(With apologies to anyone who had already seen this on
free.uk.diy.home)

My parents are convinced that they need to sign away several thousands
of pounds on a treatment known as Protectacoat for a house which has
solid brick walls with pebbledashed render - this is at least 50-60
years old and now there is some penetrating damp.

Protectacoat apparently seals the existing render with some sort of
rubberised layer and claims to provide a waterproof barrier against
further ingress of rain. This sounds highly suspect to me.

I'm wondering whether it would be better (and possibly cheaper) simply
to have the existing pebbledash render removed and a new one
re-applied?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this.

Thanks

Paul