Concerned about a property defect?
Worried about cracked pointing, spalling brick or a bulging wall?
Our RICS chartered building surveyors work out whether it is routine weathering or something structural, and tell you the right way to put it right. Not every crumbling joint means the whole wall needs redoing, and we will tell you straight which it is.
- Save time
- Avoid unnecessary costs
- Reduce stress
How to Tell If Your Wall or Masonry Problem Is Serious
External walls take the full force of the weather, year in and year out, so a certain amount of wear is normal and nothing to worry about. They are also where a great many well meaning but wrong repairs get made, which can turn a minor problem into a damp one. The first sign of trouble is often damp appearing inside, or a patch of tired brickwork outside that has been quietly letting water in.
This guide explains what goes wrong with walls and masonry, which signs are worth acting on, and how a defect survey from our chartered building surveyors tells you whether it is weathering or movement, and what genuinely needs doing.
Not every crumbling joint means trouble
Pointing weathers, render ages, and old brick loses its crispness. Most of that is routine maintenance rather than a structural problem, and much of it is localised rather than wall wide. The useful questions are why the wall is failing, whether it is simply weathering or actually moving, and whether a previous repair is making things worse. Answer those and you avoid both the panic and the unnecessary bill.
Common wall and masonry problems
Eroded and failed pointing
The mortar joints between bricks are meant to weather and be renewed from time to time, but once they erode back or crack, water starts getting into the wall. Failed pointing is one of the most common masonry defects and, on its own, is usually straightforward to put right. The important part is using a mortar that suits the age and type of wall, because the wrong mix can do more harm than the erosion it replaced.
Spalling and frost damaged brickwork
When a brick soaks up water and that water then freezes, it can blow the face clean off the brick, a process called spalling. It shows as flaking, crumbling or missing brick faces, most often on exposed elevations or low down near the ground. It is frequently made worse by hard cement pointing or render that traps moisture in the brick instead of letting it dry out.
Cracked, blown or debonded render
Render is there to shed water and protect the wall behind it. When it cracks or loses its bond it sounds hollow when tapped, and it lets water in behind, where the moisture becomes trapped and cannot escape. On older solid walls a hard cement render is a common culprit, sealing moisture in and pushing damp through to the inside face.
Cavity wall tie failure
In cavity walls, metal ties link the inner and outer leaves together. Over decades these can corrode and expand, lifting the brick courses and producing horizontal cracking at regular intervals up the wall, sometimes with visible bulging. Left unchecked, the outer leaf can begin to bow away from the building.
Bulging and leaning walls
A wall that bulges, leans or is no longer plumb is one to take seriously. The cause might be wall tie failure, a solid wall whose bond has broken down, a lack of lateral restraint, or wider movement in the building. Bay windows are especially prone. This is where a proper assessment earns its keep, because the right response ranges from simple monitoring to structural work.
A bridged or failed damp proof course
Most walls have a damp proof course low down to stop ground moisture rising up through them. It can be bridged by a raised patio or flower bed, by render carried down over it, or by debris in the cavity, all of which let damp climb past it and appear as tide marks and salt staining inside. Sometimes the course itself has failed, but very often the real problem is simply something bridging it.
Hard cement on soft old walls
This one is worth calling out on its own. Older solid walls were built to breathe, taking in a little moisture and then releasing it again. Sealing them with modern cement render, hard pointing or impermeable masonry paint traps that moisture inside, and the damp that follows is regularly blamed on the wall when the repair is the real cause. Getting this right, or undoing a previous wrong repair, solves a surprising number of stubborn damp problems.
Warning signs worth acting on
One of these on its own is not a diagnosis, but the more of them you can see, the more sense it makes to get the walls looked at:
- Mortar joints that are crumbling, recessed or soft enough to rake out with a finger.
- Brick faces that have flaked, blown or crumbled away.
- Render that is cracked, stained, or sounds hollow when tapped.
- Horizontal cracking at regular intervals up the wall, or brickwork that looks like it is bulging.
- A wall that is leaning, bowing or no longer looks plumb.
- Damp patches, tide marks or salt staining on internal walls.
- White powdery deposits on the outside face of the wall.
- Ivy, dense vegetation or raised ground levels sitting against the wall.
