How much does rendering cost in Melbourne?
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A single-storey house in Melbourne, roughly 150 m² of wall, comes in at $7,200–$16,200 to render, while a double-storey place, around 300 m², costs $10,800–$24,300 once scaffolding is counted. Per square metre, cement is $27–$54, acrylic runs $36–$63 and texture coat $45–$90. Re-rendering is one of the questions people here ask most: where the old render is still sound, re-coating it costs $27–$54. With so many terraces and townhouses in the city, the area of wall actually exposed, not the size of the floor plan, sets the price.
Comparing cities, or after the Australia-wide picture? See the national guide: Rendering cost in Australia.
Detailed Pricing — Rendering Cost in Melbourne 2026
| Service | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cement render (per sqm) | $27/sqm | $40 | $54 |
| Acrylic render (per sqm) | $36/sqm | $50 | $63 |
| Texture coat render system (per sqm) | $45/sqm | $63 | $90 |
| Polished / venetian plaster (per sqm) | $72/sqm | $110 | $160 |
| Feature wall (indoor, per sqm) | $45/sqm | $68 | $99 |
| Whole house exterior (approx 200 sqm) | $9,450total | $14,400 | $21,600 |
| Single storey house (approx 150 sqm) | $7,200total | $10,800 | $16,200 |
| Two storey house (approx 300 sqm) | $10,800total | $16,200 | $24,300 |
| Old render removal (per sqm) | $14/sqm | $22 | $36 |
| Crack repair / patching (per sqm) | $45/sqm | $58 | $90 |
| Scaffolding (two storey) | $1,350total | $2,250 | $3,600 |
| Painting over new render (per sqm) | $11/sqm | $18 | $27 |
| Re-coat over existing render (per sqm) | $27/sqm | $36 | $54 |
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Get Melbourne quotes →Prices include GST. Based on Melbourne metro area, October 2026. Outer suburbs may vary.
Melbourne's Rendering Market in 2026
Melbourne's rendering market is the largest in Australia by volume, driven by the city's massive stock of 1950s–1980s red and cream brick homes that homeowners are transforming with modern rendered facades. The city's distinct construction type, extreme weather variability, and strong renovation culture make it a unique rendering market.
Brick veneer is king. Unlike Perth (limestone block) or Sydney (mix of brick and sandstone), Melbourne's dominant construction type is brick veneer with timber frame. This is actually an excellent substrate for rendering — the outer brick skin is stable, consistent, and takes render well with standard preparation. However, the timber frame behind the brick means the wall can flex slightly with temperature changes, which is why flexible acrylic render systems outperform rigid cement render in Melbourne. Most experienced Melbourne renderers will recommend acrylic as default.
Melbourne's weather tests everything. The old joke about four seasons in one day is genuinely relevant to rendering. Melbourne's temperature can swing 20°C in 24 hours, and the combination of hot northerly winds followed by cold southerly changes creates expansion and contraction stress that rigid render systems struggle with. Rain is unpredictable year-round, which affects scheduling — render needs at least 24–48 hours of dry weather after application. Most Melbourne renderers build weather contingency into their quotes, adding 1–2 days to the timeline for weather delays. If a quote assumes perfect weather for 5 straight days in Melbourne, be sceptical.
The 1970s renovation wave is peaking. Melbourne's inner and middle suburbs are saturated with 1960s–1980s brown and cream brick homes that are being bought and renovated by younger homeowners wanting a contemporary look. A full render on a typical 1970s double-fronted brick veneer — the most common rendering job in Melbourne — transforms the street appeal dramatically. This renovation wave means high demand for renderers, particularly in suburbs like Preston, Reservoir, Coburg, and Footscray where the housing stock is right in the sweet spot for render transformation.
Colour choice matters more here. Melbourne's grey skies for much of the year mean render colour reads very differently than in sun-drenched Perth or Brisbane. Dark charcoal and black renders that look dramatic in photos can appear flat and oppressive under Melbourne's overcast skies. Conversely, warm whites and light greys pop beautifully against green landscaping in Melbourne's leafy suburbs. Many Melbourne renderers offer colour consultation as part of their service — worth taking up, because a sample swatch on a sunny day doesn't tell you how it'll look through 6 months of grey winter skies.
