Written by Andrew, Lead Roofer
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Repointing costs £25-£90 per m² depending on mortar type. Full guide to UK prices, when your house needs it, and why lime mortar matters for older properties.
Repointing is the process of removing old mortar from the joints between bricks and replacing it with fresh mortar. Repointing costs in the UK typically range from £25 to £60 per square metre for cement mortar, rising to £60 to £90 per square metre for lime mortar on period properties. A full house repoint in London costs between £3,000 and £8,000 depending on property size, access requirements, and mortar type.
This guide covers UK repointing costs for 2026, explains when a house needs repointing, examines why mortar type matters for older properties, and highlights common repointing mistakes that cause expensive damage to brickwork.
Repointing is the process of removing deteriorated mortar from brick or stone joints and replacing the mortar with a fresh mix. Mortar serves several functions in a masonry wall: mortar bonds bricks together, mortar keeps water out of the wall, and mortar allows the building to handle small structural movements without cracking.
Mortar erodes over time due to weathering, freeze-thaw cycles, rain, and pollution. When mortar fails, water penetrates the wall and causes damp problems, frost damage to bricks, and potential structural instability. Repointing restores the weatherproof seal and structural integrity of masonry walls.
Repointing differs from rendering, which covers an entire wall surface with a coating. Repointing also differs from tuckpointing, which is a decorative technique using contrasting mortar colours. Repointing simply renews the mortar in joints while keeping existing bricks in place.
Repointing costs in the UK depend on property size, mortar type, scaffolding requirements, and location. Cement mortar repointing costs £25 to £60 per square metre for properties built after 1930. Lime mortar repointing costs £60 to £90 per square metre for period properties built before 1919. London repointing costs run 10 to 20% higher than other UK regions.
Repointing a single wall on a terraced house front costs £1,500 to £2,500 excluding scaffolding. Repointing a full Victorian terraced house costs £2,500 to £4,000. Repointing a semi-detached house costs £3,500 to £5,500. Repointing a detached house costs £4,000 to £8,000 or more depending on wall area.
Chimney repointing costs £500 to £1,200 for the pointing work, excluding scaffolding. Scaffolding hire adds £500 to £1,500 to repointing costs for a typical terraced house. Raking out old mortar before repointing sometimes costs £20 to £50 per square metre as a separate line item.
Property size is the primary factor affecting repointing costs. A terraced house front typically measures 30 to 40 square metres of wall area. A detached property may have 150 square metres or more of external wall requiring repointing, which significantly increases total repointing cost.
Mortar type affects repointing costs by 20 to 30%. Lime mortar repointing costs more than cement mortar repointing because lime mortar materials cost more and lime mortar application requires specialist skills. Using incorrect mortar causes expensive brick damage, so choosing the right mortar type matters more than saving on initial repointing costs.
Access requirements affect repointing costs significantly. Ground-floor repointing costs less than upper-storey repointing. Scaffolding is essential for repointing above single-storey height and scaffolding adds £500 to £1,500 to total repointing costs depending on property size and hire duration.
The condition of existing mortar affects repointing preparation costs. Walls with previous cement repointing on lime-built properties require careful cement removal before lime mortar repointing can begin. Poor previous repairs increase repointing costs due to additional preparation time.
Location affects repointing labour rates across the UK. London repointing costs and South East repointing costs run 10 to 20% higher than repointing costs in other UK regions.
Crumbling mortar is the clearest sign a house needs repointing. Mortar that crumbles when scratched with a fingernail has deteriorated and requires repointing. Healthy mortar remains solid and resists scratching. Sandy or powdery mortar between bricks indicates the house needs repointing.
Cracks in mortar joints indicate a house needs repointing. Horizontal cracks along bed joints between bricks allow water into the wall. Vertical cracks through mortar joints also signal that repointing is needed to prevent water penetration.
Gaps where mortar has fallen out mean a house needs urgent repointing. Missing mortar allows water to pool in joints and seep into the wall structure. Gaps in pointing accelerate deterioration of surrounding mortar and brickwork.
Recessed mortar joints indicate a house may need repointing. Mortar that has weathered back deeply into joints creates ledges where rainwater collects instead of running off. Deeply recessed pointing allows water to penetrate the wall.
Vegetation growing in mortar joints signals moisture retention and indicates repointing is needed. Plants, moss, and algae growing in pointing accelerate mortar deterioration. Vegetation in mortar joints often indicates underlying pointing failure.
White powdery deposits on bricks, called efflorescence, often indicate pointing failure. Efflorescence occurs when water carrying dissolved salts evaporates through the brick face. Efflorescence on brickwork suggests water is penetrating through failed mortar joints.
