Exterior of house

[Wottodoo]

I moved house just over a year ago and have had one problem after another. The main problem is that I can’t get the house dry. It is very old and has porous bricks which brings me to the reason for this post.
A friend who is a former builder offered to paint the outside of my house with Stormdry max yesterday. I know that it would put a glossy film on the brick but I didn’t realise how much this would change the appearance of the house. In short I hate it. It has made the bricks look really dark and so shiny. I know this is my fault as I should have insisted on him doing a small hidden patch before doing the front of the house but I’m so fed up of all of the issues that I just said to go ahead. Without wishing to sound dramatic, it has made me feel ill. I can’t stop shaking and I feel like my mental health won’t take anymore. I know that there is nothing I can now. I have thrown so much money at the house and I now hate it and I have ruined the appearance of it.

Do you have a picture of a patch of the outside brickwork? The house is damp upstairs and down?

I don't know that product, but many waterproofing products take a while to get to their fully dry appearance, it is possible that over time it will become a lot less visible.

We used stormdry some years ago. I think it took a while to soak in etc. Our house is a mid terrace and now looks no different to our neighbours. Brilliant stuff

As daft as it sounds I don’t want to stand outside and take a picture as I don’t want my next door neighbour to come out and speak to me about it. Which he no doubt will when he next sees me.
The main problem with damp is in my bedroom around the windows and also the end wall. Mine is the end terraced house in the row and it’s this exposed end where the issue is.

Oh thank you for this.

Thank you. I do hope so 🤞🏻

I was more after looking at the condition of your pointing. In any case, have you used a proper dehumidifier? Now that waterproofing is applied, it should/could stop the damp coming through, or escaping. Will need a photo of the window though for an analysis there.

I have a dehumidifier running in my bedroom most days and will certainly continue to do so now that I have this coating on the outside wall.

No doubt you have solid 9” brickwork? This treatment may or may not work. Half a chance it will, depends on the pointing, brickwork etc. Alternatives are getting the house or end wall rendered, or better still external insulation which solves the heat loss as well. I’ve also seen end walls being slate hung, tiled etc.

A big problem that I have is that, not only have I had one issue after another with the house, but so much else has happened since I moved here. I have lost four close family members including a sibling and a parent and my relationship has broken down. All within 12 months. I just want to feel content in my home 😞.

I have a DC who is away at university and I have close friends but I’m sure they’re fed up of me moaning about the house.