Facade renovation: compare quotes and prices

What do you want the renovation to improve?

State your main goal first: restore a tidy surface, repair damage, replace cladding or improve thermal insulation. Several goals may overlap. A new coat of paint and a new insulated envelope nevertheless perform different jobs.

A condition survey prevents misleading comparisons

The contractor should record visible damage, existing layers and important junctions. Earlier construction descriptions and details of previous repairs are useful. Similar-looking façades can have very different constructions; photographs alone do not always allow a reliable quotation.

Describe cracks, loose parts, damp or damaged panels without having to determine their cause. Potential hazardous materials in older buildings need assessment before intervention. If investigations are charged separately, agree on their scope and cost first.

Keep the surface or change the construction?

For rendered external insulation, the contractor must assess which components can remain. Surface damage does not automatically require removal of all insulation. Conversely, a new finishing coat will not make an unsuitable substrate structurally sound.

A ventilated rainscreen has cladding on a supporting structure, with a ventilation space and potentially insulation behind it. This differs from directly rendered insulation. Request quotes for complete systems, not just the visible panel.

Coordinate windows, roof and plinth

If windows or the roof will also be renewed, plan their sequence early. A thicker façade changes junctions. Window sills, reveals, blind guides, roof edges, downpipes and attached fixtures should therefore be explicitly considered in the quotation.

For a wider energy renovation, a GEAK Plus assessment can identify suitable options and stages. That report is not yet an execution quotation for the façade. Detailed planning and responsibilities between contractors still need agreement. A generic percentage saving on heating does not replace an assessment of your building.

Compare options rather than an average price

A single price range per square metre tells you little about façade renovation: local render repair, new cladding and an insulation upgrade involve different services. Compare an identical base specification first, with additional wishes priced as clearly separated options.

The starting measurement is the actual façade area. Two elevations of 12 × 6 metres and two of 8 × 6 metres initially give 240 m²; gables, openings and detail areas then need clarification. The home's floor area is not a suitable substitute.

• Preparation and removal. Include investigations, protection, removal of existing layers and disposal.
• New construction. Specify materials, installation, insulation, fixings and the finished surface.
• Junction work. Identify plinth, window and roof-edge work and alterations to attached components.
• Overall cost. Allow for design, scaffolding and hire duration, site setup and VAT. Show grants separately until approval is confirmed.

Check permissions and grants early

The procedure depends on location, protection status and proposed changes. Ask the local building authority early about your project. An exemption for straightforward maintenance is not general approval for new materials, colours or insulation.

Energy improvements to façades may qualify for support under cantonal programmes. Check conditions and documentation before commissioning and starting work. Applications to the Building Programme must be submitted before construction begins; relying on a late application is not a dependable option. Submission and final approval are different stages.

Prepare the project in manageable stages

1. Describe the goal and existing façade. Provide area, highest working point, visible damage and other planned work.
2. Discuss the options. Use the visit and necessary investigations to compare retention, repair and renewal.
3. Align the quotations. Record matching areas and services, responsibilities, options and rules for extra work.
4. Organise construction. Coordinate permissions, funding, material delivery, scaffolding and residents’ access.

Include handover and maintenance

Agree in advance when access, balconies or windows may be restricted. Responsibility for protecting surroundings and planting, and restoring them after scaffolding removal, should also be clear.

At handover, inspect the agreed surfaces and junctions together. Record outstanding items and request material specifications and care instructions. Complete documentation makes future repairs and alterations easier.