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.
Across Tyne and Wear, people look into brickwork and repointing to replace something worn out, to make the house work better for them, or to get it ready for a sale. We cover Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, South Shields and Gateshead and the smaller towns around them, working to the rules that apply in England. Expect a guide of £2,200–£5,400, VAT included, in the North East, and every quote follows a free visit.
- Guide price
- £2,200–£5,400 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 3–10 days for a typical house
- Planning rules
- England
- Price level
- About 10% below the national guide
- Towns listed
- 15
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
How much does brickwork and repointing cost in Tyne and Wear?
Budgeting for brickwork and repointing in Tyne and Wear? The numbers below include VAT and are adjusted for the North East, where costs are about 10% below the national guide. The headline range is £2,200–£5,400. Nothing is final until we have measured up at a free survey and agreed the specification with you.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Tyne and Wear |
|---|---|---|
| Chimney or small area | Repointing a chimney stack, gable or single wall, including access. | £550–£1,600 |
| Typical semi-detached | Repointing the main elevations of a 3-bed semi, including scaffolding. | £2,200–£5,400 |
| Detached or lime work | Larger houses, or period homes repointed in lime with brick repairs. | £4,500–£9,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Wall area to repoint and the height of the house
- 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
- 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
- Waste removal and a tidy site
Housing across Tyne and Wear
Tyneside flats, pairs of upper and lower flats behind a terraced front, are a distinctive feature of Newcastle and Gateshead. Sunderland is known for its single-storey terraced 'Sunderland cottages', and both cities have Victorian brick and stone terraces, interwar estates and post-war housing. Washington was built as a new town from the 1960s.
Terraces and Tyneside flats commonly need repointing, roof work and window replacement. Houses suit loft rooms and rear extensions, and new-town homes often take garage conversions and cladding upgrades.
Cold North Sea winds and sea frets affect the coast at Tynemouth and South Shields, and former coal workings underlie parts of the area.
Do you need permission in Tyne and Wear?
As Tyne and Wear is in England, read the following with that system of planning and building control in mind. We check what applies to your house with the council before you receive a quote.
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.
From survey to handover
Free site survey
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for brickwork and repointing, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Quote in writing
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
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.
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.
What you can expect from us
Frequently asked questions
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 will brickwork and repointing cost in Tyne and Wear?
As a guide, expect to pay £2,200–£5,400 including VAT for brickwork and repointing in Tyne and Wear. That range is adjusted for the North East, which runs about 10% below the national guide. Where your project lands depends on size, materials, access and the condition of what is already there. We confirm a fixed price in writing after a free survey of your home.
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.
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.
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.
Towns in Tyne and Wear
Choose your town from the list to see how we price and plan brickwork and repointing in your part of Tyne and Wear, including typical time on site.