Cover pebble dash · Northern Ireland
Covering pebble dash in County Down
Homes and buildings across County Down — from Bangor (County Down) to Newtownards — can get a free survey and written quote for pebble dash covering. If your house in County Down is pebble-dashed, covering the dash is usually simpler than removing it.
- Free survey and fixed written price
- Guide price from £72 per m² + scaffold, inc VAT
- Planning and building control checked for Northern Ireland
Free survey in County Down
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
What the job covers
- Sound dash can be insulated over with extra mechanical fixings
- Combining with insulation adds warmth as well as a new look
- Removing dash entirely is noisy and can damage soft brick
- Tap-testing finds hollow, loose areas before anything is decided
- Render-over uses a bonding coat and mesh to level the stones
Before we quote in County Down
Northern Ireland has many rendered and pebble-dashed homes, older solid-walled rural houses, and estates built by the Housing Executive.
Exposure to wind-driven rain varies across County Down: sheltered town streets fare better than walls on high ground or facing the prevailing weather, and the render, beads and cill details are chosen with that in mind.
If your house in County Down is pebble-dashed, covering the dash is usually simpler than removing it.
- Nation
- Northern Ireland
- Region
- Northern Ireland
- Towns covered
- Bangor (County Down), Castlereagh, Newtownards, Newry, Banbridge, Holywood, Downpatrick
- Guide price
- From £72 per m² + scaffold · inc VAT
Planning and building control in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, permitted development is set by the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (NI) 2015. Changing the external appearance of a house may need permission, and conservation areas, flats, commercial buildings and listed buildings need planning permission or listed building consent. Check with your council's planning office.
Insulating external walls is building work under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012, handled by council building control, with Technical Booklet F1 covering conservation of fuel and power in dwellings.
Is it better to insulate over pebble dash?
If you're paying for scaffolding and a new finish anyway, adding insulation costs more but improves comfort considerably on solid or non-traditional walls. On cavity walls, check whether the cavity is filled first.
Covering pebble dash prices in County Down
| Item | Guide price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Render over sound pebble dash | £72–£114 per m²inc VAT | Excluding scaffold |
| Insulate over pebble dash (EWI) | £110–£175 per m²0% VAT | |
| Pebble dash removal | £24–£48 per m²inc VAT | Where needed |
Confirmed by a fixed written quote after survey. Prices include VAT at 20%. 0% VAT: installing insulation in a home is zero-rated until 31 March 2027, so these figures are the total; 5% applies from 1 April 2027.
How it works
Tell us about the property
Use the quote tool or form, or call. Photos help.
Free survey
We measure, check the walls and confirm approvals.
Fixed written quote
System, details, access, exclusions and VAT in writing.
Installation
Scheduled for suitable weather, with a clear programme.
Cover pebble dash in County Down: questions
Will the stones show through?
No. A levelling base coat with mesh fills over the stones before the finish goes on.
Can I paint pebble dash instead?
You can, but it doesn't fix hollow areas or cracks, and paint on dash often needs redoing every few years.
Is it cheaper to cover pebble dash or remove it?
Covering is usually cheaper and less disruptive, as long as the dash is sound.
Do you cover all of County Down?
Yes. We survey and quote pebble dash covering across County Down, including Bangor (County Down), Castlereagh, Newtownards, Newry, Banbridge.
Do I need planning permission in Northern Ireland?
In Northern Ireland, permitted development is set by the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (NI) 2015. We check your address before quoting.