Exterior rendering second layer?

During the build of my new home, I was not in a position to be on-site during the works, so I employed a 'project manager' known to the builder and followed his advice. The exterior plastering was to be done during November and the 'project manager' informed me verbally that the representative from Homebond had advised him that, as the work was being done in the winter, a second coat of exterior plastering should be applied in order to prevent cracks forming. I, of course, agreed on the basis that it might otherwise affect the Homebond guarantee at a later stage.

I got a bit suspicious and asked the plasterers working on a neighbouring house if they ever were instructed to apply a second layer, and they didn't. As the house was a similar build to mine, I compared the distance between window sill edges and it's the same for both houses, so I suspect it was never done and I may just have been taken advantage of.

Has anyone heard of the practice of a second layer of exterior rendering?

Thanks!