Repointing Downham Market

Repointing Downham Market Norfolk (PE38): At some point in time you will need to do a little repair and maintenance on your home in Downham Market, no matter what age your property is. Buildings in Downham Market are hit by all sorts of pollution, weather and other harmful issues which can have an adverse effect on the state of the mortar or cement between the bricks, and should you see indications of this you will need to call someone in. It is essential to keep your brickwork in good condition to keep your home watertight, and the most efficient solution is to hire the services of a brick repointing expert in Downham Market.

A house is only as strong and sturdy the mortar and bricks that hold it all together, and you shouldn't forget this. Draughts and moisture can get into your property and trigger many problems to the the structure's integrity, if the mortar is in a poor condition with gaps, crumbling spots and holes. But how are you to know when your house needs repointing?

Examine your exterior brick walls and look for any visible damage that can be easily seen with the naked eye. If a short inspection such as this uncovers some obvious problems, then you've definitely got an issue. It may be necessary to bring in a professional to examine hard to reach sections like chimneys or under eaves, however in most properties you ought to be able to see any signs of damage pretty easily.

The issues of safety that crumbling and cracked mortar can cause should also be taken into account, in addition to the appearance and aesthetics of your property. Mortar is the "glue" that holds everything together in any Downham Market property, and when badly damaged can impact on the integrity of a structure. There could be major implications and maybe even a risk to life, in buildings that have become unstable and weakened in this manner.

It may be a situation where damaged brickwork is the main reason behind any eroding or missing mortar that you encounter on your property. In order to renovate the brickwork whilst doing the repointing, an experienced brick repointing contractor in Downham Market will quickly determine any sections that require repair or replacement.

It may be the case that in past times your Downham Market home's external brick walls have been rendered or painted. It could all point to more severe damage underneath, if you discover bubbling, cracks or flaking of the paint or plaster. It's best to seek assistance from an expert repointing contractor who can investigate the cause of the issue, and prevent the damage from spreading and triggering more serious problems at a later date. By employing a reputable and qualified bricklayer or repointing company you'll keep your exterior walls in the best condition possible.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS FOR REPOINTING BRICKWORK IN DOWNHAM MARKET?

Repointing can be a lengthy process and may involve working at considerable height, depending on your property type. The first thing a repointing company will perform is an eyes-on survey to assess the severity of the damage to your brickwork. This survey will enable them to provide you with a price quote for the the entire project. Remember to always get two or three quotations and don't automatically assume cheapest is best.

It may be that during the original site survey there were some sections of your home that were out-of-reach or inaccessible and in this case a second, more in depth survey could be needed. It may be that this more comprehensive survey may expose further problems that may cause the original quote to increase. Additional pointing work is likely to be needed if your home in Downham Market is more than 60 years old and has never been repointed previously.

When all the problems with your house have been established, a decent repointing company in Downham Market will go over the most effective options for restorative action. Most homes will require scaffolding to be erected to provide a sturdy working platform for the bricklayer or repointing specialists. The outside of the scaffolding can then have a protective shielding attached to it. The purpose of this is to lessen the danger of injury to people in the immediate area, and avoid damage to property from falling debris or brick dust.

All external cabling, such as satellite or TV, will be detached from the walls and pipework may be removed or adjusted to enable access to the brickwork behind. Once the project has been completed and all repointing work carried out these pipes and cables will be secured back in place.

If your house is rendered, pebble-dashed or painted, these will now be removed to allow the repointing team to begin the repair work. When this has been done the bricks can be diligently cleaned and sanded to provide a uniform surface to work on.

An experienced Downham Market repointing company should be able to prepare a test panel on your brickwork to allow you to decide on the various mortar styles that are available, (Tuck, Weather Struck, Recessed or Flush pointing). This should help you to visualise the finished result and ensure your satisfaction with regard to style and colour.

Now the dusty work will begin as the old, damaged mortar is removed by raking and scraping out the joints. This painstaking process takes time because the joints need to have all the dust, debris and old mortar removed so as to end up with a sound bonding surface for the new mortar to be applied to. Special care is taken around doors and windows since any movement in the brickwork could result in problems with their closing and opening.

So the new mortar does not dry out too quickly, the brickwork will be dampened before any new pointing begins. This helps establish a solid joint by keeping the mortar flexible and stopping cracks. When it is sufficiently dry it's time to clean off any excess mortar and smears from the adjacent bricks. The repointers will tackle the brickwork in small sections, cleaning each one in turn before starting on a new area.

It is possible that as the repointers are doing their work they might find broken brickwork that needs replacing, or maybe problems with lead flashing or a damaged chimney stack, and a professional company will be able to complete such repair work as they go along.

