Brick repair in Odessa TX - mortar joints that keep water out of your walls
Mortar crumbling or cracking between your bricks? We find out why and replace the worn joints with mortar that suits your brick.
Does my brick wall need repair, or can the cracks wait?
Brick repair in Odessa, TX usually means repointing, where we cut the worn mortar out of the joints between your bricks and pack in new mortar so the wall sheds water again. Sound joints matter because a crack of any size in the mortar can let more water into the wall.
Maybe you've noticed sandy mortar collecting at the base of a wall, or a crack stepping along the joints, and you're wondering how serious it is. Usually the bricks are fine and it's the mortar between them that's worn, though if the whole face of an older house needs work, that's closer to masonry restoration. The price moves with how much wall needs new joints, how deep the old mortar has gone, how high or hard to reach the wall is, and whether there's a water problem to fix first. The schedule turns on the weather, because mortar needs mild days to set right, and on whether a permit comes into it. You'll get your own figure from the estimate after I've looked at the wall.
What happens after you call us about brick repair in Odessa?
Call or send the form
Tell us where the wall is and what you've noticed, and we'll set a time for me to come out. We're based in Odessa and work in West Odessa, Midland, Andrews, Monahans and other cities around them.
I look at the wall myself
I walk the wall, ask what you've seen and look for where the water is getting in. The written estimate says what I think is causing the damage and what we'd do about it, so you know the work and the price before anything gets cut out.
We handle any permit step
Once you say go, we check with the city or county office that covers your address, handle any application ourselves and tell you where it stands before work starts. For alterations like additions and remodels, the City of Odessa says to plan on an average of 3 to 10 business days from a completed application to a permit.
We repoint, clean up, walk it
My crew and I do the work with me on site, then clean up and walk the wall with you at the end. I'll show you what we did and why, so you know what to keep an eye on after we leave.
How we do brick repair, and the work around it
When I see minor cracks in a brick wall, I'll tell you honestly whether they need work now or can wait, so you can plan the repair for a time that suits you. When it's time, we start with whatever is sending water at the wall, because new mortar fails the same way the old did if the water keeps coming. Then the worn mortar comes out of the joints, and the size of the job decides how, since hand tools suit a small patch while saws and grinders go faster on a big wall but can chip the brick beside the joint. The new mortar has to be the same strength as the old or softer, because a harder mix puts stress where brick meets mortar and can break the face off the brick. Sand color and cement type change how the new joints look, and a test patch in a spot you won't see shows whether the color matches before the whole wall gets done. We've been in business since 2013, and we're fully licensed and insured. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Most joint damage I find starts with water or ground that isn't where it should be, so I look past the wall too. When a slope next to the house needs holding back, we do retaining wall construction, and when the old slab out front is past saving, we lay driveway pavers. I'll bring those up only if they bear on the problem, because I'd rather do a smaller job right than sell you a big one you don't need.
Get a written read on your mortar joints
We reply within one business day to set a time, and then I come out to look at the wall myself. The estimate is free and written on site, with no pressure and no obligation.
Brick and mortar questions in Odessa
How do I know my brick mortar needs repointing?
Your mortar likely needs repointing if it's worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has gaps, or shows hairline cracks or cracks along the edge where brick meets mortar. You can walk your own walls and look for these before you call.
Do small cracks in brick mortar need to be fixed right away?
Often they don't, because veneer and cavity walls have an air space behind the brick and can handle the extra moisture that minor cracks let in. That gives you room to plan the repair for a good time instead of rushing it.
How long does new mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the bricks themselves can last well over 100. So over the life of a brick house, it's normal to have the joints redone now and then while the bricks stay put.
Do I need a permit for brick repair in Odessa?
The city's residential permit application names new buildings, renovations and additions and doesn't name brick repair, so the place to ask is Odessa's Building Inspections Division, which issues permits and inspects construction projects in the city. Checking with the office for your address is part of our job once you say go.
How much does brick repair cost in Odessa, TX?
Your price comes from the written estimate after I've seen the wall, because it follows how much wall needs new joints and how deep the old mortar has gone. One national cost guide says emergency work in winter or a heat wave will likely cost more, and it suggests spring or fall, when daytime temperatures stay between 40 and 90 degrees for at least 24 to 72 hours. If your cracks are minor, that window is worth planning around.
What causes mortar to wash out of a brick wall?
Water is the usual cause, and a leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of a wall. That's why the downspout or any other drainage problem gets fixed first, or the new mortar goes the same way as the old.
Other work that often comes up
Driveway pavers
If your concrete driveway is cracked, pavers give you a surface where a damaged piece can be lifted and reset instead of tearing out the whole slab.
Retaining wall construction
When a slope in your yard keeps washing out, a retaining wall with drainage behind it holds the soil back and keeps it off your patio.
Send us photos of your mortar joints
A few photos of the worn joints and a rough idea of how much wall is involved let me show up already thinking about the cause, so call (432) 280-0058 or use the request form.