How Much Does Repointing Brick Cost? [2025 Data]

A brick facelift using repointing is often necessary to get older brick looking on point again. Repointing brick costs $1,450, but the price could potentially range from $250 to $40,000, depending on how in-depth the project is. Cost factors include home size, accessibility, scaffolding requirements, and special detailing needed for your chimney. 

Cost per Square Foot to Repoint Brick

The average cost to repoint brick is around $1,450 for 100 square feet of brick. This averages out to $14 to $15 per square foot to repoint brick. However, it’s not uncommon for some project costs to go as low as $400 or as high as $2,500 per 100 square feet, depending on a few different factors. The results you get from repointing brick in and around your home can last up to 30 years, making repointing an affordable way to improve your home’s aesthetic.

Mortar Composition Analysis Cost

Brick repointing typically starts with a mortar composition analysis that allows masonry experts to properly match new mortar with your home's existing mortar. Costing between $200 and $500, this step is important because using the wrong mortar can potentially cause or promote structural damage down the road.

If you don't have a home built before 1900, your local masonry contractors may recommend a mortar color analysis costing between $100 and $300 instead. This process provides you with lab-matched color results to ensure your new mortar matches the existing mortar perfectly. Homeowners living in historical or landmark districts may be required to complete professional color matching in order to get district approval for a repointing project.

Matching your mortar may not be necessary if you’re planning on painting the brick, but any other finish, like acid wash on your brick exterior, will lead to different coloration of the mortar if the color isn’t matched exactly before the treatment begins.

Brick Repointing Labor Costs

When charging hourly for repointing services, masonry rates range from $50 to $100 per hour in most cases. Most masonry companies charge per project based on the size of your home, which takes the expected completion time into consideration.

You can expect most masonry work professionals to charge a minimum job fee for smaller "patch-up" jobs that can range anywhere from $300 to $2,000 if they don’t charge by the square foot.

Factors That Affect the Cost to Repoint Brick

Any extra attention or touches needed to repoint your home successfully will increase your project costs. While some extra touches are aesthetically pleasing, others are necessary because they are restorative.

Intricacy of Masonry 

If you're selecting decorative or thematic repointing, expect to pay more for any work that needs to be chiseled by hand. Intricate repointing work can increase the overall project cost by anywhere from 25% to 100%. If your home's design has extra corners, borders, and joints, this can also increase costs by 25% to 50% because these areas will require handcrafting.

Waterproofing

Expect your masonry contractor to suggest waterproofing your brick or stone as part of your project. Waterproofing after repointing extends the lifespan of mortar in climates with heavy snowfall levels, rainfall, moisture, or humidity. Waterproofing costs between $1 and $4 per square foot and is often well worth the added investment.

Brick Repair

On average, brick wall repair costs between $20 and $40 per square foot. That cost covers repairing chipped or flaking bricks. Structural cracks can cost well over $1,000 to repair, especially if you need foundation repairs to correct the underlying problem.

Chimney Crown Repair

When repointing your brick, masonry contractors are likely to take a look at your chimney crown to see if it needs repairs. Repairing a chimney crown costs between $300 and $2,200, but the cost to replace a chimney crown is much higher, up to $3,000.

Scaffolding

If you have exterior walls or a chimney above 8 feet tall, your masonry pro is going to need to set up some scaffolding to complete the project. Most masons charge between 20% and 40% more for work above 8 feet than they do for ground-level work due to the scaffolding, extra time, and extra equipment needed.

Accessibility

If areas are blocked or difficult to access, your mason may also add a premium for the extra time and labor needed to repoint these spots. These include exterior areas above bump outs or landscaping features that make setting up scaffolding a challenge.

Power Washing

Your masonry expert is likely to inform you that your new mortar won't set properly unless you clean your bricks before starting your repointing job. The average cost to power wash a whole house is $310. You could opt to do this yourself, although the equipment cost could end up being higher than the price to hire a professional.

You’ll also want to plan to clean the mortar off bricks after the work is done. Ask your masonry pro if that’s included in their quoted repointing brick cost estimate.

What's the Difference Between Repointing and Tuckpointing?

Repointing is the process of removing old and decaying mortar from the joints between bricks before adding new mortar that matches the previous mortar color. While tuckpointing is similar, it is a much more expensive process because it involves replacing the removed mortar with new mortar that is followed by a line of contrasting putty to create the aesthetic of fine joint lines.

Why You Should Hire a Brick Repointing Pro

If brick repointing isn’t done correctly, it can lead to serious structural issues, plus the job itself can be a safety risk since it’s often done while on a ladder or scaffolding. We don’t recommend DIY brick repointing—hire a local masonry contractor with the tools and experience to do the job right and maintain your brick’s structural integrity. Labor costs make up a significant portion of the total project cost, but it’s worth it to pay for the expertise this job requires. 

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a brick repointing pro

Brick repointing isn’t a project to try to tackle yourself—here’s why you should hire a masonry pro:

• A brick mason has the experience to complete each step of this detailed process correctly.

• Your brick’s structural integrity relies on the mortar being replaced properly, and a pro will ensure that’s done right.

• A professional is used to working on a ladder or scaffolding and has the safety equipment to reduce any fall risks.

• An experienced mason can identify and repair any damage they encounter while repointing.

• A pro can pull a permit for repointing work if your municipality requires one.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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