That is a bit harsh. Sometimes render (with or without pebbles) is really the only practical solution. Many Ealing houses from ~1900 used London yellow stocks with decorative soft reds inlaid around bays, piers and arches. Gorgeous when new and in good condition, but unlike the stocks reds do not stand up to 100 years of weather and frost at all well, they just fall apart. Yes, if you are made of money they can be chiselled out and replaced, or re-faced, but I only know of one local house where this was done. Its owner was a retired builder and he spent well over a year fastidiously doing it. Most have resorted to either plain render, painted, or a Tyrolean-projected self-coloured render. Neither look bad, either look better than a pock-marked spalling mess. In my case what looked like shrapnel damage had been coated with a revolting shade of poo-brown masonry paint sometime in the 1970's. The beauty was long gone.I agree though, the OP shouldn't even think about stripping off pebbledash unless they intend to re-render.
Tony Sleep ● 3877d