Masonry restoration in Longview TX - tight joints and sound brick that shed water
Crumbling mortar, loose brick or stair-step cracks on your house? We fix the cause, match the mortar and leave your brick sound.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Does your old brick need repointing or bigger repairs?
Masonry restoration in Longview, TX brings worn brick walls back to sound shape, and most of it is repointing, where we remove the crumbling mortar from the joints and replace it with new mortar so the wall keeps water out again.
You've got an older brick house that's starting to show its age, and you want to know if it's a patch job or something bigger. The price moves with how much wall needs work, how tall it is, how deep the mortar has worn and whether some bricks need replacing or brick repair has to come first. The schedule turns on the weather, since fresh mortar needs mild days to set, and on any city review if your house is historic. Once I've looked at your walls, the written estimate gives you your own figure.
How can you tell your brick needs restoration work?
Sandy, crumbling mortar joints
If you can scrape mortar out with a key or the joints sit back from the brick face, the mortar has worn out even though the brick may still be fine. Wait too long and water starts working into the wall, and then the brick edges begin to go too.
Stair-step cracks in the wall
A crack that zigzags up the mortar joints usually means something moved or is still pushing on the wall. New mortar over it just cracks again, and the gap tends to widen the longer it sits.
Loose bricks or damp walls inside
A brick that rocks, a face that's flaking off or a damp spot on an inside wall tells you water is getting through. That calls for brick work and finding the water's path, and every wet season makes the damage deeper.
How we handle masonry restoration on your house
I start by finding out why the mortar or brick failed, because repointing over a leak or a moving wall only puts off the same repair. We fix that cause first, then rake the worn mortar out of the joints and pack in new mortar mixed to match the old, since brick industry guidance says the new mortar should be no stronger than the original or it can damage the brick for good. On older brick we clean gently and leave the pressure washer in the truck, because high-pressure water can wear soft brick down fast and etch some brick and stone. When the work's done, we clean up so your yard looks the way we found it.
Restoration sometimes turns up a bigger project. If the brick around your hearth is past saving or you've wanted a fireplace in another room, our fireplace installation work picks up where repair leaves off, and if a wall or foundation face needs a fresh look that suits the house, stone veneer installation can cover it.
Repointing only
When the bricks are sound and the damage stops at the mortar joints, we rake out the worn mortar and pack in a matched mix. It suits walls with sandy or recessed joints but no cracks or leaks.
Brick repair, then repointing
Leaks, stair-step cracks or loose and cracked bricks mean the cause and the bricks get fixed first, then the joints are repointed. It suits walls where new mortar alone would just crack again.
Careful work on historic brick
On historic masonry, removing old mortar by hand with chisels and mash hammers takes more labor but usually poses the least risk to the brick, and a lab test can identify an unknown original mortar. It suits older and landmark houses.
Get a written estimate for your brick restoration
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a visit. I come out myself and give you a free written estimate, with no pressure to book.
(903) 309-1954- Based in
- Longview, TX 75601
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call about masonry restoration in Longview?
From your first call to the last look at the finished wall, here's how a restoration job runs and who you'll deal with at each point.
Call or send a message
Call (903) 309-1954 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set up a time. If your house is a landmark or sits in a historic district, mention it then.
I come look myself
I come out, measure the walls, take photos and work out what's causing the damage. You get a written estimate, so you know the price before you decide anything.
We repair, then walk it
Once you say go, we take care of any permit the job needs and do the work with our crew, and I'm on site with them. When it's done, we walk the finished job with you before we pack up.
Why Longview homeowners call Superior Longview Concrete and Masonry for old brick
I look at every job myself
I come out to every estimate and work on site alongside our crew when the job gets done. The person who told you what's wrong is the one making sure it gets fixed.
Fully licensed and insured, every job
We're fully licensed and insured on every job we take, big or small. Ask to see our coverage at the estimate before you decide anything.
A Longview business since 2023
I started this business in Longview in 2023, after learning the trade hauling brick and mixing mortar on other masons' crews. Older brick houses are most of our calls, so careful mortar repair is the work we know best.
On restoration work, the cause behind the crumbling joints matters more than the joints themselves, so ask for an estimate and I'll come show you what I find.
Restoring older brick homes and landmarks in Longview
If your house is a Local Historic Landmark or sits in a Historic Overlay District, the City of Longview requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before any work begins, repointing included. Longview's Historic Preservation Commission decides which properties carry those designations, and you can check yours on the city's local landmarks page, so tell us early and we'll plan the start date around the city's review. Construction permits go through the city's online permit portal, and if your job needs one, we handle the paperwork with the city, set up the inspections and let you know if anything needs your signature. If you'd rather pull a homestead exempt permit yourself, the city's Development Services office handles those by phone or in person.
Around Longview we work on a lot of older brick houses, where the brick is often softer than what goes up today and the mortar has had decades to wear, which is why the gentle cleaning and matched mix matter so much here. We see the same kind of houses on jobs in Kilgore and Marshall.
Questions about masonry restoration in Longview
How much does it cost to repoint brick in Longview?
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $3 to $25 per square foot, and that's the national going rate, not our price. Walls taller than 8 feet that need scaffolding cost more per square foot than walls up to 8 feet, and replacing bricks adds to it. I'll give you a written figure for your walls once I've seen them. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
How do I know if my brick walls need more than repointing?
If you see leaks, stair-step cracks or loose or cracked bricks, the wall needs brick repairs and not just new mortar, because repointing only helps when the damage stops at the joints. The cause has to be found and fixed first, and then the joints get repointed. I'll tell you which one your wall needs when I look at it.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
Late spring to early fall is the best window, because repointing goes best when the air stays between 40 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit for 24 hours before the work and 72 hours after. Plan the job for those months and leave a little slack, since a day outside that range means waiting for the weather to come back around.
Do I need city approval to repoint a historic house in Longview?
Yes, if your property is a Local Historic Landmark or sits in a Historic Overlay District, because the Certificate of Appropriateness covered above has to be in hand before work starts. Mention it when you call and we'll set the schedule around that review.
How long does repointing brick last?
Brick and stone mortar usually needs repointing every 25 to 30 years, so a good job is something most houses need about once a generation. That makes it long-term upkeep you can budget for ahead of time instead of a surprise.
Should old mortar be tested before repointing brick?
When nobody knows what the original mortar was, sending a sample to a testing lab is the recommended way to learn its ingredients, proportions and strength. That matters because the new mortar has to be no stronger than the old. Ask me at the estimate whether your wall is one where a test is worth it.
Other masonry work that often follows restoration
If the brickwork around your hearth is too far gone to repoint, or you're adding a fireplace to a room, this covers building one new.
When a plain block or concrete wall needs a new face that suits the house, thin stone veneer gives it the look of solid stone without the weight.
Cities we serve for masonry restoration
Superior Longview Concrete and Masonry is based in Longview, TX, and we take restoration jobs across the cities around it. Eight cities have their own page on our site, including Tyler and Gilmer, and they aren't the only places we work.
Longview, TX
Send us photos of your brick joints
Photos of the worn joints or loose bricks, the wall's height and whether the house is a landmark let me show up with the right questions, so call (903) 309-1954 or use the form.