Pointing and painting

[Steve]

I'm going to be selling my house in the next few months and I'm doing some work to improve the look of the place. Including redecorating much of the interior.

But one bit I've noticed is the front wall of the house. One course of bricks appears to be very damp, and the pointing is very rough. My plan is to point up the bottom few courses, but since my mortar skills aren't the best, then I'll paint the bottom few courses black. A few houses on the street have had the bottom few courses painted black, one has it up to the window sill! I won't be going that far though.

Any advice or problems with this?

By the way, the previous attempt at repointing seen in the picture was not my work!

 

[^woody^]

You'll make it look like there is or has been a problem there.

You'll be better off leaving it, or just planting something there as a distraction

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

those bottom courses of brick are wet. They are meant to be because they are below the damp course. Don't worry about them, the state of them will not determine the saleability of your house.
Frank

 

[chappers]

and to be honest yours look in pretty good nick

 

[tony1851]

Painting anything on the bricks at ground level, and particularly below the DPC, will result in trouble.

 

[kazuya]

it looks like youd expect it to look, the pointing just wants touching up thats all

 

[Steve]

Painting anything on the bricks at ground level, and particularly below the DPC, will result in trouble.

This was my worry. But as others have said it appears i have little to worry about in the pictures.

Cheers.