Brick repair in Springfield IL - brick and mortar that match the wall around them
Cracked brick or mortar falling out of the joints? We fix what's letting water in, then repair the wall so it matches.
What does it take to fix cracked brick and crumbling mortar?
Brick repair in Springfield, IL means cutting out cracked or broken bricks and worn mortar and putting in new material that suits your wall, so water stops getting in and the wall holds together.
Usually you've noticed a brick with a crack through it, a face that's flaking off, or joints you can dig out with a car key. The price turns on how many bricks need swapping, how much mortar is gone, how high the wall runs and what's causing the damage, and the schedule turns on the weather and on finding brick that matches yours. If it's mostly the mortar, that's tuckpointing, and I'll tell you so. The estimate I write after looking at your wall gives you your own number.
How we handle brick repair on your house
First I find out why the brick failed, because a leaking downspout or water running down the wall will wash out new mortar the same way it took the old, so that gets fixed or replaced before we touch the brick. Then we cut out the cracked or broken bricks and swap them with brick that's close in look and hardness to what's already in your wall, since a patch that's too hard or the wrong color just makes a new problem. That match goes past color. Replacement brick should be like the old in strength, density, porosity and how much water it soaks up, because hard, dense brick set beside softer brick can make the wall fail early, and I'll show you how we picked yours. Mortar works the same way. Masonry cement has no lime and sets up hard, and it generally isn't recommended on older brick because it can damage the brick around it, so on an older house I'll tell you which mortar we plan to use and why. Last, we finish the joints to match the rest of the wall and clean up.
Sometimes the brick is just the part you can see. If a driveway that slopes toward the house is sending water at the wall, new driveway pavers set with the right pitch can send it the other way, and if a hillside keeps pushing wet soil against your brick, retaining wall construction holds that ground back.
Brick and mortar repair in Springfield, IL
Springfield's Building & Zoning Department takes permit applications, and its list names building, demolition, roof and fence work but not brick repair, so that list alone doesn't tell you whether your job needs a permit. The city's Public Works Building Division enforces the building codes. We check with the city or village office for your address before we start, and if your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork.
A lot of the brick we repair here is on older houses, where the brick and mortar are softer and more porous than what's made today. Whether the mortar gets an additive depends on the job, and an air-entraining agent, which helps mortar hold up to freezing and thawing, is one we weigh this far north. We see the same houses and the same problems on jobs in Chatham and Decatur.
How brick repair works with us
Call or send the form
Call (217) 210-0722 or fill out the form and tell us what you're seeing. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I look the wall over
I come out myself, look at the damage and tell you what's causing it and what can wait. You get a written estimate that spells out which bricks get replaced, what mortar we'll use and the price, so nothing comes as a surprise later.
We check permits and schedule
Once you say go, we check what your city or village asks for and set a date. Weather plays into that date, because mortar needs mild days to set up right.
We repair and walk it
Our crew does the work, and before we pack up we walk the wall with you. You see every new brick and joint while we're still there.
Get a free estimate on your brick and mortar repair
We reply to every call and form within one business day. I come out myself, look at your wall and write up a free estimate, and there's no obligation to book anything.
Questions before you book brick repair
What is brick repointing, and is it the same as tuckpointing?
Repointing means taking the worn, crumbling mortar out of the joints between your bricks and filling them with new mortar. People also call it pointing or tuckpointing, and while tuckpointing isn't quite the right word for it, a quote using any of those names is usually talking about the same job.
How do I know if my brick wall needs repointing or new brick?
If the mortar is soft, sandy or falling out but the bricks are solid, you usually need repointing, and if bricks are cracked through or the faces are popping off, those bricks get replaced. Damaged bricks are usually swapped out rather than patched in place. Most walls need a little of both, and I'll tell you which once I've seen yours.
How much does brick repair cost in Springfield, IL?
Brick repointing across the US usually costs about $4 to $20 per square foot, and that's a national figure for the mortar work, not a Springfield quote or our price. Replacing bricks, reaching high walls and fixing whatever let the water in all add to it. Your estimate gives you the number for your wall.
What is the best time of year for brick repair in Springfield?
Spring and fall are usually best, and one cost guide advises planning repointing for when daytime temperatures stay between 40 and 90 degrees for at least 24 to 72 hours. The same guide says emergency work in winter or extreme heat will likely cost more, so if your wall can wait, booking ahead for a mild stretch helps your budget.
Should I seal or coat my brick to keep water out?
Usually not, because a coating that stops moisture from passing through brick keeps the brick from drying out. Water that gets in has to get back out, so we'd rather fix where it's getting in than trap it in the wall.
What causes white stains on brick walls?
White stains on brick are usually efflorescence, salts that water carries to the face of the brick and leaves behind. Those salts most often come from things touching the brick, like mortar, concrete or soil, so the stain is a sign water is moving through the wall and worth tracking down.
Why Springfield homeowners call Artisan Springfield Concrete and Masonry for brick repair
I write every estimate myself
I come out to every job, write the estimate and work right alongside our crew, and if the answer is a smaller job or one that can wait, I'll say so. You hear what your wall needs from the person who'll be fixing it, not from a salesman.
In business since 2013
We've been at this since 2013, and repointing and brick repair on older homes is what we're best known for. Those are the houses where softer, more porous brick takes the most care to match.
Licensed and insured
We're licensed and insured. That way you aren't taking on the risk while our crew is working on your house.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job. We walk the finished wall with you before we leave, so you can point out anything while we're still there.
On brick, the match is what makes or breaks the repair, so call or send us a message and I'll come take a look.
Other work that protects your brick
Driveway pavers
If your driveway tips rainwater toward the house, a paver driveway laid with the right slope moves runoff away from your foundation and the brick above it.
Retaining wall construction
When a sloped yard keeps pushing wet soil up against your house, a retaining wall holds the ground back and gives that water somewhere better to go.
Get your brick and mortar repair priced
Send a few photos of the damaged wall and a note about any leaks or drainage trouble through the form, or call (217) 210-0722, so I show up already knowing what to look for.
