Brick repair in Lincoln CA - fixes kept to the joints and bricks that need it
Crumbling mortar, gaps between brick and joint, or a crack running up the wall? We find the cause and fix what's failing.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Does your brick wall need repair, or can it wait?
Brick repair in Lincoln, CA usually comes down to repointing, where we cut the worn mortar out of the joints and pack in fresh mortar, plus swapping out any bricks that have broken. Done on just the joints that are failing, it keeps water out of the wall and gives the bricks many more good years.
Most people call because they've noticed mortar turning to sand, joints sitting deeper than they used to, or a crack running along the edge of a brick. Repointing is slow hand work, so the number of joints that are really failing sets the size of the job more than anything, and the schedule turns on that count, the weather and whether the city needs a permit first. I'll show you which joints those are when I look at the wall, and your estimate is built on them, not on the whole wall. If the trouble is up at the roofline, that's our chimney repair work.
How we handle brick repair
I start by looking at how the wall is built and what made it fail, whether that's water running off the roof, a sprinkler hitting it every morning or a downspout dumping against it, because new mortar over the same cause just fails again. Then we mark the joints and bricks that are really in trouble and leave the sound mortar where it is. We rake the bad mortar out to solid material and mix new mortar to match the old in color and texture, keeping it no stronger than the original, since mortar harder than the brick can make the brick face flake off. We pack and finish the joints to match the rest of the wall, cut out and replace any bricks that have broken, and clean the wall down before we leave.
Brick trouble often starts with what's next to the wall. If a slope keeps wet soil piled against the base of your brick, the lasting fix may be retaining wall construction to hold the ground back, and if an old driveway slab tips rainwater toward the house, we can replace it with driveway pavers laid to drain away from it.
Repointing worn joints
This suits a wall where the bricks are still solid but the mortar is sandy, recessed or cracked. We replace only the joints that are failing and match the new mortar to what's already there.
Replacing broken bricks
This suits bricks that are cracked through or flaking on the face, often from water or an old repair done with mortar that was too hard. We cut out the damaged brick and set a close match in its place.
Call us at (916) 587-8582 sooner rather than later if bricks are loose or falling out, or if water is showing up on the inside of the wall.
What happens after you call about brick repair in Lincoln?
I handle your job from the first look to the final walkthrough, so the person who prices the repair is the same one standing there while our crew does it. Here's how it goes.
Call or send the form
Tell us where the wall is and what you've noticed. We'll set a time for me to come out that works for you.
I look the wall over
I check how the wall is built, find what's causing the damage, and tell you which joints and bricks need work now and what can wait. Your estimate prices that work, so you're not paying to redo joints that are still sound.
Our crew does the repair
If you go ahead, I run the job on site with our crew. We take care of the permit side when there is one, so you're not chasing paperwork.
Walk the finished wall together
Once the joints are done and the area is cleaned up, I walk the wall with you and go over what we did. Our work is satisfaction guaranteed.
Get a free on-site estimate for your brick repair
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come look at the wall myself and give you a free estimate, with no pressure to book.
(916) 587-8582What changes a brick repair job in Lincoln, CA
In Lincoln, the city's Community Development Permit Center issues building permits, and the city requires one whenever a structure is repaired or altered, so whether your repair needs one gets settled with them before any mortar comes out. When it does, we pull it, set up the inspections and tell you where it stands before work starts. The city's building criteria are written for earthquakes, with no frost line or snow load, so the mortar trouble we see here comes more from water getting in and staying in than from freezing.
Older brick buildings with walls that aren't reinforced are common throughout Placer County, so on an older wall I check how it's built before anything else. We're based in Lincoln and see the same mix of older solid brick and newer brick veneer on jobs in Rocklin and Auburn.
Brick repair questions from Lincoln homeowners
How much does brick repair cost in Lincoln, CA?
Across the US, brick repair usually costs about $210 to $260 per brick, and that's a national market figure, not our price. What you'd pay depends on how many joints and bricks are actually failing and how easy the wall is to reach, so I give you your own number after I've seen it.
How do I know if my mortar joints need repointing?
Only the joints that are failing need it, and the signs are mortar worn back more than 1/4 inch, mortar that crumbles when you touch it, gaps in the joint and cracks between the brick and the mortar. Original mortar in good shape holds up better than new, so a careful job leaves those joints alone.
Is a crack in my brick wall an emergency?
Usually not, and I'll tell you when one can wait. A veneer or cavity wall, one with an air gap behind the outer layer of brick, can handle some moisture from minor cracks, so worn mortar there isn't always urgent. It's worth asking any mason which kind of wall you have before you agree to a repair.
How long do mortar joints last compared to the bricks?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on the weather they face and the mix used, while the bricks can last well over 100. That's why an older wall often needs its joints redone while the bricks themselves have plenty of life left.
What causes white powder on my brick wall?
That white powder is efflorescence, salts left behind as water dries out of the brick. On new brick it's normal while the wall dries out after it's built, but if it keeps coming back after that, water is likely getting in and staying in the wall. We track down where the water is coming from before we touch the joints, because new mortar won't stop a leak.
What should a masonry contractor in Lincoln, CA have?
They should hold a California contractor's license, a current City of Lincoln business license, workers' compensation and a bond, and the city expects every subcontractor on the job to be licensed with the city and bonded too. California only lets unlicensed workers take jobs up to $1,000 when the work needs no permit and they have no employees. You can check any license with the Contractors State License Board at 1-800-321-2752, and we're licensed and insured.
Other work that often goes with brick repair
Pavers can be lifted and reset if a section settles, and they suit a brick house when you want the driveway to match the walls.
If part of your yard is slipping or an old garden wall is leaning, a new retaining wall with drainage behind it holds the ground where it belongs.
Send us photos of the worst joints
Call (916) 587-8582 or use our contact form with a couple of photos and where the wall is on the house, so I already have an idea what I'm looking at when I come out.