Brick pointing in Odessa TX - solid joints that keep water out of your brick
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks lets water in. We clear out the worn joints and refill them with mortar that suits your brick.
Is it time to repoint the brick on your Odessa house?
Brick pointing, which most masons also call repointing, means clearing the worn mortar out of the joints in your brick and packing in new mortar. For an Odessa home, it's mostly about keeping water out of the wall.
Maybe you brushed a joint and sand trickled out, or you've noticed thin cracks running through the mortar on one side of the house. The first thing I want to know is why, because if something is moving the wall or soaking it, fresh mortar won't hold for long. The price depends on how much wall needs work, how deep the joints have worn, how high we have to reach and how much of the wall has narrow joints that take slow, careful work. The schedule turns on the same things, plus any repair to the cause that has to come first and any permit step with the city. Your own figure comes from the written estimate after I've looked at the wall.
What happens after you call about brick pointing?
Call or send the form
You call (432) 280-0058 or send the form, and you hear back from us within one business day. Then we set a time for me to come see the wall.
I look at the wall myself
I come out, ask what you've noticed and look at the joints, the brick and whatever might be feeding the damage. You get a free written estimate that says what I think is causing it, what we'd do and what it would cost.
We handle the permit step
Once you say go, we take care of any permit step with the office that covers your address. You'll know where that stands before we start.
We repoint, clean up and walk it
My crew and I do the work, clean up and walk the wall with you at the end. I'll show you what we fixed and what to keep an eye on in the years ahead.
How we do brick pointing, and the repairs that go with it
First I work out why the joints failed, because new mortar over an old problem just cracks again. Then we clear the worn mortar out of the joints. Where the joints are thin, as they are on most brick houses, we do it by hand, since a saw in a narrow joint tends to chip the brick edges and cut too far into the vertical joints. We brush out the dust, mix new mortar that matches the old mortar's strength or is a little softer, and pack it in. The softer side matters, because a mix that's too hard pushes the stress into your brick and can pop the face right off it, a break masons call spalling. Then we tool the joints to match the rest of the wall and clean up. It's slow, noisy work, and on a tall wall there may be scaffolding up for a while.
Sometimes the mortar is only the messenger. Cracks that stair-step through the joints often mean the house has moved, and that's a foundation repair question before it's a pointing job. Joints washing out high on a chimney usually mean water is getting in at the top, so we pair the pointing with chimney repair when the crown or flashing needs it. If I see either one, I'll tell you. If it's just old joints, I'll tell you that too.
Get a written estimate for your worn brick joints
I read what you send, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come look at the wall. There's no pressure and no obligation, and nothing gets scheduled until you've seen the estimate and said go.
Brick pointing questions from Odessa homeowners
How do I know my brick needs repointing?
Your brick likely needs repointing if the mortar is crumbling, has gaps in it, shows hairline cracks, has pulled away from the brick or has worn back more than about 1/4 inch from the face. Any one of those is a good reason to have a mason look at the wall, since those are the spots where water gets in. If it's only one worn patch, it may only be one patch that needs work.
How long do mortar joints last on a brick house?
Mortar joints usually last more than 25 years, while the bricks themselves can go well past 100. So over the life of a brick house, expect the joints to need some repair now and then. That's normal wear and doesn't mean the brick is failing.
How much does brick pointing cost in Odessa?
Brick pointing is priced job by job after I see the wall, and the biggest way to keep the cost down is to repoint only the sections that need it rather than the whole house. A wall with a few worn patches costs far less than one that's gone soft all over, and a cause like a leaking chimney top adds its own repair. I'd rather do the smaller job right, and the written estimate spells out exactly what's included.
Who issues building permits for brick repair in Odessa, TX?
The city's Building Inspections Division issues permits and inspects construction in Odessa, and the city requires a permit whenever someone plans to build, alter or repair a building or structure. The contractor doing the work applies for the permit, and a licensed contractor has to register with the city before a permit can be issued. That part is on us, and we're fully licensed and insured. For homes in West Odessa, Midland, Andrews, Monahans and the other cities around us, we check with whichever office covers your address.
Can I just seal or grout over cracked mortar instead of repointing?
No. Spreading grout over the surface of the joints doesn't replace repointing, because the worn mortar is still sitting underneath. On an older brick house, preservation guidance for historic masonry doesn't recommend surface grouting at all.
What is the best way to hire a mason for brick repointing?
Ask to see repointing jobs they've already done, because a mason who lays good new brick isn't always good at repointing. One way to judge is to have them repoint a small section of wall that's out of sight and see how the joints look. We've been in business since 2013, worn joints on older brick are a big part of what we're called for, and our work is satisfaction guaranteed.
Repairs that often go with brick pointing
Foundation repair
When the same joints keep opening or doors start sticking along a cracked wall, the house may have moved, and that needs fixing before any new mortar goes in.
Chimney repair
A chimney stands out in the weather on every side, so its joints and cap often wear out before the rest of your brick does.
Send us photos of your worn joints
Call (432) 280-0058 or use the form, and include a couple of photos of the crumbling or cracked spots plus your address, so I show up knowing which wall to look at and which office covers your house.