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Thanks Mike. You have said what I very much suspected. I think I have given myself a problem where there was none.

Hi. I have already posted this but on the wrong topic thread. I have a Victorian semi detached. The bricks at the side of the house below and just above dpc look pretty degraded to me with some pointing missing. I got a builder with hundreds of good reviews etc to quote for brick replacement and repointing where necessary. He said to replace the slate dpc at the same time. I was a bit reluctant to do this as I have no problems with damp but I considered him the expert so agreed. He arrived and said they would do three rows of pointing above and one below the dpc. I was surprised as this sounded a lot of work as well as brick replacement. They arrived early and completed by 12.30. They used an angle grinder to remove the slate dpc. The quality of the pointing is very poor, no bricks were replaced, and one of my bricks now has a hairline crack. The dpc has been left sticking out about 1/2 inch (this varies) and the top of the plastic dpc has mortar on in a downward slope fashion if that makes sense. Please see photos. I have never heard or seen this practice before. The mortar is already falling off the plastic dpc as it’s flexible of course, and the mortar is not adhering to the plastic.I have told him I am not happy and he is returning (hopefully) tomorrow. Can anyone offer any advice or opinion on this. I want to know if anyone has heard of such a practice of using mortar on plastic dpc. I am really concerned the dpc has not been done correctly too, but will probably not know the answer until winter comes. Any opinion welcome. I am feeling pretty intimidated at the thought of his and two sons return as a 68 year old woman and want to know I am on solid ground when I speak to him. Many thanks.

Thank you so much for your reply Prodave, I was very reluctant to remove the slate dpc, as I had no damp problems, I just wanted to get some repointing done, but the builder suggested I do it. Totally regret it now. The side wall has no rendering, just brick. He’s left the dpc sticking out and rendered the top of it, angled downwards, if that makes sense. It’s already falling off after two days. He’s supposed to be coming back Tuesday to cut back the dpc to the brick and redo the pointing, but I have serious doubts this will happen. I only hope he did the plastic dpc correctly.

Hi, I have lived in my current house for 10 years. An old Victorian semi detached. Going to try and keep this short! The side wall bricks at dpc level and below are very weathered and always wet. Some of the pointing had fell out, but I have had no damp issues in 10 years except at the front corner where the front render had cracked. (Sidewall is all London yellow brick). After much hand wringing I decided to try and get pointing/brick replacing done. The builder had 100s of good reviews etc etc. work done two days ago. Builder said to replace the slate dpc and repoint three levels. He used an angle grinder to get slate dpc out. The pointing is terrible, one of my bricks now has a hairline crack, but where he has inserted new plastic damp proof it has been left sticking out about an inch (this varies!) and has rendered the top of this to create a sort of drip bead that you have with rendered walls. Some of this has already fell off as of course the dpc is flexible. After a tense phone call he is coming back to redo the pointing and cut back the dpc. Just wanting some advice here, has anyone heard of this way of inserting dpc? Seems bizarre to me, surely it will all fall off eventually and I am left with an unsightly protruding dpc that’s actually collecting water? (The dpc is almost ground level, there is a gulley of shingle next to the wall). Sorry no photos , having problems with my iPad. Any advice or opinion welcome please.