As an indicative guide, the typical acrylic render cost in the UK is around £60–£90 per m² supplied and applied on a sound wall, which usually puts a single elevation at £3,500–£5,000, two walls at £5,000–£8,000, three walls at £8,000–£12,000 and four or more at £12,000–£17,000 or more once scaffolding and set-up are included. Acrylic is usually a little cheaper than silicone and dearer than painted sand and cement. The biggest swings in price come from old render or pebbledash that has to come off first (an all-in strip and re-render is typically £100–£170 per m²), repairs to the wall underneath, and difficult access.
- Acrylic render typically costs indicative £60–£90 per m² supplied and applied.
- Whole-house jobs usually fall in indicative bands from £3,500–£5,000 for one wall to £12,000–£17,000+ for four or more.
- Scaffolding, set-up and detailing make small jobs dearer per m² than large ones.
- Stripping old render first lifts the all-in rate to around indicative £100–£170 per m².
- Acrylic is usually a little cheaper than silicone, but less breathable.
- Through-coloured, so there’s no repainting cycle to budget for.
How much does acrylic render cost?
The table below gives indicative figures for acrylic render on sound walls. The whole-house bands include scaffolding, beads, standard preparation and making good; they don’t include removing old render or significant repairs.
| Job | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Per m² (supplied and applied) | £60–£90 |
| One wall / elevation | £3,500–£5,000 |
| Two walls | £5,000–£8,000 |
| Three walls | £8,000–£12,000 |
| Four or more walls | £12,000–£17,000+ |
| Strip and re-render (all-in, per m²) | £100–£170 |
indicative Ballpark figures, not fixed prices. Your wall area, condition, access and region decide where you land.
The wall bands are typical for two-storey houses. A bungalow or a single-storey extension can come in lower for the same number of walls, because access is simpler and the wall area is smaller. A tall, detailed or hard-to-reach house can sit above the top of a band. For the wider picture across every render type, see our house rendering cost guide.
What acrylic is, and why it’s priced the way it is
Acrylic is a thin-coat render system. It isn’t a single product sprayed onto bare brick: on a typical wall the build-up is beads at the corners, reveals and base, a cement-based or polymer-modified base coat with reinforcing mesh bedded right across it, a primer, and finally a thin through-coloured finish coat bound with acrylic resin. That finish is only a few millimetres thick, but it’s the part you see and the part that gives the system its character.
The acrylic binder makes the finish tough, flexible and resistant to knocks and cracking, which is why it’s widely used on modern blockwork, extensions and external wall insulation systems. It is less vapour-open than silicone or mineral finishes, which matters on some older walls and is covered further down.
Price-wise, that build-up explains a lot. Several separate stages, each with its own materials and curing time, take more labour than a one-coat render, but the finish material itself is a little cheaper than a silicone finish. The result is a per-m² rate that typically sits just below silicone and a little above one-coat monocouche on the same wall. Our acrylic render page explains the system, colours and finishes in more depth.
What sits inside the per-m² rate
When a renderer quotes per square metre, the figure usually covers more than the finish you can see. On a typical acrylic job it bundles together:
- Labour for each stage: fixing beads, applying the base coat, bedding mesh, priming and applying the finish. Labour is normally the biggest part of the rate.
- Materials: base coat, mesh (including extra diagonal patches at the corners of openings), beads, primer and the acrylic finish.
- Standard preparation: cleaning down, minor making good and protecting windows, doors and surfaces.
- Waste and consumables.
What it usually doesn’t cover is scaffolding, removing old render, significant repairs to the wall, new or extended sills, and moving fittings such as satellite dishes and downpipes. Some renderers fold these into an all-in price; others list them separately. Neither is wrong, but you need to know which you’re looking at before comparing two quotes.
To measure your own walls and turn a rate into a rough budget, our guide to render cost per m² walks through the method, including how to deduct windows and doors.
Whole-house prices by number of walls
Most homeowners don’t think in square metres; they think “the front”, “the back and side” or “the whole house”. That’s why whole-job bands by number of walls are often more useful than a per-m² figure.
One wall typically comes to indicative £3,500–£5,000. That can look high against the per-m² rate, and it’s worth understanding why: scaffolding, setting up, protecting the house, beads, mixing and cleaning down don’t shrink in proportion to the wall area. On a small job those fixed costs make up a large share of the bill.
