Render Repair & Remedial Preparation in Melbourne
A repaint is only as good as what sits under it. On buildings past the fifteen-year mark, the honest answer is often that nobody knows the full extent of the remedial work until scaffold is up and the surface has been washed. We handle that with condition reporting and provisional sums rather than a number that moves after approval.
The problem with pricing repairs blind
Cracking, drummy render, previous coating failure and efflorescence are all common on Melbourne buildings and all substantially invisible from ground level. A painter who gives a single fixed price for a building they have only seen from the footpath is either padding heavily or setting up a variation.
We price the known work as a fixed sum and the unknown work as a provisional sum with a stated rate. When access is up we inspect, document with photographs, and report the actual quantity against the provisional allowance before the work is done. The committee approves the spend on evidence rather than after the fact.
What we typically find
Hairline shrinkage cracking in render is cosmetic and gets filled and sealed as part of standard preparation. Cracking that follows a structural line, steps through the render, or reopens through a previous repair is a different matter, and we flag it for engineering assessment rather than filling it and painting over the top.
Drummy or delaminated render is identified by tapping and has to be cut out and rebuilt. Efflorescence — the white salt bloom that comes through masonry — means moisture is moving through the wall, and the source has to be dealt with before any coating is applied or the new paint will lift in the same places.
Coating failure
Where a previous coating is peeling, blistering or chalking heavily, the question is whether it can be stabilised or has to come off. We test adhesion in several locations rather than assuming, because full removal is a large cost and applying it where it is not needed is waste.
What the committee receives
A written condition report with photographs by elevation, the fixed and provisional split, the rate applying to provisional work, and a variation record showing what was actually found and approved.
Why choose us for render repair & remedial preparation
- Fixed price for known work, provisional sums for what cannot be seen yet
- Photographic condition report by elevation before remedial spend
- Adhesion testing rather than assuming full coating removal
- Structural cracking referred for engineering assessment, not filled over
- Efflorescence traced to its moisture source before coating
- Variation record showing what was found, approved and spent
Render Repair & Remedial Preparation — common questions
What is a provisional sum and why is it in my quote?
It is a budgeted allowance for work that genuinely cannot be measured until access is up — typically crack repair and render patching. It is shown separately from the fixed price with the rate that applies, so the committee knows the maximum exposure and only pays for what is actually found and approved.
Is cracking in render a structural problem?
Usually not. Fine shrinkage cracking is normal in render and is handled as part of preparation. Cracking that steps diagonally, follows a consistent structural line, or has reopened through a previous repair should be assessed by an engineer before it is filled, and we will say so rather than paint over it.
Can you just paint over the old coating?
Sometimes, and that is the cheaper outcome, so it is worth testing rather than assuming either way. We check adhesion in several places across the building. If the existing system is sound it becomes the substrate; if it is failing across a whole elevation it has to come off first.
Ready to book render repair & remedial preparation?
Contact us today for your free, no-obligation quote.