As time passes, pollution clings to facades, rendering stucco crumbles, and signs of humidity leave marks on your walls. Over the years, damages accumulate one after the other, deteriorating your facade. Consequently, a repainting operation becomes necessary to repair aesthetic damages and enhance the appearance of your exterior walls. Moreover, repainting will allow your facade to regain its original thermal insulation performance. In theory, repainting exterior walls is exempt from any formalities with the town hall, but in practice, it is often subject to them. Regarding the cost of such a renovation project, several factors need to be considered. Discover below the answers to all your questions about facade repainting and its cost.
Focus on Facade Repainting
Facade repainting can radically change the appearance and style of a house. However, it is not solely aimed at beautifying your home by restoring its former glory.
Definition and Purpose of Facade Repainting
Facade repainting represents more than just cleaning, as the project is significant and should not be taken lightly. The operation involves renovating the frontage of a building to restore its original appearance. In other words, it is the restoration of facades and visible accessories of a building. It should be noted that repainting can simultaneously involve exterior walls, joinery (windows, shutters, doors), and other elements included in the facade (balconies, terraces, gates). It is also an opportunity to modify your exterior cladding with a new finish (paint, coating, or stucco).
Over time, exterior walls deteriorate, and cracks appear. Consequently, this compromises the thermal and sound insulation of the building. Thus, this renovation operation allows giving a new lease of life to facades while improving their insulation performance. Beyond these thermal considerations, facade repainting works provide an additional added value in case of resale of your property later on.
Generally speaking, renovation operations must be carried out respecting the original aspect of the facade. Repainting the facade requires specific tools and particular expertise. Therefore, it is carried out by specialized companies. It should be noted that there are many financial aids available to homeowners when they wish to undertake such a project.
Facade Repainting, a Legal Obligation
Facade repainting is among the legal obligations for the owner of a property. According to the Building and Housing Code (CCH), this operation must be carried out every decade (10 years). Indeed, the facades of buildings must be kept in good condition. Thus, they must not pose a risk to the safety of occupants or pedestrians. In this regard, repainting is mandatory for those in very poor condition. However, if you refuse to restore your exterior walls, you risk facing a fine.
Furthermore, the facade repainting of a condominium building also represents a legal obligation. It contributes to the harmony of the urban environment and therefore participates in the enhancement of the heritage. In condominium buildings, it is the syndic who receives the injunction and who assumes the responsibility of informing all co-owners.
The works represent more or less significant investments depending on your expectations and the general condition of your facade. However, before comparing prices or discovering the different stages of repainting, you must make a prior request for work to the town hall. Indeed, as soon as the operation modifies the exterior appearance of your house, it is subject to a prior declaration. If you want to repaint your walls in a different color, you will also need to go through this administrative process.
Ultimately, if you renovate the facade of your property identically, you will not need to request authorization from the town hall.
The Steps of Facade Repainting
It is necessary to undertake one or more operations on the facade. In principle, repainting proceeds in 5 main stages.
Facade Diagnosis
Beforehand, it is necessary to diagnose the premises to find the treatment adapted to your facade. Various tests will need to be carried out to check the condition of the support, identify cracks, and any potential moisture problems. Additionally, the works begin with a complete inspection conducted by a qualified expert, followed by the submission of a precise and detailed quote. With the facade diagnosis completed and formalities with the town hall completed, preparations for the renovation can then begin.
Setting Up the Site
To ensure that the site runs smoothly, careful preparation for the facade repainting is essential. If you have a large surface area, the installation of scaffolding or a mobile ladder may be necessary. However, facade repainting is a significant operation that requires the expertise of a qualified professional. For example, you can enlist the services of an architect. Their involvement will allow you to carry out your renovation with peace of mind. Additionally, the architect will ensure the quality of the result.
Facade Cleaning
The next step is facade cleaning or stripping. This is intended to maintain your residence by removing pollution-related dirt from your exterior walls. Defects in the coating are more apparent on clean surfaces, allowing for better detection of implementation errors. Several techniques are available to successfully carry out this step, such as :
- Peeling,
- Sandblasting,
- Sanding,
- Abrasion,
- Nebulization,
- Hydroblasting,
- Chemical cleaning,
- High-pressure cleaning.
Some types of cleaning are easily achievable, while others require specific skills and expertise. In any case, surround yourself with professionals who will assist you in this facade repainting operation.
Treatment and Wall Repair
Once the facade is cleaned, facade treatment operations are necessary to ensure the long-term protection of your surface. For example, a hydrophobic treatment can protect your exterior walls from rainwater damage.
The works then proceed with repairs related to the possible presence of cracks or fissures. Note that renovating a stone facade requires more time and specialized skills. Each joint will need to be dug out and redone.
Protection and Application of Render
Once the facade is cleaned and treated, it needs to be protected against the elements. Concretely, renders help to protect your walls lastingly against numerous external aggressions.
Render represents the ultimate solution for facade finishing. Indeed, renders have many advantages. They notably contribute to refreshing the appearance of your exterior support. From an aesthetic point of view, there are many render finishes available (smooth, rough, rolled, etc.).
Note that there are also different types of cladding for repainting your facade. Cladding is a second layer that is applied to the exterior wall of the building. By definition, it protects against the elements and improves thermal and acoustic insulation. You will need to choose it based on the savings you want to make while considering your personal preferences.
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Facade Renovation: Cost Factors
The price range for facade renovation ranges from €25 to €140 per square meter, including labor costs. However, the amount may be higher depending on several criteria.
Property Location
In city centers, especially in the Paris region, facade renovation tends to be more expensive. If you're affected, don't hesitate to request multiple quotes to choose the most advantageous offer from professionals or companies.
Surface Area of the Property
Logically, the larger your house, the more expensive the facade renovation will be. The means deployed for a small property will not be the same as for a large one. Indeed, the latter will require a large quantity of materials.
Accessibility of the Facade
The price of facade renovation also varies depending on whether the residence has simple or complicated access. Similarly, a building over 4 meters high will require the installation of scaffolding, which is more expensive than a mobile ladder.
Type of Substrate
Whether your house is built of wood, brick, or concrete blocks will affect the cost of facade renovation. Note that renders reserved for brick are more expensive. Wood, on the other hand, is a more delicate material and difficult to clean, which can impact the final bill. A stone facade has an average renovation cost of €40/m2. Moreover, there are financial aids offered to homeowners to help them cover this significant expense.
General Condition of the Facade
The overall condition is a factor in determining the price of facade renovation. A facade simply requiring a refresh will involve much less work than one needing repair due to cracks or water infiltration.
Cost of Materials
As a homeowner, you'll have a choice of several types of materials with varying costs. For example, for paint, expect to pay between €16 and €30/m2. For a render projection, budget between €20 and €26/m2.
Choice of Coating
Paint, resin, or textured finish are examples of coatings. Their prices vary, as does the cost of the labor required to apply them.
Potential Insulation Work
Renovating your exterior facade is an opportunity to improve your home's insulation to meet the latest standards. These energy renovation works will give you access to financial aid for your facade renovation. While the operation is mandatory, it may be subsidized, especially when coupled with insulation. The state offers various aids through different institutions to support energy transition. Subsidies from the National Housing Improvement Agency (ANAH) are among the most well-known.
Facade Renovation and Tax Deduction
Renovating your facade at a lower cost by combining tax credits and various aids is possible. However, there is no possibility of a tax benefit if the work is done on your primary residence. Nevertheless, the rule changes drastically if you own a rental property. In this case, you must choose between the real and micro tax regimes. If you have opted for the real regime, you are entitled to deduct certain works from your taxes.