After the brickwork has been cleaned for one final time, to get a uniform appearance over the whole area, any plaster rendering or painting of the completed wall surfaces can be done. After the pipes and TV and satellite cables are placed back into place, scaffolding will be taken down and all the debris and waste disposed of.

A competent Downham Market repointing and brick repair specialist will provide you with a service that should be good for another sixty years. Guarantees should be offered for the restoration work and they should be affiliated with with providers and manufacturers from the construction industry giving cover for defective materials.

Suitable accreditations can take various forms, but those that are prominent with regards to repointing and bricklaying are: the NHBC (National House-Building Council), the NFBC (National Federation of Building Contractors) and the FMB (Federation of Master Builders), with qualifications and certifications from industry leaders like the CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building). The Construction Skills Certification Scheme is now compulsory for all workers in the construction industry and they must be willing to show their CSCS card at any time to confirm their suitability to be present on site.

Ridge Tile Repointing Downham Market

Ridge tiles and mortar joints should be checked every other year at a minimum. Repointing simple mortar cracks can prevent leaking roofs and expensive re-roofing work in Downham Market. Be extra vigilant with ridge tiles as they're exposed to the extremes of the weather from all sides and may develop cracks in the mortar joints before other tiles on the roof. If you discover cracks in the mortar between ridge tiles, the options are rebed the ridge tile or repoint the joints.

Of course, occasionally a ridge tile needs to be rebedded instead of repointed which requires a bit more work. Again, ensure that you use all safety precautions while working at height. Use a chisel and hammer to remove the mortar as well as the ridge tile. Use the chisel and hammer to remove the mortar from the bed on the roof, and mortar from the underside of the ridge tile. As soon as the ridge tile is off, replacing the ridge iron is advisable, particularly if there's any sign of rust. Remove any organic matter such as mould or moss and use a fungicide to make certain the area is protected in the future. Then soak the area in water while mixing mortar. Mix a stiff mortar in a ratio of 3:1 (sharp sand: cement). Dampen the roof and tile as you work. Put mortar on either side of the tile and use a trowel to lay a bed of mortar on the roof. Place 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 biggest investment from weather damage in Downham Market. Checking and repointing your roof before cracks permit water to leak into into the house, are effective ways to save cash.

Chimney Repointing

A chimney is frequently overlooked with regards to property maintenance, yet a chimney that is falling into disrepair can be an expensive hazard. During an initial inspection of your chimney in Downham Market, an expert could recommend repointing or perhaps a complete rebuild of your chimney, subject to the size of the affected and damaged area. Specialist chimney repointing will re-establish the stability of your chimney by replacing the old mortar with new material. This can forestall the need for a total chimney rebuild and give you many more years of peace of mind. Having your chimney in Downham Market repointed also helps in preventing damage to the interior of your chimney stack, by preventing moisture from seeping through the cracks and gaps in the mortar. Most recently built chimneys are lined with steel and if this liner comes into contact with moisture, it reduces its lifespan. As soon as the repointing has been accomplished, an exterior sealant is applied which is water repellent and allows the release of any internal moisture. (Tags: Chimney Repointing Downham Market, Chimney Pointing Downham Market, Pointing Chimneys Downham Market, Repointing Chimneys Downham Market).

Downham Market Repointing Tasks

Just Some of the Work That a Repointing Specialist Can Do

There is a wide range of work that can be conducted by your local Downham Market repointing specialist including re-pointing paving Downham Market, repointing services, brick repointing, bed joint reinforcement, brick step repointing, industrial repointing, pointing mortar joints, repointing of garden walls in Downham Market, the lime pointing of brickwork and stonework, lime mortar repointing Downham Market, chimney repairs, strap re-pointing, lead valleys repaired or renewed, stone wall repointing Downham Market, crack injection, valley repointing Downham Market, slab repointing, brick & mortar tinting, brick inspections, brick paint removal, bucket handle pointing and repointing in Downham Market, lime mortar pointing, repointing price quotes, brickwork crack repairs in Downham Market, stone pointing and re-pointing, dry verge systems, repairs to stone walls, pebble-dash removal, facade restoration, brickwork crack stitching, repointing of brickwork Downham Market, ribbon pointing and repointing, the repointing and pointing of brickwork, brick conservation, fireplace repointing Downham Market, and scaffolding hire. Listed are just a handful of the activities that are accomplished by local experts in brick repointing. Downham Market professionals will tell you about their full range of services.

Repointing Specialists Near Downham Market

Also find: Crimplesham repointing, Barroway Drove repointing, Fincham repointing, Stowbridge repointing, Stow Bardolph repointing, Nordelph repointing, Wretton repointing, Bexwell repointing, Shouldham repointing, Outwell repointing, Three Holes repointing, Stoke Ferry repointing, Denver repointing, Upwell repointing, Wimbotsham repointing and more.

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