Masonry problems are easy to misread. A patch of crumbling mortar and a wall that is genuinely moving out of plumb can look similarly untidy, yet one is routine maintenance and the other is structural. A survey establishes which you are dealing with, and just as importantly, whether a previous repair, such as hard cement render on an older solid wall, is the thing making it worse.
Not sure if it is weathering or something structural?
That is exactly the question a defect survey answers. Tell us a few details and we will take a look.
What a defect survey for walls and masonry includes
The aim is to identify the cause, not just describe the symptom. When you instruct Price Lilford, you get:
- A detailed inspection of the external walls and masonry, elevation by elevation, inside and out.
- The likely cause of the defect, identified rather than guessed.
- A clear view on whether the problem is cosmetic weathering or structural movement.
- An assessment of the pointing, render, brickwork, sills and any bulging or leaning.
- A check for a bridged or failed damp proof course and its effect indoors.
- Moisture readings and technical checks where they are relevant.
- Photographs of the affected areas.
- Recommended remedial options, in plain English, including the right materials for the age of the wall.
- Guidance on who can carry out the work.
No jargon. No upselling. No confusion. We are RICS registered chartered surveyors and completely independent.
That independence matters with masonry, because a repointing or rendering contractor is quoting to cover the whole elevation. Because we never carry out the work and never work with contractors, we can tell you whether the entire wall needs attention or just a patch, and crucially, which mortar or finish is right for a wall of that age rather than the one that is quickest to apply.
Why early investigation matters
Water in a wall does not stay put, and a small defect outside becomes a damp problem inside. Catching it early helps you:
- Avoid escalating costs as water penetrates further into the structure.
- Prevent damp reaching internal finishes and embedded timber.
- Understand the risks before buying, if it is a property you are considering.
- Make confident, informed decisions about repointing, render and repair.
A clear professional report also carries far more weight than a homeowner's description if you are selling, remortgaging or making an insurance claim.
Related problems we diagnose
Wall and masonry faults rarely sit in isolation, so it is worth ruling out the issues that travel with them:
- Damp and condensation: failed pointing, cracked render and a bridged damp proof course are among the most common routes for water into a wall.
- Timber decay: penetrating damp through masonry reaches embedded timber and sets off rot.
- Cracks and structural movement: bulging, leaning and wall tie failure sit right alongside movement.
- Roofing and chimney issues: failed masonry high up on a stack or parapet lets water straight into the walls below.
Frequently asked questions
Does my whole wall need repointing, or just part of it?
Very often just part of it. Pointing tends to fail first on the most exposed elevations and around openings, while the rest of the wall is sound. A survey tells you honestly how much genuinely needs doing, so you are not paying to repoint a whole house when a few areas would do.
Why is my brickwork flaking and crumbling?
That is usually spalling, caused by water getting into the brick and then freezing, which blows the face off. It is common on exposed or low level brickwork, and it is often made worse by hard cement pointing or render that stops the wall drying out. Identifying why the brick is staying wet is the key to fixing it for good.
Is a bulging or leaning wall dangerous?
It can be, which is why it is worth assessing rather than watching. A mild bulge from wall tie failure is common and repairable, while a pronounced lean or one tied to wider movement needs proper attention and occasionally urgent action. The survey establishes where on that scale your wall sits.
Should I have my old wall cement rendered to keep the damp out?
Usually not. Older solid walls need to breathe, and a hard cement render tends to trap moisture inside rather than keep it out, which often makes damp worse. A breathable, lime based approach is normally right for walls of that age. This is exactly the kind of thing worth getting independent advice on before committing.
Do you carry out the repairs as well?
No. We are completely independent and do not carry out repairs or work with contractors. That keeps our advice unbiased and focused solely on what your walls genuinely need, including the right materials rather than the quickest ones.
Will my insurance cover masonry problems?
Usually not directly. Weathering, erosion, repointing and render are treated as maintenance or gradual deterioration and are normally excluded. Sudden damage, such as an impact, or masonry damage tied to an insured subsidence claim, may be a different matter, and a clear independent report helps you set out the cause.
Get a clear answer on your walls and masonry
Request a defect survey and we will tell you whether it is weathering or movement, what is causing it, and exactly how to put it right, with the correct materials for the age of your wall.
No jargon. No upselling. No confusion.