Midlothian · Scotland
Howgate External Mastic
External mastic for Howgate, by sealant specialists with 20+ years’ experience. Rated 4.9 on Google from 180+ five-star reviews.
- Sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render
- Joints with sealant missing in places
- Rain getting behind render or cladding at a joint
External mastic in Howgate, done properly
Where two different materials meet, such as brick and render or blockwork and metal, they move at different rates. A flexible sealant bridges the two. We work on concrete & block, copings & trims and render & cladding joints, and the jobs we see most are sealant that has lost its bond to the brick or render and hard, crazed mastic that has stopped moving.
Outside joints can only be sealed when they’re dry, so work in Howgate depends on the weather. Tell us how to reach each wall, gutter and roofline.
Big or small, it’s backed by our one-year guarantee.
- Place
- Howgate (EH26)
- Wider area
- Midlothian
- Cover
- A year, on every job
- Price
- Quoted before any work starts
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Updated
- 26 October 2026
Looking after it afterwards
So the new joints stay in good condition:
- Clear growth from the base of walls and joints
- Avoid pressure-washing directly into sealant joints
- Check the sealant is paintable before painting near it
- Walk round the building once a year and look at the joints
Have a quick look at the joints each spring. Splits, gaps at the edges or plants in the joint are early warning signs.
Water getting behind cladding or render can go unnoticed for a long time. By the time there’s a damp patch, the damage can be well established.
Nearby places to Howgate
More services for Howgate
How the visit works
Every visit runs the same way: we check the joints, protect the area around them, carry out the job and clear up. It normally takes a few hours for a handful of joints, longer for a whole elevation. Outside jobs in Howgate need a dry day, because sealant won’t bond to a wet joint, so an outdoor job can move if the forecast changes. Work indoors is not affected.
- First, the joints are inspected and the access agreed.
- We cut out the old mastic and rake out anything in the joint.
- Joint faces are cleaned back and primed if the sealant needs it.
- We fit closed-cell backing rod to control the depth.
- We apply the sealant, tool it and check the whole run.
How to prepare
- Clear the area around the work
- Let us know about parking restrictions
- Mention if the joints have been sealed before
Getting a quote
We quote each job on its own. Simply drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and describe the job and send pictures if you have them.
Advice
What affects the cost of external mastic
We don’t publish a price list, because jobs vary so much. The quote depends on:
- Whether old sealant or filler has to be cut out
- Any mould that needs treating
- How much there is to do
- How easy the joints are to reach
We don’t show prices on the website, because the cost depends so much on the job itself. For a quick quote, please send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk.
What to tell us for a quote
A few details help us give you an accurate quote. When you get in contact, it helps to mention:
- The rough size of the job
- Whether it’s a home or a business
- Where the property is
- Any previous sealing or DIY work
Getting a quote is simple: let us know the job and the location, and roughly how big it is. A few pictures by email make the job easier to understand, and we’ll come back to you with a quote.
What happens if it’s left?
A low-modulus sealant is chosen because it moves without pulling hard at the edges. That protects surfaces like brick, render and concrete. A stiffer product can damage the joint edge as it fails. Around Howgate, water from a failed joint in an older stone home can soak into timber and plaster.
Instead of a standard rate, we look at what your job involves: the amount of work, the old material and the access. The price is agreed before we begin.
Why Howgate clients choose us
- Domestic, commercial and hotel work
- Anti-fungal sanitary silicone in wet areas
- Approved under the ARBOMaster scheme
- Old sealant always removed completely
Take a look at our cost guide or what customers say.
What external mastic looks like in Howgate
Plenty of Scottish homes have harled walls, and joints where harling meets other materials need a sealant that can grip and flex. Under the Repairing Standard, private landlords in Scotland have to keep homes wind and watertight, and failed outside joints work against that.
If you live in an older home near Howgate Church, the joints between older walls, newer extensions and the roofline need a sealant that can move. If you look after a building such as Wellington School, movement joints, cladding joints and gutters on larger buildings need the same care as a house’s.
Howgate is about 2 miles south-east of Penicuik, in Midlothian. We carry out external mastic for homes and businesses in Howgate and the surrounding area. Howgate is one of 33 towns and villages in Midlothian we cover. We also work in Edinburgh, around 9 miles away.
Here we cover the EH26 postcode area for external mastic. We also cover Penicuik (2 miles north-west), Milton Bridge (3 miles north), Silverburn (3 miles north-west), Swanston (6 miles north) and Bonaly (6 miles north). Further out, we also cover Bonnyrigg (6 miles north-east), Dalkeith (8 miles north-east), Loanhead (5 miles north), Gorebridge (6 miles east), Newtongrange (7 miles north-east) and Mayfield (8 miles north-east).
What’s near Howgate
In Howgate, that means homes and buildings near Penicuik High School, among other places. Nearby you will also find Ravensneuk Castle (1.6 miles west) and Penicuik Paper Heritage Museum (1.1 miles north-west). Open spaces near Howgate include Turnhouse Hill and Edgelaw Reservoir.
Work for landlords, hotels and businesses
Failed sealant is one of the commonest items on a check-out report, and it’s quick to put right between tenancies. Several properties can go on one quote.
Letting agents and landlords in Howgate can book us as well as householders. Resealing between tenancies keeps a property looking cared for before the next move-in.
DIY sealant or a professional job?
The difference is mostly in the preparation and the product. Joints are cleaned back to sound surfaces and dried, and the sealant is chosen for how the joint moves and where it is.
Some jobs are best left to a professional: high-level joints, fire-rated gaps, external movement joints and big jobs call for the right materials, safe access and experience.
Honest limits
Before booking, it’s worth knowing the limits:
- Cracked brickwork or render that needs a builder or plasterer
- Rising or penetrating damp from elsewhere in the wall
- Subsidence or other structural problems
Not sure which it is? You can send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and we will tell you honestly.
Surfaces we seal
- Joints between brick and frames
- Brickwork movement joints
- Concrete & block
- Copings & trims
- Render & cladding joints
- Façade panels
Howgate questions
Is there a guarantee on external mastic in Howgate?
All our work, in Howgate and everywhere else, comes with a 12-month guarantee. We are also fully insured and ARBOMaster approved.
Is Howgate within the area you cover?
Yes, smaller places are covered as well as towns. We work across all of Scotland. Just mention lanes, gates or anything else about the route when you book.
Are you insured?
Yes. We are fully insured, and we’ve been doing sealant work for more than 20 years.
Should I point up the gap in my brickwork?
No, not if it’s a movement joint. Filling it with mortar defeats its purpose. A flexible sealant is the right fill.
Can you work on commercial sites?
Yes. Hotels, offices and other businesses use us and we’re fully insured.
Can you reach joints on upper floors?
It depends on the height and the site. Ground-floor joints are simple; for higher ones, send details and we’ll confirm the access.
When will the joints need doing again?
There’s no fixed answer: joints on exposed walls or with a lot of movement age sooner. A yearly look will tell you when they need doing. Our work comes with a one-year guarantee.
Is there any odour?
Some sealants have a smell while they cure, which fades as it sets. Ventilation helps.