crumbling mortar/rendering over pebbledash or repointing wal

I am having work done to my outside wall which is basically the wall down into my garden where a small shed is (probably an outside loo in the early 1900s. i have had a few builders in (10 to be exact) to comment on work that need doing on my garden. I have asked them to quote on taking off the pebbledash which has in some areas come off and replacing that with some smooth rendering. Only one of them pointed out that cos of the crumbling mortar that he can see - it might be a bigger job in the way that he would have to repoint it before rendering over. he has suggested that he could just tidy up what is there and render over this. As im trying to look at keeping costs down somewhere as works are over £7k i was just wondering if i went this way would there be problems later.

why would you point up a wall that you are going to render ? more key the better,
the render will fill where pointing has come out unless he's talking about copping stones on the top.

from my understanding he said he could take off all the old pebbledashing but if the wall is like the bit he can see - dusty crumbling mortar he would have to repoint it before rendering over.

so do you think its ok to take the pebbledashing off and then render over this. no one else mentioned it apart from to tell me they would have to use some type of equipment - cant remember the name of it now.

Once the old pebbledash is taken off, and all the loose crumbly mortar is removed/cleaned from the joints in the wall,,,,, wet brush/pva the wall and then give it a good scratch coat, whilst the wall/pva was still tacky,,,,,, that would be all that was needed, ready for the top coat of render, another day.

Roughcaster.

Hi Roughcaster thanks for clarifying what marshman said - thats taken a weight of my mind - perhaps he doesnt want do all that work but if as you both are saying its ok to take off and then render over id rather go that way for a better finish. Just waiting for him (and the others to come back with their quotes).

Roughcaster is right in what he say's but do not use pva use an sbr if you need to control suction or stabilise the substrate