Install Solar Panels or Aircon Before or After Rendering? Get the Order Right.

Planning new aircon or a solar system, plus a render job? The order matters more than most people think. Get it wrong and you're paying for repairs, extra callouts or a patch job on a brand new wall.

Render first, gear second. But there's a catch. The pipes, cabling and holes need sorting before the render goes on, or someone ends up drilling through a fresh finish. So it's a three-step job: plan, prep, then fit off.

Render is messy work. Cement splashes, dust and overspray land on whatever's in the way. Aircon fins and solar panels don't enjoy that, and cleaning them is a pain. Units already bolted to the wall also have to come off, get masked or be worked around, which slows the job and can leave rough edges in the finish.



Go the other way and there's a different risk. Drilling through new render before it's cured can crack it. A poorly sealed hole lets water in behind the coating.

• Pick your positions: the outdoor aircon unit, any wall-mounted inverter, and the conduit runs.
• Have your installers run refrigerant lines, drain pipes and conduit, and leave clean sleeves through the wall.
• Fit any bracket or flashing that needs to sit in the wall, so the renderer can finish tight around it.
• Take down anything in the way, like lights, house numbers and downpipe brackets.

Once the render's fully cured, the units go on. That means the outdoor aircon unit, the inverter and the final connections. Any extra holes should be sealed with exterior grade sealant so water can't get behind the coating. Ask your installer to use the sleeves already there.



Roof panels follow the same thinking. Walls get finished first, then the panels go on to a clean roof with no splash marks.

If both jobs need scaffold, ask whether one setup can cover both. Lining up the dates can save you paying for it twice. Our rendering cost guide shows what else affects the price, and our rendering services page covers what we do, from cement render to acrylic render.

Will rendering damage my solar panels?

Not if they're protected or fitted afterwards. Splashes and dust are the main risk, and cement can be hard to clean off glass.

Can you drill into render after it’s finished?

Yes, once it's cured. Seal around every hole with exterior sealant so water can't get in behind the coating.

Does it matter which trade goes first on the roof?

Roof work is usually done after the walls are rendered, so the panels stay clean.

Who do I tell about the sequence?

Everyone. Give your renderer, electrician and aircon installer the same plan and dates. Most problems come from trades not knowing what the others are doing.