It is the first question almost every owners’ association (comunidad de propietarios) asks us, and the honest answer is that it depends: cleaning and painting a sound facade does not cost the same as repairing cracks, making good the balconies and adding thermal insulation. Even so, you can get an idea of the order of magnitude and of the items that make up the price.
Guide prices by type of work
These are the ranges published in the industry’s 2026 price guides, per square metre of facade:
| Work | Guide price | When it is done |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning and painting | 15 – 35 €/m² | A sound facade that has faded or is dirty. |
| Render repair and painting | 20 – 40 €/m² | Render with fine cracks or loose patches. |
| Monocapa (single-coat) render | 25 – 50 €/m² | Renewing the finish completely. |
| External wall insulation (ETICS), EPS 8–10 cm | 65 – 95 €/m² | Insulating the building from the outside and renewing the facade. |
| ETICS with mineral wool | 80 – 100 €/m² | Better sound insulation and better fire performance. |
| Ventilated facade | 130 – 200 €/m² | A complete change of look, with insulation. |
Guide market prices, taken from price guides published in 2026. They are not Catalana de Rehabilitació’s rates: the real price comes from visiting and measuring the building.
What the price per square metre does not show
The price per m² of the finish is only part of the cost. In a facade refurbishment you almost always need to add:
- Scaffolding or rope access. Erecting, hiring and dismantling the scaffolding, which on many jobs accounts for 15 to 25 % of the quote. On courtyard facades or small jobs, rope access work can be more cost-effective.
- Preliminary repairs. Cracks, hollow render, slab edges with rusted reinforcement, cornices and balconies. This is the item that varies most from one building to another.
- Professional fees. Project, site supervision and health and safety coordination, when the work requires them: they usually add between 7 and 12 %.
- Permit, council fees and pavement occupation. These depend on the town council (ayuntamiento) and on whether the scaffolding takes up the pavement.
- Taxes. Check whether the quote includes VAT (IVA).
An example to give you an idea
A five-storey building with around 400 m² of street facade:
- Cleaning and painting it: between €6,000 and €14,000 for the finish (400 m² × 15–35 €), plus scaffolding, repairs and fees.
- Insulating it with ETICS: between €26,000 and €38,000 for the system (400 m² × 65–95 €), plus the same extras.
Once you add the preliminary repairs, the scaffolding and the fees, the total can grow considerably. That is why it is not a good idea to compare quotes on the price per metre alone.
What pushes the price up or down
- The condition of the substrate: a facade with cracks, damp or loose render needs much more work before the finish.
- Height and access: narrow streets, lightwells or inaccessible roofs make the scaffolding more complicated.
- The type of facade: exposed brick, stone, render or cladding are treated differently; listed buildings also have their own rules.
- Special features: balconies, cornices, mouldings and railings multiply the hours of work.
- Doing everything at once: using the same scaffolding for the facade, balconies and downpipes is cheaper than doing the work in several phases.
Who pays and how it is approved
The facade is a common element: the owners’ association pays for it, usually according to each flat’s ownership share (cuota de participación). We explain this in detail in how works are approved in an owners’ association. If the work improves the building’s energy efficiency, as ETICS does, public grants may be available depending on the current funding call.
How to compare quotes
For two quotes to be comparable, ask for them to be broken down item by item, with the same measurements, the specific system and materials, the scaffolding and preliminary repairs included, the completion time and the guarantee. A much cheaper quote usually leaves out one of these items.
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