Mortar turning to sand, gaps in the joints or a loose brick? We repoint and repair your wall with mortar that protects it instead of wearing it down.
Masonry restoration in El Paso usually means cutting the worn mortar out from between your bricks, stones or adobe blocks and packing in new mortar, so the wall holds together and sheds water again.
Most calls start with something you can point at. You might see mortar that rubs out like sand, a gap you can slide a key into, a dark streak under a downspout or a brick that rocks when you push it. I look for what caused it before I look at the joint. Chimneys and old fireplace faces get the same care, and if a firebox is past saving, we can talk about fireplace installation instead.
The price moves mostly with how much of the wall needs work and what it's built from, and the schedule turns on whether a permit or historic review applies. Before work starts I check which office covers your address, since that changes from one city to the next, and when a permit is needed we handle the paperwork and keep you posted. I'll put your own number in a written estimate once I've seen the wall.
Call (915) 265-1230 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing. We answer calls from 8 AM to 9 PM every day and set up a visit that suits you.
I come out myself, point at the joints and cracks that matter and tell you what I think caused them. You get a written estimate covering the work, the mortar and the price, so you know the number before anything starts.
Our crew cuts out the old mortar, repoints the joints and replaces any brick that's too far gone. I check on the work as it goes, because a mortar joint is easiest to fix while it's still fresh.
Before we call it done, we walk the wall together and look at the new joints up close. We clean up the site so all you're left with is the wall.
The mortar joint is supposed to be the weak part of a wall. We match the new mortar to what your wall is made of, softer for old brick and adobe, so the mortar wears before the brick does and the repair doesn't wear the wall down faster. Where the brick is soft, we take the old mortar out by hand, then pack the joints in layers and shape them to match the rest of the wall.
On older El Paso properties I ask about historic status early, because review can change which materials are allowed. The city's historic design guidelines, for example, accept rock and brick for fences, each case decided on its own, and treat cinder block as not appropriate. So we won't patch an old rock or brick wall with block, even where it would be quicker.
What our masonry restoration covers:
Most walls I look at need repointing, not rebuilding, because mortar wears out long before sound brick or stone does. If bricks are spalling, which means flaking off on the face, or a section is leaning or pulling away, new joints won't hold, and we'll talk about taking that part down and relaying it. On a stone face that's too far gone, new stone veneer installation can be the better call. Where the original masonry is sound, I'd rather save it.
The biggest driver is how much joint we're cutting out and how deep the damage goes. Height adds cost, because ladders and scaffolding slow the work down. Soft old brick and adobe take more care than newer brick, matching mortar and finding replacement brick that fits takes time, and a drainage fix or historic review adds steps. A small section caught early usually costs far less than a wall left until the bricks start coming loose.
I learned this trade beside a mason who'd spent decades at it, and the habit I kept from him is explaining a wall before working on it. I want you to understand your own house well enough to make a good call, even if you don't hire us.
I ran a landscaping business before masonry, so our crew protects your plants and walkways, keeps the mess contained and cleans up as we go. We're licensed and fully insured, and every job ends with the two of us looking at the work together. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Have photos of the wall, notes on any leaky downspouts and your property's historic status handy when you call, so the visit covers everything.
Tell us where the wall is and what you're seeing. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free estimate at your home, with no pressure to book.
Choose a mortar softer and more porous than the wall itself, because new mortar has to let moisture escape or the brick and stone take the damage instead. Preservation guidance describes lime mortar as soft and porous and steady in size as temperatures swing, which makes it a good fit for historic walls, and it warns that cement mortar speeds up the decay of adobe because it's stronger than the adobe. Ask us whether lime suits your home, and I'll tell you what I'd use on your wall and why.
One cost guide puts it at every 20 to 30 years for brick and stone walls and chimneys, as general maintenance. That makes repointing regular upkeep you can plan for, not just a repair after something fails. When I come out, I can tell you how far along your joints are.
There's no single price, because the cost comes down to how much mortar has to come out, how high the wall goes, what it's made of and whether drainage work or historic review comes with it. I'll give you your own figure in a written estimate after I've seen the wall.
The city requires a building permit to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, and those permits go through the city's One Stop Shop. The One Stop Shop can tell you how that applies to your own project. As I said above, when a permit is needed we handle the paperwork.
The city's Planning + Design Division runs El Paso's Historic Preservation Program, so start there if your property has historic status. The Texas Historical Commission says its review may also be required in some cases before work on a historic building or property can go ahead. That's why I bring up review at the first visit, so it's sorted out before the crew is scheduled.
Water is the usual cause, and a leaking downspout pouring on the same spot can wash mortar right out of the joints. Preservation guidance says to replace the downspout and fix other drainage problems, so the job may reach beyond the wall itself. We take care of the water first, then the joints.
We're based in El Paso and work on both the Texas and New Mexico sides, including Sunland Park and Socorro. Pick your city below, or call if yours isn't listed.
