Re-pointing - Am I too picky

[steveoelliott]

Hi,

 

Having some re pointing work done on a small wall and for the most part I think it looks OK (no expert here at all). I do think the finishing around the window surround edge could be better though... I appreciate it might be difficult to get into these areas properly however. Should I mention it? Don't want to make myself seem a nuisance but equally want to ensure a proper job. I guess the alternative is some PVC surround for those bricks.

 

 

[Oz07]

If its still green ask him if he could tidy up if he's still there. Wont be a problem to rake out and will be more on the ball with the other reveals

[joe90]

Yes, not very tidy, I would ask him to tidy it up a bit.

[steveoelliott]

1 hour ago, Oz07 said:

If its still green ask him if he could tidy up if he's still there. Wont be a problem to rake out and will be more on the ball with the other reveals

It was only done Monday. I'll ask to tidy up and re-detail around the window. Does the rest look OK to your trained eye?

Edited November 25, 2020 by steveoelliott

[steveoelliott]

23 minutes ago, joe90 said:

Yes, not very tidy, I would ask him to tidy it up a bit.

Thanks... You think the rest looks OK from what you can see?

[Big Jimbo]

I think it all looks a bit crap from the photos. I don't think they have raked out enough of the old. That new pointing looks very shallow. I would'nt be surprised to see that fall off within 5 years, and look no better than when you started.

[steveoelliott]

4 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

I think it all looks a bit crap from the photos. I don't think they have raked out enough of the old. That new pointing looks very shallow. I would'nt be surprised to see that fall off within 5 years, and look no better than when you started.

Thanks for the candid feedback... How can an experienced eye tell the pointing shallow?

[Big Jimbo]

Only going from what i can see in the photos. What is the finish ment to be ? It looks like badly done Weatherstruck ?

[markc]

7 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

I think it all looks a bit crap from the photos. I don't think they have raked out enough of the old. That new pointing looks very shallow. I would'nt be surprised to see that fall off within 5 years, and look no better than when you started.

I wouldnt give it 5 years. water will get into the voids and holes and blow out when it freezes. Badly done pointing is worse than non at all.

Done well it should be raked out to a depth at least 3x the width and then forced back in to fully fill the recess without any holes or voids.

[Big Jimbo]

Sounds like Mark c has given you the answer. Tart up, not a proper job, and rough looking to boot.

[steveoelliott]

4 minutes ago, markc said:

I wouldnt give it 5 years. water will get into the voids and holes and blow out when it freezes. Badly done pointing is worse than non at all.

Done well it should be raked out to a depth at least 3x the width and then forced back in to fully fill the recess without any holes or voids.

Thanks... Just so I know, how from the picture can you tell it's bad?

[markc]

2 minutes ago, steveoelliott said:

Thanks... Just so I know, how from the picture can you tell it's bad?

It looks untidy as others have already mentioned. My concern is with the holes and voids. if water can get in, it will! Pointing is meant to prevent water getting into the brick/stonework.

[Big Jimbo]

Because you can see it's shallow. Dig a bit out as it's so green, and come back and tell us how deep it is. IMO it should be atleast 30mm. I bet it's no deeper tha 10mm in places. If he had raked it out properly, he would not have finished it so badly.

[steveoelliott]

Just to circle back on this. I did dig out a bit of the mortar and it was fairly deep, probably about 20mm. However I wasn’t happy with how untidy it was. I complained to the guy that did it and he didn’t charge me.

 

I then sought the advice of another local builder who has said that it is messy and he will re-do it for me sometime in the New Year.