Acrylic rendering cost in Sydney (2026)

This guide covers acrylic render on Hebel, polystyrene, fibre cement and existing walls. For the work itself, see our acrylic rendering page; to see how it compares with cement render, read cement rendering vs acrylic rendering.

What does acrylic rendering cost per square metre in Sydney?

These are the Sydney ranges What's The Damage publishes for acrylic render and the lines that often go with it. All prices include GST.

The typical figure is about $11 per square metre more than cement render. On a house with 150 m² of wall, that is about $9,450 at the typical $63, roughly $1,650 more than cement render: a worked example from the market figures, not a quote.

Why does acrylic render cost more than cement render?

Because more goes onto the wall. An acrylic system is usually a polymer base coat, often with fibreglass mesh bedded into it, then a tinted texture finish and often a membrane topcoat. Each layer has its own job and its own waiting time. Over a primed wall, Rockcote's polymer base coat takes its next coat after about 24 hours and has to be covered within 14 days.

On Hebel, foam and fibre cement, acrylic isn't an upgrade you choose; it is the system those walls need. On sound brick, it is a choice, and cement render under a good coating is usually the cheaper one.

What pushes an acrylic rendering job up or down?

• What the walls are made of, and how many sheet or panel joints need treating.
• Mesh and coats. Some walls and systems call for mesh over the whole wall, others only at joints and corners.
• The state of existing render or paint, and how much repair it needs before the system goes on.
• Height and access, including scaffolding for upper storeys.
• Texture, colour and topcoat. A membrane topcoat adds a coat; some textures take more material.
• Edges and openings. Every window, corner and edge has to be finished cleanly.

What changes an acrylic rendering job in Sydney?

• Hot walls. Rockcote's base coat must not go on when the air or the wall is below 5°C or above 35°C. A dark wall in summer sun can pass that, so hot-weather work moves to the cooler part of the day.
• Houses near the coast. Rockcote's maintenance guide asks for a yearly clean-down and more often close to the coast. That doesn't change the quote, but it is a running cost to plan for.
• Bush fire prone land. On mapped bush fire prone land, re-rendering is only exempt development if the work is sealed against embers and uses materials of equal or better quality (State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008).

What should an acrylic rendering quote spell out?

• The system by name: the base coat, mesh, finish and topcoat, and whose products they are.
• That it suits the wall. Ask which substrate the system was chosen for.
• Mesh: full-face or joints and corners only.
• Preparation, priming and any repairs to existing render.
• The licence. Residential rendering work over $5,000, including GST, needs a NSW contractor licence (NSW Government: wet plastering work).
• Scaffolding, protection and clean-up.

How do we quote an acrylic rendering job?

1. Ask for a free quote and, if you know it, tell us what the walls are made of.
2. We reply with a rough figure from the photos.
3. We visit to check the wall underneath, measure and agree the texture and colour with you.
4. You get the final quote in writing, naming the system and what is included.