Brick repair in Macon, GA - joints that hold because we fix the water first
Crumbling mortar, cracked bricks or a damp spot inside? We find where the water's getting in, fix it, then replace and repoint the brick.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What does brick repair involve on a Macon house?
Brick repair in Macon, GA usually means two things: cutting out worn mortar and packing in new, which masons call repointing or tuckpointing, and replacing bricks that are broken or so damaged that moisture gets through them.
Most people call us after they notice sandy mortar at the base of a wall or a brick that's cracked through, and the first thing I want to know is why it happened. The price mostly comes down to how much of the wall needs new mortar, how many bricks have to be cut out and replaced, how high we have to work, and whether a downspout or drainage problem needs fixing first. The schedule turns on that same drainage fix and on whether the county has to review the work before we start. When I come out, the estimate spells out the materials and the steps for your wall, and if it turns out only the joints need work, our brick pointing page goes into that job in more depth.
How do you know your brick needs repair?
Mortar sanding out of joints
If you can scratch the mortar out with a key or find gritty sand along the base of the wall, the joints have worn down and aren't holding the way they should. Left long enough, water gets deeper into the wall and the bricks around those joints start to loosen, which turns a pointing job into a bigger repair.
Bricks cracked or flaking
A brick with a crack running through it, or a face that's peeling off in flakes, is usually taking on water. Once a brick lets moisture through, new mortar around it won't keep the wall dry, so damaged bricks usually need to come out rather than get patched.
Damp spots on an inside wall
Water stains or bubbling paint on the inside of an outside wall, right where you see cracks on the brick, tell you water's making it all the way through. The longer that goes on, the more drywall and framing get soaked, and those repairs often cost more than the masonry.
How we handle brick repair
Before we replace a single brick, I look for where the water's coming from, because a leaky downspout will wash out new mortar as fast as it washed out the old. We fix that cause first, whether it's a downspout, a gutter or another drainage problem, and then the crew cuts out the damaged bricks, sets new ones and repoints the joints around them. On older brick, national guidance written for historic masonry says cutting old mortar out with hand chisels and hammers takes more labor but in most cases is the least likely to cause damage, while power saws on thin joints almost always break the brick edges. That's worth asking any mason about before they start, and it's why I'd rather take the slower, gentler way on old brick.
Brick work often sits next to other jobs you've been putting off. Our crew also lays driveway pavers and handles retaining wall construction, so if a worn driveway or a failing garden wall is part of the picture, I can look at it on the same visit.
Repointing worn joints
This suits a wall where the bricks are sound but the mortar is crumbling or washed out. We cut out the worn joints across the affected area and fill them with new mortar suited to your wall.
Replacing damaged bricks
This suits a wall with bricks that are cracked through or flaking, since those let moisture in no matter how good the joints are. We take them out, set new brick in their place and repoint around them.
Get a brick repair estimate that starts with the cause
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out and look at your wall. The estimate is free, it's done on site, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
(478) 309-1109Brick repair permits and review in Macon
Brick repair in Macon can also be a permit question. Macon-Bibb County requires a building permit for any construction that exceeds $2,500 and a zoning permit, which the county calls zoning compliance, for all construction, and the county's Building and Fire Safety Department at 478-803-0466 answers questions about whether your job falls under that. You can read through the county's permit process yourself, and when a job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections. Homes in a historic or downtown design review district have one more review step before work starts, which I cover in the questions below.
We're based in Macon and work across Middle Georgia, and a lot of brick repair calls look alike: an older brick house, a gutter or downspout dumping water against one wall, and mortar that's given out right below it. We see the same thing on jobs in Warner Robins and Milledgeville, and we handle it the same way, water first.
What happens after you call about brick repair in Macon?
Call us or send the form
You reach us at (478) 309-1109 or through the form, and we set a time for me to come out. A few photos of the wall help me plan the visit.
I look at the whole house
I come out myself and look past the bricks, at the gutters, the downspouts and how water moves around that wall. Then I tell you what I think is causing the damage.
You get the written estimate
It spells out the materials and the steps, so you know what you're paying for before you decide anything. If the job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork.
Crew repairs, then we walk it
A lead mason and the crew do the work while I check in along the way. When they're done, I walk the finished wall with you before we call it finished.
Frequently asked questions
Does every crack in brick mortar need to be repaired right away?
No, not every mortar crack needs fixing right away, because many brick walls, including cavity and veneer walls, can handle the moisture that gets in through minor cracks. National brick guidance says repair makes sense once cracks outside line up with leaks inside and other causes have been ruled out. That's why I'd rather check a wall and keep an eye on it than repoint it on sight.
What kind of mortar should be used to repair old brick?
The new mortar should be equal to or lower in strength than the mortar already in the wall. Mortar that's stronger than the original puts stress where brick meets mortar and can make the face of the brick break away. Ask any mason how they'll match your old mortar, and I'll tell you how we plan to on your wall.
How much does brick repair cost in Macon, GA?
There's no fair number until I've seen the wall, because the cost of brick repair turns on how much area needs repointing, how many bricks have to be replaced and whether there's a drainage problem to fix first. Working high off the ground, matching an unusual mortar color and any review the county requires can add to it. I'll go through each of those with you when I come out.
How do I know how much of my brick wall needs repointing?
It's usually the whole affected area, not just the joints that look bad, because it can be hard to tell which joints are actually letting water in. Brick guidance advises repointing all the joints in that area for that reason, and that's what sets the size of the job. I'll mark out the area with you on site so you can see where it starts and stops.
How do I match new mortar to the old mortar on my brick?
When only part of a wall is repointed, the new mortar should match the color of what's already there, so the repair doesn't stand out as a patch. Strength matters as much as color, as the mortar answer above explains. Ask how a mason plans to get the match before work starts, and I'll show you how we plan to on yours.
Which properties in Macon need a Certificate of Appropriateness for brick work?
Properties in Macon-Bibb zoned HR1, HR2, HR3, HC, HPD, HPD-BH, CBD-1 or CBD-2 sit in a design review district and need a Certificate of Appropriateness and zoning compliance before work on any part you can see from the street or a public right of way. That includes the side and back of the house, not just the front. You can check whether your property needs one with the county, and if it does, we'll help you through the review before we start.
Macon, GA
Send us photos of your brick
Call (478) 309-1109 or email service@maconconcreteandmasonry.com with photos of the cracked joints or damaged bricks, any water marks inside and your zoning if you know it, so I can see the job before I come out.