Brick repair in Athens GA - sound joints that keep water out of your walls
Mortar crumbling or bricks flaking? We fix what's letting water in and tell you plainly which cracks can wait.
What does brick repair on an Athens house involve?
Brick repair in Athens is mostly repointing, where we rake the worn mortar out from between your bricks and fill the joints with new mortar, along with swapping out any brick that's broken or flaking, so water stops working its way into the wall.
Most people call us after they find sandy mortar on the ground under a wall, a joint they can poke a key into, a crack running through the mortar or a brick face peeling off in flakes, and on an older house it's often some of each. The price and the schedule come down mostly to how much wall needs new joints, how many bricks need replacing and how easy they are to match and reach, plus mild weather so the mortar can cure. When the worn joints are up on the chimney, that's our chimney repair work, and either way the estimate I write after seeing your wall gives you the figure and says what we'll do and why.
What happens after you call us about brick repair?
Call or send the form
Tell us what you've noticed on the wall, and send photos of the cracked or crumbling joints if you can. We'll get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I look at the wall with you
I come out myself, listen to what you've seen and answer your questions while we look at the brick up close. Then I write up an estimate that says what we'll do, what can wait and why.
We do the work and walk it
Once you say yes, we take care of any permit the job needs with the office for your address, which in Athens is Athens-Clarke County Building Inspections, and I work alongside our crew on the wall. When we're done, we walk the finished job with you so you can see every joint we touched.
How we handle brick repair, and the work around it
The first thing I sort out on your wall is which cracks need work now and which can wait, because I'd rather tell you that than sell you the whole wall. On the joints that need it, we take the old mortar out down to sound material, and on small patches that usually means hand tools, since a grinder is faster but can chip the brick around the joint. Where a brick itself is broken or flaking, we cut it out and set a new one, because fresh mortar around a bad brick won't stop the water. Then we pack the joints with new mortar, tool them to match the rest of the wall and clean the brick face and the ground below before we leave.
Brick trouble often sits next to other work. When a garden wall is leaning rather than just worn at the joints, it usually needs rebuilding, and that's our retaining wall construction work. If you're fixing up the front of the house anyway, we also lay driveway pavers picked to sit well beside your brick. We're based in Athens and do this work across the cities around it, with Commerce, Jefferson, Monroe and Winder among them.
Get a brick repair estimate for your wall
Send a few photos of the cracked or crumbling joints, and tell us if your home is a local landmark or sits in a historic district. We reply within one business day to set a time, then I come out, look at the wall with you and write up a free estimate with no obligation to go ahead.
Brick repair questions from Athens homeowners
How do I know when my mortar needs repointing?
Mortar usually needs repointing when it crumbles, has gaps or cracks, or has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the face of the brick, which is the line an older brick industry guide draws. The industry's newer maintenance advice adds that minor cracks don't always call for repair right away, since many veneer walls, where the brick is a single outer layer over the house, can handle a little extra moisture. Photos of the joints that worry you are a good place to start.
Will a stronger mortar make my brick repair last longer?
No, the new mortar should match the original's strength or be softer, because a harder mix can make the brick face spall, or flake away. That's the brick industry's own maintenance guidance, so a harder mortar is no upgrade. Ask any mason how their mortar compares with what's in your wall now, and on older Athens brick we choose ours to suit the old brick.
How long does repointed mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar usually lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the bricks themselves can last 100 years or more. So on a long-lived brick home, you can expect joint work at some point in the house's life while the original bricks stay put.
How much does brick repair cost in Athens, GA?
Brick repair is priced job by job, so I give you a figure only after I've seen your wall. Fixing just the joints that need it now keeps the cost down, while repointing a whole wall, replacing many bricks, hunting down brick to match an older house or working high up on ladders or scaffolding adds to it. Your estimate lays out what we'll do so you can see where the money goes.
Does a historic home in Athens need approval for exterior brick work?
It can, because in Athens-Clarke County exterior changes to a locally designated landmark or a property in a local historic district need a Certificate of Appropriateness, and building material changes are among them. Whether repointing your particular wall counts is worth settling with the county early. If your home is on that list, tell us when you call and we'll bring it into the plan before work starts.
Does a contractor need a Georgia license for brick repair in Athens?
Yes, Athens-Clarke County notes that contracting work costing $2,500 or more requires a license from the state of Georgia, and the county asks for a Georgia business license and contractor's license with permit applications. We're fully licensed and insured. It's also fair to ask any mason to show you repointing jobs they've done, since a good bricklayer isn't always a good hand at repointing.
Other masonry work near your brick
Driveway pavers
When a cracked or sinking driveway sits in front of your brick house, pavers can be lifted and reset in sections instead of torn out.
Retaining wall construction
A yard wall that's leaning or bulging usually needs rebuilding with proper footing and drainage behind it, since fresh mortar alone won't hold that weight back.
Send us photos of your worn joints
Joints caught early can usually be fixed with mortar alone, before water ruins the bricks around them, so call (706) 395-0746 or send the form, and know the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.