How long does repointing last? (And how to spot a bad job)
Done well, repointing lasts 50–80 years. Done badly, you'll be redoing it inside a decade. Here's how to tell the difference.
How long does repointing actually last?
A properly done repointing job lasts 50–80 years. A bad one — wrong mortar mix, joints raked too shallow, or done in the wrong weather — can fail inside 10 years.
The single biggest factor: mortar choice.
Lime vs cement mortar
Most Essex housing pre-1919 was built with lime mortar. It's soft, breathable and flexible — it moves with the bricks and lets moisture evaporate. Pointing a Victorian or earlier property with cement mortar is one of the most damaging things you can do to it. Cement is harder than the brick, traps water inside the wall, and the bricks themselves start to spall (face off) in winter freeze-thaw cycles.
Anything pre-1919: lime. Post-1919: sand-and-cement is usually fine.
Three signs of a bad repointing job
- Mortar smeared across the brick faces. A good pointer keeps mortar inside the joint and brushes the brick clean as they go. Smearing means they're rushing.
- Shallow joints (under 15mm rake-out). Mortar needs depth to grip. If the old mortar was barely scraped, the new pointing will pop out within a few winters.
- Wrong joint profile. Period properties usually want a bucket-handle or weather-struck joint. A flush "tubed" joint on a Tudor cottage looks completely wrong and traps water on the brick edges.
When to repoint
Walk around your house once a year. Look for:
- Mortar you can crumble with a finger
- Open joints you can see daylight through
- Vegetation growing out of joints
- Damp patches inside the house on a wall that should be dry
If you've got any of these, get a quote. Catching it early is the difference between £35/m² repointing and a £6,000 structural rebuild.
How much does repointing cost in Essex?
- Sand & cement repoint: £35 – £55 per m²
- Lime mortar repoint: £55 – £85 per m² (slower, more skilled work)
- Chimney repoint (scaffold required): typically £800 – £1,500 per stack
Need a chimney, gable or garden wall repointed in Essex? Call 01255 736068 for a free survey.
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