Masonry restoration in Richmond CA - old brick repaired so the wall can breathe
Crumbling mortar, loose brick or a wall that lets water in? We find the cause, fix it, then repoint so it lasts.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Does my brick wall need repointing or something more?
Masonry restoration in Richmond, CA usually centers on repointing, where we rake the worn mortar out of a brick or stone wall's joints and pack in new mortar that lets moisture leave the wall, because trapped water is what breaks masonry down.
Most calls I get for this start with sand on the walkway under a brick wall, or a chimney with joints you can scrape out with a key. Sometimes it's only the mortar, and sometimes there's brick repair to do before any new mortar goes in. The price moves with how much wall there is, how high it goes, how much brick needs fixing first and whether it needs cleaning, and the schedule mostly turns on those repairs and on any permit the job needs. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your own wall.
How can you tell your brick wall needs work?
Mortar crumbling out of joints
If you can scrape a joint with a key or you keep finding sand along the base of the wall, the mortar has usually done its job and worn out. Leave it long enough and water works in behind the brick, and then you're replacing brick instead of just mortar.
Cracks that step along joints
A zigzag crack that climbs the mortar like a staircase usually means the wall has moved or water has been getting in. New mortar over that kind of problem just cracks again, so it's worth a look before anyone repoints.
Bricks that wiggle or flake
A brick you can rock by hand, or one whose face is peeling off in layers, tells you moisture has been sitting in the wall. The longer it goes, the more of the bricks around it start to loosen too.
How we handle masonry restoration on an older wall
Before we repoint anything, I find out why the wall got that way, because a leak or a loose brick has to be fixed first or the new mortar fails the same way the old one did. Then we reset or replace the damaged brick, clean the wall if it needs it with the water pressure kept gentle so the face of the brick stays intact, rake out the worn joints and pack in new mortar suited to the wall. We tool the joints to match the rest of the wall and clean up as we go.
Restoration work tends to bring up the next project. If the old fireplace is past saving or you're adding one, we also do fireplace installation, and if there's a plain block or concrete wall you'd like to look like the rest of the house, stone veneer installation can give it a stone face.
Spot repointing
This suits a wall where only a few areas have worn, often low on the wall or near a downspout, because we can match those joints and leave sound mortar alone. When that's all the wall needs, it's the smallest job and the smallest bill.
Full repointing with lime mortar
This suits older brick and stone homes, since lime mortar is soft and porous and changes little in size as temperatures rise and fall, which makes it a good fit for historic buildings. Ask me which mortar I'd use on your wall and why, and I'll walk you through it.
Repointing a newer wall
This suits brick or block that was laid with a harder modern mortar, where the new mortar should match what the wall was built with. Matching it keeps the joints and the brick working together instead of against each other.
Get a written estimate for your brick or stone wall
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I'll look the wall over with you and write up a free estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
(510) 369-4799- Based in
- Richmond, CA 94804
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What happens when you call about old brick in Richmond?
Here's how it goes from your first call to a finished wall, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send us the form
Call (510) 369-4799 or send the form, and we get back to you to set up a visit. Tell us about any leaks, stair-step cracks or loose bricks, and whether the wall is taller than 8 feet, since that helps me plan the visit.
Walk the wall together
I come out, look the wall over with you and point out what's sound as well as what isn't, so you're only pricing the work it actually needs. Then I send you a written estimate.
Our crew does the work
If you go ahead, we take care of any permit the job needs, and our own crew does the work. I'm on site with them until the work is done and cleaned up.
Why Richmond homeowners call Stonework Richmond Concrete and Masonry for restoration
The owner looks at every wall
I'm the one who comes out to look at your wall, and our own crew does the work with me there to run it. The person who gives you the estimate is the person on site when the mortar goes in.
Brick and stone since 2013
I framed houses until a mason I worked beside got me hooked on brick, and we've been in business since 2013, 13 years now, mostly on older homes. That's taught me when a wall needs work and when the honest answer is that it's fine.
Licensed, insured and ready to show it
We're fully licensed and insured, and the state licensing board's masonry license covers the cleaning and clear waterproofing that come with masonry work, not just laying brick. Richmond only issues permits to owners, their agents and licensed contractors who show a state license card, a workers' comp certificate and a current city business license, so ask any mason you're considering to show you those.
Getting the repair right starts with knowing why the mortar failed, so send us a note or call (510) 369-4799 and tell me what you're seeing.
Masonry restoration, permits and older brick in Richmond
Before we touch a Richmond wall, I check which city rules apply to it. The City of Richmond requires a building permit to build, alter, repair or demolish any building or structure and keeps a list of exempt work, so we ask the city about your job before we start instead of guessing, and when a permit is needed we pull it as the licensed contractor and set up the inspections. Two other rules can change the job. Under city policy, an unreinforced masonry building in obvious structural failure, such as walls that lean or large cracks, needs a seismic upgrade, and so does remodeling that structurally alters one, with the upgrade designed by a licensed architect or registered engineer. If your house is historic or might be, major alterations go before the city's Historic Preservation Commission, and we'd rather know that before the estimate than after.
We're based in Richmond and work across the cities around it, and most of what we see is older brick chimneys, garden walls and front steps whose mortar has simply reached its age. We meet the same kind of brick on jobs in El Cerrito and Albany, and we handle it the same way, cause first and mortar second.
Questions about masonry restoration in Richmond
How do I know if repointing is enough for my cracked brick wall?
Repointing is enough only when the damage is limited to the mortar joints. Leaks, stair-step cracks along the mortar, and loose or cracked bricks mean the brick needs repair, so the cause gets found and fixed before new mortar goes in. If you can't tell which you've got, I'll tell you when I see it.
How much does repointing brick cost in Richmond, CA?
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $500 to $2,500 per 100 square feet, according to one national cost guide. Walls taller than 8 feet that need scaffolding cost more per square foot, and brick that has to be fixed first adds to the job. Your written estimate gives you the price for your own wall.
What is the best way to clean old brick without damaging it?
The best way is usually the gentlest one that gets it clean, because water at too high a pressure, as in power washing or water blasting, is very abrasive and can easily etch marble, other soft stones and some kinds of brick. It's fair to ask any crew what pressure they'll use before work starts.
Do I need a permit for masonry work in Richmond, CA?
It can need one, because the city requires a permit to repair or alter any building or structure unless the work is on its exempt list. We check with the city on your job before we start and pull the permit when one is needed.
How long does repointing last on a brick house?
One cost guide says brick and stone mortar needs repointing every 25 to 30 years. That makes it long-range upkeep you can plan for, not a repair you'll be redoing every few years.
What should I do about an old brick chimney in Richmond?
Have it looked at, because a falling chimney is a known earthquake hazard. FEMA puts out a plan set aimed at reducing earthquake damage to existing masonry chimneys, and we can look at yours as part of chimney repair.
Related services that often follow restoration
Fireplace installation
If you're planning a new fireplace while the old brickwork gets fixed, we can build the firebox and hearth in brick or stone that suits the house.
Stone veneer installation
When a plain block or concrete wall needs a better face, thin stone set over it gives the look of solid stone without the weight.
Service areas for masonry restoration around Richmond
Stonework Richmond Concrete and Masonry is based in Richmond, CA, and we restore brick and stone across the cities around it, including Berkeley and Oakland. These 12 cities have their own pages, and if yours isn't listed, just ask.
Richmond, CA
Get your old brick wall looked at
If you're buying, selling or remodeling an older house, knowing what the brick needs now makes the budget a lot easier to plan.