Edinburgh · Scotland
Southhouse External Mastic
External mastic across Southhouse and nearby, with old sealant always removed completely and a 12-month guarantee.
- Rigid filler in a joint that should flex
- Old sealant gone brittle and cracked
- Moss and dirt in joints with no sealant left
Why act early in Southhouse
Low-modulus sealants stretch easily, so they put less strain on the joint edges. That protects surfaces like brick, render and concrete. A stiffer product can damage the joint edge as it fails. For landlords in Southhouse, damp and leaks can be a Repairing Standard issue, so it’s worth fixing failed sealant before a tenant reports it.
Rather than a set price list, we price the job in front of us: how many joints, what’s in them now and how we reach them. The price is agreed before we begin.
Why book with us
- 20+ years of sealant experience
- ARBOMaster approved applicator
- We leave the area clean and tidy
- Sanitary silicone with an anti-fungal additive in wet areas
Read our cost guide and our reviews.
External mastic in Southhouse, done properly
Ground-floor and low-level joints are straightforward to reach. For joints higher up, give us some details of the building and we’ll confirm what access is needed. Common call-outs are for cracked joints where brick meets render or frames and sealant pulling away from one side of the joint, across render & cladding joints, copings & trims and joints between brick and frames.
Scotland’s cities also have plenty of modern blocks with rendered or clad walls and sealed movement joints. Around Southhouse, as anywhere, those joints dry out and crack over time, letting water behind the face of the building.
The work is guaranteed for twelve months. If there’s a problem with our work within the year, let us know and we’ll sort it.
- Place
- Southhouse (EH17, EH16)
- Region
- Edinburgh
- Cover
- 12 months on all our work
- Quote
- A clear quote up front
- info@mrmastic.co.uk
- Last updated
- 26 October 2026
What external mastic looks like in Southhouse
Plenty of Scottish homes have harled walls, and joints where harling meets other materials need a sealant that can grip and flex. The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Georgian New Town is known for its sash windows. For listed homes and conservation areas, check with the council before changing how windows or walls look.
Melville Castle, about 2.1 miles east, is one of the historic houses in the wider area around Southhouse, and older homes nearby need a sealant that suits their walls. If you look after a building such as Gracemount High School, larger buildings have long runs of movement joint that eventually need resealing.
Southhouse is about 4 miles south-east of Edinburgh, in Edinburgh. Whether you’re in the middle of Southhouse or further out, we cover external mastic for every kind of property. Southhouse is one of 175 places in Edinburgh we cover for external mastic.
Work in EH17 and EH16 works the same way as everywhere else we cover. We cover properties on Tor Lane, Soutra Road and Mansion Lane. Other places close to Southhouse include Gracemount (1 mile north), Kaimes (1 mile west), Howden Hall (1 mile north-west), Alnwickhill (1 mile north-west) and Ellen's Glen (1 mile north-east). Within a short drive, we also cover Edinburgh (4 miles north-west), Leith (6 miles north), Bonnington (5 miles north), Greenside (4 miles north), Broughton (4 miles north) and Bellevue (4 miles north).
Landmarks near Southhouse
Typical jobs here are in homes near Drum Park and Liberton Parish Church and the streets around them. For rail, the closest station is Shawfair station, about 2.8 miles north-east of the centre. A little further out are Liberton Hospital (0.6 miles north) and Cameron Toll Shopping Centre (1.8 miles north). Green spaces nearby include Blackford Hill and Duddingston Loch.
What affects the quote in Southhouse
Some jobs are bigger than they look, and some smaller. What affects the quote:
- The number and length of the joints
- Access and height
- The product the joint needs
- The old material and how stubborn it is
No two jobs are quite the same, so we quote each one individually. Size, access and the product the joint needs all play a part.
Helping us quote
To make quoting easier, let us know:
- Pictures of the joints, sent by email
- The problem you’ve noticed
- The rough size of the job
- Whether it has been sealed before
To get a quote, send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us where the job is and what the problem looks like. We will send you a clear quote before any work starts.
