Facade renovation in Aix-les-Bains.

Facade renovation is about much more than appearance. In Aix-les-Bains, as everywhere in Savoie, facades take the brunt of a demanding Alpine climate: driving rain, freeze-thaw cycles, damp from Lac du Bourget, pollution and sunlight. Over time, render dulls, cracks, becomes covered in moss and algae, and water eventually gets in. Renovating means restoring your house's original lustre while protecting it for the long term.

Beyond appearance, a well-executed facade renovation plays a key role in the weathertightness of the facade. A crack left open, render coming away or a porous coating let water into the walls: indoor damp, efflorescence, deterioration of the structural work. By redoing the render and applying a water-repellent treatment, a barrier against the weather is restored that preserves the masonry for years to come.

Finally, facade renovation has a regulatory dimension. In some communes, a municipal order requires facades to be renovated every ten years and the mayor can serve a facade renovation notice on owners whose facade has deteriorated. More broadly, a facade is considered to need maintenance every 10 to 15 years. Anticipating this maintenance means avoiding a fine, adding value to your property and spreading the cost. Atelier NovAlp supports you from survey to finishes, for a compliant and durable facade renovation.

No serious facade renovation starts without a complete facade survey. Before pricing, we examine the substrate to identify the type of cladding (render, roughcast, stone, brick, concrete) and its real condition. This inspection determines the right cleaning technique, the type of render to be redone and the appropriate finish — a successful facade renovation depends first and foremost on an accurate survey.

We identify the defects to be treated: hairline and structural cracks, blistering and detached render, chalking areas, signs of damp, moss and algae, efflorescence, or spalled concrete exposing the reinforcement. Each defect calls for a specific response, and it is from this assessment that an honest quote follows, with no unpleasant surprises during the works.

The survey also allows us to advise you on the most appropriate finish: keeping the existing appearance, changing colour, switching from a float-finished roughcast to a scraped render, or opting for facade paint. In Aix-les-Bains, this choice takes account of local planning requirements and, in protected areas, the opinion of the ABF heritage architect (Architecte des Bâtiments de France). This first meeting is free and with no obligation.

1. Cleaning and low-pressure abrasive cleaning — every facade renovation starts with thorough stripping. Depending on the substrate, we use high-pressure cleaning, low-pressure abrasive cleaning (a gentle mix of water and fine granules, ideal for fragile or old facades) or anti-moss treatment. The aim: to get back to a sound substrate, free of dirt, moss, algae and old flaking paint.

2. Crack repair — cracks are opened up, raked out and then filled with a suitable mortar; active cracks receive a flexible treatment or bridging reinforcement. Treating cracks properly before the finish is essential: it guarantees a facade renovation that lasts and restores the facade's weathertightness.

3. Renewal of render or roughcast — once the substrate is stabilised, we repair damaged areas or apply a new facade render. Single-coat render, lime render for old buildings, scraped, float-finished or flattened roughcast: the texture and colour are chosen with you, in keeping with the local character.

4. Facade painting — where the substrate allows, a microporous facade paint (siloxane, pliolite or acrylic) revives the colour while letting the wall breathe. It is often the most economical solution for refreshing a facade that is still sound, and the one that offers the widest choice of colours.

5. Water-repellent treatment — finally, a colourless water repellent can be applied to the render: it makes water bead off, limits soiling and extends the life of the facade renovation without changing its appearance. Invisible but valuable protection against the Savoyard climate.

A facade renovation involves working at height, in complete safety. We install compliant, stable scaffolding protected with netting, giving access to the whole facade and allowing clean work, coat after coat. For sites bordering the public road in Aix-les-Bains, we handle the applications to occupy the public highway needed to erect the scaffolding.

The work is planned to minimise disruption: protection of the surroundings, windows, doors and plants, dust control during cleaning, and respect for drying times between coats of render and paint. The weather is decisive: rain, frost and very hot weather are avoided, as they would compromise the quality of the finishes. We give you a clear schedule and coordinate everything.

Generally allow one to three weeks for a detached house facade renovation, including scaffolding: shorter for simple cleaning followed by painting, longer for a complete render renewal with crack repair. This approach to well-controlled works is also the one we apply to all our house renovation work in Aix-les-Bains.

Renovating a facade changes the exterior appearance of a building: in most cases, a prior declaration (déclaration préalable) of works must be submitted to the town hall before starting. It specifies the colour, finish and materials chosen. We prepare the application and colour chart for you, so that everything complies with the Aix-les-Bains local plan (PLU).

Aix-les-Bains has several protected areas, notably around the thermal centre and notable buildings. Within these perimeters, facade renovation is subject to the opinion of the ABF heritage architect (Architecte des Bâtiments de France), with precise requirements on colours, renders and sometimes the permitted cleaning techniques. Our project management team liaises with the planning departments to obtain permissions without delaying your project.

In co-owned buildings, facade renovation requires a general meeting decision and must comply with the co-ownership rules. We know how to support this kind of collective project, from the estimate presented to the managing agent through to handover of the works. To find out about everything we offer, see our services.

Two projects need to be clearly distinguished. Facade renovation is aesthetic and maintenance work: it cleans, repairs, smartens up and protects the facade, without changing its thermal performance. It is the right answer when your house is already properly insulated or your main objective is appearance and weathertightness.

If you also want to improve the insulation of your home, external wall insulation (EWI) is a separate project: the facade is clad with insulation before the finish is applied. Heavier and more expensive than a standard facade renovation, EWI does however qualify for more energy renovation grants. As it also requires scaffolding and a new finish, combining it with an already planned facade renovation means costs can be shared and avoids working on the facade twice. As an RGE CertiRénov-certified firm (no. CR-2026-73-0095), Atelier NovAlp makes the EWI work eligible for MaPrimeRénov', CEE and the eco-PTZ, and handles the grant applications.

To compare the two approaches and find out which suits your house best, see our page on external insulation in Aix-les-Bains. During the survey, we transparently point you towards the solution best suited to your budget and objectives — facade renovation alone, or facade renovation with insulation.

The price of a facade renovation is calculated per square metre and depends above all on the condition of the substrate, the cleaning technique and the chosen finish. As a guide: allow €30 to €60/m² for cleaning followed by facade painting, and €50 to €110/m² for a complete renewal of render or roughcast, crack repair included.

Several items are added to this base cost: scaffolding, repairs to badly damaged areas, water-repellent treatment and, where applicable, occupation of the public highway. The type of substrate (render, stone, concrete), the height of the building, accessibility and requirements in protected areas also affect the final amount. A facade renovation never has a standard rate: it is priced in front of the facade.

That is why we always provide a free, detailed quote after an on-site visit in Aix-les-Bains, item by item, with no obligation. You know exactly what you are paying for. To launch your project or simply get an estimate, contact us or call 06 82 32 16 67.