Key Takeaways – Masonry Repair Costs
Repair costs range from $500–$2,500 depending on damage and location.
Hard-to-reach areas like chimneys cost more to fix.
Early maintenance prevents costly problems like wall collapse.
Labor prices change based on local rates and demand.
Using the right mortar mix is key to long-lasting repairs.
What to Expect?
The purpose of this post is to explain to you what are the driving factors when it comes to masonry repair costs. There are a lot of factors when it comes to brick wall repair. Whether your masonry repair contractors are charging hourly, per square foot, based on the project, by the individual brick, or by the type of repair being done. Whether its a few brick, brick walls, spalling brick etc.
Why is tuckpointing important?
Keeping up the exterior masonry maintenance can end up saving you lots of money in the long run. Problems that are overlooked for long periods of time always end up becoming much larger and more expensive problems due to neglect. When existing brick is not taken care of with routine brick repairs, then you will likely end up with damaged bricks and cracked mortar which should be replaced with new mortar.
Even though exterior maintenance is not convenient and most homeowners don’t have the time, it is worth while to do. It takes only a few minutes to do a walk around your property, looking out for any loose bricks on the exterior walls, damaged brick foundation, brick chimney damage and other areas which we will cover later on.
Intro to masonry repair costs
There are many key factors in calculating the masonry repair costs. Some of which are obvious but others not so much. This will differ depending on where you live, the local climate of your area, the local labor rates and how many masonry repair contractors there are in the area. Lets look to see some of the different factors below.
Extent of damage:
Depending on how much damage there is to the old brick, whether its a bowing brick wall or a few bricks are needing replacement will determine the project costs. The total cost will depend on the repair needed and the repair methods used. Whether you only need minor repairs or major repairs.
The Size of the area:
Another key factor to repair costs are how many square feet of damage there are to fix. Is it an entire brick wall, or a couple retaining walls that need attention? Is it only a small section or an entire brick porch? The size of masonry work needed is a big determining factor to the total cost.
Accessibility factor:
How accessible is the work that is needing to be done? Does it require a large ladder or scaffolding to access? Is it dangerous to get to and require extra safety equipment to be installed? These are huge factors that come into place when a contractor is calculating overall brick repair cost.
Doing a large section that is easily accessible from the ground will usually be cheaper than doing a smaller section that requires large ladders and/or scaffolding. Sometimes the contractor must get on the roof to gain access to the chimney so the roof slope is important to factor in. Is the roof walkable? Does it require staging and a safety harness installation to walk it? This will effect the cost significantly due to hazard pay which is an additional cost for most businesses.
Local labor costs:
Your local labor rates will also effect the project costs. Depending on what area you live in will effect the cost data. If you are in an area where the cost of living is very high, then that will typically increase labor costs. Contractors that are very booked, will typically increase their prices due to supply and demand. If a contractor is running low on work they will usually lower their prices to get a competitive edge in order to sell the job.
What is Tuckpointing?
Getting a good grasp of this service is will help you understand why it is important and can end up costing so much to repair when neglected.
Tuckpointing is the process of removing damaged old mortar joints and replacing it with new mortar.
It helps with the aesthetic appeal of the brickwork while also adding the compression strength back to the structure you are working on. It is very important to use the correct mortar type for each application needed. For a detailed overview of each mortar type and their applications; check out my guide on the best types of mortar for tuckpointing.
Prepping for brick repair:
Start by assessing the condition of the old mortar joints and for any damaged bricks. Remove any damaged mortar by either a grinder or chisel to a depth of at least 3/4″.
You will then want to start mixing together the correct type of mortar depending on the old your home is and if the structure you are tuckpointing is load-bearing or not. For a detailed look at all the different mortar types and their applications, check out our comprehensive guide on types of mortar.
You can then fill the empty joints with new mortar. You can easily learn how to do that following our step by step process on how to tuckpoint start to finish.
Benefits of Tuckpointing
There are many benefits of tuckpointing and if you want the full list, you can check out the complete list on tuckpointing benefits.
Structural Integrity:
The big reason brick repair cost can be so expensive is because damaged bricks and joints can cause loose bricks, water intrusion, bowing brick wall, and even collapse. The masonry repair costs significantly goes up when there is a bowing brick wall repair rather than a routine maintenance fix. Masonry repair contractors can prevent these kind of brick repairs by fixing them before the problem gets that bad.
Aesthetic Improvement:
Masonry work can improve the look of your home by replacing all of the old mortar and filling it with fresh mortar that is correctly color matched.
