Brick house walls
Older brick homes usually show the worst joints on the side that takes the most weather. We match the new mortar's color and joint shape so the repair doesn't stand out.
Masonry restoration in West Palm Beach FL - brick walls that stay dry and solid
Crumbling mortar, cracks along the bricks or a wall that stays damp? We repair the failed joints and leave your brick face intact.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What restoring old brick and mortar involves
Masonry restoration in West Palm Beach brings a tired brick or block wall back to sound shape, mostly by repointing it, which is raking out the worn mortar between the bricks and packing in fresh, and by cleaning the brick without hurting it.
Most calls start with something you can see, like mortar that turns to sand when you rub it, a crack running along the bricks or a damp patch low on the wall. The price comes down to how many joints have actually failed, how high and easy to reach the wall is, whether any bricks need replacing and whether a water problem has to be fixed first. The schedule turns mostly on the weather and on a permit if your job needs one. I'll give you your own figure when I come out to look, and if some bricks are broken we can fold in brick repair. We're licensed and fully insured, and when a job needs a permit, we check with the office that covers your address, pull it and set up the inspections.
I look at the job myself
I come out to see your wall and give the estimate in person, so the person pricing the job is the same one who answers for the plan.
A straight answer on size
If the job's smaller than you feared, I'll say so. If it's bigger, you'll hear it before we start, not halfway through with your wall opened up.
Our own masons, on the planned day
Our own masons do the work, and we show up on the day we planned, because I ran schedules for years and I know what a blown one costs a homeowner.
How we repair and clean old brick
I start by walking the wall with you, marking the joints that have failed and looking for where the water's coming from. A leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of a wall, so I'll point that out and it gets fixed before we start, or the new mortar goes the same way. Our masons clear the bad mortar out of those joints without grinding into the brick edges. We clean the brick gently, never with grit blasting, grinders or sanding discs, because those take off dirt and paint along with some of the brick's face, and that face doesn't grow back. Then we fill the joints with a mortar picked for your wall, one that lets moisture dry out through the joints instead of trapping it in the brick, shape them to match the old ones and clean up before we leave.
Restoration often runs into other masonry on the house. If your fireplace is past saving or you want one added, that's fireplace installation, and if a wall needs a new face rather than a repair, stone veneer installation covers it. I'd rather tell you which job you've actually got than sell you the bigger one.
Walls and features we restore
Garden and boundary walls
A freestanding wall gets wet on both sides and from the top, so its joints and cap tend to go first. We repair them before loose bricks start dropping out.
Chimneys and fireplace surrounds
Brick around a chimney or fireplace takes heat as well as weather. We repair the worn joints and clean stained brick gently, so the surround looks right and holds together.
Brick steps, planters and pillars
Low brick work near the ground stays wet longer and takes the most knocks. We reset loose bricks, refill open joints and clean off stains so it's safe underfoot again.
Get a free on-site estimate for your wall
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the wall and give you the estimate on site, with no obligation to book.
Send photos of the joints
Add your property address and a few photos of the crumbling or cracked joints, so I have a rough idea of what I'm walking into before I get there.
A plan that says what can wait
You get a plan that separates what needs doing now from what can hold for a while, so you spend where it matters first. Backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Across Palm Beach County
We're based in West Palm Beach and work across the cities around it in Palm Beach County, from Riviera Beach down to Lake Worth Beach and beyond.
Brick and stone work examples
Examples of joint shapes, mortar colors, cleaned brick and stone finishes we can talk through when we're looking at your wall together.
Questions about mortar joints and old brick
Straight answers on which joints need work, what mortar to use, how long it lasts and hiring in Palm Beach County.
Does my whole brick wall need repointing?
Usually not. Only failed joints need work, and the usual signs are mortar worn back more than 1/4 inch, crumbling mortar, gaps, hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Original joints in good shape are better than new ones, so we repair the failed joints only, and I'll tell you if that turns out to be most of the wall.
What type of mortar should be used on old brick?
New mortar on a brick wall should be similar to or weaker than the original and has to let moisture leave the wall. Mortar that's too hard or traps water damages the bricks themselves, which are much harder to fix than a joint. Ask any contractor which mortar they plan to use and why. I'll tell you mine at the estimate.
How long do mortar joints last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how much weather they take and what mortar was used, while the brick itself may well go past 100. So a brick wall can outlast its mortar several times over, and it makes sense to plan for joint repair as regular upkeep, not as a sign the wall is failing.
How do I check a masonry contractor in Palm Beach County?
Ask to see their county or state license and proof of liability and workers' compensation insurance, which is what Palm Beach County tells owners to do. The county requires its contractors to be certified and insured. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'll show you the papers when I come out for the estimate.
Who can pull a permit for masonry work in Palm Beach County?
Only homeowners and qualified contractors can pull permits in the county. When your job needs one, we handle it, as I mentioned above, so it isn't left to you. The county also advises holding the final payment on a permitted job until the permit is closed out, and that's a fair thing to ask of any contractor.
Send us photos of your mortar joints
Open joints let in more water every time it rains, so call (561) 220-1584 or send the form while it's still a joint repair.