Repointing is raking out old, crumbling mortar from between bricks and replacing it with fresh mortar, sealing the joints against rain and protecting the wall; brickwork repairs replace spalled or cracked bricks and rebuild damaged sections.
Homeowners in Arbroath usually consider brickwork and repointing for one of a few reasons: something has worn out, the house no longer suits the way they live, or they are getting it ready to sell. We visit, agree a specification and put a fixed price in writing. Most jobs like this take 3–10 days for a typical house, and we work across Angus and Dundee, including Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee.
- Guide price
- £2,400–£5,800 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–10 days for a typical house
- Postcodes
- DD11
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- Angus
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for brickwork and repointing in Arbroath?
What will brickwork and repointing cost in Arbroath? Our guide range is £2,400–£5,800 including VAT. That figure is adjusted for Scotland, about 4% below the national guide, and is intended for planning a budget. A firm written price for your chosen specification follows a free survey at your home.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Arbroath |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney or small area | Repointing a chimney stack, gable or single wall, including access. | £600–£1,750 |
| Typical semi-detached | Repointing the main elevations of a 3-bed semi, including scaffolding. | £2,400–£5,800 |
| Detached or lime work | Larger houses, or period homes repointed in lime with brick repairs. | £4,800–£9,600 |
The main things that change the figure:
- Wall area to repoint and the height of the house
- Mortar type: cement or lime, and joint style
- Number of bricks to replace and how well they match
- Scaffolding and access, including chimneys
Scope of the work
- Survey of mortar, bricks, cracks and the cause of any damp
- Scaffolding or access towers where needed
- Raking out old mortar to the correct depth
- Colour and joint style matched as closely as possible
- Replacement of spalled or cracked bricks
- Clean-down of brick faces after pointing
Local housing and brickwork and repointing
Dundee has sandstone tenements and terraces, Victorian villas in Broughty Ferry and the West End, and extensive post-war housing. Angus towns such as Arbroath, Forfar, Montrose and Brechin use local red sandstone, and harled cottages and farmhouses are common in the countryside.
Tenement flats often need window replacement and internal refits, and houses commonly take extensions and loft conversions. Sandstone buildings need careful repointing and stone repairs, and harled cottages need breathable render.
In Arbroath, as elsewhere in Angus and Dundee, we take the building's age and construction into account before recommending anything, because both can change what is involved in brickwork and repointing.
Do you need permission in Arbroath?
Each UK nation sets its own consent rules, and Arbroath is in Scotland. What follows is a plain summary; we check the specifics for your property with the council before pricing anything.
In Scotland, repointing and like-for-like masonry repairs are maintenance; listed buildings and conservation areas may need consent if materials or appearance change.
A building warrant is not normally needed for repointing; structural rebuilding of walls or chimneys can need one.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
We look at the job
We arrange a free site survey on a date convenient to you. We measure up, look at the existing structure and access, and discuss your plans for brickwork and repointing so the price reflects your home.
Your fixed price
After the survey we send a quote for brickwork and repointing that fixes the price for the scope we've agreed. If you want to change materials or scope, we revise it in writing before anything is booked.
Plan and prepare
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for brickwork and repointing are in place before the first day on site.
The work itself
The work is carried out to the agreed specification, with floors and furniture protected and the site kept tidy. At the end we clean up, walk through the finished job with you and hand over any certificates.
How we work
Brickwork and repointing in Arbroath: questions
Which postcodes in Arbroath do you cover?
We cover DD11, along with the rest of Angus and Dundee. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Can you match the colour of my existing mortar?
Matching mortar colour is done by choosing the right sand and, where needed, adding pigment or using a coloured lime. We make test panels and let them dry, because mortar looks darker when wet. The joint style, such as flush, bucket handle or weatherstruck, also affects the look. An exact match is not always possible on old walls, but a careful match blends in well.
How much does repointing a house cost?
Repointing a typical 3-bed semi costs £2,400–£5,800, including scaffolding. As a guide, allow roughly £25–£55 per square metre of wall plus fixed costs for access and set-up. Chimney stacks, lime mortar and brick replacement add cost, while repointing a single elevation costs less. We confirm a fixed price after inspecting your walls.
Should my house be repointed with lime or cement?
Houses built before about the 1920s were usually built with soft bricks and lime mortar, and should normally be repointed in lime. Hard cement mortar in these walls traps moisture and can cause the brick faces to crumble. Newer homes built with cement mortar are usually repointed in a similar mix. We check your wall construction before recommending a mortar.
Is the price fixed?
Yes, for the specification we agree. Your written quote sets out exactly what is included at a fixed price. It only changes if you ask for something different, or if a problem the survey could not reasonably reveal later needs extra work. In either case we explain the change and confirm it in writing before going ahead.
Near Arbroath
Homes across DD11 in Arbroath are within our coverage, as are those in Carnoustie, Forfar and Dundee. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.