Crumbling mortar, flaking brick or joints washing out? We repair the failing joints, fix what's wetting the wall and keep your old brick.
Brick repair in Santa Barbara means fixing chipped or flaking bricks and the mortar joints that have cracked, crumbled or worn back, usually by raking out the bad joints and repointing them with fresh mortar so the wall stays dry.
Most calls I get are about an older wall or chimney that's started to show its age, with sandy mortar falling out, a brick face flaking off or a crack running up the wall. Cracks of any size let water in, and water does the real damage. Something is usually feeding it, like a leaky downspout or a gutter that spills over, so we plan that fix into the job and the new work doesn't wash out too.
The price and the schedule both turn on how much of the wall has failed, how hard it is to reach, what's been wetting it and whether a permit is needed. The estimate gives you the figure for your wall. We're licensed and fully insured, and in California brick walls, fences and paving like driveway pavers all fall under the state's masonry contractor license.
Call (805) 456-2871 or use the form and tell us which wall is giving you trouble. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I look over the joints, the brick and the gutters and downspouts above them, and tell you what needs fixing now and what can wait. You get a price for the work we talked through, so you know the cost before anything starts.
If you go ahead, we sort out any permit, and then I work the job alongside our crew. The drainage problem we found gets fixed in the same job, so the new joints stay dry.
When the work's done, we walk the wall with you before we pack up. You can look at every joint we repaired and ask about anything you see.
We only rake out the joints that have failed, the ones that are crumbling, hollow, cracked or worn back more than about a quarter inch, because sound original mortar is better than anything we'd put in its place. The old mortar has to come out carefully, since a grinder used carelessly can chip the edges and corners of old brick. Ask us how we'll do it on your wall.
Santa Barbara has plenty of older brick homes, and the city's historic resources guidelines say owners need to keep historic buildings watertight and in good repair. They also say a worn feature is still historic and calls for repair. That's how I like to work anyway, so on an older house we repoint the failing joints before water gets in and keep the original brick.
What our brick repair covers:
Most of the time repair is the better choice, because good brick usually outlasts the mortar around it many times over. Repointing the bad joints and swapping out a few damaged bricks keeps the wall you already have. Replacement makes sense when a wall is leaning, bulging or cracked clean through. If it's holding back soil, retaining wall construction built for that load may be the right fix. I'll tell you plainly which your wall needs.
The biggest factor is how much of the wall has failed, since we only repoint the joints that need it. Height and access matter next, because a chimney or a tall wall takes ladders or scaffolding and more time. Matching the color and softness of old mortar takes longer than a standard mix, and every brick we replace adds to the job. Fixing a downspout or gutter adds a little now, so you aren't paying for the same joints again later.
I grew up on a family farm, where you fixed a cracked barn wall yourself and fixed it so it stayed fixed. I learned masonry working beside older masons, started this business in Santa Barbara in 2017 and still work that way. I come out for the estimate, and I'm on the job with our crew.
I'd rather tell you a repair can wait than sell you work you don't need. I'll show you which joints are failing and why, we protect your yard and plantings while we work, and we clean up before we leave. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
A few photos of the cracked joints and any leaks inside help me see what's going on before I come out.
Tell us where you are, which wall is giving you trouble and any leaks you've seen inside. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $400 to $2,500 per 100 square feet, and that's a national figure, not a Santa Barbara price or ours. Structural cracks can cost far more, especially when the foundation needs repair to fix what's behind them. You'll get the price for your wall at the estimate.
No, minor mortar cracks may not need repair right away in a cavity or veneer wall, which is brick with a gap or backing behind it that can handle a little extra moisture. Cracks matter more in a solid brick wall, where water has nowhere to go. Note where the cracks are and whether you've seen leaks inside, because cracks that line up with leaks are a good reason to repair.
It can if the mix is too hard, because repointing mortar has to be equal to or weaker than the original, and a stronger mix can damage the brick for good. We match the new mortar to the old one on your wall. Ask any contractor you're talking to how their mortar compares with what's already there.
You might, because the City of Santa Barbara generally requires a building permit to repair a building or structure. Brick repair isn't on its list of work that doesn't need one, so don't assume you're exempt. We find out which office covers your address before we start, and when a permit is needed, we handle the application, meet the inspector and tell you up front how the review time fits the schedule.
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the bricks can go well past 100. Over a wall's life you can expect to redo the joints now and then and keep the brick. Keeping water off the wall is what helps the joints reach the long end of that.
That white bloom is efflorescence, salts left behind as water dries out of the brick, and it's normal on new brick shortly after it's built. If it keeps coming back years later, water is likely getting into the wall and staying there. It's worth finding that leak before the joints are repointed.
We're based in Santa Barbara and repair brick in the cities around it, including Goleta and Montecito. Pick your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.
