second opinion wanted

[Capital spread]

Looked at a job in France last week its a large property at least two hundred years old. It is as far as I can tell constructed of granite quons around the openings with the walls constructed pink granite stonework the first 400mm up from the base is sand & cement render. Above this the stone work has been pointed with the strongest cement pointing I have ever seen.

Inside: The plasterwork looks like sand & cement with a gypsum finish. Both inside and out have been renovated within the last twenty years.
Around the bottom is 1 metre high timber cladding.

Problem: Above the cladding the walls are damp, paint is bubbling and going chalke, plaster is hollow sounding and cracking and there is a black mould problem in the bathroom.

Outside: The pointing has cracked everywhere, and at the most exposed spot there is damage to one of the pink granite stones.
The previous owner must have known there was a problem with the pointing as they have tried to fill the cracks with clear silicone.

Solution: I have outlined possible solutions to the client (remove pointing re-point in lime going down that route) but the costs are going to be mega , at least 200m2 of pointing.
I would welcome other opinions on this one especially if anyone has removed strong pointing and knows how long it may take or any other solutions you may have.

I await your much welcomed advice.

 

[flat boy skim]

sub it out ?

 

[bubbles65]

Yeah, lime pointing seems a good idea mate. Are you stripping the internals too?

 

[twitcher]

aren't there any weekend d*amp courses out there?

must be a gap in the market..

 

[Mouldy]

Is that silicone on the outside anywhere near the problem on the inside??

 

[henry]

lime amazeing stuff will not beaten.

 

[Capital spread]

in answer to mouldy, the worse wall facing the weather has so many cracks you couldn't count them, the sillicone has been done to about half a dozen cracks not even a m2 of the wall on this wall. The damp is on every external wall inside.
Told the client the outside needs to be done before we touch the inside. I think the price to renew the pointing is going to give him a heart attack let alone removing the blown plaster and re-decoratoring.

 

[plaster man]

Run away

 

[Jace]

:RpS_lol:^^:RpS_scared:arrrgh

 

[mayti]

clear old mortar and silcone bits cement and let moister out

 

[Mouldy]

in answer to mouldy, the worse wall facing the weather has so many cracks you couldn't count them, the sillicone has been done to about half a dozen cracks not even a m2 of the wall on this wall. The damp is on every external wall inside.
Told the client the outside needs to be done before we touch the inside. I think the price to renew the pointing is going to give him a heart attack let alone removing the blown plaster and re-decoratoring.

Have come across similar problems before where by sealant had been liberally applied. This was acting like a channel, the water was running into the masonry rather then off of it.

Have an issue here in France where a stone building with 18" walls built with lime mortar has had the gable rendered with sand and cement. This gable is actually proud of the roof verge and there is damp showing inside on this wall. Bottom line is that the render needs to come off, (its bloody awful anyway), and the whole building needs repointing.

Pretty much the conclusion that you've come to though I suspect!!

 

[lucius]

Looked at a job in France last week its a large property at least two hundred years old. It is as far as I can tell constructed of granite quons around the openings with the walls constructed pink granite stonework the first 400mm up from the base is sand & cement render. Above this the stone work has been pointed with the strongest cement pointing I have ever seen.

Inside: The plasterwork looks like sand & cement with a gypsum finish. Both inside and out have been renovated within the last twenty years.
Around the bottom is 1 metre high timber cladding.

Problem: Above the cladding the walls are damp, paint is bubbling and going chalke, plaster is hollow sounding and cracking and there is a black mould problem in the bathroom.

Outside: The pointing has cracked everywhere, and at the most exposed spot there is damage to one of the pink granite stones.
The previous owner must have known there was a problem with the pointing as they have tried to fill the cracks with clear silicone.

Solution: I have outlined possible solutions to the client (remove pointing re-point in lime going down that route) but the costs are going to be mega , at least 200m2 of pointing.
I would welcome other opinions on this one especially if anyone has removed strong pointing and knows how long it may take or any other solutions you may have.

I await your much welcomed advice.

Ithink you already know the answeres mate the guy has bought a wrongun and now will need to spend a lot of money on it to put it right.

 

[Capital spread]

Ithink you already know the answeres mate the guy has bought a wrongun and now will need to spend a lot of money on it to put it right.

You are right lucius I do know the answer, potentally the cost to put the job right is going to be more than the property cost.

 

[robertrob]

Work in france, nice one :RpS_biggrin:

 

[Capital spread]

Update on this job, got an e mail from the client the other day he's looking for a cheaper option !

 

[lucius]

Bulldozer:RpS_thumbup:

 

[lilharbs]

Get someone over from polski