Pebbledash Dilemma - Looking for Advice

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at1986

New Member
Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to get some suggestions/advice over our pebbledash dilemma.

Long story short, our 1890s semi detatched property is covered in pebbledash sand and cement render. We've had some structural issues since we purchased the house and now the front wall is being knocked down and rebuilt. So effectively we will have blockwork in the middle of the front wall and old red brick to the left and right of it. This red brick will still be covered in the old pebbledash. The new blockwork will need rendering.

The rest of the house is all rendered in sand and cement pebbledash, with historic cracks and patch ups (not pretty!). I've also had to do some crack stitching from the top of the gable wall to the very bottom. This also looks pretty nasty. At the moment it has just been patched up with sand and cement.

Our builder recommended that we have the front wall rendered with Parex. How would this work when we come to sort the rest of the pebbledash (gable wall and rear wall)? We are on a very tight budget!

Thanks for any help.

I've attached a picture of the front wall and also a basic diagram showing what part of the wall is remaining the same after the rebuild the zig zag shaded area will be the remaining wall).
 

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If you are on a tight budget then I would leave the side and just patch in the render with pebble dash on the front and paint.

Or you could re render the front and remove some render from the gable end corner...fix a corner bead ready for when budget allows.

Parex mono will set you back around £3500 - £4000 on the front, hack off, materials, labour, scaffolding.
 
The easiest way would be to put a stop bead up to the gable but it will be a weak point when it comes to the gable. I would take it around the corner and fit an angle bead. Do a patch job on the gable then remove the patch when you do the gable.

A tight budget? Recipe for disaster. You will need to contact building control for building regulations approval.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I’m guessing in any case, I’ve got no option than to remove all the pebbledash from the entire house when I do come to getting the rest of the house done. Problem is, for the most part, that stuff is really stuck on! Also, structural engineer said not to take it off as it’s probably keeping the house together(?!).

I like the idea of just doing the front in sand and cement and painting... Sounds much cheaper. Easier said than done when it comes to saying don’t scrimp. I’m on my knees! Scraping the barrel!
 
at1986 said:
Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to get some suggestions/advice over our pebbledash dilemma.

Long story short, our 1890s semi detatched property is covered in pebbledash sand and cement render. We've had some structural issues since we purchased the house and now the front wall is being knocked down and rebuilt. So effectively we will have blockwork in the middle of the front wall and old red brick to the left and right of it. This red brick will still be covered in the old pebbledash. The new blockwork will need rendering.

The rest of the house is all rendered in sand and cement pebbledash, with historic cracks and patch ups (not pretty!). I've also had to do some crack stitching from the top of the gable wall to the very bottom. This also looks pretty nasty. At the moment it has just been patched up with sand and cement.

Our builder recommended that we have the front wall rendered with Parex. How would this work when we come to sort the rest of the pebbledash (gable wall and rear wall)? We are on a very tight budget!

Thanks for any help.

I've attached a picture of the front wall and also a basic diagram showing what part of the wall is remaining the same after the rebuild the zig zag shaded area will be the remaining wall).
Click to expand...
Every one is on a tight budget when any sort of plastering is involved.
 
I'm pretty sure the pebble dash isn't holding the house together! Tell the building inspector he's a moron!!!
 
choppa said:
Every one is on a tight budget when any sort of plastering is involved.
Click to expand...

To be honest, I’ve already had the entire house plastered, which I had budgeted for... This issue was certainly not planned for.

Thanks for all the other replies. I think perhaps the best option for me is to patch it all and paint it. Then in years to come I will hopefully have enough money to have it done properly.

I’ll have a look at the creeper idea to hide it for the time being. Good idea!
 
at1986 said:
To be honest, I’ve already had the entire house plastered, which I had budgeted for... This issue was certainly not planned for.

Thanks for all the other replies. I think perhaps the best option for me is to patch it all and paint it. Then in years to come I will hopefully have enough money to have it done properly.

I’ll have a look at the creeper idea to hide it for the time being. Good idea!
Click to expand...

Its unusual to get a house owner not wanting the existing fully off. Your engineer is right and you will probably cause more harm than good getting it off but he’s only half right. What is really stuck on is the first base coat thats stuck to your brick, the second coat can be removed. Get the second coat took off leaving the hard well stuck on first coat still on. Your chosen renderer can then use a base coat prior to your monocouche. Skimping will only cost you.
 
Rigsby said:
Its unusual to get a house owner not wanting the existing fully off. Your engineer is right and you will probably cause more harm than good getting it off but he’s only half right. What is really stuck on is the first base coat thats stuck to your brick, the second coat can be removed. Get the second coat took off leaving the hard well stuck on first coat still on. Your chosen renderer can then use a base coat prior to your monocouche. Skimping will only cost you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. It was getting back to the red brick that I was struggling with (apart from the places it has delaminated). Maybe not quite as big of a job as I thought getting it off.
 
Just a thought... Would covering the gable wall with ewi (mechanically fixed to wall) and parex over be worth doing? My only slight concern is the waviness of the gable wall (the house looks like something out of a Tim Burton film), meaning it would be difficult to get the ewi boards flat.
 
at1986 said:
Just a thought... Would covering the gable wall with ewi (mechanically fixed to wall) and parex over be worth doing? My only slight concern is the waviness of the gable wall (the house looks like something out of a Tim Burton film), meaning it would be difficult to get the ewi boards flat.
Click to expand...

No offence mate but any decent renderer will sniff you out and won't bother quoting, I'd wait until you have the money of go for the creeper. We have had a fair few people asking similar questions who have gone down the creeper route on a tight budget and have been really happy. Just make sure you keep it trimmed at roof level and don't let it creep next door
 
Rigsby said:
Its unusual to get a house owner not wanting the existing fully off. Your engineer is right and you will probably cause more harm than good getting it off but he’s only half right. What is really stuck on is the first base coat thats stuck to your brick, the second coat can be removed. Get the second coat took off leaving the hard well stuck on first coat still on. Your chosen renderer can then use a base coat prior to your monocouche. Skimping will only cost you.
Click to expand...
rigsby u on WhatsApp
 
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