Tuckpointing in Novato CA - solid joints with mortar that suits your brick
Mortar crumbling, cracked or sunk back from the brick face? We cut out the worn joints and refill them so the wall holds together.
Does my brick wall need tuckpointing or brick repair?
Tuckpointing in Novato, CA means cutting the worn mortar out of your brick joints and packing in fresh mortar, so the wall holds together and the brick gets years more use.
Most people call after noticing mortar that's crumbling, cracked or sunk back from the face of the brick. Tuckpointing usually means the same job as repointing, but the word also names an older style that adds a thin strip of contrasting mortar so the joints look very thin, so ask which one a quote covers. First I check whether the trouble stops at the joints or reaches the brick, because fresh mortar won't fix a loose brick, and if it reaches the brick we handle the brick repair first. The price moves with the height of the wall, how much mortar is gone, the shape the brick is in and how easy the wall is to reach, and the schedule mostly follows the same things. Your written estimate puts a figure on your wall.
Why Novato homeowners pick us for tuckpointing
You deal with me from the first look to the last joint, and you get a straight answer about what your wall needs, even when it's less than you expected.
The owner comes out
I come out to every job myself, so the person sizing up your wall is the one who answers for the work.
In business since 2017
That's nine years of masonry, and mortar work on old brick and chimneys is what we're best known for.
Fully licensed and insured
We carry both on every job we take, from a few feet of chimney joints to a full wall.
Brick, walls and paving
The same crew that repoints your brick builds walls and lays driveway pavers, so one call covers the rest of the place.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
That goes for the parts you'll never look at again too, like the mortar mix behind the face of the joint.
Kinds of tuckpointing work we take on
The right job comes down to how much mortar is gone, whether any brick is loose or cracked, and how old the brick is, which I sort out on site.
Talk to us about your tuckpointing
Call (628) 209-1088 or use the form, and add a few wall photos so I know what I'm walking up to.
Why homeowners trust Optimum Novato Concrete and Masonry with tuckpointing
The mortar mix is where repointing goes wrong. New mortar has to be weaker than your brick, because mortar that's stronger makes the brick faces flake off, which is an expensive way to learn. I'll tell you which mortar we plan to use and how it compares with your brick, and it's fair to ask every other bidder the same.
On the wall, we cut the old mortar out of the joints and pack the new mix in, rather than smearing fresh mortar over the top and calling it done. A good bricklayer isn't always good at repointing, so ask any contractor for repointing jobs they've done, or to show their work on a hidden patch of your wall.
Tuckpointing questions we hear in Novato
How much does tuckpointing cost in Novato?
Across the US, tuckpointing usually costs about $5 to $25 per square foot of wall, and that's the going range, not our price. Where yours lands depends on the things I covered above, and the estimate turns it into a number for your wall.
How do I know if my mortar needs repointing?
Your joints need work when the mortar has worn back more than about 1/4 inch, crumbles, has holes in it, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Any one of those is reason enough to have someone look.
Can repointing fix cracked or loose bricks?
No, repointing only helps when the damage stays in the mortar joints. Leaks, stair-step cracks, loose or cracked bricks and faces flaking off mean the brick needs repair, and that cause gets fixed before new mortar goes in, which can make the job bigger and raise the cost.
What causes mortar joints to wear out before the brick?
Mostly age. Mortar usually lasts about 25 to 50 years and brick about 100 years or more, so on an older house the joints give out long before the brick does, which is the whole reason repointing exists.
Do I need a permit for tuckpointing in Novato?
That's the city's call, and the City of Novato Building Division is the office that issues building permits here. Questions about submitting for a permit go to permitinfo@novato.gov or 415.899.8989, and if your job needs one, we pull it and deal with the city for you.
Can a handyman do tuckpointing in California?
Only on a very small job. The state's contractors board lets someone without a contractor's license take work under $1,000, and only when it needs no permit and they have no employees, so anything bigger, or anything that needs a permit, takes a licensed contractor.
What happens when you call us about tuckpointing in Novato?
Each job is planned around what your wall actually needs, and I can only tell that once I've seen the joints and the brick up close.
You call or write
Call (628) 209-1088 or use the form, any day between 8 AM and 9 PM, and tell me what you're seeing on the wall.
I look at it
I come out myself, look over the joints and the brick, and 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, with the work spelled out, so you know what's being cut out, refilled or repaired before anything starts.
Work and walk-through
The crew and I do the work, and if a permit's needed, the city reviews the plans and inspects it. I walk the finished wall with you.
Tuckpointing in Novato and the cities around it
We're based in Novato and work in the cities around it, up through Petaluma and beyond, where we see plenty of older brick and tired chimney joints. Pick your city below or call (628) 209-1088.
Get a tuckpointing estimate in Novato
Worn joints are cheaper to fix before bricks start working loose, so call (628) 209-1088 or send the form while it's still a mortar job.