Repointing Catford Greater London (SE6): The time will arrive to do a little repair and maintenance on your home in Catford, regardless of what age your property is. Buildings in Catford are impacted by all sorts of weather, pollution and other adverse factors which can have a detrimental effect on the state of the mortar or cement between the brickwork, and should you see evidence of this you may have to call on some expert help. The most cost effective solution would be to employ a brick repointing company in Catford, to make certain that your property is properly watertight and knock your brickwork back into tip top condition.
It's said that a property is only as good as its mortar and bricks, and that's certainly true. The mortar has to be sound, without any holes or gaps to be able to repel any draughts and moisture from finding a path into your property. But how can you tell precisely when you need to repoint your brickwork in Catford?
Quite simply, you need to take a good look at the condition of the bricks and mortar of your outside walls. If trouble spots can be speedily recognised by such a casual inspection, then the likelihood is that you'll need some repointing. In places such as on chimneys or under eaves it may be necessary for a professional to check, however in most cases you ought to be able to see for yourself the physical signs of degradation.
When your property in Catford needs repointing, it's not only the aesthetics that need to be considered, there are also safety risks that need to be looked at. If the mortar is in a bad state of repair this can impact on the stability of a structure, as the mortar is the "glue" that binds the whole thing together to keep it sound. There could be severe implications and risk to life, in buildings that have become unsound and compromised in this manner.
If your mortar has been neglected over the years, or you're renovating an older property in Catford, you might also need to replace brickwork that's been damaged or weakened. Any deteriorating bricks found during the survey by the contractor will be replaced or repaired before any repointing is attempted.
It may be a situation where in the past your Catford home's external brick walls have been painted or rendered. If there are indications of peeling, flaking or other degradation to rendered and painted brickwork, it may suggest issues with the bricks or mortar permitting dampness to seep into the walls. The only way to investigate a problem of this kind is by hiring a professional brickwork and repointing company who will be able to find the root cause behind the mortar damage. By using a professional service like this you'll be able to make certain that your home is safe and looking wonderful.
WHAT STEPS ARE REQUIRED IN REPOINTING BRICKWORK IN CATFORD?
Working up high is usually necessary when repointing a house in Catford, and the entire process can take quite a bit of time. The very first thing a repointing company will do is an eyes-on survey to ascertain the severity of the damage to your brickwork. This inspection will enable them to give you a quotation for the necessary work. The same standard of service won't be offered by all repointing companies in the Catford area, so make certain that you get a minimum of three estimates, and consider each one diligently.
It could be that in the initial site survey there were some areas of your home that were out-of-reach or inaccessible and in this instance a second, more comprehensive survey may be required. If further problems are revealed by this more comprehensive survey, a higher revised estimate may result. If your property in Catford was built more than 60 years ago and has never undergone repointing then it's quite likely to require extra work when compared with a more current dwelling.
As soon as the problems have been detected then reparation work can start. So as to have a secure platform while refurbishing your house, it is likely that the repointing crew will need to have a scaffold built. An arrangement of protective shielding or sheeting should then be secured to the exterior of the scaffold. The purpose of this is to minimize the risk of harm to people in the surrounding area, and avoid damage to property from falling debris or brick dust.
All exterior wiring, such as satellite or TV cables, will be unfastened from the walls and piping will be removed or adjusted to permit easier access to the brickwork behind. These can all be put back into position at the end of the repointing project.
So that your repointers can get to the brick surfaces of your house in Catford, any rendering, pebble-dash, paint must be stripped away from the brickwork prior to starting. To ensure a uniform finish for your external walls, the brick surfaces behind such coverings will have to be cleaned and sanded.
A dependable Catford repointing company will be willing to mock up a small test panel on your property to help you to choose the different mortar finishes that are available, (Tuck, Flush, Weather Struck or Recessed pointing). This helps you see how each design will look on your house and demonstrate the different styles and colours on offer.
Now the dusty work begins as the old, crumbling mortar is removed by raking and cleaning out the brick joints. This painstaking process can be pretty time consuming because the joints need to be cleaned of any dust, debris and old mortar so as to end up with a sound bonding surface for the application of new mortar. Any door and window openings will be paid extra care by the repointing team to prevent any surplus applications of mortar or distortions of the frames which can cause problems in their opening and closing.
