Brick repair in Davis CA - tight joints that keep water out of your walls
Crumbling mortar, loose bricks or flaking brick faces? We find what let the water in, then repoint or replace so the wall holds up.
Brick repair fixes the joints. Sometimes it fixes the bricks too.
Brick repair in Davis is mostly repointing. We cut the worn, crumbling mortar out of the joints and pack in new mortar so the wall sheds water again. You might hear it called pointing or tuckpointing. When a brick itself is cracked through or flaking apart, we replace that brick too.
Most calls start with something you can see, like sandy grit under a wall, joints you can scratch out with a key, or a brick that wiggles. Water is usually behind it. Left alone, open joints take on more water with every rain, and the damage spreads from the mortar to the bricks.
Price moves with how much mortar comes out, how many bricks need replacing, how high the wall goes and whether a drainage fix comes first. Timing turns on any permit and the weather, since national guidance puts the best curing weather in spring or fall, with days between 40 and 90 degrees. The estimate gives your figure.
Brick repair starts with the water. The mortar comes second.
First I figure out whether your bricks can be repointed or need replacing, and I look for the water that did the damage. A leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of the joints, so if a downspout or drain is behind it, we tell you to fix that before we start.
There's no point packing new mortar under the same leak. I'd rather tell you a repair can wait than sell you one you don't need. On site, a lead mason and I run the crew, and I check the work as it goes.
Brick repair covers a lot of ground. Here's what we fix.
Repointing mortar joints
We rake out mortar that's crumbling or cracked and pack the joints with fresh mortar, finished to match the joints around them.
Replacing damaged bricks
Bricks with deep cracks or faces that have flaked off get cut out and replaced with brick that matches the size and color of the wall.
Chimney brick
Loose brick and open joints on a chimney let water into the house, so we repoint what's worn. Bigger problems go to chimney repair.
Garden and retaining walls
We repoint and reset loose brick on garden walls. If a wall is leaning, a patch won't hold, and it's a job for retaining wall construction.
Steps, planters and edging
We reset loose brick on steps, planters and borders, including brick edging along driveway pavers that has worked itself loose over the years.
Cracks around doors and windows
We repoint cracked joints around openings. If a stair-step crack keeps coming back, I'll tell you it may need foundation repair before brick work.
Fix the cause once. Then your brick and mortar stay put.
A rushed repair usually looks fine for a while. Fresh mortar smeared over the old joints, with the leak still running, starts cracking loose before long. Federal preservation guidance says surface grouting like that can't stand in for real repointing, and it's not recommended on historic masonry at all.
We plan it to last. Old mortar comes out deep enough for the new to grip, damaged bricks get replaced instead of patched over, and the new work is finished to blend with the old. I want it to look like it belongs on your house, not like somebody fixed it.
Here's how it goes. I'm there start to finish.
Call or write us
Call (530) 298-0279 or send the form with a few photos of the cracks or loose mortar, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit.
I come look
I come out, look at the brick with you and tell you what I think right there, including whether the repair can wait.
Your written estimate
I follow up with a written estimate for the work we talked about on site, so you have it in front of you before you decide.
The work and walk-through
Once you give the go-ahead, we take care of any permit the job needs, do the work and clean up, then walk it with you at the end.
Tell us about your brick. We'll come take a look.
Send photos of the cracks or loose mortar and say if your house is historic. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, no obligation.
(530) 298-0279Based in Davis. We work in the cities around it.
- Davis, CA
- Vacaville, CA
- Woodland, CA
- West Sacramento, CA
- Dixon, CA
- Winters, CA
- Elk Grove, CA
- Fairfield, CA
- Roseville, CA
- Rancho Cordova, CA
- Florin, CA
- Arden-Arcade, CA
We're based in Davis and do brick repair in the cities around it, including Woodland and Vacaville. If your city isn't on the list, give us a call and ask.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Brick repair questions, answered plainly. Start here.
Start with the answers below on repointing, mortar and permits. If your question isn't covered, give us a call and ask me directly.
Do I need repointing or new bricks for my brick wall?
If the bricks are sound and only the mortar is cracked or loose, repointing is usually enough. Bricks with deep cracks or faces flaking off, which masons call spalling, are usually better replaced for the long run. I'll show you which is which when I come out.
How often does brick need repointing?
Brick walls and chimneys usually need repointing every 20 to 30 years as normal upkeep. If your house is that old and the joints have never been redone, it's worth planning and budgeting for, even before anything leaks. A leaking downspout can bring it on sooner.
What mortar should be used on an older brick home?
Usually not one made with masonry cement. Federal preservation guidance says masonry cements make high-strength mortar that can damage historic brick, and it doesn't recommend them for historic buildings. The same guidance says raking old mortar out by hand with chisels usually does the least harm. Whoever you hire, ask which mortar they plan to use.
Who handles permits for brick repair in Davis?
The city's Building Division reviews and issues permits in Davis, so that's where to ask whether your job needs one. If your house is a historical structure, an alteration permit for it gets its own review by the city's Planning Commission. When a permit is needed, we pull it and set up inspections, or give you what you need to file it yourself.
Does a brick repair contractor in California need a license?
Yes, for most jobs. California's minor work exemption only covers jobs up to $1,000, and only when the work needs no permit and the person doing it has no employees. We've been doing this work since 2013, and we're licensed and fully insured.
We do more than brick repair. See our other masonry work.
Brick or mortar giving out? Call for a free estimate.
Catching it while it's just mortar usually keeps the job smaller. Call or use the form, tell us what you see, and we'll set a time to come look.
(530) 298-0279