Cladding vs render: which costs less?
Render and cladding have overlapping guide prices: render is £40 to £100 per m² and cladding £40 to £90 per m². The selected system, wall preparation, scaffold and any insulation matter more than the name of the finish. Compare the same elevation and a complete specification.
House cladding vs House rendering: the cost
| Option | Range | Typical | Priced |
|---|---|---|---|
| House cladding | £40 to £90 | £60 | per m² |
| House rendering | £40 to £100 | £65 | per m² |
Costwise guide prices, reviewed June to July 2026, not quotes.
House cladding vs House rendering: the difference
| Factor | How they compare |
|---|---|
| Typical cost | Render about £40 to £100 per m²; cladding £40 to £90 per m² depending on the material. |
| Finish | Render is a smooth, painted surface; cladding gives a timber, composite or board look. |
| Fitting | Render is a wet trade needing dry weather to cure; cladding is fitted dry and can go up in most conditions. |
| Best for | Render: cheapest plain, seamless finish. Cladding: a board look, quicker dry fitting, and easy to add insulation behind. |
Compare a named system over the same wall area
Use the same measured elevation, deduct openings consistently and specify returns around windows and doors. At 50 m², the guide ranges of £40 to £100 per m² for render and £40 to £90 for cladding give £2,000 to £5,000 and £2,000 to £4,500 respectively, before any separately quoted scaffold or extensive preparation.
The ranges overlap because the products and site work vary. Ask what render system or cladding board is included, the surface preparation, fixings, trims and finish. A basic render coat is not the same specification as a complete insulated system.
Scaffolding, preparation and insulation change the comparison
Ask whether access equipment, removing loose existing material, repairing the substrate, moving pipes and finishing around openings are in the quote. If one includes them and the other does not, the headline per-m² comparison is misleading.
If you want insulation, ask for the whole wall system to be designed and priced, including junctions, moisture management and appropriate fire performance. Adding insulation is not just a decorative finish upgrade. The designer or installer should confirm the requirements for the property.
Match the maintenance expectations to the material
Ask about repainting, cleaning, coatings and the repair method for a damaged area. Timber, composite and fibre-cement boards do not share one maintenance schedule, and different render systems have different finish requirements.
Choose a finish you want and can maintain, then compare the complete installed scope and written warranty. A small difference in the surface rate can be outweighed by scaffold, repairs or repeated access costs.
Common questions
They overlap, so it comes down to the finish. Render at £40 to £100 per m² is usually a little cheaper for a plain painted look, while cladding at £40 to £90 per m² buys a timber or board appearance. Neither is dramatically cheaper than the other, so choose on the look and maintenance you want.
Both can be fitted over an insulation layer, but cladding on battens leaves a natural cavity that makes adding insulation behind it straightforward. If warmth is the main goal, look at external wall insulation as the system, finished with either render or cladding as the outer skin.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.