Masonry restoration in Beaumont CA - fresh joints that protect your older brick
Mortar sanding out of the joints or brick flaking near a downspout? We restore the wall with mortar that's kind to the old brick.
What does masonry restoration involve on an older wall?
Masonry restoration in Beaumont, CA brings a worn brick or stone wall back to sound condition by stopping whatever sends water at it, renewing the mortar joints and cleaning the face last, so you keep the wall you have instead of tearing it down.
Most people call us after they notice mortar sanding out of the joints, a crack running through the wall, or brick near a downspout that's starting to flake. The price mostly turns on how much of the wall needs new mortar, how deep the old joints have worn, how high we have to work and whether a downspout or other drainage has to be fixed first, and bricks that have already broken apart need brick repair on top of the pointing. The schedule turns on that drainage work and on what we find once the old mortar comes out, which nobody can see from the driveway. When I come out, I look at the wall in person and tell you what I'd do and why.
How we do masonry restoration, in the right order
Before our crew touches a joint, we fix whatever is sending water at the wall, like a downspout emptying against the brick or soil sloped toward it, because fresh mortar won't last if the same water keeps hitting it. Then we rake the worn mortar out down to sound material, by hand where the brick is soft so the edges don't chip, and pack the new mortar in layers so it sets up solid, tooling each joint to match the old ones. Only once the joints are done do we clean, and only if the wall needs it. I do it in that order because it keeps the new work from getting undone.
Restoration often runs into the work next to it. If the brick you're saving is a chimney or a fireplace wall and the firebox itself is past saving, we can talk through fireplace installation while the masons are already on site. And when a plain block wall or a face you'd rather cover is the real problem, stone veneer installation gives it a new face instead of fresh joints.
Repointing just the worn sections
This suits a wall that's mostly sound with damage in one area, like the strip under a downspout or a corner the sprinklers keep hitting. We leave good joints alone, which keeps the cost down and the old character in place.
Repointing the whole wall
This suits a wall where the mortar is worn all over, or where earlier patches don't match and you want even joints across the face. It's more work, but every joint ends up the same depth, color and finish.
Masonry restoration in Beaumont and what the city asks for
Whether your restoration job needs a permit is the city's call, and I won't guess on it. When a job does need one, we prepare the application, send it to the city and work through any inspections it calls for, and if we're not sure, we check with the building office before work starts. The City of Beaumont takes all permits and plans digitally, by email at permits@beaumontca.gov, and the customer service window at City Hall is open if you have questions of your own.
A lot of the brick we restore here is on older houses and buildings, and we see the same kind of walls on jobs in Cherry Valley and Banning. We're based in Beaumont and work in the cities around it, so if you're not sure we come out your way, just ask. On an older brick building, I'll point out an unbraced parapet, the short wall above the roofline, or walls and a roof that don't look well tied together, because a state report says most unreinforced masonry buildings have features like those that can threaten lives in an earthquake. Repointing renews the joints, but it doesn't change how the building is put together.
Older brick and mortar work
Why call us for masonry restoration
The owner gives every estimate
I come out myself, look at the wall in person and explain what I'd do and why. You get your answer from someone who has laid a lot of joints, not from a salesman reading off a sheet.
Trained masons, checked before done
Our crew of trained masons does the work, and I check the wall before it's called done, the same way the strict old-school mason who taught me made me cut out a bad joint and lay it again. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Careful with older brick since 2017
We've been in business since 2017, and careful mortar work on older brick is what we're best known for. Most of our calls come from homeowners in Beaumont and the cities around it who've spotted cracked joints, so this is the work we know best.
Fully licensed and insured, every job
We're fully licensed and insured, so the crew working on your property is covered while the job is underway. Ask about it at the estimate and I'll walk you through it.
On this job, the order of the work and the mortar mix decide whether it holds, and I'll go over both standing at your wall. Send us a request or call, and I'll come take a look.
(951) 524-1277Have the owner look at your worn mortar joints
Send the form with a few photos of the worn joints and a note about any downspout that leaks, and we'll reply within one business day by phone or message to set a time. I come out, look at the wall and explain what I'd do and why, and the estimate is free, on site and comes with no obligation.
Masonry restoration questions from Beaumont homeowners
What is repointing, and does my brick wall in Beaumont need it?
Repointing, also called pointing or tuckpointing, means removing the worn mortar from the joints and filling them with new mortar, so the joints are renewed without replacing the wall. Your wall likely needs it if mortar is sanding out, the joints are cracked or sunk back from the brick face, or you can see gaps. I'll look at it in person and tell you which joints need work.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint an older brick wall?
New mortar should be no stronger than the mortar already in the wall, because a harder mix puts stress on older brick and can make its face break away, which masons call spalling. Type O mortar is often used on older brickwork, and Type N may suit newer brick. Samples sent to a lab show what the old mortar is made of, so ask me how my mix compares and whether testing makes sense.
What causes mortar to wash out of a brick wall?
Water is the usual cause, and a leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of the joints. Old hard patches do harm too, because hard portland-cement mortar that lets less water through than the soft brick around it has badly damaged brick walls. That's why I look for the water source and any hard patches before planning the repair.
What is the best way to clean brick before or after repointing?
Clean after the joints are repaired, because every joint should be sound and the wall watertight before any water cleaning. Otherwise water can seep through to the inside, rusting the metal anchors and staining or ruining plaster. Power washing or water blasting is very abrasive and can easily etch marble and other soft stone, so ask any crew how it plans to clean your wall.
How much does masonry restoration cost in Beaumont, CA?
There's no honest number until I've seen the wall, because the price comes from how much of it needs work and what's behind the old mortar. Doing only the worst joints now, skipping a cleaning and keeping the bricks you have keeps it lower, while a full wall, replaced bricks, drainage repair or a lab test of the old mortar raises it. The estimate is where you get your figure.
Who is allowed to do masonry restoration work in California?
A contractor holding the state's masonry license classification, which covers walls and fences built with or without mortar, thin brick facing, paving, and the cleaning and caulking that go with masonry work. Someone unlicensed can only take a small job under the state's minor work exemption, which tops out at $1,000 and applies only when the job needs no permit and they employ no one on it.
Plan your masonry restoration, from downspouts to clean brick
Call (951) 524-1277 or email contact@beaumontmasonryandconcrete.com, and I'll tell you honestly whether your wall needs work now or can wait.
