Brick repair in Novato CA - mortar joints that hold up and brick that matches your wall
Mortar crumbling out of the joints or bricks cracking? We find what's causing it, fix the joints and replace bad brick with a match.
Does my brick wall need repointing or new brick?
Brick repair in Novato usually means raking out the worn mortar between your bricks, packing the joints with new mortar and swapping out only the bricks too far gone to keep, so the wall keeps water out and stays solid.
Most calls start with sand piling up under a wall, joints you can scrape out with a key, or brick faces cracking and flaking off. The price moves with how many joints need raking out, how many bricks have to be replaced and how high we're working, and the schedule mostly turns on how long it takes to find brick that matches yours, which is why your written estimate comes after I've seen the wall. We're based in Novato and work across Marin and up through Petaluma, and if your wall is leaning rather than just worn, that's usually a retaining wall problem, not a mortar one.
Why Novato homeowners call us for brick repair
You'll deal with the person who does the work and get a straight answer about what's wrong and what isn't worth fixing. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
I look at it myself
I come out to every job myself, and my own crew of masons does the work alongside me.
Doing this since 2017
I started this business in 2017 after learning the trade as a helper, mixing mortar for the masons I worked under.
Fully licensed and insured
We carry our license and insurance on every job, and I'm happy to show you both when I come out.
The water gets fixed first
Before we replace a brick, we find the water that's been wrecking it, and it's often a gutter or downspout.
Brick that matches the wall
Where a brick has to come out, we hunt for a replacement that matches what's already in your wall.
The kinds of brick repair we do
Which one your house needs comes down to whether the bricks are still sound and only the mortar is worn, or the bricks themselves are breaking up.
Talk to us about your brick repair
Call (628) 209-1088 or ask for an estimate, and send photos of the crumbling joints, cracked brick or leaking downspout if you have them.
Trusting Optimum Novato Concrete and Masonry with your brick repair
When I look at a brick wall, I'm checking how deep the mortar has gone, which bricks are still sound and which are just ugly, and what isn't worth touching. Plenty of old brick looks worse than it is. I'd rather tell you to leave a section alone than sell you a rebuild it doesn't need.
The work that matters most is the part you won't see once we're gone. We rake the joints out to solid mortar instead of skimming over them, mix the new mortar for your brick rather than for speed, and tool the joints to match the old ones. Bad mortar doesn't fail loudly. It just quietly turns back into sand.
Brick repair questions we hear in Novato
What does repointing brick involve?
Repointing means raking the worn mortar out of the joints and packing new mortar back in, while the bricks stay where they are. A thin coat of grout smeared over the surface is no substitute for it, so when you compare bids, ask whether each one covers full repointing of the worn joints. A white bloom sometimes shows up in the first few months afterward, and it usually weathers off on its own.
How do I know if my brick wall needs repointing?
It's time when the mortar has worn back more than a quarter inch, crumbles, or shows hairline cracks or holes. The first step is having someone who knows masonry look at the wall, which is why I come out and see it before anyone talks numbers.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
The new mortar should be the same strength as the old mortar or softer, not stronger. Brick industry guidance says mortar that's too strong can make the brick face crack and flake off, and calls that damage permanent, so ask any contractor how their mix compares to what's in your wall.
How long does mortar last compared to the brick?
Mortar usually lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick itself lasts about 100 years or more. That gap is why repointing is the normal upkeep on a brick wall, and you can plan on redoing the joints well before the brick wears out.
How much does brick repair cost in Novato?
There's no set price, because brick repair is priced by the wall in front of us, mostly by how many joints need repointing and how many bricks need replacing. Patching just the worst spots costs less up front, while repointing a whole face costs more but usually wears evenly. Fixing a leaky downspout adds to the job, and it's still cheaper than doing the same joints twice.
Do I need a licensed contractor for brick repair in California?
Yes, if the job needs a permit or the person doing it has anyone working for them, even when it comes in under $1,000. The state's small-job exemption, which went up from $500 to $1,000, covers only work that needs no permit, done by someone with nobody else working on it.
What happens when you call about brick repair in Novato?
Every job starts with me looking at the wall, so the plan is built around what's actually wrong with it and what you want done, not a guess over the phone.
You get in touch
Call (628) 209-1088 or use the form, and tell us what you've noticed, whether it's sandy joints, cracked brick or water running down the wall.
I look at the wall
I come out myself, check the joints and the bricks, then tell you what I see, what I'd do and what I wouldn't bother with.
Your written estimate
You get the estimate in writing, covering the repair we talked about on site, so you know what you're agreeing to before we start.
The work and walk-through
My crew and I do the repair and clean up, then I walk the finished wall with you so you can see the work.
Brick repair in Novato and the cities around it
A permit is Novato's Building Division's call, and if your brick repair needs one, we pull it for you. We see tired mortar on chimneys and garden walls all over Novato and the cities below, so pick yours or call.
Get your Novato brick wall looked at
Call (628) 209-1088 any day from 8 AM to 9 PM, or use the form, because catching loose joints early usually means fewer bricks to replace.