Brick repair in Newport News VA - new mortar that suits the brick you already have
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks? We repoint the joints with a mix that suits your wall, so the fix doesn't hurt the brick.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does brick repair actually involve?
Brick repair in Newport News is usually repointing. We cut the worn mortar out of the joints between your bricks and pack in new mortar that suits the old wall, so water has a harder time getting in.
Brick walls mostly wear out at the joints, so a crack or a line of crumbling mortar usually means the joints are tired, not the brick. The price depends on how much of the wall needs new joints and how high the wall goes, since anything out of reach needs scaffolding. It also depends on how carefully the old mortar has to come out of older brick. The schedule mostly turns on whether your address needs a permit or a historic review before we start. When I come out, I'll show you what I see on your wall and write up the number for your job.
How can you tell your brick wall needs repair?
Mortar sanding out of joints
If you can scrape mortar out with a key, or grit keeps collecting at the base of the wall, the joints have worn down. Left alone, the joints keep getting deeper and hold more water against the brick.
Cracks along the mortar lines
Thin cracks that follow the joints usually mean the mortar has dried out and let go of the brick. Make a note of where they are so you can tell whether they grow or start showing up indoors.
Damp spots on inside walls
Stains, peeling paint or damp patches on the inside of an outside brick wall can mean water is getting through the joints. I take this sign most seriously, because every week you wait lets the water keep working on whatever is behind the brick.
How we approach brick repair and repointing
Not every crack needs fixing today, so before I suggest anything, I check for signs of water getting inside. If the wall can wait, I'll say so and tell you what to keep an eye on. When it does need work, the new mortar has to be equal to or weaker than the old, because a stronger mix can break the face off your brick for good. I'll tell you how our mix compares with yours before we start. Then we cut out the worn mortar. The National Park Service's repointing guide says that on historic brick, cutting by hand with a chisel and hammer takes more labor, but in most cases it carries the least risk and gives the best result. Saws and grinders are the more common tool, and I'll go over which way suits your wall. Last, we pack the joints, tool them to match the rest of the wall and clean up.
Repointing often gets owners looking at the rest of the outside of the house. When a slope in the yard needs holding back, we handle retaining wall construction. If the driveway is next on your list, we lay driveway pavers as well.
Repointing the worst joints
This suits a wall that's mostly sound, with worn or cracked joints in a few spots, such as under a downspout or along the base. It costs less, though the new mortar can look a little different from the old until it weathers.
Repointing the whole wall
This suits a wall where most of the joints are soft or sunk back from the brick, because patching one area at a time means more trips and a patchwork look. You get even joints across the whole wall and one job to plan around.
Get a brick repair estimate written after I've seen your wall
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the wall with you and write up a free estimate on site, with no obligation.
(757) 782-8614- Based in
- Newport News, VA 23606
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call us about brick repair in Newport News?
Here's how a brick repair job runs with us, from your first call to the last walk along the wall, and what you'll get at each step.
Call or send the form
Tell us where the wall is and what you've noticed, and we'll get back to you to set a time. If your house is in a historic district or near the water, mention it so we can look into any review early.
Look at the wall together
I come out, go over the joints with you and point out what I see before I write anything up. The estimate tells you what we'd do and what it costs, so you aren't guessing before you decide.
Do the work and walk it
Once you say go, we sort out any permit or review your address needs, then do the repointing. At the end we walk the wall with you, so you know what we did and what to watch for next time.
Why Newport News homeowners call K&R for brick repair
I look at every wall myself
I come out to every job and write the estimate, and once work starts I'm on the wall alongside our masons. The person who told you what's wrong is there to make sure it gets fixed that way.
Working on lived-in homes since 2020
I learned the trade laying brick and block on new houses, and I started this business in 2020 to work on homes people already live in. Old walls have a history, and six years of working on them teaches you how to make a repair fit.
Licensed in Virginia, fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. In Virginia that license comes from the state Board for Contractors, and each city we work in adds its own local licensing rules. That matters on a wall repair, because you're letting a crew cut into the outside of your house.
If you've got a wall you're not sure about, call or send us a note and I'll come out and look at it with you.
Brick repair, permits and historic review in Newport News
Newport News requires a building permit to alter a building or land, and Codes Compliance at City Hall takes those applications. Codes Compliance decides whether a repointing job counts as an alteration. Before work starts, we check with them for your address and handle the paperwork when the job calls for it. Hilton Village has an extra step. According to the city's design guidelines for the district, any plan to alter an existing building there needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before construction or any permit. The guidelines also say the city's administrative agent in the Planning Department can issue some of those certificates for routine exterior repairs and maintenance. If your house is in Hilton Village, we flag it early so that review happens first, and you can call Planning at 757-926-8761 for the application.
We're based in Newport News and work in the cities around it. A lot of what we see is older brick whose joints have been patched over the years with whatever mix was on hand. We find the same kind of houses on jobs in Hampton and Poquoson, and we handle them the same way.
Questions about brick repair in Newport News
How much does brick repointing cost in Newport News?
One national cost guide puts repointing at about $3 to $25 per square foot across the US. That's the going market range, not our price. Walls taller than 8 feet that need scaffolding cost more per square foot than lower walls. Your own figure comes from the estimate once I've seen the wall.
Does cracked mortar need to be repaired right away?
Cracked mortar doesn't always need repair right away, even though cracks can let in more water. Repair usually makes sense when cracks outside line up with leaks inside and other causes have been ruled out. The type of wall matters too. In cavity and veneer walls, the brick is an outer layer with a gap behind it, so they can handle some moisture from minor cracks. Water coming through cracks is a bigger problem for solid brick walls.
Do I need a permit to repoint brick in Newport News?
The city requires a building permit to alter a building, and its Codes Compliance office decides whether your repointing job counts. That's why we check with them for your address before work starts. In Hilton Village, the city's approval for exterior work comes before any permit, as covered above.
Is tuckpointing the same as repointing?
For most homeowners, tuckpointing is just another name for repointing, the work of cutting out worn mortar and packing in new. The National Park Service's repointing guide calls tuckpointing a somewhat inaccurate name, so we say repointing. If you've been searching for tuckpointing, though, this is the work you're after.
How long does repointed mortar last before it needs redoing?
Brick mortar usually needs repointing about every 25 to 30 years, according to one national cost guide. Treat that as a rule of thumb rather than a schedule. I'd go by what the joints and the inside of your house are telling you.
How do I tell if cracked mortar is letting water into my house?
Look over your outside walls now and then and note where the cracks and worn joints are. Then check the same stretch of wall from inside for stains, peeling paint or damp. Keeping those notes shows you whether a crack is growing or a leak is following it, and that's what tells you it's time to call.
Other outdoor masonry work owners ask about
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit a driveway that's cracked or settling in spots, because one damaged section can be lifted and relaid without tearing out the whole surface.
Retaining wall construction
A yard slope that keeps washing onto a walk or patio usually needs a proper wall, built with drainage behind it so water can't pile up against it.
Brick repair around Newport News and nearby cities
K&R Newport News Concrete & Masonry is based in Newport News, VA, and we repair brick in the cities around it, including Hampton and Williamsburg. The 9 areas below each have their own page. If your city isn't on the list, call and ask.
Newport News, VA
Have your mortar joints looked at in person
When you call, have the wall's height and rough size handy and tell us if your house is in Hilton Village, so I come out ready.