--- title: "Brickwork in Reading & Berkshire | Pointing & Repairs | Philbert Construction" description: "Specialist brickwork, repointing and brick repairs across Reading, Newbury & Basingstoke. 18 years' experience, fully insured. Free quote in 48hrs." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "LocalBusiness", "GeneralContractor", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness" ], "@id": "/#business", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "alternateName": "Philbert Construction", "url": "/", "telephone": "+447446909887", "email": "philbertconstruction@gmail.com", "priceRange": "££", "currenciesAccepted": "GBP", "paymentAccepted": "Cash, BACS, Bank Transfer", "taxID": "11797167", "foundingDate": "2008", "slogan": "Built right. 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We provide free, no-obligation written quotes after a site visit so you can see exactly what's included before committing." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does a brickwork job take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Repointing a typical semi-detached elevation is 3–5 days with two bricklayers. A new garden wall is 2–4 days. Chimney rebuilds vary with scaffold but usually a week. We give you a day-by-day plan with the quote." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you guarantee your brickwork?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We don't issue formal written guarantees, but we stand behind every job. If something we did isn't right, get in touch and we'll come back to look at it. We're fully insured and your statutory rights are unaffected." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you match the brick on my Victorian house?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In almost every case, yes. We've matched soft Reading reds, Berkshire stocks and London yellows on dozens of homes. The trick is photographing your wall under overcast light and sampling three suppliers before committing. We never start matched work without your sign-off on a sample panel." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does new brickwork last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A properly built and pointed wall in the right mortar will outlast the original — typically 80–100 years before any meaningful re-pointing is needed. The brickwork on the houses we built in 2008 is still tight today." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you handle emergencies like fallen chimneys or storm damage?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. We respond within 24 hours for unsafe brickwork in Reading, Newbury, Basingstoke and surrounding areas. We'll make it safe first — temporary capping, scaffold, debris removal — and quote the permanent repair separately so insurance is straightforward." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need planning permission for a new garden wall?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Walls under 1m fronting a highway, or 2m elsewhere, are usually permitted development. Anything taller, listed properties, or conservation areas need consent — we'll tell you on the site visit and refer you to the right person if drawings are needed." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will you use lime mortar on my older house?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "If your house is pre-1919, yes — almost always. Modern cement mortar is too hard for soft Victorian and Edwardian bricks and causes the brick face to crack and spall. We mix NHL 3.5 hydraulic lime on site for these jobs." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you clean up at the end of each day?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Off-cuts go straight in the skip, mortar boards are washed, dust sheets shaken out. Hands washed before we step inside if we need to. We treat your front garden like our own." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are you insured for brickwork at height?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — we're fully insured. Certificates are available on request." