How much does brickwork or repointing cost in Gloucester?
Crumbling mortar or damaged brickwork? Post the job for free and it goes to local builders who cover your area. Only the builder who takes it on gets your contact details.
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Repointing and brickwork
Repointing means raking out old, loose mortar from the joints and filling them with new. It’s one of the most common jobs on older houses, and when it’s done badly it causes more damage than it fixes.
The mortar should be softer and more breathable than the bricks or stone around it. Historic England’s guidance is clear that hard cement mortar on older, softer brick traps moisture, and the faces of the bricks can then crack and crumble. Many houses built before the middle of the twentieth century were laid in lime mortar, and repairs usually need lime too. Ask what the builder plans to use and why.
Full repointing is rarely needed. Often it’s only the parts that take the worst of the weather, or the area around a leaking gutter or downpipe. Fix the cause of the water first or the new pointing will fail in the same place.
Other brickwork jobs include rebuilding a damaged section, replacing spalled bricks and building new piers or small walls. Matching old bricks can take time, so a builder may need to source reclaimed ones.
If your home is listed, repointing can affect its character and may need listed building consent. Check with your council’s conservation officer before work starts. Carrying out unauthorised works to a listed building is a criminal offence. Anything above ground floor will usually need scaffolding or a tower.
What to include when you post
A builder can get a good idea of the job from a few photos and some rough numbers. Try to include:
- Photos of the wall from a distance and a close-up of the joints
- Roughly how big the area is, and whether it’s one wall or several
- How high the work goes: ground floor only, or up to the eaves or chimney
- The rough age of the house, and whether it’s listed or in a conservation area
- Whether the current mortar is lime or cement, if you know
- Any damp inside that lines up with the damaged area
- Access, such as a conservatory, a shared passage or a neighbour’s garden
What to ask
There’s no compulsory registration for bricklayers, so the questions you ask matter more. Things to cover:
- What mortar they’ll use, the mix, and how they’ll match the colour
- How they’ll rake out the joints, and to what depth, without damaging the brick edges
- Whether scaffolding is in the price, and who arranges any licence if it goes on the pavement
- Whether they’ll repair or replace damaged bricks, and where replacements come from
- Who clears away the old mortar and debris
- How weather and frost affect the timing, as fresh lime mortar needs protecting
Get the quote in writing, with the areas included clearly marked. Ask to see an example of their pointing on a similar house.
Not quite the right job?
See every job on our Builder page, or post it anyway and describe it in your own words.
Before a tradesperson starts work
Registrations
Some work must be done by a registered professional. Work on a gas boiler, cooker or fire must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, which you can check on the Gas Safe Register.
Our business check
Limited companies are checked with Companies House and sole traders upload their insurance certificate. Trade registrations are confirmed by the tradesperson when they sign up.
Get the price in writing
Ask for a written quote that sets out the work and the price before anything starts. Your contract for the work is with the tradesperson.
Questions
What people tend to ask before booking this job. For anything specific to your home, ask the tradesperson who takes it on when they get in touch.
For work above ground floor, usually. A tower may do for a small area. Ask whether scaffolding is included in the quote and how long it will be up.
Older, softer bricks can be damaged by hard cement mortar, because moisture gets trapped and comes out through the brick instead of the joint. The mortar should be softer than the brick. A good builder will match the mortar to the wall.
Yes. Often only the most weathered areas need doing. Sound old mortar can be left alone. The new pointing should match the old in colour and finish so the repair doesn't stand out.
It can help where water is getting in through failed joints. But damp often has other causes, such as leaking gutters or high ground outside, so find the cause before assuming repointing will fix it.
Mild, dry weather is easiest. Frost and heavy rain can damage fresh mortar, lime in particular, so winter work needs protecting with covers. Ask the builder how they'll handle the weather.