We recently moved into a 1930s three-bedroom semi-detached house. It is spacious inside and we like the area.
Unlike some of the properties we viewed, the house has been updated to a high standard inside.
The exterior of the property is pebble, which I would say is a sandy brown color. Our neighbors and many others on the street have the same pebble on their properties.
Our new next-door neighbors hinted that they would prefer us to keep the pebble.
Is it time to cut the pebbeldash? A MailOnline reader looks outside his property.
But since our house is ultra-modern inside, I wonder if we should remove the pebble. I saw a small number of properties in the surrounding area that now have a plain white exterior.
What are our options for dealing with pebbledash? Is removing Pebbledash ever something homeowners can do themselves or is it too risky?
If we hire a professional to remove the pebble, how much would it cost? Would planning permission be needed?
Alternatively, could we just render over the top of the pebble to create a new soft white finish? How would this work and how much would it cost? How durable is this option?
Jane Denton responds: The popularity of pebbledash grew during the postwar years and increased in the 1920s.
It was often used as an economical option to hide poorly maintained brick or shoddy workmanship and help protect homes from the elements.
It is much maligned and has gone out of fashion, but perhaps we should not be so hasty.
Although few will admit it, it would surely be a shame to miss out on seeing these tough, prickly, weather-worn exteriors in the places where they are most effective, namely coastal and rural areas.
As your query suggests, covering existing bricks or pebbles with a soft white render appears to be a growing trend.
However, this comes at a cost and it is important to weigh up how long this bright white finish will last before it needs to be redone.
Additionally, it may be worth speaking to a local real estate agent to get their opinion on exterior options and their impact on property values in the area.
We spoke to a pebbeldash and rendering expert. If you were looking for a totally unbiased answer, look away now.
Nicholas Sanderson, owner of The Pebble Dasher in Lancashire, says: Pebbledash is created using a traditional sand and cement mixture and commonly includes gravel or stones.
Many people say it looks tired and dated. Of course he does. Most of it is about 100 years old, so it’s no surprise that it can look worn and dirty.
It is waterproof, making it incredibly strong and resistant to attack. It is notoriously difficult to remove.
Anyone reading this who has had the misfortune of deleting Pebbledash will know what I’m talking about: it’s a very difficult thing.
Pebbledash Advocate Nicholas Sanderson
It is possible to remove the pebbles yourself, but it is a difficult job and proper machinery is required. If you want to avoid damage to your property, it is advisable to enlist the help of an experienced builder.
Before making any decisions, keep in mind that modern pebbledash incorporates specialized crushed aggregate and looks just as good as flat plaster when new.
If you go the route of covering the pebbledash with white rendering, I’d say it could cost you 50 percent more than simply updating or remediating the pebbledash.
Also, in my experience, and some may disagree with this, you’d be lucky if all of these modern renders looked good after five years.
I can’t count the number of properties I’ve converted back to pebbledash just a few years after the owner left them flat.
Even if the plaster is applied correctly, I think it is prone to discoloration. It can look very tired after five years and even worse after a decade.
Many of my clients complain that they have to repeatedly paint the render to make it look good.
Whatever you decide to do, in most cases you will not need planning permission to render your house, including a color change. However, there are exceptions to this and it is always worth checking with your council’s planning department beforehand.
The amount it would cost you to remove pebbledash is variable and will depend on factors such as where you live and the exact size of your property. Removing it could cost around £2,000.
To get a soft white render finish, again the costs involved are variable, but I would say it could cost around £8,000.
Pebbledash has a bad reputation, but I’ve been in business for 35 years and I can assure you it’s not going away. I tell all my apprentices that it is a job for life. There are not many vocations that are like that.