Two walls, such as the front and rear of a terrace, typically fall at indicative £5,000–£8,000. Three walls, the classic semi-detached job of front, rear and side gable, at £8,000–£12,000. Four or more walls on a detached house at £12,000–£17,000 or more.
The more walls you do at once, the more the fixed costs are shared out, so the effective rate per m² usually drops. If you’re planning to render the rest of the house within a few years anyway, doing it in one go is often better value than two separate jobs with two scaffolds and the risk of slightly different colour batches.
Worked examples by property type
The examples below are illustrative arithmetic only, applying the indicative per-m² range to typical net wall areas after deducting windows and doors. Real houses vary, so measure yours or let a surveyor do it.
Front elevation of a semi, around 30m². At indicative £60–£90 per m², the render work is roughly £1,800–£2,700. Add scaffolding, set-up, beads, sills and making good and the job typically lands in the one-wall band of £3,500–£5,000. This is the clearest example of fixed costs dominating a small job.
Mid-terrace, front and rear, around 45m². Render work of roughly indicative £2,700–£4,050, with the whole job typically in the two-wall band of £5,000–£8,000. Access through the house or a shared passage can push it towards the top.
Three-bed semi, front, rear and side gable, around 100m². Render work of roughly indicative £6,000–£9,000, with the whole job typically in the three-wall band of £8,000–£12,000.
Detached house, four elevations, around 160m². Render work of roughly indicative £9,600–£14,400, with the whole job typically in the band of £12,000–£17,000 or more.
The same semi, but with old pebbledash to strip first. At the all-in strip and re-render rate of indicative £100–£170 per m², 100m² works out at roughly £10,000–£17,000. That’s why the condition of what’s already on the wall matters more to your budget than which finish you choose.
Want an acrylic render price for your own walls? SmartMatch™ pairs you with one vetted local specialist for a free survey and a written quote.
Get a free quote →What a typical acrylic quote should include
A clear acrylic quote should spell out the full system, not just the finish. Look for: the named manufacturer and product for each layer; the base coat and its thickness; full-coverage mesh plus extra at openings; the beads to be used (corner, stop, bellcast at the base); the primer; the finish colour and grain size; the walls included and an approximate area; preparation, including cleaning, any bonding coat and how existing surfaces will be treated; scaffolding and any bridging over conservatories or porches; sills extended or replaced where needed; fittings removed and refitted; protection of windows, doors, paths and plants; waste removal; VAT; and the guarantee.
It should also say how any unforeseen work will be priced. On many re-renders something turns up once work starts — a hollow patch, a rotten sill, a cracked lintel — and a quote that sets out a day rate or per-m² rate for extras in advance protects both sides.
If an item isn’t mentioned, don’t assume it’s included. Ask, and get the answer in writing.
What pushes the price up
Old render or pebbledash to remove. The single biggest swing. Hacking off, disposing of the waste and dealing with what’s underneath takes time. As noted above, the all-in strip and re-render rate is typically indicative £100–£170 per m².
Repairs to the wall. Cracks and hollow areas in existing render or masonry need sorting before anything goes over them. As a guide, small crack repairs run at around indicative £150–£400 each and larger patch areas at £800–£2,500, though once you’re re-rendering the whole wall many of these are absorbed into the preparation.
Scaffolding and access. Height, the number of lifts, bridging over a conservatory or single-storey roof, steep or uneven ground, and pavement licences all affect scaffold cost. It’s a significant share of any whole-house job, but varies so much by house that it should always be itemised. Our guide to scaffolding for rendering cost explains what drives it.
Detailing. Every window, door, corner and change of plane needs beads, mesh patches and careful finishing. A heavily fenestrated elevation costs more per m² than a plain gable.
Uneven or mixed substrates. Walls that need a thicker levelling base coat, or that mix brick, block and old render, take more material and time.
Colour and finish. Standard colours and grain sizes are cheapest; bespoke tints and very dark shades, which may need special formulations to cope with heat from the sun, can cost more.
Region. Labour rates in London and the South East typically run above national ranges.
When the old render has to come off first
Acrylic, like any thin-coat system, needs a sound, stable background. If the existing render is hollow, cracked across large areas, or simply unsuitable to go over, it has to come off. That changes the job from “render over” to “strip and re-render”, and the all-in rate rises to around indicative £100–£170 per m².