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brickwork", "item": "/services/brickwork" } ] } ] --- [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) Tadley, RG26 4LU Mon–Sat 8:00–17:30 · Sun 8:00–16:00 [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) [![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png)](/) [About](/about) [Services](/services) [Areas](/service-areas) [Our Work](/our-work) [Reviews](/reviews) [Contact](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887)[Request Estimate](/contact) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Brickwork ![Brickwork project in Reading — Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/1364f20e-beca-46d8-a062-0587ff11f6ba/hero-brickwork.jpg) Brickwork · Reading & Berkshire # Specialist Brickwork, Pointing & Repairs Across Reading & Berkshire Hand-cut, hand-laid brickwork from a family team that built its reputation on this single craft — straight courses, clean joints, mortar that matches your house, finished without the mess most builders leave behind. [Get a Free Written Quote](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) 5.0 average from verified Google reviews Fully insured · 18 years building in Berkshire 18 years Building across Berkshire Fully insured Cover on every project Written quotes Itemised within 48 hours Free quotes No-obligation, in writing Same-day Response on enquiries Recent work ## A look at projects across Berkshire. [View all](/our-work) ![Block paving driveway with front wall](/__l5e/assets-v1/72e7228c-b78f-43b8-850f-2304bcf536fe/480080872_1086022363324893_8599073537129495081_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway of a large house](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb4ab9c9-51e5-4a6b-a445-d0e9026edb7e/480105703_1085140566746406_9031678587810065028_n.jpg) driveways ![Block paving driveway with curved lawn](/__l5e/assets-v1/0f5e5563-edd0-49d5-b89a-abba5e6dc846/480238940_1086022796658183_436938064635199783_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway in front of brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/8f388a53-600c-4737-b1d9-0ec2e6801c7b/480393816_1086022319991564_2781699704335370881_n.jpg) driveways ![New house extension with modern bifold doors](/__l5e/assets-v1/1fd646cb-8a90-4dcb-886d-cdc311c87b4e/480854993_3895339790780895_7526137736934487079_n.jpg) extensions ![Completed brick house extension with large windows](/__l5e/assets-v1/206467b5-e6d8-4393-a30a-fe0bb44c25e1/481151972_1094648239128972_1070400166830768780_n.jpg) extensions ![Gravel driveway in front of large red brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/f5c5e444-8c94-474c-8e60-42c03a0a6b65/481240993_3895339984114209_3698667434209698521_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house with gravel driveway and wooden porch](/__l5e/assets-v1/f97318c3-8249-4dbd-ba70-8dbe4b48bcf1/481267970_3895340080780866_8552531333452770995_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house showing lawn, gravel driveway, and fences](/__l5e/assets-v1/8821b9d2-48dc-4d22-8d5a-7393c51f9ff0/482268556_3904298196551721_2009600277385838606_n.jpg) landscaping ![tarmac driveway with brick and flint wall and gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/b9a2f0c2-c584-49f7-a0bd-8bd510af5749/483876245_1105897564670706_4172320846332780299_n.jpg) driveways ![tarmac driveway with brick pillars and wooden gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/65ee1340-caae-443b-8e0d-ce52e2fb62bb/484586705_1105897558004040_8849210585312474729_n.jpg) driveways ![new brick and flint wall with wooden gate and tarmac drive](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb23a941-2348-44d9-a65b-e3e68556a7a2/484615654_1105897551337374_805596375624489868_n.jpg) brickwork ![new build house under construction](/__l5e/assets-v1/e096a49c-7b10-4bac-a465-0b4abc022643/484648283_1106418277951968_5046185084479331938_n.jpg) extensions ![Newly built house, modern rendering.](/__l5e/assets-v1/ebdb8edb-a9ea-4d64-8675-aa11efc4b1cd/484698262_3912002745781266_8739382140586069315_n.jpg) extensions [View all work](/our-work) What we do ## Brickwork done properly — the first time. What it is Brickwork covers everything from a single garden wall to full structural elevations on an extension — laying brick, blockwork, repointing failing mortar joints, and matching repairs into existing Victorian or Edwardian walls. Who it's for Homeowners with a wall that's bulging, cracked or leaking; renovators who need an extension built that actually matches the original house; landlords whose chimneys or boundary walls need bringing back to safe condition. When you need it When mortar starts crumbling out by hand, when you see step-cracking through brick courses, when a wall leans visibly off plumb, or when you're planning an extension and need the brickwork specced before drawings go to building control. Why a specialist matters Bad brickwork is permanent. A non-specialist gets the mortar mix wrong and you'll be repointing again in five years, or worse, the wall fails inspection and has to come down. Specialist bricklayers price the job once and walk away from it for 50 years. The cost of waiting ## Failing brickwork doesn't stay still — it gets worse, faster, every winter. ### What happens if it's ignored - Open mortar joints let water in; that water freezes, expands and blows the face off your bricks within two or three winters. - A bulging wall is a structural defect. Mortgage surveyors flag it, buyers walk away, and emergency rebuilds cost three