When does your house need repointing?

Mortar joints fail before the bricks they bind. Catch them at the right time and a repointing job costs a few thousand pounds. Leave it too long and you're looking at frost damage to the bricks themselves — which is many times more expensive to put right.

Sign one: you can pick mortar out with a fingernail. Healthy mortar resists firm pressure from a key or screwdriver tip. Crumbly, sandy mortar that scratches away is past its life.

Sign two: hairline cracks running along the bed joints. Some movement is normal, but consistent cracking along multiple joints means the mortar has lost flexibility.

Sign three: damp patches on the inside face of an external wall, especially after wind-driven rain. Water is getting through the joints.

Sign four: missing or hollow-sounding pointing. Tap the joint with a key — a dull thud means there's a void behind.

Sign five: efflorescence (white salt deposits) on the brick face. Water is moving through the wall, dissolving salts and depositing them on the surface as it evaporates.

If you've spotted two or more of these on the same elevation, book a free assessment. We'll tell you honestly whether you need a full repointing or just a patch repair.