Preventative Maintenance:
When you are on top of your preventative maintenance, your home will be protected from the elements and water will not be able to penetrate the brick walls. The most costly repair is one caused by neglect.
Common Issues Addressed Affecting Masonry Repair Costs
Cracked mortar joints repair:
It is very common for brick walls and structures to obtain damaged mortar. If your home is older than thirty years, it is very common to find this.
One of the areas to look out for are windows and doorways. Whenever I do inspections, I will pay extra close attention to those areas because they typically distribute the load from the brick wall disproportionally.
To do any tuckpointing job, you need specific masonry tools to be efficient.
Spalling brick repair:
spalling brick repair means the face of the brick becomes weak and peels off.
How you repair brick with this condition is you have to remove the spalling bricks and replace them with a new brick of the same brick type.
Properly tuckpointing your masonry work can prevent brick spalling. Brick spalling, depending on how many brick needs to be replaced, can significantly the brick wall repair cost.
Efflorescence Build-Up
Efflorescence occurs when moisture penetrates the masonry work such as brick and concrete and evaporates and leaving behind salt deposits. It typically looks like a what powdery substance.
Efflorescence can be removed in a few different ways, such as:
Rinse the bricks with water
Use a wire brush on the brick
vinegar solution (1 part white vinegar and 5 parts water)
Commercial cleaners
Additional costs can occur if efflorescence removal is required.
Masonry Repair Costs Factors
Extent of Damage:
Depending on how deteriorated the mortar between the existing brickwork is, will have a big impact on the brick repair cost. The amount of bricks that need to be replaced also can effect the cost significantly.
The masonry repair contractor will start with a detailed inspection and assessment of the brickwork and see how much existing damage there is. Based on their assessment and what kind of brick repair is needed, the total cost should be determined shortly.
If you are in need of new bricks or stones to complete a DIY masonry repair, many local companies will sell them at a fair price.
Area size - Total per square foot:
Some companies prefer to charge by the square foot and this is a definite factor that is at play. Although, this is not the only factor as we will discuss later. Location of the brick repair matters a lot too because accessibility is just as important.
Accessibility:
Where the brick repair is matters a whole lot. For example, if there is a 10-foot section that needs brick mortar replacement and its 2-stories high then that will be more expensive than if it was accessible from the ground.
If there is need for special equipment such as ladders, scaffolding, lifts or extra safety equipment, then that will effect the overall masonry repair costs.
If you are in need of new ladders and/or scaffolding, check out your local supply store.
Type of Mortar:
I won’t go too much into detail here because I have a whole comprehensive guide of the different types of mortar that you can check out. The overall idea is that depending on the application, different mortar types will be required. If a custom mortar blend is required, then the cost of material will increase.
If you have a small project and only need small amounts of mortar, you can check out these Quikrete mortars.
Labor Rates:
Depending on where you live, the overall cost of living, how much demand there is for the type of work and many other factors will determine how much the cost of labor will be. For most companies, the contractors are highly skilled and are compensated accordingly depending on the complexity of the work they are doing.
General Masonry Repair Costs
General repair costs depend on a lot of factors, so these prices are very generic and doesn’t guarantee that your brick repair cost will be in these ranges.
In general, a typical range for common masonry repair costs can run between $500 – $2,500.
Brick Wall Repair Cost:
On average, repairing a brick wall can cost between $200 – $1,500 depending on the severity, and what kind of repairs are needed.
Brick Steps Repair Cost:
Depending on the severity, and what kind of work is needed to be done you can expect an average cost being between $300 – $750 for repairing brick steps.
Bowing Brick Wall Repair:
An average cost is usually between $5,000 – $15,000. Depends on all of the factors we have been over and how large the section is and the repair method used.
Brick Spalling Repair Costs:
On average you can expect between $500 – $3,000 depending on how many bricks are needing to be replaced as well as tuckpointing the damaged masonry.
Cracked Brick Wall Repair Cost:
The typical cost range for repairing cracked brick wall is $500 – $2,500.
Maintenance vs. Masonry Repair Costs
This guide reveals the considerations masonry repair contractors go through when considering how much to charge for masonry work. Each company does their own thing and has their own cost data for each service so it is very common to get different quotes of varying prices but I hope this gives you a little clarity on what to expect.
Lastly, the best masonry solution is the one that is done right away. The cost of doing maintenance is far cheaper than waiting until the problem gets too severe.
