Do these brinks need replacing/rendering?

[Misscf81]

Hi! We have had an offer accepted on a house, but I’m not sure on the brick work outside....it’s an end terrace and a lot of the bricks look very worn? I think we are going to get a homebuyers, but I just wanted to check with someone before we went and spent money on that. Somebody mentioned it needing repointing but I don’t know what this costs.

Some of the bricks appear to be blown where water has frozen in them and gradually blown the surface off. Some bricklayers will be able to remove each brick and turn it. These are London Red bricks I think. You can then get it repointed. I would get the survey done to gauge the extent of what’s required.

Personally I would not render it. It will destroy the character of the house. It would presumably spoil the look of the immediate location.

The pictures are very blurred, but it looks like a lot of the bricks are spalling. I can’t see the pointing due to the quality of the photos. if they are spalling, it will continue to get worse so repair will be needed. The issue could be caused by or exacerbated by a number of issues and it wouldn’t be sensible to try and diagnose the cause via an agents photo. Get a homebuyers to protect your interests and get more detailed information on the issue.

Don’t paint “sealants” over the bricks either. They need to breathe and you will seal moisture in.

How old is it and what town are you in?

Spalling usually occurs where bricks have got very wet and then frozen. In your case I would suspect faulty gutters causing the wet. I can't see lime craters. You have ornamental corbelled brickwork under the gutters which might be relevant.

The appearance of the house would be ruined by rendering. Walk up and down the road looking at the other houses built in the same way. There might be a weakness in the local brick used at the time they were built. A skilled bricklayer can cut out and turn or renew the damaged bricks, preferably using good ones of the same age that will not show much. Preferably have the entire house repointed at the same time, and any other work that needs a scaffold, such as roof or gutter repairs. It could bedone off a ladder but that is not considered safe because the workman needs both hands for his tools. It is rather slow, but apiamond disc can be used to cut out the old pinting and the mortar joints round the damaged bricks. It is very dusty.

I see the lintels and keystone appear to be painted, which is unusual and might hide damage, unless they are a dark synthetic stone or other material.

The area at the front looks paved and mossy, so there may be a long-term water problem.

Is the roof slate?