How Rendering Costs Vary Across Melbourne
Inner north (Fitzroy, Carlton, Brunswick, Northcote): Heritage overlays are widespread and council scrutiny is the highest in Melbourne. Many properties in Fitzroy and Carlton have heritage protection that restricts or prohibits rendering of the front facade — you may only be able to render the sides and rear. Even where rendering is permitted, colour and finish restrictions may apply. Budget extra time for council approval in heritage zones, where rendering needs a planning permit. When permitted, rendering in these suburbs commands premium rates of $50–$80/sqm, reflecting the complexity and compliance requirements.
Middle suburbs (Preston, Reservoir, Coburg, Footscray, Sunshine): This is where the bulk of Melbourne's rendering work happens. The classic cream or brown brick veneer on these 1960s–1980s homes is the bread-and-butter job for Melbourne renderers. Standard pricing of $38–$65/sqm applies, with most single-storey homes coming in at $7,200–$12,000 for a full render. Competition is strong in these suburbs — getting quotes typically reveals a 20–30% price spread, so it pays to shop around.
Eastern suburbs (Camberwell, Box Hill, Doncaster, Glen Waverley): Larger homes on bigger blocks mean bigger jobs. A typical double-storey in Camberwell or Doncaster runs $10,800–$22,000 for full rendering. The eastern suburbs also have a higher proportion of two-storey homes requiring full scaffolding, which adds $1,350–$3,600 to the job. Quality expectations are high in these suburbs and homeowners tend to choose premium acrylic systems with extended warranties.
Western and outer suburbs (Werribee, Tarneit, Melton, Craigieburn): Newer housing stock means many homes already have rendered finishes from the builder. Re-rendering or colour changes on these newer builds are simpler jobs at $27–$45/sqm. The outer suburbs also see less heritage restriction and simpler access, keeping costs at the lower end of the metro range. Some new-estate homeowners opt for feature rendering — rendering one facade or a feature wall rather than the entire home.
How much to render a house in Melbourne (2026): acrylic vs cement, per m² and whole-house prices
Rendering a house in Melbourne costs $7,200–$16,200 for a single-storey home of around 150 square metres of wall, with $10,800 typical, and $10,800–$24,300 for a two-storey home of around 300 square metres. Per square metre, cement render is $27–$54 and acrylic render $36–$63, applied; the whole-house figures include the base coat, the finish and the labour but not scaffold on two storeys or painting afterwards.
| Job | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single storey house (approx 150 m²) | $7,200 | $10,800 | $16,200 |
| Two storey house (approx 300 m²) | $10,800 | $16,200 | $24,300 |
| Cement render (per m²) | $27/m² | $40 | $54 |
| Acrylic render (per m²) | $36/m² | $50 | $63 |
| Texture coat render (per m²) | $52/m² | $74 | $105 |
| Old render removal (per m²) | $14/m² | $22 | $36 |
| Scaffolding (two storey) | $1,350 | $2,250 | $3,600 |
Acrylic vs cement render in Melbourne: cement render is the cheaper base, a sand-and-cement coat trowelled onto brick or block that then needs painting. Acrylic render costs more per square metre but is flexible, so it resists the hairline cracking that cement render shows on new brickwork or in Melbourne's temperature swings, and it comes coloured so the paint step can be skipped. A texture coat ($45–$90/m²) is the finish layer over either.
Re-rendering: where old render is drummy or cracked it comes off first, $14–$36 per square metre, before the new coats; patching a few cracks is a separate, smaller job.
What moves a rendering quote in Melbourne:
- Wall area: the house figures assume roughly 150 and 300 square metres; measure the elevations to see where yours sits.
- Storeys: two-storey homes need scaffold ($1,350–$3,600) on top of the per-metre rate.
- Substrate: new brick is the base; painted brick, blueboard or old render needs prep or removal first.
- Finish: a plain float finish is the base; textures, bagged finishes and polished plaster cost more per square metre.
