In 40 seconds
Repointing brickwork in the UK typically costs £40–£90 per m²: roughly £25–£60 per m² for cement mortar on post-1930 walls, rising to about £60–£90 per m² for lime mortar on period homes. A full-house repoint commonly lands between £1,500 and £5,000, and more once scaffolding and repairs are added. Done correctly with a compatible mortar, repointing lasts 20–30 years and often far longer — well-prepared lime joints can last 50 years or more, while cement on soft old brick can start failing in 10–20 years. The single biggest mistake is using a mortar harder than the brick, so the honest answer always depends on your wall, its age and how much of it needs raking out.
Most repointing guidance is published by firms doing the work, so the prices read low and the mortar question gets skipped. The pages below give honest cost ranges, explain how long the work really lasts, set out why lime and cement mortar are not interchangeable, list the signs your joints are failing, and compare repointing with rendering — before you take a single quote.