To ROCKCOTE Your House, call 1300 736 668 or check out rockcote.com.au

Planning to cement render your home? What to ask your renderer.Rendering can refresh the look of your home and add street appeal. If you’re planning to have your home professionally rendered, it helps to know what questions to ask of any trades who come to quote on your project.

ROCKCOTE recommends using a professional licensed tradesperson for exterior render and paint projects for the following reasons:

They can identify any potential issues before starting

More consistent and better quality finish

Access to ROCKCOTE system warranties of up to ten years if full ROCKCOTE systems are followed

The ability to cross refer to other trusted tradespeople if required

If your project involves any structural work (for example adding rooms, changing or removing walls), this is outside the scope of a renderer or applicator and you will need to engage a builder first.

These questions can apply to anyone coming to quote on rendering your home, whether the tradesperson is recommended by ROCKCOTE, found online, or referred by a builder.

What is cement rendering?Cement rendering is the application of a premixed layer of sand and cement to brick, cement, stone, or mud brick. It is often textured, coloured, or painted after application. Depending on the 'look' required, rendering can be fine or coarse, textured or smooth, natural or coloured, pigmented or painted.

Different finishes can be created by using different tools such as trowels, sponges, or brushes. Each tradesperson develops their own finishing styles that can produce a variety of textures and decorative effects.

In Australia, cement rendering is generally carried out by licensed Solid Plasterers who have completed appropriate trade qualifications.

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Selecting a tradespersonThis guide is to help you compare "apples with apples". Not all trades offer the same level of service and there is no standard quoting process in the industry.

ROCKCOTE provides a complimentary referral service to tradespeople who are experienced in using our products. It is important that you speak with more than one qualified tradesperson about your project and obtain several quotes before getting started. Online reviews and word of mouth are also valuable sources of information.

What to ask

Can you supply job references for your last two jobs?

Is there a website or facebook page displaying examples of your work?

Are you a fully licensed Solid Plasterer?

Will your quote be fully itemised?

Finish and colour It is helpful to have some idea of the type of finish you would like before the applicator arrives. Photographs from online (the ROCKCOTE website, Pinterest, renderer galleries etc.) or physical references (for example “the grey house across the road”) can be helpful.

If you are unsure, your applicator should be able to provide some options and finish samples. Note: some substrates may have colour limitations due to potential thermal expansion.

As colour is a personal choice, most Solid Plasterers will not advise on colour. They will generally encourage you to select your own colours or consult a designer for assistance.

They can however provide you with samples of proposed finishes in your choice of colour for consideration. ROCKCOTE does not have a colour range as such – most of our products can be tinted to a wide range of colours. Simply choose a swatch from any competitor colour range for our distributors to match.

What to ask

What finish options are available?

What are the maintenance implications for each?

Do you have experience in achieving the finish I want?

Will I have the opportunity to view and approve a colour and finish sample made by you prior to the project starting?

To ROCKCOTE Your House, call 1300 736 668 or check out rockcote.com.au 3

Substrates and systemsA substrate is the surface or material upon which the render will be applied. There are many types of substrates with some of the most common being brick, block, blueboard, expanded polystyrene (EPS) and fibre cement sheet (FCS).

Different substrates require different combinations of products to be applied to achieve your desired finish. This is mainly due to the nature of the underlying substrate – its propensity for movement, level of absorption and the ability of subsequent coatings to adhere.

Rendering a house requires the application of a “system” of products rather than a single product. Depending on the number of substrates, a project may require multiple systems. For example, for a brick home with EPS features, different base coat systems need to be used to prepare the EPS and the bricks to create a consistent surface for application of subsequent coats.

Another factor to consider is that some applicators use sand and cement mixed on site as a base coat. This can be risky, as the sand has not gone through any processes to remove contaminants. ROCKCOTE recommends that a bagged, pre-blended render such as our Quick Render Grey be used to reduce the risk of contamination that can affect the long-term performance of your coating system.

ROCKCOTE provides a complimentary specification service detailing our recommended system/s for each project. Most applicators are aware of these systems and the available ROCKCOTE system warranties if the systems are followed correctly. ROCKCOTE paint must be used to obtain a system warranty.

Note that not all renderers have painters on their teams. This means that for render and paint systems, you may need to work with two different contractors and obtain separate quotes. It’s important to ask these questions at the start.

What to ask

Are there any issues with my property that will require resolving before the render process can begin?

Will the render affect my termite barrier?

What are the system options to achieve the finish sought?

How do these options compare price-wise?

Will you be mixing your own sand and cement or using a ROCKCOTE pre-blended, bagged render for the base coat?

Will a ROCKCOTE specification be obtained for this project?

Can I obtain a system warranty supplied by the manufacturer upon project completion?

What is the warranty period?

What maintenance will be required for this system and how often should it be carried out?

(If you have selected a render and paint system):

Does your quote include painting?

Do you have a painter on your team?

If not, what is the process for obtaining a quote for the painted part of the system?

Please see our Handy Check List, Planning to paint your home? What to ask your painter for assistance with selecting a painter.

To ROCKCOTE Your House, call 1300 736 668 or check out rockcote.com.au 4

Site set up and clean-upA full exterior render project can make for a messy site for several days or even weeks depending on the nature of the project. Render also has a curing time to ensure the finish reaches optimum hardness. Your renderer can advise on the curing time for the products in the system on your project.

A good applicator will take control of the site from start to finish, ensure your belongings are protected from any unnecessary damage or splatter, and tidy the site before departing. This service is one of the key differences in quotes between applicators so it is important to know what your quote will cover.

What to ask

How long will the project take?

Is scaffolding required and if so, will there be a hire charge?

Do you remove and replace or update downpipes?

Do you cover penetrations (pipes, electrical cables etc.)?

Will windows be covered and taped?

Will concrete driveways and paths be covered by plastic?

Do you take away all the rubbish?

Will access/car parking be impeded in any way?

Do you require access to power and water?

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