- Details: window reveals, parapets, columns and quoins are slow work priced per metre.
Ask Melbourne renderers for the square metres, the system (cement or acrylic), the number of coats and the finish on every quote.
What Affects Rendering Costs in Melbourne
Which render system
Cement is the budget option at $27–$54, yet it needs painting afterwards, which adds $11–$27. Add the two typical rates and you reach $58 per square metre, above the typical acrylic price of $50. Acrylic moves slightly as the wall does, and texture coat ($45–$90) is tinted right through, so no painter is needed.
Terraces and townhouses
Terraces, townhouses and semis account for 16.2% of homes across Greater Melbourne, against 12.6% for Australia as a whole (ABS 2021 Census). Shared party walls are not rendered, so the job may cover only a front and rear face, but tight side paths and rear lanes slow the set-up and the carrying in of mix. Ask for the area to be measured on your actual walls rather than estimated from a floor plan.
Re-rendering and repairs
Sound old render can take a fresh coat for $27–$54, which typically undercuts a new cement coat. Hollow or crumbling sections must be stripped ($14–$36) before anything else, and patching damaged areas costs $45–$90. Fine surface cracks get filled during preparation, whereas a crack that keeps widening or steps through the brickwork points to movement and needs an engineer before it is covered.
Scaffold and WorkSafe
Two-storey jobs carry scaffolding at $1,350–$3,600. When the upper walls cannot be worked on safely from ground level, workplace safety law, with WorkSafe Victoria as the enforcer, says falls must be guarded against, and a scaffold is one of the standard controls. Check whether the quote covers scaffold hire for the whole job or only a set number of weeks.
Registration and contracts
In Victoria, anyone doing work worth over $10,000 must be registered by the state's Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC), though jobs involving only plastering are exempt. A tradesperson combining skills, such as plastering and painting, must be registered, and building work involving more than one trade worth over $10,000 must be done under a major domestic building contract. A typical two-storey render ($16,200) is well past that line, so ask which applies to your quote.
Cold winters slow the cure
July in Melbourne averages just 13.5 °C by day and 6.0 °C overnight (BOM averages), and render cures slowly in that cold, especially on shaded south walls. Rain gives little reason to favour one season: the wettest month, October, averages 66.0 mm and the driest, January, 46.8 mm. Late spring to early autumn offers the warmest drying days, provided the crew avoids hot, windy afternoons.
Render indoors
People also search for interior rendering. An indoor rendered feature wall costs $45–$99 for each square metre, while polished or Venetian plaster, the dearest finish in our table, runs $72–$160. Because only one wall is involved and no scaffold is needed, an indoor job can be booked in winter, when outside work is held back by the cold.
How to Save Money on Rendering Cost in Melbourne
Melbourne Rendering Costs by Render Type
| Render Type | Cost per m² | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Cement render | $27–$50 | Budget-friendly, traditional look |
| Acrylic render | $36–$60 | Most Melbourne homes — flexible, crack-resistant |
| Texture coat (Dulux AcraTex, Rockcote) | $45–$80 | Premium finish, wide colour range |
| Bagging (thin cement wash) | Quoted per job | Exposed brick with a softer look |
| Lime render | Quoted per job | Heritage homes, breathable walls |
Popular Melbourne rendering projects and typical costs:
Render over 1970s brick (full exterior, 3-bed): $7,200–$16,200
Render feature wall only (front facade): priced per square metre at the render rates above
Repair cracked cement render (patch and repaint): $45–$90 a square metre
Full strip and re-render: $14–$36 a square metre to strip, plus the render rate
Render + paint (combined project): $11–$27 a square metre for the paint, on top of the render
Melbourne's inner-east and inner-south suburbs (Hawthorn, Malvern, Brighton, Armadale) have the highest demand for rendering, particularly converting dated brick to modern rendered facades. Heritage overlay areas may restrict exterior changes — check with your local council before starting.
Frequently Asked Questions — Rendering Cost in Melbourne
Our Methodology
These are independent estimates from public cost guides, marketplaces and industry rate data, and no tradesperson can influence them, so always get a few quotes. Last reviewed October 2026. Read our full methodology →