Stripping also brings a regulatory point worth knowing. In England, stripping render back to the masonry and re-rendering can count as renovating a thermal element under Part L of the Building Regulations. Where that work covers more than 50% of the wall, or more than 25% of the whole building envelope, the wall should normally be upgraded thermally so far as is technically, functionally and economically feasible — the usual test is a simple payback of around 15 years. Simply over-coating sound render or making patch repairs doesn’t usually trigger it. Building control should be notified for qualifying work. Wales and Scotland have their own rules, so always confirm with your local building control before you commit.
That can mean comparing a plain acrylic re-render with an insulated render system on the same quote. Our re-rendering cost guide covers the stripping stage in more detail.
How the price compares with silicone and cement
Acrylic is often quoted alongside silicone, because many manufacturers offer both as alternative finishes over the same base coat and mesh. On price, acrylic usually comes in a little lower: indicative £60–£90 per m² against £65–£95 for silicone. On a 100m² wall that’s roughly £500 difference on the render work at each end of the range, with scaffolding, preparation and access the same either way.
The trade-off isn’t just money. Silicone is more breathable and more water-repellent, so it tends to stay cleaner for longer; acrylic is tough and impact-resistant but less vapour-open. We cover those differences properly in our acrylic vs silicone render comparison, so we won’t repeat them here.
At the other end of the scale, traditional painted sand and cement render is cheaper to apply, at around indicative £35–£60 per m², but it’s rigid, more prone to cracking and needs repainting periodically. Our cement vs silicone render guide explains how a traditional cement render stacks up against a modern thin-coat system, and most of that reasoning applies to acrylic too.
Where acrylic is good value
Modern blockwork and extensions. A sound, even, modern wall needs little preparation, and acrylic’s toughness and flexibility suit new construction well. Rendering a new extension in acrylic is a cost-effective way to get a through-coloured, low-maintenance finish.
External wall insulation. Acrylic finishes are widely used as the top coat on insulated render systems, where flexibility over insulation boards is valuable. If you’re insulating anyway, the finish is a small part of the overall cost.
Areas that take knocks. Ground-floor walls by paths, drives, bin stores and play areas benefit from acrylic’s impact resistance, which can save on repairs over the years.
Sheltered elevations on cavity-wall homes. Where breathability is less critical and the wall isn’t battered by weather, acrylic delivers a crisp, durable finish at a slightly lower price than silicone.
Where acrylic is poor value, however cheap
A low price is no saving if the render is wrong for the wall. Acrylic is less vapour-open than silicone, mineral or lime finishes, and that matters most on older solid-walled houses, which rely on drying out through their outer face. On those walls, a less breathable finish can contribute to trapped moisture, damp patches inside and render failure, costing far more to put right than the few pounds per m² saved. Our guide to breathable render explains why it matters and which systems suit which walls.
Acrylic is also less forgiving of damp or salt-laden backgrounds, where the underlying problem needs fixing before any render goes on, and of very exposed or heavily shaded elevations, where a more water-repellent finish may stay cleaner and need less attention.
A good renderer will tell you if acrylic isn’t right for your wall, even when it’s the cheaper line on the quote. That honesty is worth more than the saving.
The whole-life cost of acrylic
The installed price is only part of what a render costs you. Over its life, the bigger questions are how often it needs attention and how long it lasts.
No repainting. Acrylic is through-coloured, so there’s no repaint cycle. Compared with painted sand and cement, which needs redecorating and often scaffolding to do it, that’s a meaningful saving over the years, even if the up-front price is higher.
Occasional cleaning. Acrylic can pick up dirt and green algae on shaded, north-facing or tree-lined walls. Gentle cleaning with a suitable render cleaner every so often keeps it looking fresh. Never use a pressure washer on render.
Fewer repairs. Its flexibility and impact resistance mean fewer cracks and dents on a well-installed system, particularly at ground level.
Lifespan. A properly specified and applied acrylic system on a suitable wall can be expected to last for many years. Installation quality, the substrate and exposure matter far more than the brand. Our guide on how long render lasts sets out what affects lifespan across render types.
Put together, a slightly dearer render that lasts well and needs little attention is usually better value than the cheapest quote that needs repairs within a few winters.
