cost of repointing large wall

[thursdaycat]

In the ongoing saga of our bedroom wall with a damp patch....

we have been testing the wall with a damp meter and found that there are damp patches everywhere, many of which shoot off the scale of the damp meter. We presume this points to extensive areas of defective pointing on the outside wall. Would this be a valid conclusion?

If so, can anyone guide us on the approximate cost of repointing this wall, which is approx 9 m long and 2 storeys high plus roof space?

Many thanks

 

[Gervase]

As a rough guestimate, you're looking at between £18 and £30 a square metre, depending on whether it's brick or stone, lime or cement to chase out and whereabouts in the UK you are.

 

[thursdaycat]

thanks Gervase - its a stone wall and mostly lime mortar but with lots of possible cement patches.

we are in the south west

 

[chuckey]

I have exactly this problem, but I repointed the house using "hydraulic" lime(which is meant to be water proof but breathable. On my very limited experience, if going for the builders solution, you MUST make sure that you get a written guarantee for say 5 years. Damp penetration is very dependent on wind direction and speed and a decent interval of time must be allowed to see if he has cured your problem. I would be very pessimistic about a cure unless you get a very good builder.
frank

 

[thursdaycat]

thanks chukey - there's no way i'd do this myself but these are helpful questions I will ask. I have a lime pointing specialist (so his ad says) coming on friday.

 

[Gervase]

I'd say around £23 a square metre then, and if he gets an angle-grinder out, escort him off the premises!

 

[jaykay]

I didn't think damp meters worked on walls - I thought they were intended for timber and will automatically read 'damp' on walls since they're measuring conductivity and the wall is more conductive than the timber it was calibrated for? This is essentially what I was told when having problems with surveyors and stone walls.
Of course, actually having damp plaster indicates problems! But I wonder if the damp meter is exaggerating the issue?

 

[Nemesis]

I'm a bit concerned about 'hydraulic - 'waterproof' and 'breathable'?

I'd not use it as a first option...

 

[NT]

I see several issues. A damp meter measures conduction, not damp. H6ydraulic is not normally recommended for this job. An angle grinder is a fine tool IFF used with real care - the problem is most use it stupidly and do lots of damage. If you sling someone out for bringing one, you may be rejecting the best person for the job. Finally there is no way sopmeone repointing can guarantee no damp, they're 2 quite different things, and afaics it has nothing to do with builder quality, not unless you stoop to some really terrible builders.

It may be time to step back and work this through again from the beginning.


NT