How much does repointing cost? Understanding the factors

What repointing involves

Repointing means raking out loose or failed mortar to a suitable depth, cleaning the joints and refilling them with fresh mortar finished to a matching profile. Done well, it keeps water out and lets the wall manage moisture. Done badly, with joints raked too shallow or filled with mortar that is too hard, it can damage bricks and stone.

Area and how much needs doing

Repointing cost per m² is a common way to compare quotes, but it only works if each quote covers the same scope. Some walls need full repointing; others only need localised repairs to the most weathered areas, such as around downpipes or below parapets.

Brick, stone and mortar type

Older solid-wall houses and stone buildings usually need a lime mortar so the wall can breathe and the mortar, not the masonry, takes the weathering. Lime work takes more care and curing time than cement mortar. Irregular stone with wide joints takes longer than regular brickwork.

• Brick or stone, regular or random
• Lime or cement-based mortar
• Joint width and profile
• Colour and texture matching

Condition of the joints and masonry

Hard cement pointing on soft brick is slow to remove without damaging the arrises. Spalled or cracked bricks may need replacing before repointing. Cracks that suggest movement should be investigated rather than simply filled.

Access and height

Repointing a house usually needs scaffolding for upper storeys, chimneys and gable ends. A low garden wall can be done from the ground. Scaffolding is often shared with gutter, render or roof work to make best use of it.

Patios and garden walls

Repointing a patio involves different materials and methods to walls, often a jointing compound or mortar suited to paving. Garden and boundary walls are more exposed on both faces and the copings often need attention at the same time.

To arrange an assessment, see our repointing service.

Timing, weather and protection

Mortar must not freeze or dry too quickly while it cures, which is especially important for lime. In practice that means avoiding frosty periods and protecting fresh work from strong sun, wind and driving rain with hessian or sheeting. On exposed coastal elevations, programming the work for milder months helps. The time spent protecting and misting the work is part of doing it properly and is reflected in the price. Combining repointing with other jobs that need the same scaffold, such as gutter replacement or chimney repairs, can make better use of access costs. Before work starts, agree how the finished joints should look, ideally with a small sample panel, so the colour, texture and profile match the rest of the wall once the mortar has dried.

Signs your walls need repointing

Look for mortar that has receded well behind the face of the bricks, joints that crumble when scraped, open cracks, plants growing from the wall, and damp patches inside that line up with weathered areas outside. Hard, grey cement pointing on soft older brick is another warning sign, because water can be trapped behind it and the brick faces may start to spall. Garden walls often show wear first at the top and at ground level, where they stay wet longest. Spotting these signs early usually means a smaller area to repoint and fewer damaged bricks to replace, which keeps the cost down.

Common questions