Rendering

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to dramatically improve your home’s appearance, look into hiring a licensed rendering service in your area.

There are a number of techniques and materials renderers use in their trade:

• Cement rendering begins with a mixture of cement, lime, sand and often a colouring agent.
• Acrylic render is made from a special plastic (acrylic) formula. Depending on the product used and the desired finish, it can be applied with a roller or a trowel.
• Plaster render is a mixture of lime or gypsum, sand and water. Usually called solid or wet plastering, a professional renderer can achieve a variety of smooth or textured finishes using plaster rendering techniques.

Rendering can be smooth or textured and requires special skills to apply. Some rendering professionals specialise in one type of rendering service only, whilst others are skilled at all types of rendering.

Licensing of Renderers

Because rendering can require the skills of a painter, a plasterer and/or a concreter, many renderers have licences associated with their principle occupation and may have additional restrictions or endorsements on their trade licence as required by their state. See our state-by-state entries for more information about licensing of rendering specialists in your state or territory.

Types of Rendering Jobs

Rendering is often associated with exterior rendering, but rendering can also be done on interiors. Render can be applied over brick, masonry, plasterboard, mud brick or fibro. An important part of the renderer’s job is surface preparation. Once the surface is thoroughly cleaned and prepared, render is applied using one of a variety of techniques. Unlike paint, which is a thin surface coating, render can:

• Be thick enough to cover the gaps between bricks;
• Be smooth or textured; or
• Have pebbles added (pebble dashing)

The techniques used by rendering professionals depend on the type of surface they are working on and the effects you want them to achieve.

Rendering – NSW

Building and renovation trades in NSW are regulated by NSW Fair Trading. In New South Wales, all building or home improvement work valued at over $1,000 must be carried out by licensed tradespersons. Your rendering professional may have a licence in one or more of the following categories:

• General concreting
• Painting
• Wet Plastering
• Carpentry

Specialist rendering companies will have a licence in the type of rendering they typically do. An exception may be a licensed carpenter, whose licence authorises them to do “minor non-structural concreting.”

A licensed renderer may also have a “Minor Trade Work – Other” licence. This type of licence is issued to specialist tradespersons whose daily work does not fall into a general category. In addition to having basic construction qualifications, holders of this type of licence must take further training courses in the specific types of work they carry out.

Rendering – Victoria

The Victorian Building Commission (VBC) is the statutory body in charge of issuing building and building-related trade registrations in Victoria. The VBC registration system divides building services into a variety of classes and codes.

Rendering and similar services that offer limited services that do not include structural building work are given the broad classification of “Domestic Builder – Limited” (DBL). Their specific service is given a further code letter. In the case of general rendering services, the full code listed on their registration card will be DB-L Q. The “Q” is code for Sundry Works and includes hard plastering, rendering and painting.

A rendering service whose principle occupation is concreting will hold a VBC registration card for concreting. The code listed on their registration card will be DB-L B.

When looking for a licensed renderer in Victoria, look for the appropriate classification and code on their registration card. The card may also list additional restrictions and/or endorsements (permitted activities).

Rendering – Queensland

In Queensland, a trade licence is required for any building or home improvement work exceeding $3,300 in value, inclusive of labour and materials. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) issues licences to qualified tradespersons.

The QBCC “Painting & Decorating” category covers a variety of jobs:

• Application of paint or another substance to protect or decorate a surface or for technical purposes
• Preparation of surfaces for the application of paint or another substance
• Application of wallpaper
• Application of textured coatings

Although rendering is not mentioned specifically, rendering includes the preparation of surfaces and the application of “paint or another substance” and “textured coatings.” Unless your rendering job also includes carpentry, bricklaying or another trade qualification, a Painting & Decorating licence is all your rendering specialist will require in Queensland.

While a trade licence is only required for jobs that cost over $5,000 (materials and labour), your renderer’s licence is your assurance they are qualified to do the job for you regardless of the cost.

Rendering – SA

Consumer and Business Services (CBS) governs all businesses and trades in South Australia. As in Queensland, rendering services in SA require a “Painting & Decorating” licence to operate. “Decorating” includes the special techniques used by renderers and before this licence can be issued, the applicant must prove they have sufficient training to competently apply rendering finishes.

Your rendering service may hold one or both of two classes of South Australian trade licences:

• Supervisor - for individuals who supervise painting & decorating jobs.
• Contractors - for individuals, partnerships or companies who enter into contracts with customers.

Painting & Decorating is a sub-category of the broader “Building Work” category. The person who does your rendering may have additional qualifications listed on their trade licence. To be sure they are qualified for all jobs they undertake for you, check their “scope of work” classifications. Your contractor should also have a Supervisor’s licence.

Rendering – WA

The Building Commission of the Department of Commerce issues trade licences in Western Australia. Rendering is included in the broader definition of “painting and decorating” in WA. It includes a variety of jobs a registered painter is entitled to carry out, including the application of:

• Paint
• Wallpaper
• Similar decorative coatings

It also includes surface preparation unless sand blasting or a similar mechanical process is used in preparing a surface for rendering. These jobs require a separate licence. A Registered Painter Identity Card will also state what type of licence they hold. It can either be a Contractor’s licence or a Practitioner’s licence. A contractor is authorised to enter into contracts with clients while a practitioner is authorised to carry out work only.

In Western Australia, a registered practitioner is required by law if the total cost of a project is $1,000 or more, including materials and labour.

Rendering – Tasmania

Building and building-related work in Tasmania is governed by the Department of Justice. In Tasmania, “accreditation” is the equivalent to trade licensing in other states. Two general types of accreditation exist:

• A Practitioner is accredited to carry out work
• A Contractor can enter into contracts and manage workers.

In addition, the Department of Justice recognises a variety of accreditation categories. Your rendering service may be have restricted builder’s accreditation and be authorised to carry out specific services such as “Renovation/Restoration.”

At the very least, the person who performs rendering work for you in Tasmania should hold:

• A General Construction Induction Training Card (a “White Card”)
• Construction Industry Employer Registration issued by WorkSafe Tasmania if your contractor has employees

Rendering – ACT

In the ACT, building related trades must have one of four Classes of Construction Practitioner Licence issued by the Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA). A Class D licence authorises the holder to carry out non-structural work only and may have additional restrictions and/or endorsements (permissions) listed on the card as well. Endorsements may include painting, concreting or other specific types of work and restrictions may limit concreting to work that is decorative or non-structural only.

Rendering - Northern Territory

Painters, renderers and similar services do not require trade licences in the Northern Territory. You do, however, want to know the rendering service you hire has professional qualifications, though. Make sure they:

• Have a business licence if they operate under a business name
• Have an ABN if they are an individual
• Are insured

Renderers often work at heights. If they are not insured, you could be held liable for any accidents or injuries that occur whilst they are working on your behalf.

If your rendering job costs over $3,000, your rendering service may need to hold a Home Improvement Licence. A Home Improvement Licence is not required in every NT county, so check with your local council to find out if this regulation applies in your area.