How much does tuckpointing cost in Chicago?
It depends on the job more than on any per-square-foot figure, which is why we do not publish one. What moves the price: how much wall needs repointing and how deep the mortar has eroded, the height and access (ladders, scaffold or a lift), how many bricks need replacing and whether matching old brick has to be sourced, mortar color and type matching, any lintel or parapet rebuilding, and the permit. We give you a written, itemized estimate after looking at the wall.
Does Chicago require a permit for tuckpointing?
Masonry repair inside the City of Chicago generally needs a City permit, and the masonry has to be done by a City-licensed mason. We handle the permit as the general contractor and use a licensed mason of record. Suburban villages set their own rules; some require a permit for masonry repair and some do not, and we check with the village on every job.
Can I tuckpoint brick myself?
Small areas, possibly, if you are comfortable on a ladder and match the mortar properly. The two common DIY mistakes do lasting damage: using a modern hard mortar on old soft brick, which makes the brick crack and spall instead of the joint, and smearing new mortar over joints that were not ground out deep enough, which falls out within a few winters. Anything high, on a chimney or on a parapet is a job for a mason.
Why is tuckpointing so expensive?
Because almost all of it is skilled labor. Every joint has to be ground or raked out to a consistent depth, cleaned, and packed in layers by hand, and on a two-story wall or a chimney the access equipment is a real cost too. Done properly it lasts decades; done cheaply it fails in a few years and gets paid for twice.
Do your crews lay the brick?
No. Our crews are roofers. We inspect, find where the water is actually getting in, write the scope, pull the permit, schedule the work and manage it, and experienced partner masons do the grinding, repointing and brickwork. You get one estimate, one point of contact and one invoice. When the masonry ties into the roof, as it does at chimneys and parapets, the flashing side is ours.
How long does tuckpointing last?
Properly done with a compatible mortar, repointed joints commonly last 25 years or more. The exposed places, chimneys and parapets, wear first because they take weather from every side.
When can tuckpointing be done in Illinois?
Mortar needs temperatures above freezing to cure, so the normal season runs from spring through fall. Late fall and winter work is possible only with protection and the right conditions; we schedule around the weather rather than risk joints that never cured properly.
Do you handle commercial buildings and condo associations?
Yes. Parapets, firewalls and chimneys on condominium buildings, two-flats and commercial buildings are common work, and they often go together with a roof project. We work with boards and property managers on the scope, the permit and the schedule.
