Masonry restoration in Manchester NH - mortar joints that keep water out of the brick
Crumbling, sunken or cracked mortar lets water into your walls. We find out why, then repoint so the brick stays sound.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What does masonry restoration involve on a Manchester brick house?
Masonry restoration on a Manchester, NH brick house is mostly repointing, where we rake the worn mortar out of the joints and pack in new mortar, because old mortar that holds water ends up damaging the bricks themselves.
You've probably found sand on a windowsill or noticed joints that look sunk in, and you want to know if it's a small patch or the whole wall. It's often smaller than people fear, because the worst joints usually sit where water runs, under a leaky gutter or beside a downspout. What moves the price is how much wall needs new joints, how high it goes, since a taller wall that needs scaffolding costs more per square foot, how deep the old mortar has worn and whether any bricks need brick repair too. The schedule turns on the weather around your dates and on whether the city wants to review the work first. After I see the wall, the estimate puts in writing what I'd fix and why.
How do you know your brick's mortar is wearing out?
Sand under the wall
If you find grit on the sills or the ground, or you can scratch a joint out with a key, the mortar has gone soft and is letting water in. Left alone, the joints keep eroding until the water reaches the brick and the job gets bigger.
Joints sunk behind the brick
When the mortar sits back from the face of the brick, every brick has a little ledge that holds rain against it. Wait long enough and the brick edges start to break, and those bricks have to be replaced, not just repointed.
Cracks along the brick edges
Thin cracks or gaps where the mortar has pulled away from the brick let water get behind the face, and if that water freezes it can pop the face right off. A brick that's lost its face can't be fixed, so it's cheaper to deal with the cracks first.
How we handle masonry restoration on your house
I start by working out why the joints failed, because new mortar under an overflowing gutter just wears out again. On an older home we do a small sample patch somewhere out of sight first, so you can see the color and the joint before we touch the whole wall. Then we rake the old mortar out to sound material, pack in the new mortar, tool the joints to match the rest of the house, and clean up the brick and the ground below.
Restoration work often bumps into other masonry. If the brick around your hearth is past saving, or you're redoing the room anyway, fireplace installation may make more sense than another round of patching. And if you want the look of stone on a chimney or foundation, we do stone veneer installation, and I'll tell you first if the masonry behind it needs work.
Spot repointing
This suits a house where the wear sits in one area, like under a gutter or around a downspout, and the rest of the joints are still hard. We fix what's sending water there, repoint that section, and the sample patch shows you how it'll blend in.
Full wall repointing
This suits a wall where the joints are worn all over, or where years of patches have left a mix of colors. Doing the whole wall at once gives you one even joint color and depth instead of a patchwork.
Get a written repointing plan for your brick
We reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation. I come out, walk the wall with you, explain what I see and put it in writing.
(603) 314-0526- Based in
- Manchester, NH 03104
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about your brick?
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's how a repointing job runs and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send the form
Reach us at (603) 314-0526 or through the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Let us know which wall is bothering you so I know where to start.
I inspect and write it up
I look at the wall, hunt down what's causing the wear, and write up what I'd fix and why. You get it on paper, so you can compare it with any other mason you talk to.
We repoint, then walk it
Once you say go, we sort out the permit side with your city, do the work, and walk the finished wall with you. Anything you want to look at closer, we look at together.
Why Manchester homeowners call Capstone Manchester Concrete and Masonry about worn brick
In business since 2023
Before we started this business in 2023, I spent years patching brick, chimneys and foundations on a lot of older buildings. That's where I learned to look for why a wall failed, so you aren't paying to repoint joints that will just wear out again.
The person quoting does the work
I come out to see your wall and write the estimate, and I'm on the crew that does the repointing. What I tell you in the driveway is what happens on the wall.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured on every job, from a few feet of joints to a full wall. That way you aren't the one carrying the risk while our crew is up on your house.
We ask your house's age
Manchester requires anyone disturbing more than 6 square feet of painted surface in housing built before 1978 to be certified under the federal lead-safe renovation rule and to follow it. Knowing the year up front tells us whether painted brick or trim on your house falls under that rule.
Call (603) 314-0526 or send us a message and I'll come take a look at your wall.
Repointing and permits on Manchester brick homes
In Manchester, permits go through the city's Building Division, which reviews plans and approves permits. Its list names building, electrical, plumbing and demolition work, among others, but not masonry restoration, so whether your repointing job needs a permit is something to ask the city, not assume. We check with the building office before work starts and take care of the paperwork if the job needs one. If your house is in one of the city's historic districts, the Heritage Commission reviews qualifying outdoor building permit applications for their effect on the district, so we check with the city about review before we start, and you can ask the commission yourself whether your project qualifies.
Most of the brick we repoint here is older and has been patched more than once, often with mortars that don't match in color or hardness. We sort out which joints are original and which are later repairs before we pick a mix, and we run into the same patchwork on jobs in Goffstown and Concord.
Questions about masonry restoration in Manchester
How do I know my mortar needs repointing?
Your mortar needs repointing when it crumbles, has gaps or hairline cracks, has cracked away from the brick, or has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the face. Keep an eye on the walls that take the most water, and call a mason once you see those signs.
How much does masonry restoration cost in Manchester, NH?
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $500 to $2,500 per 100 square feet, and that's the market's range for replacing worn mortar joints, not our price. Where your wall falls depends on its size, its height and how far the joints have worn. Your own figure comes from the estimate after I've seen the wall, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How long does new mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and the materials used, while the bricks themselves can last well over 100 years. That's why repointing is regular upkeep over a wall's life and not a sign your house is falling apart.
When is the best time of year to repoint brick in Manchester?
One cost guide advises repointing from late spring to early fall, with the air between 40° and 90°F from 24 hours before the work to 72 hours after. In Manchester that points to the warmer months, so it helps to book ahead and watch the forecast around your dates.
What should I ask a mason before repointing an old brick house?
Ask how the new mortar compares with the original, because it should match the old mortar's strength or be weaker so the brick isn't damaged in a way that can't be fixed. On historic brick, also ask how they'll clear out the old mortar, since preservation guidance says hand chisels take more labor but in most cases put the bricks at least risk and give the best result.
Is it OK to wash brick with water in cold weather?
No, washing masonry with water should stay out of cold weather and any chance of frost, because water left inside the brick can freeze and crack it. If your wall needs cleaning along with the repointing, plan that step for warm weather.
Related masonry work for older brick homes
If the brick around your hearth is too far gone to repoint, or you're opening up the room anyway, a new fireplace can end the cycle of patching.
When you want the look of stone on a chimney, foundation or new wall without building it full thickness, veneer goes over sound masonry or a prepared backing.
Cities we serve around Manchester
Capstone Manchester Concrete and Masonry is based in Manchester, NH, and works in many of the cities around it, including some just over the line in Massachusetts. The 12 cities below each have their own page, from Bedford, NH to Methuen, MA.
Manchester, NH
Send us photos of your worn mortar
Photos of the joints, the year your house was built and whether it's in a historic district let me show up with the right questions already answered.