A brick porch is an attractive and practical addition to any house. It doesn’t matter if the porch is open and simply provides shelter from bad weather and a place to sit on the good days. Equally, your brick porch could be enclosed and offer storage and a place to keep all your outside gear.
The uses of a porch are almost limitless. But, you also need to be aware that they will suffer as they are exposed to all weather. There comes a time when you need to repair them. Before you do, you should consider the following three points.
Level of Damage
The first consideration is how badly is the porch damaged? The longer you’ve left it without maintenance and repairs the worse it is likely to be. In short, the bigger the repair job the more t’s going to cost you. If the damage extends to the materials themselves, replacing sections with brick veneer can be a cost-effective and durable solution. Brick veneer products from I-XL not only restore the structural integrity but also enhance the aesthetic appeal of the porch. By addressing issues early and using quality materials, you can prevent further deterioration and avoid higher repair costs down the line.
It’s a good idea to talk to some professionals at this stage. If your porch is simply looking untidy and the mortar between the bricks is crumbling, then a specialist in brick repointing will be able to help you.
But, if the damage is more extensive you may want to get a building survey to look at it first, it may be simpler to knock it down and start again.
The Design
If your porch simply needs some repointing and the odd brick replaced then you’ve done well. This is a comparatively simple task. But, if the damage is worse then you may be in a good position to look at the current design and tweak it. You don’t need to remove the entire porch to do this.
Providing elements of the porch can be removed separately, you‘ll find it very easy to remove the parts you don’t like and restyle them. It’s easier than you think and can transform the look of your home. Of course, if the style is that bad you can always remove the entire porch and rebuild it.
In most cases, planning permission will not be necessary. This is a good opportunity to add in some personal touches and make your porch something that you are proud of.
Cost
Unfortunately, the bottom line for most home improvement projects is the cost. It is obviously significantly cheaper to repoint an existing brick porch and carry on using it. But, if you have the fund available it is worth considering what you would really like the porch to look like. Then, incorporate it into the new design.
This is the more costly approach but ultimately will be the more satisfying.
Final Thoughts
Your porch is more than just an entranceway to your home. It is often the first thing that you and others will see and it sets the tone for your home. It’s important that you choose a style you like and maintain it properly.
Having brickwork as part of this is a good idea, you just need to take care of it regularly.