Just looking for some second opinions here.
I've nearly had a large extension finished on my 60's Bungalow in Cardiff, and I need to decide on an exterior coating.
The house is pebbledash, as are all the others on the street. Pebbledash is quite ugly.
My instinct is that despite the aesthetic disadvantages, I should go pebbledash again. It would match the rest of the house (definitely can't be bothered to strip the old pebbledash). Also it's rainy here and pebbledash is a very tough exterior layer. If I wanted a prettier looking house I could get the whole lot painted.
The alternative is some sort of smooth render. Silicone seems to be the most low-maintenance, long lasting option, but it is quite expensive. Even though render is prettier than pebbledash, I'm not sure a house which is half-and-half is any less ugly than a house which is pebbledash all over.
your thoughts, hive mind?
I'd go pebbledash, I don't really like it either (and living Cardiff know there's a lot around!) but personally I'd be happier with a uniform finish.
If the new bit is different enough to the rest of the house in its architecture / interface with the house, the render will make a nice Juxtaposition.
Coloured K rend or a smooth tyrolian coating could work well
Or the ubiquitous cement board panels in anthracite
I was in a similar situation, and went for cedar shingle cladding...
It depends is the answer - if the extension just carries on an existing wall, then it will look odd to change the surface halfway along. If it is obviously a different part of the building, I'd go for plain render.
If you opt for pebbledash, make sure the builders do it before they put the windows in, or at least properly protect the windows while they're slinging gravel at them. Ask me how I know this...
My folks went with pebble dash with their extension years ago, on the basis the rest of the house was. However when it went up the bright, new pebble dash stood out like a sore thumb against the drab old pebble dash (and kind of still does years later) so matching may be tricky. Also don’t rule our smooth render as not being tough. Our house has smooth render, as do loads of houses here in Ireland (wettest county in the world!) and is lasts just fine with the added benefit you can make it any color you want.
Have a look at the finish K Rend gives - i think its fantastic stuff personally.
K-rend and the other similar types look great for a couple years but are not forgiving on North facing elevations or of poor weather detailing. Dry dash, or even wet dash age much more gracefully.
I work in property.
Smooth render can be DIY-painted easily with a roller and smooth render is perfectly serviceable.
No scaffold costs, I'd seriously consider getting the rest smooth rendered too, one wall at a time if necessary
Thanks all.
The extension has taken the house from a rectangle to an "L" shape. The pitched roof on the extension has been cut into the existing roof so despite being obviously an extension it looks more like a continuation of the old house than a different wing that would justify a contrast surface.
@sas78 - you mention that north faces of K-rend can go off after a few years. That is a concern as the largest wall (ground floor + gable) is north facing and very dominant over the garden so I wouldn't want it looking tatty.
Does anyone have experience painting pebbledash? A few neighbours have done it and it looks quite nice, but I worry about it needing constant cleaning/repainting.
Does anyone have experience painting pebbledash?
Yeah. Don't. You won't get it clean enough to get the first coat on (as jetwashing it will just remove all the old stones), so despite using a s..tonne of paint it'll look rubbish in 5 years time. Fortunately I sold my old gaff before it looked bad, but it doesn't look fresh now. Also takes forever to do
Painting pebbledash is a time-consuming job. You can hire spray kit that is massively easier
Thermocromex will help the u value, 1 bag/ m2
We have just gone pebble dash. There are a whole range of colours. What put me off render is seeing the state of all our neighbors houses. Render going green with moss on anything not totally vertical, good luck trying to find the perfect colour match for any patches, you can't paint it. Pebble dash will last a lot longer, easier to patch, and when you get bored you can paint it. Parents had pebble dash 30yrs ago, they just paint it every 5 or 10 yes and it still looks great.
all this painting of pebbledash... are people talking about roughcasting because painting pebble dash sound like the shitest form of torture imaginable.