Highlights
Close to 90% of repointing your brick home is labor.
Repointing is a delicate process that requires precision and expertise.
The benefits of repointing your home are both aesthetic and structural. Repointing keeps brick beautiful. It also prevents crumbling and cracking that can cause expensive problems.
Masons use high-tech matching to get the right mortar for your house.
You may need to get permission from your district if you're repointing a home that's located in a landmark district.
There's nothing like a beautiful brick home in all its glory! A brick facelift using repointing is often necessary to get older brick looking on point again. With repointing costs that involve replacing old, decaying mortar with fresh mortar ranging from $4 to $25 per square foot, most homeowners are paying between $400 and $2,500 for projects covering 100 square feet. The average cost to repoint brick is $1,450 for 100 square feet of brick for results that can last up to 30 years. A number of factors that can include home size, accessibility, scaffolding requirements, and special detailing needed for chimneys can all impact the total project cost when repointing a brick house.
Average Cost to Repoint a Brick House (100 Square Feet)
| High | Average | Low |
|---|---|---|
| $2,500 | $1,450 | $400 |
Brick Repointing Prices
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 structural damage.
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. Homeowners living in history or landmark districts may be required to complete professional color matching in order to get district approval for a repointing project.
Brick Repointing Labor Costs
Most masonry companies charge per project based on the size of your home. When charging hourly for repointing services, masonry rates range from $50 to $100 per hour.
Expect for most masonry companies to charge a minimum job fee for smaller "patch-up" jobs that can range anywhere from $300 to $2,000.
Repointing Costs by Style
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 anything 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.
Brick Repointing Cost Factors
Any extra attention or touches needed to successfully repoint your home will add to your project costs. While some extra touches are aesthetically minded, others are necessary because they are restorative.
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, moisture, or humidity. Waterproofing costs between $1 and $4 per square foot.
Brick Repair
If you need brick repairs done, most masons typically charge $20 and $40 per square foot.
Repairing or Replacing a Chimney Crown
When repointing your brick, masonry contractors are likely to take a look at your chimney crown to see if it needs repairs. While repairing a cracking chimney crown costs between $300 and $2,200, the range rises to between $1,800 and $3,000 if you need a replacement.
Scaffolding
Have walls or a chimney above 8 feet? Your masonry pro is going to need to do 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.
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 $280.
Cost to Repoint Brick Yourself
With expertise and time being the two things you're really paying for when you hire a mason to repoint your brick for you, a DIY repointing job is relatively inexpensive.
An 80-pound mortar bag costing around $10 should be enough to cover 45 square feet of brickwork. In addition, DIY repointing requires you to spend what might amount to $100 to $200 on basic tools like a brick hammer, pointing chisel, pointed trowel, bucket, finishing trowel, and margin trowel.
DIY vs. Hire a Repointing Pro
Repointing a home can be a tedious and delicate process that requires careful craftsmanship. Doing repointing work incorrectly can result in a wall splitting. It can also be difficult to accurately match your new mortar to your existing mortar. Most homeowners choose to hire masonry experts capable of completing repointing work that will last up to 30 years for these reasons.
FAQs
What are the signs my house needs repointing?
The telltale signs that your home is ready for repointing include visibly damaged bricks, crumbling bricks, flaking bricks, loose mortar, cracked mortar, gaps between brick and mortar, leaking, and visible water damage. Consider repointing needs when going over brick house pros and cons if you're buying a new home.
What's the difference between repointing and tuckpointing?
Repointing is the process of removing old and decaying mortar from joints before adding new mortar matching the previous 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.
How often should I repoint my house?
Repointing is recommended every 25 to 30 years. Professional repointing can easily last this long if you're following all basic brick and stone maintenance tips.
How does repointing help my house?
Repointing helps to stop cracks and deterioration in a home's bricks before the bricks become loose or cracked. It may help to keep walls from crumbling and falling.
Why is repointing so expensive?
Repointing takes expertise and precision to be done properly. In addition to helping to preserve the structural integrity of your home, repointing also adds aesthetic value for both newer and historic homes.
