All sounds a bit complicated to me. Sort the downpipe out and you may
not need to do anything else.

Thanks - I think it will need repointing at the front (at least partly)
and anyway all the front paint needs stripped/sanded as it is in a
state anyway.

Thanks for all the advice from the other posters, too.

do you mean the brickwork is painted? If so that wont help any.

NT