to four times the price of doing it properly now. - Damp patches inside the house are almost always failed pointing outside. Plaster gets ruined, skirtings rot, and you pay twice. - Insurance claims for falling masonry — chimneys, parapets, garden walls — are routinely refused when the cause is documented as 'lack of maintenance'. ### Mistakes we fix every month - Hiring a general handyman who uses a strong cement mortar on a soft Victorian brick — within two years the brick face spalls off, not the mortar. - Repointing only the worst patch instead of the whole elevation, leaving a visible scar and a weak point that fails next. - Skipping the proper raking-out and just smearing fresh mortar over old — looks fine for six months, then falls out in sheets. - Letting the chimney 'wait until next year' three years running, then needing scaffolding plus a rebuild instead of just a re-point. Our process ## A clear five-step system from first call to final handover. 1. Step 1 ### Site Visit & Inspection We come to you, measure up, photograph the site and listen properly to what you want from the brickwork. 2. Step 2 ### Written Quote & Diagnosis You get an itemised, fixed-price quote within 48 hours — labour, materials, timings and what's specifically excluded. 3. Step 3 ### Schedule & Prepare We agree a start date, order materials in advance and protect your home — dust sheets, walkways, skip placement. 4. Step 4 ### Build & Communicate Daily progress updates from your dedicated foreman. No subcontractor merry-go-round — you see the same faces every day. 5. Step 5 ### Sign-Off & Handover Final walk-around with you, snags fixed on the spot — we don't leave until you're happy with the finish. What you get ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### 50-year brickwork Properly specified lime or cement mortar matched to your brick — the joint outlasts the brick itself. ### Structurally sound We work to NHBC standards on every elevation, with movement joints, wall ties and DPCs detailed correctly. ### Built to last No comeback in three winters. Our pointing from 2008 is still tight today — we go back and photograph it. ### Matched to your house We hand-blend mortar on site to match colour and texture so repairs vanish into the original wall. ### On-site in days, not months Most pointing and repair jobs start within two weeks of accepting the quote — small jobs sooner. ### Clean site, every day Sheets down, off-cuts skipped, hands washed before we step inside. Your house, not a building site. The detail ## Materials, methods and variations for brickwork in Reading. Brickwork in Berkshire ranges from soft hand-made Victorian stocks in Caversham and central Reading to wire-cut modern facing bricks in Newbury and Thatcham new-builds. Each needs a different mortar, a different joint profile and a different bricklayer's hand. Below is what we actually use, and why. ### Materials we work with Facing bricks Ibstock, Wienerberger and Michelmersh handmade ranges for sensitive matching jobs; we keep a sample library and order on a 100-brick sample first to confirm under your daylight. Lime mortar (NHL 3.5) Mandatory on pre-1919 properties. Allows the wall to breathe and move; using cement here is the single biggest cause of brick-face spalling we see. Cement mortar (1:1:6) Standard mix for modern brick on extensions and new builds — plasticised, hawk-applied, struck to a weather joint. Reclaimed bricks Sourced from local reclaim yards in Reading and Pangbourne when matching extensions to period homes. Always cleaned, sorted and tested for frost resistance first. ### Methods & techniques Repointing Joints raked out to 20mm minimum by hand or with a quirk, washed down, then pressed in two passes with a finger or weather-struck iron. Stitch repairs Helical stainless ties bedded into raked horizontal beds to repair stepped cracks without a full rebuild. Brick matching We photograph the existing wall under cloud-cover light and source from three suppliers minimum before showing you samples. Cavity wall construction Full-fill mineral wool or partial-fill PIR with stainless ties at 450mm centres, weep vents every fourth perp at DPC. ### Common variations & situations - Garden and boundary walls (single skin, 1.8m max without piers) - Retaining walls with weep holes and engineered footings - Chimney rebuilds above and below the roof line - Period property repointing in lime mortar - Extension elevations matched to existing house - Decorative features — arches, plinths, dentil courses, soldier brick window heads - Structural openings with new lintels and bearing pads - Tuck pointing and bagging on character properties ### Residential vs commercial Residential brickwork is judged at three paces — colour match, joint finish and clean cuts matter more than raw speed. Commercial elevations (we work on small developments and shopfronts in Reading and Newbury) are judged on speed of build, NHBC compliance and consistency over hundreds of square metres. We have crews for both; the lead bricklayer is the same person from quote to handover either way. Common questions ## What homeowners in Reading ask before booking. ### How much does brickwork cost in Reading? ### How long does a brickwork job take? ### Do you guarantee your brickwork? ### Can you match the brick on my Victorian house? ### How long does new brickwork last? ### Do you handle emergencies like fallen chimneys or storm damage? ### Do I need planning permission for a new garden wall? ### Will you use lime mortar on my older house? ### Do you clean up at the end of each day? ### Are you insured for brickwork at height? Related services ### Often booked alongside brickwork - [Extensions — Single & double-storey extensions designed and built end-to-end. ](/services/extensions) - [Groundworks — Foundations, drainage and site prep — done right the first time. ](/services/groundworks) - [Roofing — New roofs, re-roofs and repairs — pitched and flat. ](/services/roofing) [See all services](/services) Areas we cover for brickwork ### Local brickwork crews near you - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) [All service areas](/service-areas) Recent work ## Recent brickwork projects across Reading & Berkshire. ![new brick and flint wall with wooden gate and tarmac drive — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb23a941-2348-44d9-a65b-e3e68556a7a2/484615654_1105897551337374_805596375624489868_n.jpg) ![modern brick property exterior — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/76834cdf-da3b-4cad-b769-0730b122162f/670412248_1418340710093055_4295444058192710121_n.jpg) ![new build house brickwork and fencing — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/aa7a9051-e885-40bc-9763-93d3321af01c/482089354_1101666658427130_2599768940872409720_n.jpg) ![Newly built red brick wall with pillars — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/9484f8b9-df7c-44c4-ad8a-e16afb474aa3/483069720_1105897494670713_8144377888245517444_n.jpg) ![brick and flint wall with house sign — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/f73bf2e2-7907-41f5-bda1-6740fda08bb8/483101766_1105897488004047_5732654118412743539_n.jpg) ![new brick wall under construction — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/dc2897b2-467b-4d9f-b68a-17e87785dabf/483102823_1105897468004049_6364720736536033112_n.jpg) ![garden wall construction, curved brickwork — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/95bf2665-63c5-4478-ab52-c22826524f79/483103727_1105897554670707_8822516095340639830_n.jpg) ![new brick walls construction — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/cb259db8-d5c6-4c14-9f78-61684f7140b6/484898405_1107664867827309_6339999888782839531_n.jpg) ![new brick walls of an extension — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/4e55bc19-c41b-4a68-9d4e-46d5dc952b9b/484919156_1107665187827277_2574898293898476195_n.jpg) ![newly laid brick wall — Philbert Construction brickwork project in Reading](/__l5e/assets-v1/43641105-6418-4e99-b5fa-2f1ca9f668f8/484955432_1107664887827307_7597220859073666656_n.jpg) Ready when you are ## Get a fixed written quote for your brickwork — within 48 hours. No high-pressure sales. No vague day rates. Just an itemised quote from a builder who's been on the tools for 18 years. [Request Free Estimate](/contact) [Call 07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) Fully insured 18 years on the tools Quote within 48 hours Or [return home](/) · [see recent work](/our-work) · [read reviews](/reviews) ![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png) A family-run construction company based in Tadley. 18 years of brickwork, extensions, roofing and groundworks across Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) #### Services - [Brickwork](/services/brickwork) - [Extensions](/services/extensions) - [Structural Alterations](/services/structural-alterations) - [Patios](/services/patios) - [Groundworks](/services/groundworks) - [Driveways](/services/driveways) - [Roofing](/services/roofing) #### Areas - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) - [Pangbourne](/service-areas/pangbourne) - [Bucklebury](/service-areas/bucklebury) - [Goring](/service-areas/goring) - [Oxford](/service-areas/oxford) #### Get in Touch - [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) - [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) - 14 Willow Road, Tadley, England, RG26 4LU Opening Hours Mon–Sat · 08:00–17:30 Sunday · 08:00–16:00 © 2026 Philbert Construction Ltd. All rights reserved · Company No. 11797167 [Privacy](/privacy-policy)· [Terms](/terms-conditions) [Call Now](tel:+447446909887) [Free Estimate](/contact)