Which paint for brickwork between the roughcasting and ground level

[honestworker]

Some advice, please. There are 3 - 4 rows of brick between the bottom of the roughcasting and the level of the garden. A previous owner has painted these with white masonry paint and it has either peeled off (after 20+ years) or looks dirty.
1) What type of paint should I use?
2) The decorators' centre has said that they can supply Sandtrex Trade, Armstead Trade and Johnstone's Trade. Any preferences? Or a different manufacturer?
3) In order to match the neighbouring semi-detached house's painted bricks, I need a 'reddish terracotta', rather than a 'brownish' terracotta. I have the tintable colour charts for the above three but it's difficult to be sure of the colour to choose. Can anyone recommend the colour to use?
All advice welcome, thank you.

 

[accelerator]

3) Pic of wall necessary.

 

[Wayners]

Sandtex Microseal

Although better not to paint it and clean. Repoint. And maybe coat with dryseal.

Breathable masonry paint is probably best bet if you have to paint it.

Also make sure vents are clear as they can get covered up

 

[honestworker]

Sincere apologies to everyone for the delay in replying. Have been 'working all the hours' since the attached photos. Thanks are due to Wayners for the detailed reply. The white-painted bricks are between the bottom edge of the roughcasting and the slabs/borders.
1) The white paint is an eyesore. I have scraped and wire-brushed it but it's still stuck to the brickwork. See pics.
2) All vents are clear.
3) Breathable masonry paint - please suggest any brands of such paint. My local wholesaler stocks Sandtrex Trade, Armstead Trade and Johnstone's Trade.
4) Can anyone suggest the shade to use to match to my neighbour's red-painted bricks (retired, doesn't know the paint that was used - see pic).
All replies very welcome as I need to do this re-painting before the weather changes.
Thanks again

 

[Scally-Ho]

My answer will depend on where the installed DPC is located.

 

[honestworker]

I have looked very closely for the DPC. As far as I can see, the DPC is located at soil/slab level, below the white-painted brickwork. IMO, it should never have been painted at all but the previous owner couldn't 'leave alone'. Now there is flaking/peeling/dirty white paintwork below the roughcasting.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Once the DPC has been firmly established, I'd clean/scrape off as much paint/coating below the DPC as possible and then if still looking tatty, coat with a bitumen-based product such as Synthaprufe and then allow ample drying time before painting to match the rest of the wall. If you have some fine dry sand, blinding the still wet final coat of Synthaprufe will give added key for the paint when fully set and dry.
Unfortunately, decorating below the DPC will all too often lead to future troubles. My house is pebble dashed and painted down to the DPC and then an angle-drip was installed (by me) before smooth plain render applied below the drip, which is not decorated.

 

[accelerator]

Is the white paint an eyesore because you don't like the colour or because of its condition?

What I'm thinking is if you paint it red, the old paint could still flake off and you will get white flecks.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Is the white paint an eyesore because you don't like the colour or because of its condition?

What I'm thinking is if you paint it red, the old paint could still flake off and you will get white flecks.

Whether is an eyesore or not, standard external paint should not be used below the DPC on an untreated wall.

 

[honestworker]

Thank you very much Scally-Ho, accelerator, and Wayners, and apologies for the delay in replying (have been working non-stop). I will ask for a second opinion on the level of the DPC before proceeding. Also, that's a good point about the (new) red paint flaking off and old white paint showing through - I will give this some further thought.
Thanks again.