Pembrokeshire · SA65
We repair cracked, hollow and weather-worn pebble dash on homes and businesses in Fishguard, Goodwick and the villages along this stretch of the north Pembrokeshire coast.
Fishguard is really three places in one: the main town up on the hill, Lower Town tucked into the harbour below, and Goodwick across the bay where the ferry port sits. Between them you will find steep terraces, harbourside cottages, estate housing and seafront properties – and a lot of pebble dash that has taken years of weather straight off Cardigan Bay.
We work across all three, repairing dash on homes, rented houses, guest houses and commercial buildings. Typical jobs include sealing cracks before they let water through, cutting out loose sections and re-dashing them, cleaning off moss and algae, and applying masonry coatings to tidy up tired walls.
Where pebble dash has reached the end of its life, we can re-dash a full elevation or change the finish to a modern render system. Our team has decades of experience in home improvement and repair, and we will always explain the options clearly so you can decide what suits your house and budget.
The older parts of Fishguard and Lower Town are built of stone, with many cottages and terraces later rendered or dashed to keep out the weather. Up in the main town and across in Goodwick, twentieth-century growth brought council and private housing – semis, terraces and bungalows where pebble dash was the expected finish. Some of the housing around Goodwick grew alongside the railway and harbour, and much of it is now dashed.
The coastline faces north and north-west, so the weather here is a little different from the south Pembrokeshire towns. Northerly gales and squalls come in across the bay, and properties on the cliffs and high ground take the brunt. Salt reaches houses near the harbour and along the front. Steep ground means plenty of walls collect run-off and stay wet at the base.
We commonly find dash that has loosened behind a sound-looking surface – tapping reveals it straight away. Cracks around windows and along the line of floor levels are common on estate houses, while older stone properties often show bulging or blown areas where hard dash has parted company with the wall.
Good repairs here mean matching the material to the building, sealing the details that let water in, and allowing proper curing time. Wind is as much a factor as rain: strong drying winds can cause fresh render to crack if it is not protected, so we sheet and shelter work when needed.
Many of the smaller calls we get are about cracks. Our crack repair work opens up the crack, cuts back any loose render around it, and rebuilds with fresh base and dash coats so water is kept out. On walls where cracking is widespread, full re-dashing is often better value than chasing repairs year after year.
If you are tired of pebble dash altogether, we can talk through rendering over pebble dash with a smooth or textured system instead.
Good to know
Usually, yes, though it takes planning. Lanes in Lower Town are narrow and steep, and parking is limited. We look at the access during the survey, may suggest a tower rather than full scaffold for smaller jobs, and will tell you if a permit for the highway could be needed.
It can. North-facing walls get little sun, so they stay damp for longer, and algae and moss grow more easily. When frost follows a wet spell, any water in cracks expands and pushes render away. Those walls often need closer attention and sometimes cleaning as well as repair.
Streaks are often a mix of algae, dirt and run-off from sills or gutters. Near the harbour, salt can add to the staining. Soft-wash cleaning usually lifts it. If streaks follow the same line every time, we will check for a dripping sill, overflowing gutter or crack directing water down the wall.
Yes. On solid stone walls we avoid sealing the wall in with hard, impermeable materials. We use breathable products where appropriate so moisture can still escape. Sometimes the better answer is to remove failed dash and use a lime-based render instead, but we assess the stone first.
We do. As well as Fishguard and Goodwick, we work in Dinas Cross, Newport, Pencaer and the surrounding villages. Rural properties sometimes need extra planning for access and materials delivery, which we sort out during the survey.
Services
Every service below is available in Fishguard and the surrounding area. Tap one for the full details.
Our survey begins with a slow walk round the building. We tap the dash to find hollow areas, look at cracks, and check sills, gutters and beads that might be feeding water into the wall. We will show you aggregate samples where matching matters.
The quote covers scaffold or tower access, parking on steep or narrow streets, and how we will plan around wind and rain. While working, we protect windows, doors and planting, and we take away all waste at the end. Call 07565 147 170 or fill in the website form to arrange a visit.
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Case studies
A painted 1930s semi with cracks running from the front window corners and a damp patch inside. We traced the cause, repaired the cracks and repainted the front elevation.
Typical job exampleRead the case study
A terraced house facing Swansea Bay with hollow render across most of the front. Patching would not have lasted, so we stripped and re-dashed the elevation to match neighbours.
Typical job exampleRead the case study
A post-war semi with several blown areas around pipes and below sills. We patched them using a blend of aggregates sampled to match the existing natural dash.
Typical job exampleRead the case studyFAQs
We look at the size of the area, how much render is loose, wall height and access, the background material, and the finish you want. Steep sites and difficult access can add time. Every quote is written and fixed after a survey, so you know exactly what is included before any work starts.
We aim for the closest match we can get, and we show samples first. Older dash has weathered and stones may no longer be available in the original mix, so a repair can look a little fresher at first. A coating over the whole wall is an option if you want an even appearance straight away.
Yes, as long as the dash is sound. We repair cracks and hollow areas first, clean the wall, then apply a suitable masonry coating. On older solid walls we choose breathable paints. See our painting pebble dash page for more detail.
Done well, it is hard-wearing and copes with weather better than many smooth finishes. The problems usually come from age, poor original workmanship or neglected cracks. Repairing it properly and keeping water-shedding details in good order makes a big difference to how long it lasts.
That depends on how busy we are and on the weather, so we do not promise fixed start dates in advance. Once you accept a quote we give you a likely window and confirm the date as the forecast firms up. Urgent safety issues, such as loose render over a doorway, we try to prioritise.
From the blog
Preparing for a Pebble Dash Job: Scaffolding, Neighbours and TimingA little planning makes any pebble dash job run more smoothly. Here is what to expect with scaffolding, neighbours, permissions and the weather.Read more 
Why Pebble Dash Cracks in Welsh WeatherRain blown in off the Atlantic, frost on the hills and salt on the coast all test pebble dash. Here is how weather causes cracking, and how to slow it down.Read more 
Can You Paint Pebble Dash? What to Know Before You StartPainting can transform tired pebble dash, but it is a long-term commitment. Here is what to consider, how to prepare and which coatings suit Welsh walls.Read more 
Repair, Re-Dash or Render? Choosing the Right Option for Your WallPatching, re-dashing and re-rendering all have their place. This guide explains when each makes sense, what they involve and the questions to ask before deciding.Read more 
Cleaning Pebble Dash Safely: Why Soft-Washing Beats the Jet WasherAlgae and moss love damp Welsh walls. Here is how to clean pebble dash without blasting the stones off, and how to slow down the green coming back.Read more 
How to Tell If Your Pebble Dash Needs RepairingA walk round the outside of your house can tell you a lot. Here are the simple checks that show whether pebble dash is sound or starting to fail.Read more Free survey and a clear written quote anywhere in South & West Wales.