Hi,

Although not a DIY question, the people on this group may well have relevant knowledge and experience.

I have a flat, in a small block of nine, with three floors (storeys), ground, first and second. On the upper storey there is a lot of pointing missing and although it may not affect the wall's ability to rsist water ingress, the big gaps in the pointing looks unsightly. As the block is going to be decorated it seems penny-pinching not to address this pointing. As I understand, to make a durable job some of the mortar needs to be raked out before putting in new pointing mortar. If the gaps were just filled with mortar without raking I am told the mortar would fall out in a "few" years. Because of the height, and the nature work involved, I am told (and it seems correct to me) it would be difficult and probably dangerous to try to do this work from ladders. I am also told to scaffold the whole block is "expensive" (although I don't have a price). Does anyone think it is realistic for the work to be done from a moveable scaffolding tower that was somehow securely tied into the wall wherever particular work was being done? We could even buy a tower and resell it if that proved cheaper in the long run.

Thanks in advance,

Clive