Repointing in Dunstablethat seals your wallsagainst rain and frost.
Crumbling mortar raked out and replaced so water stays out of your brickwork. Send a photo of your wall and get a free, clear quote from Francis.
£100k Insured
Public liability cover
Licensed Waste Carrier
EA licence CBDU430346
Owner-Operated
Francis does every job himself
Free Photo Quotes
No site visit needed
Repointing overview
Fresh mortar joints that protect the whole wall
Repointing means raking out old, crumbling mortar from between bricks and replacing it with fresh mortar. The joints are the part of a wall designed to wear, and when they go, water starts getting in. Crown Property Services carries out repointing for homeowners in Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and across Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
It is for homeowners with mortar that is soft, sandy or missing, people with damp patches on inside walls, and anyone whose survey has flagged "repointing required". Chimneys and garden walls are common candidates.
Repointing is needed when you can push a key into the joint, when mortar falls out as dust, when joints sit well back from the brick face, or when damp is appearing on the inside of external walls.
Doing it properly matters because poor repointing can do more harm than none. Joints raked too shallow fall out again; mortar that is too hard can damage older bricks. Francis rakes out to a proper depth and uses a mortar suited to the wall.
The cost of waiting
What happens when worn joints are left
Mortar keeps water out of your walls. Once it fails, the bricks take the punishment.
Damp inside the house
Rain driven into open joints soaks through the wall and shows up as damp patches, peeling paint and mould inside.
Frost-damaged bricks
Wet brickwork freezes and the faces break off. Bricks then need replacing, not just pointing.
Loose bricks and instability
On chimneys and garden walls, severely eroded joints let bricks move, which can become a safety risk.
Higher heating bills
Wet walls lose heat faster than dry ones, so the house is harder to keep warm.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Smearing new mortar over the old without raking out first, so it falls off within a season.
- Using a very hard cement mix on older, softer bricks.
- Repointing only the worst patch so the wall ends up looking patchy.
- Ignoring a leaking gutter that caused the erosion in the first place.
How it works
The repointing process, step by step
- 1
Photos or inspection
Send photos or arrange a visit. Francis checks how deep the erosion goes and why it happened.
- 2
Free quote
A clear price based on the area to be repointed and access.
- 3
Rake out
Old mortar is carefully removed to a proper depth without damaging brick edges.
- 4
Repoint
Joints are refilled with suitable mortar and finished to a consistent profile.
- 5
Clean up
Brick faces are cleaned of excess mortar and waste removed legally.
What you get
The benefits of doing it properly
Keeps water out
Sound joints stop rain being driven into the wall.
Protects your bricks
Prevents frost damage that leads to brick replacement.
Smarter appearance
Crisp, even joints make a wall look cared for.
Fixes the cause
Francis also repairs gutters and brickwork, so the source of erosion can be dealt with too.
Insured
£100,000 public liability insurance on every job.
Direct with Francis
No middlemen from quote to finish.
Pricing explained
What affects the cost of repointing
Every job is priced on what it actually needs, so there is no fixed price list. These are the things that make the biggest difference. Send photos and you will get a clear, free quote before any work starts.
Get a Free Price- Area to be repointed
- A garden wall or one elevation is smaller than a whole house. Price is closely linked to the square metres involved.
- Depth of erosion
- Badly worn joints take longer to rake out cleanly and fill properly.
- Height and access
- Ground-floor walls are simpler than upper floors and chimneys, which need safe access.
- Mortar and finish
- Matching a particular mortar colour or joint profile can add time.
- Brick repairs
- If bricks are also damaged, they need replacing before repointing, which adds to the work.
In detail
Repointing methods, mortars and finishes
Repointing looks simple, but the depth, mix and finish all affect how long it lasts.
Raking out
Joints need raking to a proper depth so the new mortar has something to grip. Shallow raking is the most common reason repointing fails.
Choosing the mortar
The mortar should generally be slightly softer than the bricks. That way any moisture and movement is taken by the joint, which is easy to renew, rather than the brick.
Joint finishes
Common finishes include bucket handle (a curved, recessed joint), flush and weatherstruck. Matching the existing finish keeps the wall looking consistent.
Chimney repointing
Chimneys take the worst of the weather. Eroded joints on a chimney stack let water into the house and can make the stack unstable.
Garden walls
Garden walls are exposed on both sides and on top, so they often wear faster than the house. Repointing extends their life considerably.
Partial or full repointing
Sometimes only the most exposed elevation needs doing. Francis will tell you whether a section or the whole wall needs attention.
When repointing is not enough
If bricks themselves are cracked or blown, they need replacing first. Francis also carries out brickwork, so both can be done together.
Weather and timing
Mortar needs the right conditions to cure properly. Very cold, frosty weather or heavy rain straight after pointing can weaken new joints. Francis plans repointing around the weather so the new mortar has the best chance to set hard and last, and will let you know if a job is better moved to a drier spell.
Signs it is time to repoint
Run a key along a joint. If mortar crumbles out easily, the joints are soft. Other signs include joints sitting several millimetres behind the brick face, plants growing out of the wall, and damp patches on the inside of external walls after heavy rain.
Repointing before selling
Surveyors often note eroded pointing. Dealing with it before you sell removes a point buyers might use to negotiate the price down.
Related services
Repointing across Beds & Herts
When you book repointing with Crown Property Services, you are not booking a company with an office, a sales team and a rota of subcontractors. You are booking Francis McDonagh. He is the person who answers the phone, looks at your photos, gives you the price and turns up to do the work. If you have a question halfway through the job, the person who knows the answer is standing in your garden.
Francis spent many years as an HGV driver before setting up the business. Throughout that time he was renovating and maintaining his own properties and helping family and friends with their repairs. That practical, hands-on experience is what Crown Property Services is built on: real work on real homes, not theory.
Every job is covered by £100,000 public liability insurance. Francis is a registered waste carrier with the Environment Agency (licence CBDU430346), which means old materials and waste from your job are removed and disposed of legally; you will not find them dumped down a country lane with your address on them. Workmanship on roofing, fencing and brickwork is guaranteed.
Quotes are free and can be given from photos or a site visit. Francis works Monday to Saturday, 08:30 to 18:30, across Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Toddington, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden and Redbourn. Payment is by bank transfer (BACS) or cash; card payments are not accepted.
Questions answered
Repointing FAQs
How much does repointing cost?
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It depends on the area, the depth of erosion and access, such as whether a chimney is involved. Send photos for a free quote.
How do I know if my wall needs repointing?
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Mortar that crumbles, falls out or sits well back from the brick face, or damp on inside walls, are common signs.
How long does repointing take?
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It depends on the size of the area. You will be given a realistic timescale with your quote.
How long does repointing last?
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Done properly with a suitable mortar, repointing lasts many years. The exposure of the wall makes a big difference.
Can you repoint a chimney?
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Speak to Francis with photos of the chimney and he will advise on what is involved.
Is repointing guaranteed?
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Francis's written guarantee covers roofing, fencing and brickwork. For any other job, you deal with Francis directly, so if something is not right you know exactly who to call.
Will the new mortar match?
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Mortar colour and joint finish are matched to the existing wall as closely as possible.
Do you cover Hemel Hempstead?
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Yes. Francis covers Dunstable, Houghton Regis, Leighton Buzzard, Toddington, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, St Albans, Harpenden and Redbourn.
How do I pay?
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Payment is by bank transfer (BACS) or cash. Card payments are not accepted.
Get your repointing sortedby the person who quotes it.
Send a photo today for a free, no-obligation quote. Insured with £100,000 public liability cover, and you deal with Francis from start to finish.