Damp patches on internal walls after rain indicate external pointing has failed. Water penetrating through failed mortar joints causes damp on internal wall surfaces. Internal damp patches on external walls often signal that repointing is required.
Properties built before 1919 require lime mortar repointing. Pre-1919 buildings were constructed with lime mortar and soft bricks designed to absorb moisture and release moisture through breathable lime mortar joints. Lime mortar repointing maintains the breathability that pre-1919 buildings need.
Cement mortar damages pre-1919 properties when used for repointing. Cement mortar is harder and less permeable than lime mortar. When cement mortar repointing is applied to a lime-built house, moisture cannot escape through the mortar joints. Trapped moisture is forced through brick faces instead, causing spalling where brick faces flake and crumble.
Historic England identifies unsuitable repointing as one of the most frequent causes of damage to historic buildings. Cement mortar repointing on lime-built Victorian and Edwardian properties causes widespread brick damage across the UK. Many London Victorian houses show spalling bricks due to previous cement mortar repointing.
Properties built after 1930 were constructed with cement mortar and harder bricks. Post-1930 properties are designed for cement mortar and cement mortar repointing is appropriate for these modern buildings.
Properties built between 1919 and 1930 may have lime mortar or early cement mortar. Professional assessment is recommended before repointing properties from this transitional period to determine whether lime mortar repointing or cement mortar repointing is appropriate.
Lime mortar can be identified by its softness and colour. Lime mortar crumbles between fingers and often has a creamy or off-white colour. Cement mortar is harder, greyer, and does not crumble easily. Original mortar in sheltered areas under eaves helps identify whether a property has lime mortar or cement mortar.
NHL 3.5 lime mortar is commonly used for lime mortar repointing on general wall areas. NHL 5 lime mortar is used for lime mortar repointing in exposed locations like chimneys.
Using cement mortar on lime-built properties is the most damaging repointing mistake. Cement mortar traps moisture in walls that were built with breathable lime mortar. Cement mortar repointing on pre-1919 properties causes bricks to spall and crumble over 10 to 20 years. Professional advice should be obtained before any repointing on properties built before 1930.
Unnecessary repointing wastes money and risks damaging brickwork. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings warns that unnecessary repointing can damage brick edges and remove historic character from buildings. Soft weathered mortar still in the joints continues protecting the wall. Repointing is only necessary when mortar is very loose or has receded deeply into joints.
Shallow repointing over existing mortar fails quickly. Some contractors brush off loose material and apply new mortar over old mortar. Shallow repointing does not bond properly to the substrate. Shallow repointing fails within a few years. Old mortar must be raked out to 15 to 20mm depth before applying new mortar for repointing to last.
Using angle grinders to rake out mortar damages brickwork. Power tools chip brick edges called arrises and widen joints beyond their original size. Hand tools for raking out mortar preserve brickwork better than power tools. Listed buildings may prohibit mechanical tools for repointing preparation.
Repointing in cold or wet weather causes mortar failure. Lime mortar should not be applied below 5°C or when rain is expected. Frost damages new mortar before the mortar cures properly. Weather conditions during repointing affect how long the repointing lasts.
Mismatched joint profiles affect repointing appearance and performance. Mortar joints have different finishes including flush, weatherstruck, and recessed profiles. New repointing should match the original joint profile for consistent appearance and proper water shedding.
London has a high concentration of Victorian and Edwardian properties requiring lime mortar repointing. Over 20% of English housing was built before 1919, but many London boroughs have much higher proportions of pre-1919 housing. Hampstead, Chelsea, Islington, and Battersea contain large numbers of Victorian terraces and villas built with soft London stock bricks and lime mortar.
Many London Victorian properties were repointed with cement mortar during the mid-20th century. Cement mortar repointing on London Victorian houses has caused widespread brick damage. Victorian properties in London often show spalling bricks and damp problems despite apparently solid cement mortar pointing.
Brick faces flaking while mortar joints appear intact indicates previous cement mortar repointing on a lime-built property. The solution for cement-damaged London Victorian properties is careful removal of cement mortar followed by lime mortar repointing. Removing cement mortar without further damaging bricks requires specialist skills.
London repointing costs run 10 to 20% higher than repointing costs elsewhere in the UK. Lime mortar repointing for London Victorian properties typically costs £60 to £100 per square metre including labour and materials.
Chimney repointing is often needed before main wall repointing because chimneys are more exposed to weather. Chimneys face wind and rain from all directions while main walls have some shelter. Chimney mortar deteriorates faster than main wall mortar due to this exposure.
