Brick repair in Tuscaloosa AL - sound mortar joints that blend with your old brick
Crumbling joints, gaps and cracks along the mortar let water into your walls. We repoint them with mortar that suits your brick.
- Test section first We try the new mortar in a hidden spot before the rest.
- I write the estimate I look at the joints myself and show you what I see.
- Fix the cause once We find out why a joint failed before we repoint it.
- Final walk together We walk the finished wall with you before we call it done.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
How can you tell your brick needs repair?
Most brick trouble starts in the mortar between the bricks. Catching it early usually keeps the repair to the joints, before water gets behind the brick and the job grows.
Mortar sitting back from the brick
You can see a shadow line where the joint has worn back from the brick face. That's usually years of weather, and deeper joints let more water in.
Crumbling or sandy mortar
If the mortar rubs out under your finger, it has lost its grip on the brick. Waiting lets the bricks loosen and water reach the wall behind them.
Holes and gaps in the joints
Missing chunks or open gaps give water a straight path into the wall. Once it's in, it keeps working on the mortar around the gap.
Thin cracks along the mortar
Hairline cracks in a joint, or a crack running between brick and mortar, usually mean the bond has let go. Small cracks are a smaller repair than loose brick.
Brick faces flaking off
When the face of a brick pops or flakes away, water or a hard old patch is often behind it. Left alone, more faces go, and they can't be put back.
Damp spots or white powder
Water stains on an inside wall, or white powder on the brick outside, can point to water getting through worn joints. The sooner it's found, the less there is to fix.
How we handle brick repair
Most brick repair is repointing, which means cutting the worn mortar out of the joints and packing in new mortar that bonds to the brick. I start by working out why the joints failed, because if a gutter is dumping water on one corner, new mortar there will wear out just as fast as the old. Then we put a small test section in a hidden spot so you can see how the new mortar looks next to the old, and once you're happy with it, we do the rest and clean up. The price moves with how much of the wall needs work, how deep the joints have worn and how hard the wall is to reach, and the schedule mostly turns on any permit or historic district questions and on you okaying the test section. Your written estimate gives you your own figure.
Not every brick problem is a mortar problem. If a brick or block wall in your yard is leaning or bulging instead of just wearing at the joints, repointing won't hold it, and that's retaining wall construction work. If you're fixing up the front of the house, new driveway pavers can pick up the colors of the brick so the two look like they belong together, and a leaking chimney gets its own look under chimney repair.
What happens after you call about brick repair in Tuscaloosa?
From the first look to the last walk-through, I'm the one who sees your wall, checks the work and signs off on it with you.
Call or send photos
Call (205) 579-1102 or use the form, and add photos of the worn joints if you can. I then set a time to come out.
Look at the wall together
I walk the wall with you and show you what failed and why. Then I write up an estimate listing the work and the mortar we'd use.
Sort out permits, then repair
If you go ahead, we settle any permit or historic district questions first. Then our own crew does the repair, and I check in on site.
Walk the finished wall
When the joints are done and the site is cleaned up, we walk the wall together so you can see every repaired section.
Why Tuscaloosa homeowners call D&L Tuscaloosa Concrete and Masonry
The one who quotes checks the work
I look at the job and write the estimate myself, then check on our crew on site, so nothing gets lost in between.
Repointing is our everyday work
We're best known for brick and mortar repair on older homes, which matters because a fine bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing.
Licensed, insured and easy to ask
We're licensed and insured, and we've been in business since 2017. Ask about either when I come out, as you should with any mason.
Historic districts checked up front
If your Tuscaloosa home might sit in a historic district, we check that before we schedule anything, since extra rules can apply there.
Get a free brick repair estimate at your house
Tell us where the worn joints are, add a few photos and say whether your home might be in a historic district. We reply within one business day, then I come out and write up a free, no-obligation estimate.
Examples of brick and mortar work
Look through these photos of brick and mortar repair to see what worn joints and finished repointing usually look like side by side.
Brick repair questions we hear
These are the questions Tuscaloosa homeowners tend to ask about brick and mortar repair. If your wall doesn't fit any of them, send photos and ask about your own house.
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your joints usually need repointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch, crumbles, has holes or shows hairline cracks, including cracks between the brick and the mortar. That's normal wear, since mortar joints typically last more than 25 years depending on exposure and the mix, while the bricks can last more than 100. Check your walls for those signs and send us photos of what you find.
How much does brick repair cost in Tuscaloosa?
There's no set price for brick repair, because it comes down to how many joints need work and what it takes to reach them, so I give you a written figure after I've seen the wall. Spot repairs on one low wall cost far less than repointing a whole two-story side, and matching soft old mortar takes more care than a standard mix. If the cause is something like a bad gutter, that's worth fixing too, so the new joints last.
Do I need a permit for brick repair in Tuscaloosa?
Ordinary repairs generally don't need a permit in Tuscaloosa, but work that alters walls or structural supports does. The city's permit list names that kind of work rather than brick repair itself, so we check where your job falls before we schedule it. When a job does need a permit, we handle the application with the city or county office that covers your address.
What is the best mortar for repairing old brick?
The best mortar is about as strong as the original, or weaker, never stronger. Mortar that's harder than the brick can make the brick's face crack and break away, which masons call spalling, and that damage can't be undone. Ask any mason which mix they plan to use, and I'll tell you ours when I write the estimate.
What changes if my home is in a Tuscaloosa historic district?
Extra rules may apply to brick work in a Tuscaloosa historic district, and the city's Planning & Zoning staff answer questions at hpc@tuscaloosa.com. The city's historic guidelines call for repairing worn features before replacing them, matching any replacement to the old in design, color and texture, and cleaning as gently as possible, with no sandblasting. If your home might be in a district, we check that before we schedule anything.
What license does a contractor need for brick repair in Tuscaloosa?
For a project valued at $10,000 or more, the city requires a State Homebuilders License unless the contractor qualifies for an exception. The state's home builder board also covers residential repair costing more than $10,000 in labor and materials, and city permit applications need a city general contractor's license number. Ask any contractor for that number at the first visit.
Send us photos of your worn brick joints
Every rain pushes a little more water into worn joints, so repointing now is usually less work than chasing water damage later.