Think lime re-pointing not done correctly by contractor - opinions needed please

Eldrax

Had semi-detached repointed over past few weeks, brick, the contractor used NHL 3.5 and sharp sand. Front and back done in fine weather, then last week it was raining and they were repointing the gable end at top and lower - they decided to stop as the rain was hitting the wall at top of gable (also it looked messy with alot of lime on the brick at the top).  Then the Friday it was a cold windy day (worse as the gable end is northeast facing and it's quite windy along that wall in ).  Friday morning I checked what had been done lower down and there were a few cracks and parts look a bit 'sandy'.  As it was going to be quite cold overnight, I asked the guy to not do any pointing again until Monday, and he agreed. 
I also queried with him if it shouldn't be covered due to the wind, as I'd seen somewhere online that is needs to be protected for the first few says and he said that this was not necessary as once it's pressed in and smoothed over then it's set on the surface.  I asked again if he'd done a lot of lime repointing and he confirmed he has (also there are pictures online of previous work/numerous glowing reviews for repointing work - not sure how many for lime?).  I had queried this before, too, and he said no it's sealed when smoothed over, then slowly dries from the inside out (as they wet the wall)
Anyway, at this point they had removed the old lime mortar and I had many holes in the wall.  Also they'd already done the rest of the house, winter is fast approaching and availability of people to do any building work is minimal. Also, I'm not the 'expert'.  So they continued and completed most of the pointing yesterday, and we're now due torrential downpours. 
My question: does this sound right?  That covering of the mortar is not needed?  I've done a bit more reading online and, to my dismay, most say that it should indeed be covered for 3-5 days, and one says should also be protected from rain.  
Next question might be for the consumer rights section - what are my options if this hasn't been done correctly?  They're due back tomorrow to finish replacing the gutters and to do a few odd bits of repointing above a window.  

stuart45

Have you got a photo of the work?

Eldrax

Hopefully you can view these ok.  He did redo the parts that were cracked on the gable end, though I've noticed a few hariline cracks in the walls done a couple weeks ago (pic 4 but the crack doesn't really show up well in the photo)

stuart45

Wouldn't call it top quality work, but have seen a lot worse. You went for a half round tooled finish rather than a flush joint finished with the churn brush.
It is best tp protect it from the elements for a week.

Eldrax

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm happy enough with the pointing itself - it's just this covering thing. I have no means to protect the wall, so looks like I'll have to take my chances. Is it essential though - what I've read on internet suggests it is for it to harden properly? Will it definitely fail,or any chance it'll be ok? 

Homer_home

Any hairline cracks that appear in lime mortar when it's dry will disappear when it's wet , it's what lime mortar does

Are you sure that a half round finish, cause if it is it's terrible , I would be embrassed to call that my work 

stuart45

Eldrax said:

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm happy enough with the pointing itself - it's just this covering thing. I have no means to protect the wall, so looks like I'll have to take my chances. Is it essential though - what I've read on internet suggests it is for it to harden properly? Will it definitely fail,or any chance it'll be ok? 

It's a good idea to keep it damp with the mister on the hose sprayer. How deep did he rake out the joints?
For NHL I mix it for about 20 minutes to get enough air into the mix and then let it fatten up for about 20.
It depends on the weather how you cover it. Damp hessian on hot sunny days, plastic for heavy rain, dry hessian for frost.

Eldrax

He removed old mortar to about 2 times the joint width, though in some places there was just big holes/gaps (either already there, or just behind previous mortar - was almost sand behind a thin veneer of cement in places)

neilmcl

Eldrax said:

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm happy enough with the pointing itself - it's just this covering thing. I have no means to protect the wall, so looks like I'll have to take my chances. Is it essential though - what I've read on internet suggests it is for it to harden properly? Will it definitely fail,or any chance it'll be ok? 

Only really needs to be covered in either hot or very cold conditions, and as mentioned misted over for the first few days. When did he actually finish.

Eldrax

neilmcl said:

Eldrax said:

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm happy enough with the pointing itself - it's just this covering thing. I have no means to protect the wall, so looks like I'll have to take my chances. Is it essential though - what I've read on internet suggests it is for it to harden properly? Will it definitely fail,or any chance it'll be ok? 

Only really needs to be covered in either hot or very cold conditions, and as mentioned misted over for the first few days. When did he actually finish.

Right, thanks. They didn't do any misting after, and front of house was done a couple weeks ago - it was quite hot/sunny and the sun was on that wall for most of the day whilst he was doing the pointing.  It was probably dry within a few hours.  It looks ok, for now on most parts, but there are a few hairline cracks. Seems to me it's going to have dried too quickly and so not last/carbonation won't occur? 
They completed the last wall - gable end, this Wednesday. Weather was good for doing it, but we're now expecting heavy rain over weekend - with moderate breeze towards this wall (of course!)

Eldrax

He's back this morning to finish up little bits, and I want to talk to him about my concerns - any advice on what I can say, as he simply dismisses my concerns about this whenever I mention it