Common problems we fix in Southhouse
Many joints fail because they were sealed too deep or with nothing behind them. Sealant bonded to three sides has nowhere to go and rips as the joint opens.
People generally contact us when they notice something like this:
- Old sealant gone brittle and cracked
- Water getting into walls through failed joints
- Failed sealant between panels on a façade
- Gaps where render, brick and frames meet
Rented homes near Shawfair station change hands often, and outside joints that have cracked can let damp into a rental, so check them between lets.
Questions to ask before you book
- How long the guarantee is
- How long to leave it before use
- How hidden problems are handled
- Whether you can choose the colour
What happens on the day
Good joint work is mostly preparation, so that’s where we spend the time. Every joint is cleaned and dried before new material goes in. In total, it usually takes a few hours for a handful of joints, longer for a whole elevation. In a city area like Southhouse, parking may be by permit or pay-and-display, so tell us what’s nearby. For flats, mention the door entry system and any shared-stair arrangements.
- We start by walking round the building and agreeing the joints and the access.
- Every bit of old sealant and any mortar or debris is cut out.
- The faces are brushed clean and primed where the product requires it.
- Backing rod sized to the joint goes in to set the depth.
- The exterior sealant is applied, tooled and checked along its length.
How to prepare
- On commercial sites, let us know about site rules
- Let us know about earlier repairs to the joints
- Plan for the work area to be out of bounds to pets and children
Ask for a quote
For a quick quote, get us on the phone, or send an email if you’d rather. Describe what needs sealing and we will talk you through the work.
Related advice
FAQs for Southhouse
Do you cover Southhouse for external mastic?
Yes. Our work covers the whole of Scotland, and Southhouse is part of that. You can send an email to info@mrmastic.co.uk and tell us what needs doing, and we will send you a clear quote.
I let a flat near Shawfair station. Can you help?
Yes, landlords and agents are among the people we work for. You can email us at info@mrmastic.co.uk with the details for a clear quote.
Do you work at height?
That depends on how high the joints are and the ground below. Low-level joints are straightforward; for higher work, tell us about the building and we will confirm what’s needed.
How long does the job take?
As a guide, most jobs take a few hours to a few days, depending on the length of joint and the access. Larger jobs naturally take longer, and we’ll tell you how long to expect.
Can you seal over the old sealant?
No. We remove every bit of old sealant first.
Can you work on commercial sites?
Yes. We work in offices, washrooms, hotels and other commercial premises. We can talk about working times when we quote.
Can you seal joints between two different materials?
Yes. Different materials move at different rates, so the joint between them must be flexible. We choose one that suits both surfaces.
What is backing rod for?
Backing rod goes into deeper joints as a matter of course. It sets the sealant depth and prevents three-sided bonding so the bead can stretch.
Keeping the joints in good condition
No joint lasts for ever, but care makes a real difference. Our tips:
- Keep water from gutters off the wall
- Walk round the building once a year and look at the joints
- Avoid pressure-washing directly into sealant joints
- Tell anyone working on the walls about the movement joints
Only paint over the joint if we have confirmed the sealant can take paint. Many exterior sealants aren’t designed to be painted, and paint can crack as the joint moves.
Leave a failed movement joint and water keeps getting into the wall. That can lead to damp patches, staining and frost damage which cost more to put right than the joint.
What sealant work cannot fix
A few problems are outside what sealant work can do:
- Subsidence or other structural problems
- Render that is blown, hollow or coming away
- Cracked brickwork or render that needs a builder or plasterer
If you’re not sure, just drop us a line at info@mrmastic.co.uk and we’ll give you a straight answer.
What we seal
- Render & cladding joints
- Joints between brick and frames
- Concrete & block
- Brickwork movement joints
- Façade panels
- Copings & trims
What the job involves on each surface
Joints between dissimilar materials
Where a frame or panel meets masonry, water often finds a way in. We cut out the old sealant and reseal with a product suited to both surfaces.
Render joints
Cracks along render joints let water in behind the coat. Resealing the joints early keeps water out.