Brick repair in Tallahassee, FL - matched brick and mortar joints that last
Mortar crumbling or bricks cracked? We repair the wall with matched brick and the right mortar so the wall stays sound for years.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Does my brick wall need repair or just new mortar?
Brick repair in Tallahassee usually means two things done together: replacing cracked or missing bricks, and repointing the joints, which means cutting out worn mortar and packing in fresh so the wall keeps water out and holds together.
Most people call us after they notice mortar that has turned sandy, a brick that has cracked or worked loose, or old tuckpointing starting to fail. The price depends on how many bricks need replacing, how much of the wall needs new mortar, how high we have to work and how hard your brick is to match, and the schedule depends mostly on how long it takes to find matching brick. Your written estimate gives you your own figure, in plain words, once I've seen the wall.
How we handle brick repair
I start by finding out why the wall failed, because new brick set into a wall that's still taking on water will fail the same way. We watch for white staining that keeps coming back, since it tells us water may be getting in somewhere, and we deal with that first. Then we cut out the damaged bricks and rake out the worn joints, by hand where the wall calls for it, so the edges of the good brick don't get chipped. The hard part is finding replacements that look and behave like the old ones, so we take the time to match color, size and texture before a single brick goes in. After that we mix a mortar suited to the old wall, set the new brick, shape the joints to match the ones around them and clean the brick face as we go.
Brick trouble near the ground often comes with other work. If the drive beside a brick front has sunk or cracked, we also lay driveway pavers, and if a leaning garden wall is pressing on brickwork nearby, retaining wall construction may be the real fix.
Replacing a few damaged bricks
This suits a wall that's mostly sound but has a handful of cracked, flaking or missing bricks. We take out only those bricks and set matched brick in their place, so the repair blends into the wall around it.
Repointing a whole wall or section
This suits a wall where the bricks are fine but the joints are worn, sandy or cracked across a wide area. We rake out and repoint the whole section at once, so the joints match in color and wear together.
If bricks are loose, falling out or the joints crumble to sand at a touch, call rather than wait. We answer calls and messages within one business day.
What happens after you call us about brick repair?
I'd rather you know how a job runs before anyone picks up a trowel. Here is how we go from your first call to a finished wall, and who does what along the way.
Call or send us a note
Call (850) 391-6065, use the contact form or email office@tallahasseemasonryandconcrete.com with your address and a short note on what you're seeing. I set a time to come out and look at the wall myself.
Walk the wall with me
I look the job over with you and explain what I see before I write anything down. You then get a written estimate in plain words that says which bricks and joints need work, how we'll match them and what it costs.
Repair, clean up, walk through
If you go ahead, we set a start that suits you, take care of the permit side where one applies, and the small crew I trained works alongside me. We clean up as we go and walk the finished wall with you before we call it done.
Get a free on-site estimate for your brick repair
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to look at the wall myself. The estimate is free, done on site and carries no pressure and no obligation.
(850) 391-6065Brick repair in Tallahassee: permits and historic homes
Permits in the city are issued by the Building Inspection Division of Tallahassee's Growth Management Department, which handles all permits needed to build, renovate or expand a structure. Its permit list names retaining walls but not brick repair, so that list alone doesn't settle whether your repair needs one, and the place to ask is the city's Building Inspection Division at 850-891-7001, pressing 2 and then 1. Where a permit does apply, we help you find out which office handles your property and take care of the paperwork for our part of the work. If your house is a historic property, the Tallahassee-Leon County Architectural Review Board oversees design standards through its Certificate of Appropriateness process and local landmark designations, so it's wise to check with the board before any brick or mortar is changed.
Most of our brick calls come from owners of older brick homes, where the original mortar is often softer and the brick can be hard to match, so we allow extra time to find replacements and take the old joints out gently. We're based in Tallahassee and see the same kind of houses on jobs in Quincy and Bradfordville.
Brick repair questions we hear in Tallahassee
Is tuckpointing the same as repointing?
Yes, tuckpointing and repointing are two names for the same job. Both mean removing worn or damaged mortar from the joints and replacing it with new mortar, so you can compare quotes for either as the same work.
How do I know if my brick mortar needs repair?
Your mortar needs repair when it has worn back more than about 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles when you rub it, has holes in it, shows hairline cracks, or has cracks opening between the brick and the mortar. Any one of those is the cue to plan repointing before water starts working its way into the wall.
How much does brick repair cost in Tallahassee?
Across the US, repairing brick usually costs about $210 to $260 per brick, and that is what the market charges nationally, not a price of ours. Your own figure comes in the written estimate after I've seen the wall and know how many bricks and joints are involved.
What kind of mortar should be used to repair old brick?
The new mortar should be equal to or weaker than the original, because mortar stronger than the old wall can make the brick face flake off, and that damage can't be undone. Type N is generally recommended for modern brick and Type K, the weakest, is generally kept for historic masonry, so ask any mason which type they plan to use.
How do I choose a mason for brick repointing?
Ask to see repointing jobs they've done before, because an excellent bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing. Trade guidance also suggests letting a mason show the work on a small, out-of-sight part of your wall before you decide. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'm happy to walk you through how I'd do yours. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
How long does mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar usually lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick itself lasts about 100 years or more. That gap is why repointing is ordinary upkeep on an older brick house, and it's done long before the brick wears out.
Related work around a brick house
Pavers suit a worn driveway beside a brick house, because they can suit its look and single pieces can be lifted and reset if one settles.
A retaining wall holds back a slope that crowds your yard or leans toward the house, built to carry the weight of the earth behind it.
Send photos of your cracked brick joints
Call (850) 391-6065 or use the form and send a few photos of the worst joints, so I can come out already knowing which bricks may be hard to match.