What repairs to acrylic typically cost
If you already have acrylic render that’s cracked, dented or stained, you may not need a full re-render. As an indicative guide, a small crack repair typically costs around indicative £150–£400 and a larger patch area £800–£2,500, depending on access and how much has to be cut out.
The catch with any through-coloured render is colour matching. New finish from a new batch rarely matches a weathered wall exactly, so a good renderer will take the repair to a natural break such as a corner or bead line, or suggest re-coating the whole elevation in a fresh finish for a uniform look. Where the acrylic is sound but tired, a new thin finish coat over the existing system, after cleaning and priming, can be a cost-effective refresh. Our render repair cost guide covers repair pricing across render types.
How colour and finish affect the price
Acrylic is available in a very wide range of through-coloured shades, from whites and creams through stone, buff and greys to strong and dark colours. Most manufacturers offer a standard palette at the standard price, with bespoke tints at a premium.
Dark colours absorb more heat from the sun, which can stress the finish. Some systems restrict very dark shades, so check with the manufacturer before choosing one.
Grain size — the size of the aggregate in the finish — affects the texture and how forgiving the finish is of minor unevenness. Coarser grains can hide small imperfections and dirt slightly better; finer grains give a smoother, more contemporary look. The difference in price between grain sizes is usually small.
Always look at a sample outside in daylight, against your roof, windows and neighbouring houses, before committing. Screen colours and small swatches can be misleading.
How to get an accurate acrylic quote
Online figures, including ours, are a starting point. Only a survey of your walls gives you a number you can budget on. To get the most accurate quote:
- Be clear on scope. Which walls, whether the existing surface is staying or coming off, and whether you want insulation considered.
- Ask for the full system to be named. Manufacturer, base coat, mesh, primer and finish.
- Ask for scaffolding, removal and repairs to be itemised. These are where quotes differ most.
- Ask how unforeseen work will be priced. A day rate or per-m² rate agreed up front avoids surprises.
- Ask whether acrylic is the right finish for your wall, and what they’d recommend instead if not.
- Get it in writing, with payment stages, timing and the guarantee.
Our guide on how to compare rendering quotes explains how to brief renderers so their figures line up, and what to do when two quotes are far apart.
Sensible ways to keep the cost down
There are honest ways to reduce what you pay without compromising the job.
Do the walls together. One scaffold and one set-up for several elevations costs less than separate jobs.
Combine with other external work. If you’re planning new windows, fascias, gutters or roof repairs, coordinating them with the render means sharing scaffolding and avoiding damage to new render later.
Prepare what you safely can. Clearing plants and climbers away from walls, moving garden furniture and agreeing access with neighbours in advance all save the crew time.
Be flexible on timing. A renderer may be able to offer better value for a start date that fits their programme, within the safe weather window.
Stick with standard colours and grains unless a bespoke shade really matters to you.
What not to cut: mesh coverage, beads, proper preparation and curing time. These are the parts you can’t see afterwards and the parts that decide how long the render lasts.
Red flags in a cheap acrylic quote
A quote well below the others isn’t always a bargain. Watch for: no named manufacturer or product; “acrylic render” with no mention of a base coat or mesh, which may mean a finish applied straight onto an unprepared wall; no mention of scaffolding, sills or fittings; no plan for hollow or cracked areas; a large cash deposit requested up front; pressure to sign on the day; no written guarantee; and vagueness about who will actually do the work.
When acrylic might not be right for you
Acrylic is a capable, good-value finish on the right wall, but not every wall. On solid-walled period homes, a more breathable silicone, mineral or lime system is usually the wiser choice. On damp or salt-affected walls, the cause needs fixing first. If your brickwork is sound and attractive, cleaning and re-pointing may be better value than rendering at all. And if appearance is the main concern on an existing render that’s still sound, some homeowners compare masonry wall coatings alongside a new render; they’re a different product, worth weighing on their merits.
Most of our specialists take on projects from around £3,500, so they’re best suited to larger repairs and re-renders; for a single small job, a local builder or plasterer may be quicker.
If you’d like a firm price, SmartMatch™ weighs render-type experience, verified reviews, online reputation, insurance and accreditation to introduce you to one vetted local specialist for a free, no-obligation survey and written quote. Our acrylic render page has more on the system itself, and our exterior rendering guide covers the wider choices.
Frequently asked questions
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