Facade renovation in Annecy.

In Annecy, as everywhere in Haute-Savoie, facades take the brunt of a demanding Alpine climate. Between driving rain coming off the lake, ambient damp, repeated freeze-thaw cycles and strong sunlight at altitude, render and paint deteriorate season after season. A neglected facade turns black, becomes covered in moss and streaks, and eventually lets water into the masonry. Facade renovation means precisely cleaning, repairing and protecting this outer wall to restore its original appearance and preserve the building.

Several signs of wear should alert you: render that blisters, flakes or sounds hollow, cracks of varying width, black and greenish marks caused by moss and lichen — common by the lake, where humidity is high — pollution soiling on urban facades, or streaks beneath window sills. The more a facade is neglected, the more water seeps in and attacks the masonry: renovating in time stops the problem becoming structural and costly.

In the Annecy property market, tight and among the most expensive in France, a well-kept facade immediately adds value to a property: a townhouse, a detached house in Annecy-le-Vieux or a lakeside co-owned apartment building. Beyond appearance, facade renovation is also an act of protection: it restores the wall's weathertightness and stops water ingress. And if your facade needs redoing, it is the ideal time to consider external wall insulation, which combines facade renovation with energy gains. To find out more, discover our approach to external insulation in Annecy.

A quality facade renovation always starts with an accurate facade survey. We identify the type of substrate (cement render, lime, exposed stone, brick), the origin and severity of defects — cracks, detachment, rising damp — and any moss or dirt. This survey determines everything that follows: an old facade in Annecy's old town is not treated in the same way as the modern render of a recent detached house.

Next comes facade cleaning, adapted to the substrate. For modern renders, controlled high-pressure cleaning is often enough. For stone and fragile or heritage facades, we prefer gentler low-pressure abrasive cleaning or soft blasting, which strips without damaging the material. Anti-moss treatment completes the operation on walls exposed to damp from the lake. Once the facade is clean, the cracks can be treated: V-opening, bridging with reinforcement, filling with suitable mortar for hairline cracks as well as more structural ones.

The next step is render repair: partial or complete renewal, single-coat render, lime render for old buildings, or simple skimming before painting depending on the condition of the substrate. Finally, the finish protects and dresses the facade: microporous facade paint, semi-thick coating or application of a water-repellent treatment that repels water while letting the wall breathe. This rigorous method is the one we apply to all our work in Annecy and Haute-Savoie.

Rendered facades — the most common case in the Annecy area. On tired cement or single-coat render, we repair detached areas, treat cracks and apply a new facade render or suitable paint. The colour is chosen in line with the local colour chart and the commune's requirements.

Stone facades and old buildings — for houses in the old town, exposed stone walls and the heritage of the conservation area, we work with lime and gentle low-pressure abrasive cleaning, in keeping with best practice and the opinion of the ABF heritage architect (Architecte des Bâtiments de France).

Apartment and co-owned building facades — around the lake and in the town centre, we renovate collective facades: crack repair, repairs to balconies and railings, cleaning of facings, uniform painting across the whole building. We support managing agents and owners' committees from survey to handover.

Facades to smarten up or protect — when the substrate is sound but dull, facade cleaning followed by water-repellent treatment or painting restores its shine without structural work. It is often the quickest and most economical intervention.

Facades to insulate — when the facade needs redoing and you want better thermal comfort, external insulation is the obvious choice: we insulate and then finish the facade in a single operation. We describe this solution in detail on our page on external insulation.

Facade renovation changes the exterior appearance of the building: in most cases it therefore requires a prior declaration (déclaration préalable) of works at the town hall. This formality is compulsory as soon as you change the colour or type of render, and in many communes even for a like-for-like facade renovation. We take care of preparing and submitting the application for you.

In Annecy, the old town and conservation area impose additional constraints: facades within the perimeter of listed monuments are subject to the opinion of the ABF heritage architect (Architecte des Bâtiments de France). Colours, type of render, finishes, moulding details: everything is regulated to preserve the harmony of the historic centre. We know these requirements and choose materials and colours that comply with the local colour chart, which avoids refusals and delays.

For co-owned apartment buildings, facade renovation requires a general meeting decision and may be the subject of a municipal facade renovation notice. We provide managing agents with a survey, a detailed estimate per m² and a clear phasing of the works, and handle the coordination of the trades through to handover.

Every facade renovation involves erecting secure scaffolding, suited to the height of the building and access constraints — a particularly sensitive point in the narrow streets of Annecy's old town or by the lake. Scaffolding hire and erection account for a significant share of the budget, especially on apartment buildings. We always include this item in the quote to avoid unpleasant surprises.

The price per m² of a facade renovation depends on the condition of the substrate, the cleaning technique and the finishing coat. As a guide in Annecy, allow €40 to €80/m² for cleaning followed by painting, and €70 to €120/m² for a complete facade renovation with crack repair and application of render. Heritage facades, high-quality finishes and difficult access can push this price up.

A facade renovation on its own does not qualify for energy renovation grants. However, if you combine the facade renovation with external wall insulation (EWI), the work becomes eligible for MaPrimeRénov', CEE and the eco-PTZ. As an RGE CertiRénov-certified firm (no. CR-2026-73-0095), we then prepare the grant applications for you. To compare facade renovation alone and EWI, see our page on external insulation and all our services.