a fresh colour. It is one of the most common rendering jobs in Melbourne and one of the most effective ways to transform a dated exterior. Costs range from $1,900–$17,100 per job, driven by wall area, render type, and whether the job needs scaffolding.
What's Included in the Price
- Surface preparation (pressure cleaning, crack repair, priming the brick substrate)
- Application of render (cement or acrylic) to external walls
- Finishing to the specified texture and colour
- Protection of windows, paths, and garden beds
- Cleanup
Scaffolding is an additional cost for two-storey homes and must comply with AS/NZS 1576 when above 4 metres. Painting after cement render is a separate scope. Acrylic render includes colour in the mix, eliminating the need for a painter.
What Affects the Cost
- Wall area. Rendering is priced per square metre. A full single-storey house (100-150m2 of wall) is more cost-effective per metre than a single feature wall or entranceway.
- Render type. Cement render is the cheapest but needs painting. Acrylic render costs more per square metre but includes colour and is more flexible (fewer hairline cracks over time). Melbourne homeowners increasingly choose acrylic for the long-term value.
- Scaffolding. Two-storey homes require scaffolding. Many Melbourne double-brick homes from the 1960s to 1980s are two-storey, making scaffolding a common addition to rendering quotes.
- Surface preparation. Melbourne's double-brick homes generally provide a good substrate for render. Painted brick needs additional prep (sanding or chemical stripping of loose paint). Old mortar joints in poor condition need repointing before rendering.
- Existing render removal. If the home has been previously rendered and the coating is failing, the old render must be stripped before re-rendering.
- Heritage overlay. Properties in heritage overlay areas may have restrictions on external changes including render colour, finish type, or whether rendering is permitted at all. Check with your local council before committing.
A single feature wall or entranceway on a single-storey brick home with clean walls sits toward $1,900. A full two-storey double-brick home requiring scaffolding, surface repair, old paint removal, and acrylic finish pushes toward $17,100.
Melbourne-Specific Considerations
The red brick-to-rendered look is arguably Melbourne's most popular exterior renovation. Suburbs across the east (Doncaster, Templestowe, Glen Waverley, Box Hill) and south-east (Oakleigh, Clayton, Bentleigh) are filled with 1960s to 1980s double-brick homes that are structurally sound but visually dated. A modern render transforms the exterior at a fraction of the cost of recladding.
Melbourne's double-brick construction is actually ideal for rendering. The solid brick substrate provides a stable, rigid surface that render adheres to well. Unlike timber-framed homes with sheet cladding, double-brick homes have no movement or flex that could cause render to crack at joins.
In heritage overlay areas, particularly across the inner suburbs (Fitzroy, Carlton, South Melbourne, Hawthorn), rendering a previously unrendered brick facade may not be permitted. Heritage overlays are managed by local councils, and each council has specific guidelines. Even in heritage areas, rendering is sometimes allowed on non-contributory buildings, but check before proceeding. Removing render from a heritage building is also a consideration: if your terrace was originally face brick and a previous owner rendered it, restoring the original brick may be a heritage-compliant option.
Melbourne's climate, with its cool winters and variable rainfall, means timing matters for rendering. The best conditions are in autumn and spring, when temperatures are moderate and rain is less persistent. Summer is generally fine, but hot northerly days above 35 degrees C can affect curing. Winter rendering is possible but requires careful weather monitoring to avoid rain on fresh render.
Hiring a Licensed Plasterer in VIC
In Victoria, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) administers building practitioner registration. Single-trade rendering work does not require VBA registration. When rendering is part of a larger building project involving multiple trades, registration requirements may apply to the builder overseeing the work.
When hiring a renderer:
- Ask for trade qualifications and examples of completed rendering work
- Confirm the render system recommended for your substrate (brick, painted brick, concrete block)
- Verify whether scaffolding is included in the quote
- Check public liability insurance
- For heritage-overlay properties, confirm the renderer has experience working within heritage guidelines
The brick-to-render conversion is so popular in Melbourne that the market is competitive. Get at least three quotes and compare not just price but the render system proposed, the level of surface preparation included, and whether scaffolding is in or out of the quote.
How We Calculate
Estimates are based on current renderer rates in the Melbourne metropolitan area, adjusted for property age and typical construction in VIC. All prices include GST. Figures cover standard residential external rendering. Commercial properties, heritage restoration, and multi-storey buildings may fall outside these ranges.