Masonry restoration in Fort Lauderdale FL - sound joints and brick that keeps its face
Crumbling joints, stains or a damp wall? We fix the cause, repoint with the right mortar and clean without wearing away your brick.
Ask about restoring your brick or stone
Our phones are open 6 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 9 PM on weekends, so you can call (754) 228-0031 before or after work.
What does masonry restoration involve for a Fort Lauderdale home?
Masonry restoration in Fort Lauderdale, FL brings a worn brick or stone wall back to sound by fixing whatever is wearing it down, replacing tired mortar and cleaning the face without taking the brick with it.
Most homeowners call when a stretch of wall stays dark long after rain, the joints near a downspout look eaten away or the brick has gone dull and grimy. The price moves with how much of the wall needs new mortar, how deep the joints are worn and what's causing the damage, and the schedule mostly turns on whether a leak has to be fixed first, the weather and any permit. Your estimate lists each step and material, so the number makes sense before you decide anything.
Why Fort Lauderdale homeowners call us to restore their masonry
I'm at your estimate and job
I come out to every estimate myself, and I'm on site with our crew while the work is done. The person who looked at your joints is the one watching them get filled.
Licensed, insured, running since 2023
We're licensed and fully insured. I started this business in 2023 after learning masonry under an experienced mason, and I still measure, check and write down every job the way office work taught me.
Historic status checked up front
In Fort Lauderdale, work that changes the outside look of a designated historic property needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. I ask about that at the estimate, so it's sorted before we start.
On an old wall, the right repair matters more than the biggest one. Tell me about your wall and I'll come take a look.
How our masonry restoration work is done
I start by finding why the wall is wearing, because if water is still getting in, it goes after new joints just like it went after the old ones. Then we clean with the gentlest method that works and step up only if we have to, since a wall that loses its face in the cleaning isn't restored. Our crew rakes out the worn mortar down to sound material, packs the joints with new mortar and tools them to match the wall around them. Mortar and any coating get talked through with you before anything goes on, because cleaning and coating treatments chosen without care are a major cause of damage to older masonry.
Sometimes a restoration shows that part of the house needs more than repair. If an old fireplace is too far gone to bring back, our crew can handle a fireplace installation in its place, and where a plain block or stucco wall needs a new face rather than fixing, stone veneer installation gives it one.
Spot repointing worn areas
This suits a wall that's sound overall, with wear in a few places like under a downspout or along a corner. We replace only the joints that need it and leave good mortar alone.
Full wall repointing
This suits a wall where most of the joints are sandy or sunk back. Doing it all at once keeps the joint color and depth even across the whole face.
Gentle cleaning only
This suits a wall with sound joints that's dark with dirt, mildew or old stains. We start mild and stop once it's clean, so the brick or stone keeps its surface.
How can you tell your brick or stone needs restoring?
Sandy, crumbling joints
Mortar that rubs out under a fingertip has worn the way it's meant to, ahead of the brick. Leave it and water reaches the brick, and the repair grows from joints to masonry.
Joints sunk behind the brick
When the mortar sits well back from the brick face, rain collects on that ledge and soaks in. The deeper the joints wear, the more our crew has to rake out.
Dark streaks or white powder
Stains or a white crust under a sill or downspout usually mean water is running over or through that spot. Waiting lets it keep washing mortar out of the same stretch.
Brick faces chipping off
When brick faces flake or pop off, water is usually trapped behind them, sometimes by mortar that's too hard. Every face lost is a brick to replace instead of a joint to fill.
What happens after you call about masonry restoration in Fort Lauderdale?
Call and book the visit
Call or send a request and we set up a visit. I come out myself, find what's causing the wear and write an estimate listing each step and material.
We handle permits and work
When you're ready, we take care of any permit the job needs and schedule the inspections. Then our crew fixes the cause, cleans and repoints, in that order.
Walk the finished wall together
At the end I walk the wall with you joint by joint, and we clean up the site. You should see square, clean work you'd be glad to show a neighbor.
Masonry restoration questions we hear
These are the questions Fort Lauderdale homeowners ask most before they let anyone work on an old wall. If yours isn't here, ask me about your own job.
What is repointing and why does my brick wall need it?
Repointing is cutting the worn mortar out of the joints in a brick or stone wall and replacing it with new mortar. Mortar is meant to be the sacrificial part of the wall, wearing away so your bricks don't, so worn joints mean it has done its job and needs renewing. Leave it too long and the water starts working on the brick itself.
What is the best way to choose mortar for repointing soft old brick?
For soft brick, a high lime mortar is usually a safer choice than a hard portland cement mix, because it lets moisture vapor pass through instead of trapping it. The National Park Service's guidance for historic masonry describes a wall of soft brick that hard cement mortar severely damaged by holding moisture in. For historic buildings, the same guidance says testing unweathered parts of the old mortar can suggest a mix that suits the wall in both strength and look.
Is it safe to pressure wash a brick wall?
Not at high pressure, because blasting can take the face off old brick along with the dirt. The National Park Service's guidance for historic masonry suggests starting water cleaning at very low pressure, 100 psi or below, even with a garden hose, and raising it only as needed. It also warns that abrasive methods like grit blasting, grinders and sanding discs usually remove some of the masonry surface, so it's fair to ask any crew how they plan to clean.
How do I get a permit for masonry work in Fort Lauderdale?
Permits in Fort Lauderdale come from the city's Building Services division, and new applications are filed online through LauderBuild. The division checks that the work meets the Florida Building Code, and for minor construction work the city also lets contractors without a license register and apply through LauderBuild. Whether your wall repair needs a permit is a question for Building Services, and historic homes have their own review on top of that.
How much does masonry restoration cost in Fort Lauderdale?
The cost comes down to how much of the wall needs work and what's behind the wear, so there's no honest number until I've seen it. Repointing a few worn patches costs less than redoing a whole wall, while a drainage fix, a heavily stained face or a coating all add to the job. Each of those shows up as its own line on your estimate, so you can choose what to do now.
What causes mortar to wash out of a brick wall?
Running water is the usual cause, most often a leaking downspout, gutter or other drainage problem pouring onto the same stretch of wall. The National Park Service describes a building where a leaking downspout washed away much of the mortar, and its guidance says to repair the downspout and any other drainage problems before the joints are redone. If you know of a leak, tell me at the estimate so it's part of the plan.
Get a written masonry restoration estimate
Send your address, a few photos of the worn joints, any downspout leaks you know of and whether the home is a designated historic property. We reply within one business day to set a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Examples of masonry restoration
Other work that often follows
Fireplace installation
When an old firebox or hearth is cracked past repair, a new fireplace built to fit the room can be a better answer than patching.
Learn moreStone veneer installation
If a plain block or stucco wall would look better faced in stone, veneer adds that look without building a new wall from the ground up.
Learn more