Ask Jane: Should I render my brick home?

Karen asks:

“Should I render my brick home? Or just leave it as it is?”

Jane says:

It’s hard to have a cookie-cutter answer for this question, given brick homes are a mixed bag and rendering to change a brick home’s appearance will work only in some instances. It’s the first remedy that comes to mind but there are a number of other options you can choose to modernise your home.

The question I ask first is; are at least 30 per cent of the brick homes in your suburb rendered? If the answer is yes, then rendering is certainly an option as there is clearly some considerable gentrification starting to happen around the area. If the answer is no and over-capitalisation is an issue, then perhaps it’s best to delay rendering for the moment. It could be something to revisit in the future when more than 30 per cent of other brick homes in the suburb have already been rendered.

The biggest difference between rendering and the other choices you have to externally update, generally is the cost. Spending around $8,000-$15,000 to render a typical brick home might not translate into a return on investment, or increase in the value of your home. Instead you can look to transform the appearance of your home by updating the finish of the exterior trims (window frames, balustrade details, guttering and roof for example).

In some localities, painting over brick is an acceptable solution. In many areas this is not the done thing; so once again have a look at other properties in the area before deciding if this could be your strategy. When a complete paint job for a brick exterior isn’t an option, focus on other updates as previously mentioned (window frames, roof and so on).

Add contrast to your home with lighter or darker trims and fixtures, which oppose the tone of the brick you have. If you want a modern look, then white trims is not the way to go!

Brick can be imposing and impersonal, so I like to add a touch of softness; often with colour, sometimes with additional features (fences and window dressings) and almost always with landscaping. This is especially so if the brick has not been rendered.

Rendering can completely transform a home if it suits, however consider additional costs like maintenance on top of what you’ve already had to spend. The answer is different for every home, but if cash and/or over-capitalising is a consideration, then some lower cost options to update your home’s exterior – especially if the effect is almost as impressive as a full render – could be your best route.