Render removal to external brick face

Good advice here. The only thing I would add is to make sure that whoever you use for the job, is experienced in working with lime mortar. I have seen too many horror stories where old houses are rendered with Portland after builders claim that adding building lime to the mortar does the same job. It just doesn't. As the house will need to be re-pointed, the old mortar will need to be raked out. Be careful here as many builders use an angle-grinder for this job. Unless they are very skilful, it is very easy to remove as much brick as mortar. If they use a spindle-based mortar rake, there is much less chance of damage. Do not be persuaded that the same mix used for any rendering work will do the job of re-pointing. It is a separate process which needs to be completed before the render is applied and quite a dry-mix with sharp sand packed into the joints. The joints should be finished flush with the wall as lime mortar is porous and any rain needs to run off. Flush pointing will do this much better than recessed. In all of the render removal jobs I have seen, the surface of the brick comes away with the render, so it is generally better to re-render rather than leave the porous new surface exposed. Whether you decide to render the exposed brickwork is a matter of aesthetics, but you should be aware that on the portions of the house you do decide to render, evaporation of damp from a smooth surface is slower than from one with a rougher finish. Finally (sorry about the essay), you mention that you are on the East coast (where I have a good deal of work) If any of the walls face into prevailing wind (and rain), it is generally good practice to use a different mix than for the rest of the house. Hope this helps.

if it has been well keyed to the brickwork then the bricks may get damaged when you remove it, the bricks should not look that much different from the rest of the house, you may also need to repoint the brickwork with a N.H.L mortar. if you sand blast the brickwork you will more than likely damage the bricks. good luck Alex

hi you can remove render you will damage the bricks you can lime render a gide line price between 3000 5000 hope this help tony