Options for a exterior brick wall which has been pained over for several years

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Since I bought my 1930s house I learnt the lesson that brick walls should never be painted, at least not with the kind of conventional masonry paints most people use eg Sandtex and Weathersfield. All they do is trap water in which then leads to flaking as the damp pushes the paint off . Unfortunately it doesn't push all of it offand what remains is very difficult to remove so i am busy scraping what i can off wondering what my options are.
a) I thought of contractors that specialise in stripping paint off by using particular chemicals and pressure washer. I have seen videos and they look effective. This would have been ideal as i like the look of brick which, in any case, is a finished product I suspect the process is labour-intensive therefore not at all cost-effective. In any caseI put a request on Checkatrade but got no response so am now looking at the next options
b) I then considered using a Zinsser system comprising stabiliser ( Peel stop) and and Watertite but i have ruled that one out as it suggests using a belt sander on the wall and there is no way i am going up a ladder to that that besides I would most likely end up sealing any water within the bricks
c) Use Emperor system, which on the face of it would seem the best option as it acts as both a water repellant and allows bricks to breath. It is expensive though, so wondered if anyone had experience using it. I think I would need a stabiliser , primer and top coat, but they suggest only using their products to validate their claims of longevity
d) Leave well alone and let nature gradually remove the paint with what help my scraper can give it
Thanks
 
Have you looked at peelaway
I just been looking at some reviews and it might be worth trying although the cost is astronomical two large cans =£249 enough for only one wall.
i am not hoping for a perfect finish as i intend to repaint with breathable paint such as Emperor or a Limewash

At the moment i an relying on a mallet and chisel t get what i can off .While quite effective, it is also laborious and very slow
 
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