Brickwork questions

Hi all,

Looking for some advice.

Next job for our old cottage is the former outbuilding now utility room. Previous owners have extended out to it and used it as a kitchen previously.

It's a single skin brick construction. Our property is grade listed so we have limitations to work with but one thing we are keen on doing is stripping off the awfully done white paint off all the internal brick work.
I'm not sure what type of paint has been used, but in some places it's falling/peeling off with ease, revealing a crumbly brick face underneath. In other places it seems a bit more well adhered. I've got some paint stripper on it at the moment but I've already gone at a few areas with a wire brush on the drill and a scraper as you can see in the photos.
Any other suggestions for removing it without damaging the bricks? I fear that sandblasting may damage the brick work but it would certainly be an awful lot quicker.

The top layer of mortar is coming off with the paint and is sandy/crumbly but leaving underneath quite sound and reasonably dry motor. Am I right in thinking that by the looks of it, this is lime mortar?
Looking at the photos, do you think this will need repointing?

Would this type of paint be contributing to the condensation we get in there? Because it just sits on the paint, it can't escape? My thoughts was taking it back to the red brick (which we like the look of anyway) and with what and the lime mortar the room becomes breathable again? Depending on the finish, we may limewash to allow the bricks the breath as well.






Thanks in advance!

It's a single skin, hence I would make it a double skin and insulate it.
Costly but there to serve you for the rest of your days.

johnny2007 said:

It's a single skin, hence I would make it a double skin and insulate it.
Costly but there to serve you for the rest of your days.

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I would assume that we would need to apply for listed building consent to do this. The gable end wall was studded out and covered in insulated plasterboard, and then tiled as this was where the cooker was previously. However I don't think this was done correctly as the back of the insulation was damp when I investigated. We also aren't too keen on losing anymore space on there as it's quite a narrow room already.

Remove plasterboard and batons and add a second skin.
You will lose 4 inches.

The paint makes no difference to whether condensation occurs - which is because it's cold brickwork.

You need an internal layer of something to take the cold surface away. And if you are going to do that, then it may as well be a layer of efficient insulation, not inefficient masonry. And in doing that, add an impervious layer of polythene to stop damp getting through.

See any of the numerous garage conversion threads.

You need to check the listing to see if you need consent. Removing the paint may have required consent if that's part of the listing.