Once the joints are clean, the walls should be damped down to help stop the fresh mortar from drying out too quickly and subsequently cracking. This helps establish a solid joint by keeping the mortar flexible and preventing cracks. When it is sufficiently dry it's time to clean any excess mortar and smears from the surrounding bricks. The team will tackle the walls in small sections, cleaning each one in turn before moving on to a new area.
If any brick replacement, lead flashing replacement or chimney repairs is found to be needed by the repointing company during the work, now is the time that these tasks will be carried out.
After the brickwork has been cleaned for a final time, to get a uniform visual appearance, any painting or rendering of the finished wall surfaces can take place. The pipes and cables will be reattached and the final stage of the project will be to take down the scaffold and remove all debris and building waste from the site.
The repointing of your house by a skilled Catford company should mean that you won't need to deal with your exterior brickwork for another 50 to 60 years or more. They ought to also provide a warranty for their work and be supported by professional qualifications and accreditation in the building and construction industry.
Such accreditations could include the likes of: the National Federation of Building Contractors, the National House Building Council and the Federation of Master Builders, while qualifications could range between NVQ's, Diplomas and City & Guilds from construction industry specialists like the Chartered Institute of Building. In addition, each person on the repointing crew who works on your home should be a member of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme to confirm they have the appropriate skills and training to be part of the project.
Ridge Tile Repointing Catford
Roof tiles and mortar joints should be examined every other year at least. Repointing simple mortar cracks can prevent leaking roofs and costly re-roofing work in Catford. Be extra vigilant with ridge tiles as they're exposed to weathering from all sides and may develop cracks in the mortar joints before other tiles on the roof. If cracks are discovered in the mortar between ridge tiles, the options are rebed the ridge tile or repoint the joints.
Of course, sometimes a ridge tile has to be rebedded instead of repointed which requires a little more work. Again, ensure that you take all safety precautions while working on the roof. Use a chisel and hammer to remove the mortar as well as the ridge tile. Use the hammer and chisel to remove the mortar from the bed on the roof, and mortar from the bottom of the ridge tile. Once the ridge tile is off, replacing the ridge iron is a good idea, particularly if there's any sign of rust. Remove any organic matter such as algae and moss and apply a fungicide to ensure the area is protected in the future. Then soak the area in water whilst mixing mortar. Mix a stiff mortar in a ratio of 3:1 (sharp sand: cement). Dampen the roof and tile as you proceed. Apply mortar to both sides of the tile and use a trowel to lay a bed of mortar on the roof. Position on the mortar bed and press down. Remove any mortar that oozes out between joints. Make sure the joint gaps are filled, and smooth joints with pointing trowel.
The integrity of the roof protects your greatest investment from weather damage in Catford. Checking and repointing your roof before cracks permit water to penetrate into the house, are effective ways to save inconvenience and cash.
Repointing Specialists Near Catford
Also find: Horn Park repointing, Ladywell repointing, Hither Green repointing, Bellingham repointing, Forest Hill repointing, New Beckenham repointing, Southend repointing, Upper Sydenham repointing, Kingswood Estate repointing, Grove Park repointing, Brockley repointing, Honor Oak repointing and more.
Catford Repointing Tasks
Just Some of the Jobs That a Repointing Specialist Can Do
There are a wide array of tasks that can be completed by your local Catford repointing specialist including mortar raking, porch repointing, masonry and brickwork decorating, lime mortar repointing Catford, roof repointing Catford, stone wall repointing, fireplace restoration, repointing services, ridge tile repointing Catford, re-pointing mortar joints, stone re-pointing Catford, stone cleaning in Catford, the lime pointing of brickwork and stonework, brickwork pointing and repointing, facade restoration, tuck pointing Catford, pointing crazy paving, the repointing of patios in Catford, rubble masonry, re-mortaring of brick joints in Catford, brick repointing, ribbon repointing, brick joint raking and repointing, brickwork joint raking, bed joint reinforcement in Catford, brickwork conservation in Catford, brick joint renovation in Catford, brickwork cleaning, house re-pointing, masonry repairs, patch repointing Catford, pebble-dash removal, chimney repointing Catford, slab repointing, lintel replacement, and repointing scaffolds. Listed are just a handful of the duties that are handled by those specialising in brick repointing. Catford professionals will keep you informed about their full range of services.
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