Chimney repointing costs £500 to £1,200 for the pointing work on a typical domestic chimney. Scaffolding for chimney repointing access adds £500 to £1,000 depending on chimney height and roof configuration. Total chimney repointing cost including scaffolding typically ranges from £1,000 to £2,200.
Chimney repointing may be needed every 30 to 50 years even when main wall pointing remains sound. Exposed chimney stacks deteriorate faster than sheltered main walls. Regular chimney inspection helps identify when chimney repointing is required.
Chimneys also require lead flashing where chimneys meet roof slopes. Combining chimney repointing with chimney flashing repairs saves scaffolding costs. Having both chimney repointing and flashing work done together is more economical than separate projects.
Ridge tiles on pitched roofs are bedded in mortar that can crack and fail. Roof repairs and maintenance should include checking ridge tile pointing condition. Failed ridge pointing allows water into roof structures.
Chimney repointing on pre-1919 properties should use lime mortar. NHL 5 lime mortar is commonly specified for chimney repointing because NHL 5 provides better durability in exposed locations than softer lime mortars.
Quality repointing with correct materials lasts 50 to 100 years. Lime mortar repointing on historic buildings can last even longer with proper maintenance. Original Victorian lime mortar pointing often survives 150 years in sheltered locations, demonstrating lime mortar durability.
Poor repointing fails much faster than quality repointing. Shallow repointing over existing mortar typically fails within 5 to 10 years. Cement mortar repointing on lime-built properties may appear sound initially but causes brick damage over 10 to 20 years, requiring expensive remediation.
Material quality affects repointing longevity. Cheap mortar mixes and incorrect mortar specifications fail faster than quality materials properly specified for the building type. Lime mortar quality varies between suppliers and affects how long lime mortar repointing lasts.
Workmanship quality determines repointing lifespan. Proper preparation with adequate raking out depth, correct mortar consistency, and careful joint finishing all affect how long repointing lasts. Skilled repointing outlasts rushed or inexperienced work.
Wall exposure affects repointing durability. South-facing and west-facing walls exposed to prevailing rain deteriorate faster than sheltered north-facing walls. Exposed areas may need repointing sooner than sheltered elevations on the same building.
Building maintenance extends repointing lifespan. Keeping gutters clear prevents water overflow onto walls. Fixing roof leaks promptly prevents water running down walls. Addressing small pointing repairs before damage spreads helps repointing last longer.
Repointing a house in the UK costs £2,500 to £8,000 depending on property size, mortar type, and access requirements. Repointing a Victorian terraced house costs £2,500 to £4,000. Repointing a semi-detached house costs £3,500 to £5,500. Repointing a detached house costs £4,000 to £8,000 or more. London repointing costs are 10 to 20% higher than repointing costs elsewhere in the UK.
A house typically needs repointing every 50 to 100 years when original repointing used correct materials and techniques. Exposed areas like chimneys may need repointing every 30 to 50 years. Properties with previous incorrect repointing, such as cement mortar on lime-built houses, may need remedial repointing much sooner.
DIY repointing is possible for small areas at ground level using correct mortar type for the property. Extensive repointing, repointing at height requiring scaffolding, and lime mortar repointing on period properties should be done by professionals. Poor DIY repointing fails quickly and can damage brickwork permanently.
Pointing is the mortar between bricks and also describes the original process of filling joints during construction. Repointing is the process of removing old deteriorated mortar and replacing the mortar with new material. Pointing and repointing are often used interchangeably in practice.
Lime mortar should be used for repointing properties built before 1919 because pre-1919 buildings were constructed with lime mortar. Cement mortar should be used for repointing properties built after the 1930s. Properties built between 1919 and 1930 require professional assessment to determine appropriate mortar type. Cement mortar on lime-built properties traps moisture and damages bricks.
Repointing adds value by improving appearance and preventing structural problems. Failed pointing identified during surveys reduces offers and can cause sales to collapse. Failing to repoint when needed reduces property value when buyers or surveyors identify damp, brick damage, or structural concerns.
Repointing protects buildings from damp, maintains structural integrity, and preserves appearance. Successful repointing requires correct mortar type for the property age and proper workmanship standards.
Period properties built before 1919 require contractors experienced with lime mortar repointing and historic brickwork. The cheapest repointing quote rarely represents best value if cheap repointing means cement mortar on a Victorian house or shallow work that fails within years.
A professional building survey identifies pointing condition and recommends appropriate mortar type for properties where owners are unsure about repointing requirements.
For pointing and brickwork services across London, including lime mortar repointing for Victorian and Edwardian properties, contact Bernard Andrews Roofing for assessment and quotation.
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