Brick repair in Lancaster CA - solid mortar joints, with the cause fixed first
Mortar crumbling out of your brick wall or chimney? We find out why it's wearing, deal with that, and repoint the joints so they hold.
- Service
- Brick repair
- Call
- (661) 952-4077
How can you tell your brick needs repair?
Mortar that crumbles to sand
If a joint powders or comes out as grit when you run a finger along it, the mortar has worn out. Years of sun, wind and cold nights usually do that, and every season you wait lets water get a little deeper into the wall.
Joints sunk behind the brick
When the mortar sits well back from the face of the brick, rain and blowing dust collect in the gaps instead of running off. Caught early, it's a simple repoint, but the deeper it wears, the more mortar has to come out before we reach solid material.
Worn patch under a downspout
If the mortar is gone in one patch and the rest of the wall looks fine, water is usually running down that spot from a downspout, gutter or sprinkler. Patching it without stopping the water just means doing it again later.
What does brick repair involve on a Lancaster house?
Brick repair in Lancaster, CA usually means repointing. We rake the worn mortar out of the joints in your wall, chimney or planter and pack in new mortar, so water stays out and the brickwork holds together. On most houses the bigger question is why the mortar wore out, and I answer that before we start.
Most of our brick repair calls are about a garden wall, a chimney or a planter where the joints have gone sandy or started washing out, and the sun, wind and big swings from day to night out here are hard on mortar. The price mostly turns on how much wall needs new mortar, how easy it is to reach and whether a drainage fix has to come first. The schedule turns on the weather, because mortar needs mild days to cure, and on whether the city wants a permit, which we check before we start. When I come out, I write down what we'd do and why, so you can see what you're paying for.
Details to note before an estimate
- Which walls, chimney or planters need work
- Rough length and height of each wall
- How deep the worn joints look
- Downspouts or sprinklers near the brick
- Mortar color you'd like matched
- Photos of the worst joints
How we handle brick repair from start to finish
I start by finding out why the mortar failed. If a leaky downspout or poor drainage is washing it out, we point that out and get it dealt with first, because otherwise the new joints just wear away the same way. Then our crew rakes the old mortar out of the joints. On older, softer brick the method matters, because preservation guidance says hand chisels take more labor but usually do the least harm and leave the best finish, while a grinder in unskilled hands can ruin soft brick, so I'll tell you at the estimate how we'd take yours out and why. We pack in the new mortar, shape the joints to match the wall and clean up. When only a few spots need new mortar, a mortar analysis can give you a custom lime mortar with sand that matches the old joints. We're fully insured, and it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Brick work often sits right next to other jobs that affect where water goes. We also build retaining walls and lay driveway pavers, and when either one runs up against the brick we're fixing, it usually makes sense to plan them together.
Other work that often comes up with brick repair
Driveway pavers
A cracked or sunken driveway is a good time to switch to pavers, and we can grade them so rain drains off toward the street.
Retaining wall construction
When a sloped yard keeps washing dirt and water into your planters or walls, a proper retaining wall gives the slope a place to stop.
What happens after you call us about brick repair
Call or send a message
Reach us at (661) 952-4077 or through the form below, and we'll set a time that suits you. We pick up weekdays from 8 AM to 10 PM and weekends from 6 AM to 9 PM.
I come out and look
I walk the wall or chimney with you, find what's behind the worn mortar and answer as many questions as you have. You get a written estimate in plain words that says what we'd do, why, and what it costs.
Our crew does the work
If the job needs a permit from Lancaster Building & Safety, we get it before any work starts and set up the inspections, since the city checks work periodically while it's underway. Our crew deals with any drainage problem first, then repoints the joints and cleans up, and I check in along the way.
I walk the finished job
When the joints are done, I walk the wall with you and show you what we did. Ask about anything you see, as many times as you like.
What homeowners ask about brick repair
What is tuck pointing on a brick wall?
Tuck pointing is the name most people use for repointing, which means taking the worn mortar out of the joints in a brick wall and putting new mortar in. Masons also call it pointing, and tuck pointing is a slightly inaccurate name for it, but you'll hear all three used for the same job.
How long does repointing last on a brick wall or chimney?
Brick walls and chimneys normally need repointing about every 20 to 30 years as general upkeep. That's a national rule of thumb rather than a promise for any one wall, so if yours was last done a couple of decades ago, it's worth having the joints looked at.
How do I know what brick repair will cost in Lancaster?
You'll know once I've seen the wall and written the estimate, because the price comes from your wall and not a chart. Hand chiseling older, softer brick takes more labor than a grinder, matching old mortar adds a step, and a high chimney takes more setup than a garden wall. Emergency work in winter or during a heat wave will likely cost more, so planning ahead usually keeps the number down.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick in Lancaster?
Spring and fall are usually best, when daytime temperatures sit between 40 and 90 degrees, because that's when new mortar cures, or hardens, the way it should. Our summers and winters push past that range, so booking ahead for a mild season gives the joints the right start.
Do I need a permit for brick repair in Lancaster?
It isn't settled for every job, so we check with the city before we start. Lancaster Building & Safety issues permits for work that physically changes your property or adds value to it, and the city's list of work that needs no permit names painting but not brick repair. When a permit is needed, it has to be in hand before any work begins and may need building plans, and we apply for it as your contractor and set up the inspections. We work across the Antelope Valley, so if your address falls under the county instead, we check with the county's building office.
Who can do masonry work in California?
For most masonry, you want a contractor licensed by the state license board in its C-29 Masonry classification, which covers masonry walls for buildings and fences and thin brick used as facing. The board says a wall built only for its looks can also go to a landscaping contractor, and the masonry trade includes the clear waterproofing, cleaning and caulking that go with the work, so you can ask the same mason about those. We're licensed and fully insured.
Get a written estimate for your brick repair
We reply within one business day to set a time, and the visit is free with no obligation. I come out, look at what's wearing your mortar and write down what we'd do and why, so you can decide in your own time.
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Show us the joints that are wearing
Send a few photos of the worn mortar and any downspout above it, and I can often spot the likely cause before I come out.