Masonry restoration in Brentwood CA - old brick that sheds water and holds together
Crumbling joints or a stained old wall? We repoint by hand and clean gently, so the wall sheds water again.
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What does restoring old brick or stone actually involve?
Masonry restoration in Brentwood, CA means repointing your brick or stone, which people also call pointing or tuckpointing, along with the repairs and gentle cleaning that go with it, so an old wall keeps water out and its brick stays whole.
Most folks call us after they run a finger along a joint and it comes away as sand, or they spot a stained, crumbling patch under a downspout. At Allied Brentwood Masonry and Concrete, I want to know why that's happening before we talk about mortar, because the cause shapes most of the job. The price moves with how many joints need raking out and how deep, how high we have to work, and whether cracked or flaking bricks need brick repair too. The schedule mostly turns on the weather, since fresh mortar wants mild days to cure. Your written estimate with photos spells out what your wall needs and what it'll cost.
How we handle masonry restoration on old brick and stone
Restoration is about protecting brick and stone that's already lasted a long time, so we go gently. First we find where water is getting at the wall, often a leaking downspout or a drain that dumps against it, and get that fixed, because new mortar won't outlast the leak that ate the old. Then we rake out the worn joints by hand, since a grinder chews up the edges and corners of old brick. We repack them with a mortar picked to suit your brick, which I explain in the questions below. We make sure every joint is solid and the wall sheds water before any washing, because water forced into open joints can rust the metal anchors inside and stain the plaster on the other side. Only then do we clean, with methods that are easy on soft surfaces.
Restoration often runs into the rest of the house. If we're bringing back an old chimney and the firebox itself is past saving, fireplace installation gives you a sound new one to work from. Where a wall has lost too much face to repoint and look right, stone veneer installation can put a fresh stone face on it.
What masonry restoration in Brentwood has to account for
California's contractor license board lists a masonry license class that covers masonry walls, brick facing and the cleaning and caulking that go with masonry work. That's worth knowing when you compare bids, because the washing on a restoration job is part of the masonry work, not an add-on for whoever owns a pressure washer. Small jobs have their own rule, which I cover in the questions below.
The other thing about living here is that the ground moves. In California, shaking does almost all the earthquake damage to homes, and houses near large active faults are more likely to shake hard. That matters most for chimneys and tall freestanding walls, because crumbled mortar is what lets brick come down. So when we restore a chimney or a garden wall, I look at whether it's leaning and how it's tied to the house, not just at the joints, and I'll tell you plainly if it needs more than repointing. We're based in Brentwood and do the same work in the cities around it, from Antioch and Discovery Bay to Oakley, Concord, Livermore, Tracy and more.
- Call (925) 503-1047
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
- Brentwood, CA 94513
What happens when you call Allied Brentwood Masonry and Concrete in Brentwood?
Call or send the form
Call (925) 503-1047 or send the form with a few lines about your wall. We'll get back to you and set a time that works for you.
I walk the wall with you
I come out myself, look the brick over with you and point out what I'm seeing, cause included. Then I send a written estimate with photos, so you can see each problem and what fixing it costs before you decide.
Our crew does the work
If you go ahead, we check with the city or county office for your address, and if a permit is needed we pull it and set up the inspections. Our own crew does the work, and I'm on site to set it out and check the joints as they go.
We walk it together
When it's done, we walk the wall together and I show you what to keep an eye on. You'll catch a problem early better than anyone, once you know what to look for.
Why Brentwood homeowners call Allied Brentwood Masonry and Concrete for masonry restoration
The owner looks at every job
I come out to every job myself, look it over with you and write the estimate, so nobody's guessing from a phone call. You get a straight answer from the person who'll stand behind the work.
Our own crew, owner on site
The work is done by our own crew, and I'm on site to set the layout and check it as it goes. On old brick, a bad joint is far easier to catch the day it's made than to undo later.
Trained by masons, started in Brentwood
I learned the trade under older masons for years before I started this business in Brentwood in 2021, and careful repair work is what we're known for, mortar and chimneys especially. Restoration takes that kind of patience.
Proof we're licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and we'll show you the paperwork before anyone climbs a ladder at your house. If something goes wrong on your wall, you're not the one left holding the bill.
On old masonry, what matters most is mortar that gives way before your brick does, and satisfaction guaranteed is how we stand behind it. Call (925) 503-1047 or tell us about your wall.
Request an estimateGet a written estimate for restoring your brick or stone
We respond within 1 business day, and the on-site estimate is free, with no pressure and no obligation. I come out, walk the wall with you and send a written estimate with photos of what I found.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Phone
- (925) 503-1047
- Location
- Brentwood, CA 94513
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
Questions about masonry restoration in Brentwood
What is repointing, and is it the same as tuckpointing?
Repointing means raking the worn, crumbling mortar out of a wall's joints and packing in new mortar, and most people mean the same job when they say tuckpointing. Mortar is meant to be the sacrificial part, wearing away first so the bricks don't have to, which is why a wall gets repointed long before its brick gives out.
What is the best mortar for repointing an older brick home?
A mortar softer than your brick is the right choice, and on older homes that's usually a lime mortar, which is soft and porous. Hard portland cement mortar has badly damaged soft brick by trapping moisture in the wall, so the brick fails instead of the joint. Ask any crew which mortar they plan to use and whether it's softer than your brick, and I'll answer that in your estimate.
Is power washing safe for old brick and stone?
Not at high pressure, because power washing or water blasting at too high a pressure is very abrasive and can easily etch soft stone and some kinds of brick. If you want a cleaner wall, ask for a gentler method that suits your brick or stone, which is the only kind of cleaning we do on old masonry.
Can an unlicensed handyman do a small masonry repair in California?
Only on a very small job. California's minor work exemption covers jobs up to $1,000, and only when the work needs no permit and the unlicensed person employs no one on the project. Anything bigger, or with a helper along, calls for a licensed contractor.
How much does masonry restoration cost in Brentwood, CA?
The cost is set mostly by how much of the wall needs repointing and what has to be fixed before the new mortar goes in. Spot repairs on one weathered side cost less than a whole house or chimney, and fixing a bad downspout adds to the bill up front but keeps you from paying for the same joints twice. I won't put a number on a wall I haven't seen, but the written estimate breaks your job down with photos.
How long does repointing last before it needs doing again?
One home-service guide puts it at about every 20 to 30 years for brick and stone walls and chimneys, as general upkeep. Whatever the calendar says, if a joint comes away as sand under your finger, it's time to have someone look at it.
Other work that goes with restoration
Fireplace installation
When an old firebox is cracked past repair, a properly built new fireplace gives your restored chimney and surround something sound to tie into.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer puts a new natural or manufactured stone face on a sound wall, handy when a patched old surface won't match the rest.
Get your old brick or stone looked at
Snap a few photos of the worn joints and jot down any leaking downspouts before you call (925) 503-1047, and we'll have a head start on finding the cause.
Request an estimateCall (925) 503-1047