Case Study:Render Repairs

Render repairs are a fundamental component of property maintenance. After all, your render is your property’s shield. If left unchecked, a simple—and cheap to fix—hairline crack on its surface can quickly become a crumbling mess costing an untold amount to restore. However, just because they're central to good property maintenance, that doesn’t mean render repairs are a simple art. Done incorrectly by unprofessional staff, even the priciest modern render can be ruined, made to look patchy by poor colour matching, or worse, damaged by the use of unsuitable repair techniques.

With that in mind, when Spectrum won a tender to clean and restore the deteriorating render of a college to the North of England, the entire team was determined to uphold their high standards of work in providing the students and faculty a building they could be proud of. Thanks to their expertise in both effective rope access techniques and modern render repairs, the team successfully brought the building back to a state of excellence, one that nobody expected to see it in ever again.

The Project

The team settled on a two-part plan to restore the render. The first part would involve cleaning the surface of all grime, staining and organic buildup. This would allow them to more easily determine where the cracks were located and which areas needed the most attention. The second part was the repair, which would restore the aesthetic and strength of the property’s render, helping it last for countless more years.  


The whole project was to take two months, a deadline that the team was able to meet with ease, thanks to adequate planning, proper preparation and years of experience.

The Site

The building in question, a bustling college packed with young adults and teachers, was rife with staining, weather degradation and cracks; they covered nearly every surface in sight, and some out of sight. This was unacceptable for the client for a whole cluster of reasons.  


For one, a weathered, aged looking building was immeasurably harming its reputation. When prospective students, inspectors and guests passed by, they didn’t see the high quality of teaching offered by the school, they only saw grime and damage that grew more severe with each passing week. Secondly, cracks are an early warning sign of more serious structural damage further down the line. Water can easily get inside them, where it freezes in the cold weather, eventually expanding and causing extreme damage. 

The Logistics

For one, a weathered, aged looking building was immeasurably harming its reputation. When prospective students, inspectors and guests passed by, they didn’t see the high quality of teaching offered by the school, they only saw grime and damage that grew more severe with each passing week. Secondly, cracks are an early warning sign of more serious structural damage further down the line. Water can easily get inside them, where it freezes in the cold weather, eventually expanding and causing extreme damage. 

The school maintenance team were eager to avoid more costly render repairs in the future, so they put out a call for a team to intervene before matters got out of hand. Finally, the poor state of the building was impacting the morale of both students and staff alike. For their sake, the property managers wanted to give them a building conducive to productivity and learning.

Using rope access methods and their time-tested P.A.S.T. process, Spectrum formulated and successfully executed the cleaning aspect of the project. Rather than use pressure washers, which can cause unwanted damage to a property through excessive force, the team instead used the TORC cleaning system. This utilises a bespoke cleaning solution applied in a swirling vortex motion to lift stains and organic matter like algae without damaging the render itself. 

Abseiling render repairs are a tricky thing to get right, so the second half of the plan required careful planning and precision to pull off without any blunders. The team mixed a one-of-a-kind sealant solution, specially produced for this project, on the roof of the college. They then, following standard safety checks, abseiled down the building’s exterior sealing cracks with the confidence and efficiency that only an experienced professional can manage. Of course, colour matching is always a key factor to consider, and the team had already carried out colour checks to ensure that the covered-over render would blend seamlessly with the existing building.

Once finished, the team let the mixture dry and returned for a follow-up inspection. This was to ensure that no spots had been missed, that the colour matching was indeed seamless and that the client was satisfied with the work. 

Overcoming Challenges

This render repair project in particular presented an array of challenges for the Spectrum team. Initially, it was nearly impossible to determine where the worst cracks were located due to the level of staining and grime on the surface. Without a thorough cleaning with the appropriate cleaning solutions and biocides, the job wouldn't have been possible. Fortunately, the Spectrum team had an extensive knowledge of which cleaning solutions and methods worked best with the college’s render and the specific type of staining present.

Additionally, the building itself had an atypical design: it required mastery of rope access techniques to even navigate, let alone thoroughly search for cracks. Complicating matters further, the harder-to-reach areas of the building suffered the most from deterioration and therefore needed the most attention. Thankfully, Spectrum is home to a team of render repair experts who are also IRATA trained—a rarity in the building maintenance industry. This meant that they were able to effectively clean and repair the building while expertly descending its exterior.

Going Above and Beyond For Our Clients

Spectrum doesn’t settle on doing a job well, our teams are determined to provide the best possible results at the lowest cost and with the utmost efficiency. Erecting scaffolding or mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) may have required less expertise and lead to greater profits, but it would have also sacrificed the client’s level of satisfaction. That’s why we prefer abseiling render repairs. They are the most efficient, affordable and results-oriented access method available today.

Get in touch

Got a question about render cleaning or repairs? Get in touch with Spectrum today for a consultation with one of our operatives.