Masonry restoration in Alameda CA - old walls repaired in a way that suits the house
Crumbling mortar, stained brick or loose stones on an older house? We repoint, repair and clean them gently so the wall is sound again.
Old masonry wears at the joints. Masonry restoration puts it right.
People think of brick and stone as permanent, but masonry wears, and it wears first in the mortar joints, the bands of mortar between the bricks or stones. Masonry restoration in Alameda is mostly a matter of renewing those joints, repairing the brick around them and cleaning the wall without hurting it.
The price turns on how much of the wall needs new joints, how hard it is to reach, how many bricks need replacing and whether a leak must be fixed first. The schedule depends on any city review and on mild weather for the mortar to set. My written estimate spells out the scope for your wall.
Restoration keeps what you have, but when a firebox or a wall's face is past saving, fireplace installation or stone veneer installation may suit the house better, and I'll tell you plainly which way I'd go.
You can usually see it coming. These signs call for masonry restoration.
Mortar that crumbles when scraped
If a key scrapes sandy mortar out of the joints, they've worn through. Left alone, water works deeper into the wall and the bricks around those joints start to loosen.
Joints washed out by a downspout
A strip of missing mortar under a downspout usually means a leak has run down the wall for years. New joints won't last there until the drainage is fixed, so we plan that repair into the job.
Brick faces flaking off
When the surface of the brick itself breaks away, moisture is usually trapped inside it. Every wet season takes a little more, and a brick that's lost its face has to be replaced rather than repaired.
Masonry restoration starts with a look. Then a written plan.
When you call or write, we'll get back to you to set a time, and I come out myself. We walk the wall together, I ask how old the house is and where water runs off the roof, and then I send a written estimate that spells out the scope, including the mortar we plan to use.
Once you're ready, we take care of any city steps and put the job on the calendar. Our own small crew of masons does the work, and I check in on site. We clean with the gentlest wash that does the job and step up only if we must, because harsh methods take the face off the masonry along with the dirt.
We keep your yard and paths protected while we work, clean up the dust and mortar at the end, and walk the finished wall with you before we call the job done.
Planning masonry restoration? Tell us about your wall.
Send photos of the wall, the house's age and any historic designation. We'll reply within one business day to set a free, no-obligation estimate visit.
(510) 254-3205Masonry restoration in Alameda. And in the cities around it.
Alameda has more than 10,000 buildings from before 1930, and work on a historic structure may need a Certificate of Approval from the city's Planning Division as well as a building permit. When yours does, we handle the application and work with the city through the inspections. We're licensed and insured, and the city says contractors need a current City of Alameda business license.
We bring the same care to older brick and stone in Oakland and Berkeley.
Questions about masonry restoration. Answered plainly.
Here are straight answers to what people usually want to know before restoration starts. If yours isn't here, please call and I'll explain.
What is repointing on an older brick house?
Repointing is taking the worn mortar out of the joints between bricks or stones and packing in new mortar. It's the main part of most restoration work, because the joints wear long before good brick does, and you'll also hear it called pointing or tuckpointing.
What mortar should be used on an older soft-brick wall?
Use a mortar that's softer than the brick and lets moisture through at least as easily, so the joints take the wear instead of the brick. Preservation guidance describes a soft-brick wall badly damaged by hard portland-cement mortar that trapped moisture inside. Please ask any crew which mortar they plan to use, and my estimate names ours.
Is it safe to pressure wash old brick in Alameda?
Not at high pressure. Preservation guides for historic masonry start with a very low-pressure wash, even a garden hose, and go slightly higher only as needed, because grit blasting, grinders and sanding discs usually remove some of the masonry surface with the dirt. That gentle start is how we clean.
Does my masonry project in Alameda need city approval?
It may, depending on your house's historic status. Changes to a Historic Monument, or to a contributing building in a historic district, need approval from the Historical Advisory Board at a public hearing, and the city also lists Design Review for exterior changes, including materials. A city Planner at 510-747-6805 can tell you about your own house.
Old brick or stone wearing out? Call for a free estimate.
Call (510) 254-3205 or use the form to tell us what you're seeing, and we'll set a time to look. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
