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.
From a first conversation about brickwork and repointing to the day the site is cleared, homeowners in Atherton deal with us directly. We come out to measure up at no cost, explain the choices in plain terms and send a written quote. For context, comparable work in the North West usually falls within £2,400–£5,700 including VAT, and it is available across BL5, M29, M46 and WN7.
- Guide price
- £2,400–£5,700 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–10 days for a typical house
- Postcodes
- BL5, M29, M46 and WN7
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Wigan
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for brickwork and repointing in Atherton?
What should you budget for brickwork and repointing in Atherton? Use the figures below as a starting point. Prices in the North West sit about 5% below the national guide, so the range here is £2,400–£5,700 including VAT. Your fixed price comes in writing once we've surveyed the property, at no charge.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Atherton |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney or small area | Repointing a chimney stack, gable or single wall, including access. | £550–£1,700 |
| Typical semi-detached | Repointing the main elevations of a 3-bed semi, including scaffolding. | £2,400–£5,700 |
| Detached or lime work | Larger houses, or period homes repointed in lime with brick repairs. | £4,800–£9,500 |
Your price depends mostly on:
- Mortar type: cement or lime, and joint style
- Number of bricks to replace and how well they match
- Scaffolding and access, including chimneys
- Condition of the existing mortar and how hard it is to remove
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
- Mortar mixed to suit the wall, in lime or cement
- Colour and joint style matched as closely as possible
- Replacement of spalled or cracked bricks
Homes in Greater Manchester
Rows of Victorian red-brick terraces fill much of Manchester, Salford and the mill towns, with stone terraces in the Pennine fringes around Oldham and Saddleworth. South Manchester has Edwardian semis and villas, Wythenshawe was built as a large interwar garden suburb, and city-centre apartments and new estates continue to grow.
Two-up two-down terraces commonly suit loft conversions, kitchen extensions and kitchen refits. Many need repointing and roof work, while semis in the suburbs often take side extensions, driveways and replacement windows.
Building traditions across Greater Manchester also raise conservation and planning questions, so we check those for brickwork and repointing in Atherton at the survey stage.
Do you need permission in Atherton?
The notes below cover England, which is where Atherton sits. Rules change and every property is different, so we speak to the council before pricing your job.
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.
How does the job run?
We look at the job
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price brickwork and repointing properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Written quote
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.
Booking the work
Once you accept, we agree start dates, order materials and deal with any planning, building control or neighbour notices the job needs. You'll know who is coming and when before work begins.
Build and hand over
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
Questions about brickwork and repointing in Atherton
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 long will brickwork and repointing take?
On a typical home, allow 3–10 days for a typical house. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
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.
What causes bricks to crumble?
Bricks usually crumble, or spall, when water gets into them and turns to ice, pushing the face off. This is often caused by hard cement mortar or impermeable paint trapping moisture in soft bricks, or by leaking gutters soaking the wall. Damaged bricks can be cut out and replaced with matching ones, or turned round if the back face is sound. We fix the cause at the same time.
Which postcodes in Atherton do you cover?
We cover BL5, M29, M46 and WN7, along with the rest of Greater Manchester. 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.
Nearby towns
Addresses in BL5, M29, M46 and WN7 are all covered for Atherton, along with Tyldesley, Westhoughton and Leigh close by. Give us your postcode when you get in touch and we will confirm the details.