Painted Brickwork - Dealbreaker?

[Newowner3019!]

Hi there,

I am in the process of purchasing a property and have just started to consider the fact the lower half of the external brickwork has been painted white.

As you can see from these pictures there is definitely some peeling going on. My main concern is damp and bricks failing from water ingress, and the expense of removing the old paint, re-pointing and then repainting.

Any advice on whether this is a potential deal breaker would be most appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

 

[ree]

In today's desperate need for owning a house its a nothing.
The paint can usually be removed with a bit of tedious work.

 

[Newowner3019!]

In today's desperate need for owning a house its a nothing.
The paint can usually be removed with a bit of tedious work.

Thank you. I just don't want to face serious structural issues further down the line! Thanks again

 

[johnny2007]

Anyone painting bricks should be shot at dawn.

 

[Newowner3019!]

Anyone painting bricks should be shot at dawn.

All houses on this road are the same! Presume it was built like this. Would you avoid?

 

[johnny2007]

All houses on this road are the same! Presume it was built like this. Would you avoid?

I would, but not for a structural matter, simply because I hate painted bricks.

 

[ree]

OP, presumably you are having the property surveyed - at least by a mortgage surveyor?
Painted masonry is no reason to avoid anything. Would you swerve a property because of the wallpaper?

 

[Newowner3019!]

OP, presumably you are having the property surveyed - at least by a mortgage surveyor?
Painted masonry is no reason to avoid anything. Would you swerve a property because of the wallpaper?

Of course, but a decent survey is good money and I'd rather guage as many issues now before employing a surveyor. It's a big and scary decision so am questioning a lot!

But no I would not turn down a house due to wallpaper, but I might turn one down if external paint has damaged the bricks and would cost tens of thousands of pounds to rectify.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

If they're all painted then it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

I'd wonder about one where it was the only painted one - what was it hiding? But in your case this isn't an issue.

It doesn't take long to knock the loose off and slap some more on. I wouldn't strip it, it will never look right and it will then be the odd one out.

 

[Newowner3019!]

If they're all painted then it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

I'd wonder about one where it was the only painted one - what was it hiding? But in your case this isn't an issue.

It doesn't take long to knock the loose off and slap some more on. I wouldn't strip it, it will never look right and it will then be the odd one out.

Thank you for your response!

In terms of stripping it, it would be with a view to repaint it with breathable masonry paint and repoint the brickwork if needed. But the more I look into it the more it seems this would be a huge cost!

Thanks again for your thoughts

 

[^woody^]

Paint them red with some grey lines.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Paint them red with some grey lines.

You can get brick-a-like wallpaper - I'll get me coat..

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I had one that was half-peeling. I just knocked the loose off and put a couple of gobby coats of textured paint over. It looked pretty passable, and stayed stuck together for the years we still lived there.

 

[Notch7]

As you can see from these pictures there is definitely some peeling going on. My main concern is damp and bricks failing from water ingress

Is the house cavity wall or solid construction?

Peeling paint is not a particular indicator of damp ingress

Bricks are generally porous, so paint tends to peel off.

There’s no visible decay to the pointing nor is there any particular evidence of cracks

 

[Newowner3019!]

Is the house cavity wall or solid construction?

Peeling paint is not a particular indicator of damp ingress

Bricks are generally porous, so paint tends to peel off.

There’s no visible decay to the pointing nor is there any particular evidence of cracks

It's cavity wall if that helps?

Thank you for your advice/thoughts! Definitely peeling off