Cover pebble dash · Scotland
Covering pebble dash in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Homes and buildings across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles — from Kirkwall to Lerwick — can get a free survey and written quote for pebble dash covering. If your house in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles 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 Scotland
Free survey in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
Tell us the postcode and what you need.
What the job covers
- Removing dash entirely is noisy and can damage soft brick
- Sound dash can be insulated over with extra mechanical fixings
- Combining with insulation adds warmth as well as a new look
- Render-over uses a bonding coat and mesh to level the stones
- Loose areas are cut out and patched first
What we look for in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
The Highlands and Islands have many exposed stone and harled homes, timber-framed houses and scattered rural properties.
Parts of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles fall in the higher wind-driven rain exposure bands, especially coastal and upland sites, so render specification, movement joints and detailing at cills, verges and the base of the wall matter more than usual.
Before quoting Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles pebble dash jobs, we tap-test each elevation and mark any hollow areas.
- Nation
- Scotland
- Region
- Highlands and Islands
- Towns covered
- Kirkwall, Stornoway, Lerwick
- Guide price
- From £72 per m² + scaffold · inc VAT
Permissions in Scotland
In Scotland, householder permitted development rights are set by the Scottish GPDO and are narrower for external wall changes; insulating flats or tenements, changing the appearance of a house noticeably, or working in a conservation area usually needs planning permission. Listed buildings need listed building consent. Ask your council's planning team before committing.
Work that alters an external wall's construction is covered by the building standards system; many over-cladding projects need a building warrant from the council's building standards team, and Section 6 (Energy) of the Technical Handbooks sets insulation benchmarks.
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 Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles
| 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
Enquiry
Send your postcode and a few details.
Measured survey
Walls, damp, eaves, cills and services recorded.
Written price
A fixed price with the specification attached.
Work and handover
Installed, inspected and documents handed over.
Cover pebble dash in Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles: questions
Will the stones show through?
No. A levelling base coat with mesh fills over the stones before the finish goes on.
Is it cheaper to cover pebble dash or remove it?
Covering is usually cheaper and less disruptive, as long as the dash is sound.
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.
Do you cover all of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles?
Yes. We survey and quote pebble dash covering across Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, including Kirkwall, Stornoway, Lerwick. Island and remote addresses are surveyed by arrangement.
Do I need planning permission in Scotland?
In Scotland, householder permitted development rights are set by the Scottish GPDO and are narrower for external wall changes; insulating flats or tenements, changing the appearance of a house noticeably, or working in a conservation area usually needs planning permission. We check your address before quoting.