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.
Tonbridge sits within our coverage for brickwork and repointing, as do neighbouring Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Crowborough. Before giving a price we want to see the property: the condition of what's there now, the access, and anything that might need extra work. The guide range for the South East is £2,800–£6,700 including VAT, and your written quote will spell out exactly what that covers.
- Guide price
- £2,800–£6,700 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–10 days for a typical house
- Postcodes
- TN9, TN10 and TN11
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- Kent
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for brickwork and repointing in Tonbridge?
Every figure below is a guide for brickwork and repointing in Tonbridge, inclusive of VAT. Regional pricing for the South East works out about 12% above the national guide, and the overall span is £2,800–£6,700. The survey costs you nothing, and after it we commit to a firm price for your specification in writing.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Tonbridge |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney or small area | Repointing a chimney stack, gable or single wall, including access. | £650–£2,000 |
| Typical semi-detached | Repointing the main elevations of a 3-bed semi, including scaffolding. | £2,800–£6,700 |
| Detached or lime work | Larger houses, or period homes repointed in lime with brick repairs. | £5,600–£11,000 |
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’s included?
- 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
- Clean-down of brick faces after pointing
- Waste removal and a tidy site
What are homes like around Tonbridge?
Kent's older buildings include oast houses, weatherboarded cottages, Wealden timber-framed houses and Kentish ragstone walls. Medway towns have long rows of Victorian terraces, Margate and Ramsgate have Regency and Victorian seafronts, and Ashford, Maidstone and Dartford have seen large new estates alongside interwar and post-war housing.
Victorian terraces suit loft rooms and rear extensions; weatherboarded and timber-framed buildings may need cladding repairs and lime work. Newer estate homes often take garage conversions, porches and landscaping.
In Tonbridge, as elsewhere in Kent, 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 Tonbridge?
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Tonbridge, the answer is England, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
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?
A visit to your home
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.
Your fixed price
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
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
On site to finish
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.
What you can expect from us
Common questions
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.
How much does repointing a house cost?
Repointing a typical 3-bed semi costs £2,800–£6,700, 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.
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.
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 Tonbridge
From TN9, TN10 and TN11 to the edges of Tonbridge and on into Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks and Crowborough, we can arrange a site visit and a written quote for your project, planned around dates that work for you.