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.
Whatever prompted you to look into brickwork and repointing, whether wear and tear, a growing family or plans to move, we can survey your Barnstaple home and give you a price in writing. Homes in the South West typically come in at £2,600–£6,100, VAT included, for this kind of work. We also cover Bideford, Tiverton and Porthcawl, and the same steps apply wherever you are in Devon.
- Guide price
- £2,600–£6,100 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–10 days for a typical house
- Postcodes
- EX31 and EX32
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Devon
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does brickwork and repointing cost in Barnstaple?
Here is how the guide price for brickwork and repointing breaks down in Barnstaple. We start from national figures and adjust for the South West, which comes out about 2% above the national guide. The resulting range, VAT included, is £2,600–£6,100, and a survey, at no cost to you, firms it up.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Barnstaple |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney or small area | Repointing a chimney stack, gable or single wall, including access. | £600–£1,850 |
| Typical semi-detached | Repointing the main elevations of a 3-bed semi, including scaffolding. | £2,600–£6,100 |
| Detached or lime work | Larger houses, or period homes repointed in lime with brick repairs. | £5,100–£10,000 |
Expect these to shape the final quote:
- 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
- Condition of the existing mortar and how hard it is to remove
What do you get?
- 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
- Mortar mixed to suit the wall, in lime or cement
- Replacement of spalled or cracked bricks
- Clean-down of brick faces after pointing
Homes in Devon
Devon is known for cob and thatch cottages, especially in mid and east Devon, alongside granite on Dartmoor and red sandstone around Exeter. Exeter and Plymouth have Georgian and Victorian terraces, Plymouth's centre was largely rebuilt after the war, and seaside towns such as Torquay and Exmouth have rendered villas and newer estates.
Mild but wet, with strong coastal winds; exposed elevations need render and pointing specified for driving rain, and cob walls must be kept dry at the base.
In Barnstaple, as elsewhere in Devon, we take the building's age and construction into account before recommending anything, because both can change what is involved in brickwork and repointing.
Permissions for brickwork and repointing in Barnstaple
Homes in Barnstaple come under the regulations for England, summarised below. We don't rely on general rules alone: we confirm the position for your address with the council before a quote goes out.
Repointing and repairing brickwork with matching materials is maintenance, so it does not need planning permission in England. On a listed building, work that affects its character, including a change of mortar or brick, may need listed building consent.
Building Regulations do not normally apply to repointing or brick repairs, but rebuilding a wall, chimney or structural section can need building control involvement.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
What happens after you get in touch?
Survey and measure
It starts with a survey at the property, free of charge. We check condition, access and services, ask how you want the finished result to look, and answer any questions you have about brickwork and repointing.
Price and scope agreed
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Plan and prepare
Preparation matters as much as the build. We agree access, parking and working hours with you, order materials in good time, and confirm any permissions so the job isn't held up once it starts.
The work itself
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
Working with SK Home Improvements
Questions about brickwork and repointing in Barnstaple
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
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.
When is the right time of year to repoint?
Repointing should be done in mild, dry weather, usually spring to early autumn. Fresh mortar must be kept from frost while it cures, and lime mortar in particular needs protection from frost, rain and strong sun for several days. We cover fresh work with hessian or sheeting where needed and plan the job around the forecast.
Will repointing cure damp?
Repointing can stop damp caused by rain getting through failed mortar joints, which is common on exposed walls. It will not fix damp from leaking gutters, a bridged damp-proof course, condensation or high ground levels against the wall. We look for the cause during the survey and recommend fixing that, so repointing is not done for the wrong reason.
What happens at the survey?
We visit your home at a time that suits you, look at the area involved, take measurements and check access, condition and any services that might be affected. We talk through what you want from brickwork and repointing, explain the options and answer questions. There is no charge and no obligation; afterwards we send a written quote.
Nearby towns
Homes across EX31 and EX32 in Barnstaple are within our coverage, as are those in Bideford, Tiverton and Porthcawl. If you are just outside these areas, ask anyway, because we work right across the UK.