Brick repair in Madison AL - mortar joints that keep water out of the wall
Crumbling or cracked mortar lets water into your brick. We cut out the joints that failed and repoint them so the wall sheds water again.
Failed joints cut out
We remove the worn mortar and leave sound joints alone.
Damaged bricks replaced
Bricks that have flaked or come loose get swapped out.
New mortar packed in
Fresh mortar fills each joint so the wall sheds water.
Cleanup and walk-through
We clean up and go over the wall with you.
What does brick repair involve on a Madison home?
Brick repair in Madison, AL usually means repointing, where Advanced Madison Concrete and Masonry cuts the worn mortar out of your joints and packs in new mortar, which is one of the best ways to stop water getting into your brickwork. We do this work across Madison, Huntsville, Decatur, Athens and the cities around them.
Mortar wears out long before brick does, so a wall full of good brick still ends up with soft, crumbling or open joints that let water in. We cut out and redo only the joints and bricks that have failed and leave sound work alone, because good original joints hold up better than new ones. I'll show you what's failing so you can see why it's on the list.
Repointing is slow hand work, so the price comes down to how many joints have failed, the size of the wall and how many bricks need replacing. The schedule turns on the same things, plus whether a leak has to be fixed before we repoint, since the water that washed out the old mortar will go after the new. The written estimate gives you the price for your wall.
- Only failed joints and bricks replaced
- Mortar chosen to suit your brick
- New joints matched to the old
- A wall that sheds water again
How do you know your brick needs repair?
Walk the wall and look at the joints, because that's where trouble shows up first, usually as one of these.
Joints worn back from the brick
The mortar sits recessed behind the brick face, so water sits in the joint instead of running off.
Mortar that turns to sand
Rub a joint with your thumb and it crumbles away. That mortar isn't holding anything anymore.
Holes in the joints
Gaps where mortar has dropped out give rain a straight path into the wall behind the brick.
Hairline cracks along joints
Fine cracks in the mortar, or a thin gap opening where brick meets mortar, let water work its way in.
Brick faces flaking off
When a brick's face peels or flakes, that brick has to come out and the joints around it need a look.
Loose or missing bricks
A brick that rocks in its spot or has fallen out means the mortar around it has let go.
Get a free brick repair estimate
Send photos of the worn joints and the wall's rough size. We reply within one business day, and I'll come out for a free quote, no obligation.
What we look at on a brick repair visit
Before I recommend anything, I go over the joints, the bricks and where the water's coming from, so the estimate covers what's failing and nothing else.
Every mortar joint
I check how far each joint has worn back and whether it crumbles, cracks or has holes, so only failing joints go on the list.
The bricks themselves
I look for bricks that have flaked, cracked or worked loose and mark the ones that have to come out.
Where the water comes from
A leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of the joints, so that gets fixed before we repoint anything below it.
Your old mortar's color
Sand and cement both change the color of mortar, so we try a sample in a hidden spot to check the match first.
How a brick repair job runs with us
We plan the work around your house and your week, and before anything gets cut out you'll know which joints and bricks are on the list.
Call or send a note
Call (256) 289-8018 or use the form, and add photos of the worn joints if you have them handy.
I look it over
I come out, go over the wall with you and point out which joints and bricks have failed and why.
Your price in writing
I tell you what I'd do and put the price in writing, so you can think it over at your own pace.
We do the masonry
Once you say go, we check what the city or county office asks for, line up materials and do the masonry ourselves.
Walk the finished wall
When the joints are packed and the wall is cleaned up, we walk it with you so you can see every repair.
Why Madison homeowners call Advanced Madison Concrete and Masonry for brick repair
You get the owner on site, a repair list limited to what's actually failing, and work backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
The owner looks at your wall
I come out to look the job over myself, then work on the crew alongside our masons when we do it.
Taught to tear out bad work
I learned under a boss who made me relay any course that wasn't right, and started this business in 2023 to work that way.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, so the job is covered from the first chisel cut to the cleanup.
A smaller fix when it'll do
If a few joints are the problem, I'll say so. I'd rather point you to a smaller fix than sell you a whole wall.
Brick repair in Madison and the cities around it
Madison's Permitting office issues building and trade permits, and its list names additions, most alterations and retaining walls, not brick repair, so the list alone doesn't settle your job. We check what the city or county office asks for and take care of the permit paperwork when one's needed, once you've signed a contract with the scope and price.
Around Madison, Huntsville and Decatur, a lot of our brick calls are older homes where the mortar has worn back while the brick is still good. If you're also planning driveway pavers or a new retaining wall, I can look at both on the same visit.
Wondering if your joints need repointing or just a patch?
(256) 289-8018Brick repair questions we hear
How much does brick repointing cost in Madison, AL?
Professional brick repointing across the US usually costs about $400 to $2,500 per 100 square feet of wall. That's the national market range, not our price, and because repointing is so labor-heavy, keeping the work to the joints that have actually failed is what keeps a job focused. I'll give you your own price in writing after I see the wall.
How do I know my mortar joints need repointing?
Your joints need repointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between brick and mortar. Only those joints need work, because sound original joints are better than repointed ones.
Why should new mortar be weaker than my brick?
Mortar that's stronger than your brick makes the brick faces spall, or flake off, so new mortar has to be the weaker of the two. Before we start, ask me how the mortar I'm planning compares with your brick, and I'll explain the mix I picked.
Who handles permits for brick work in Madison, AL?
The city's Permitting office handles building and trade permits, and you can reach it on weekdays at 256-772-5644, Option 1, or at permits@madisonal.gov. For any permit, the city wants a signed application plus an invoice or contract signed by you that states the scope and price. When your job needs one, we take care of that paperwork.
How long does mortar last before brick needs repointing?
Mortar usually lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while brick lasts about 100 years or more. That gap is why a wall with good brick still needs its joints redone at some point, and why we leave sound bricks in place.
Does a contractor need a license for brick repair in Alabama?
The Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board treats anyone repairing a home where labor and materials cost more than $10,000 as a residential home builder, apart from work outside the board's jurisdiction. So on a larger brick repair, ask whoever you hire whether they're licensed with the board.
Get a brick repair estimate in Madison
Call (256) 289-8018 or use the form, since fewer failed joints means a smaller job and a look now tells you where yours stand.