Brick repair in Auburn, AL - a fix that matches the cause and suits the brick
Crumbling mortar, cracked joints or a leak you can't explain? We find what's behind it and repair the brick without disturbing what's still sound.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does brick repair in Auburn involve?
Brick repair in Auburn, AL mostly comes down to cutting worn mortar out of the joints and packing in new, what masons call repointing, plus fixing any damaged brick so the wall keeps water out and holds together.
Most people call us at United Auburn Concrete and Masonry because they've noticed sandy mortar at the foot of a wall, a crack running through the joints or a damp spot inside they can't explain. We work in Auburn and the cities around it, and my first job on any of these is working out why it's happening, because the cause decides the fix. The price moves with how many joints are actually damaged, how deep the wear goes, how high up we have to work and whether the brick is old and soft enough to need slower hand work. The schedule turns on those same things, plus whether the city has to sign off before we start, and your estimate spells out what we'd do on your wall and why.
How can you tell your brick needs repair?
Mortar crumbling to sand
You rub a joint and it turns to grit, or sand is piling up along the base of the wall. That mortar has stopped doing its job, and the longer it goes, the deeper water gets into the wall.
Holes and gaps in joints
Some joints look scooped out or have open pockets where mortar used to be. Those gaps hold water against the brick, and a joint that's shallow today gets deeper and costlier to fix every year it's left.
Worn joints under a downspout
If the worst joints sit right where a downspout drips or splashes, the water is likely washing the mortar out. Fixing the joints without fixing the drainage just sets up the same wash-out again.
How we handle brick repair
I start by looking at the whole wall, not just the bad patch, and if you've got a leak inside we try to trace it back before we talk about joint work, because not every crack is urgent and you shouldn't pay to repoint one that isn't letting the water in. Once we know the cause, we cut out the damaged mortar, pack those joints with new mortar chosen to suit your brick, repair the damaged brick and leave the sound joints alone. We clean up as we go so the wall looks finished, not worked on.
A cracked brick wall isn't always a mortar problem. When soil is leaning on a garden wall and pushing it out of line, new joints won't hold, and the real answer may be retaining wall construction. If the front of the house is getting attention anyway, we also lay driveway pavers that can be picked to sit well with your brick.
Repointing just the damaged joints
This suits most walls, where the wear is patchy and plenty of the original joints are still sound. A sound original joint holds up better than a repointed one, and the work is slow and hands-on, so cutting out good joints costs you money and gains nothing.
Tracing a leak before joint work
This suits anyone with a stain, drip or damp patch inside. We work out whether the water is really coming through the brick before you pay for joints that might not be the problem.
Repairs that suit an older house
This suits older brick homes, where a bright new patch would look out of place. We aim for joints that match the color and shape of the ones around them, so the repair looks like it belongs on the house.
Get a free estimate for your brick repair
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. I come out, look the wall over and send a free estimate with no obligation. Photos of the worn joints help.
(334) 780-0060- Based in
- Auburn, AL 36830
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about brick repair in Auburn?
Here's how a brick repair job runs with us, from your first call to the last walk around the wall.
Call or send the form
Call (334) 780-0060 or send the form with a few photos of the worn joints, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit. If you've had a leak inside, tell us where, because that's the first thing I'll want to trace.
I come out and look
I look the wall over and ask a lot of questions about when you first noticed the problem and where water shows up. You get an estimate that says what we'll do and why, so you can see which joints you're paying for and which we're leaving alone.
We check permits, then work
We check with the office that covers your address and take care of the permit paperwork when the job needs it. Then our crew gets the damaged joints and brick repaired.
Walk the finished wall
When we're finished, we walk the wall with you and look over every joint we touched. If something doesn't look right to you, that's the time to say so.
Why Auburn homeowners call us for brick repair
The owner sees every job
I come out to look at every job myself and work alongside our crew when we do it. The person who worked out why your wall cracked is the one fixing it.
We fix the cause first
Most of what we're known for is figuring out what's behind a cracked wall or a crumbling joint. A patch over a problem nobody understood usually means paying for the same repair again.
Licensed and insured, plain about rules
We're licensed and insured. Alabama's Home Builders Licensure Board counts repair work on a house as home building once the cost, labor and materials together, goes over $10,000, unless the work falls outside the board's reach, so on a bigger repair ask any contractor how that applies to them.
Learned the trade on job sites
I grew up handing brick to my dad on his jobs and started this business in 2020. Six years in, older brick houses are still a big share of the calls we get.
If something's cracked and nobody can tell you why, contact us and I'll come take a look.
Brick repair, permits and historic districts in Auburn
In Auburn, permits come from the city's Inspection Services, which requires them for all new construction, alterations and remodels and treats every project as its own, with no standard set of permits. That doesn't settle whether a given brick repair needs one, so we ask them about your address and handle the paperwork when it does. If your house is in one of Auburn's historic districts, exterior work that may be visible from the street out front needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the city, unless city staff call it routine maintenance. Any repair that changes the design, materials or general appearance counts as an alteration and needs that certificate before work can start, which is why we ask early whether you're in a district and aim to match the mortar and brick that are already there.
A lot of what we see around here is older brick that's had a patch or two over the years, sometimes with mortar that doesn't suit it. We run into the same thing on jobs in Opelika and Valley, and we handle it the same way, by working out why the joints failed before we touch them.
Questions about brick repair in Auburn
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Look for joints worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, mortar that crumbles when you rub it or joints with holes and voids in them. Only the joints showing that kind of damage need repointing, so a few bad patches don't mean the whole wall has to be redone. If you're not sure, send us a photo and I'll take a look.
Does every crack in brick mortar need to be fixed right away?
No, a crack in the mortar isn't always urgent, because many walls, such as cavity and veneer walls, can handle the bit of extra moisture a minor crack lets in. Repair is usually worth it when cracks outside line up with water leaking inside and other causes have been ruled out. It helps to note where cracks and worn spots sit and check them against any indoor leaks over time, before paying for joint work.
How much does brick repair cost in Auburn, AL?
There's no set price, because the cost depends on how many joints are damaged, how deep the wear goes and how much of the work is up high or hard to reach. Soft old brick that needs slower hand work, mortar that has to match an older house and time spent tracing a leak all add to it, while repointing only the damaged joints keeps it down. Your estimate lays out what we'd do and why, with the price for your wall.
Can new mortar damage old brick?
Yes, new mortar that's stronger than the original can break up the face of the brick and cause damage that can't be repaired, so the new mortar should be equal to or lower in strength than what's there. In historic buildings the mortar is meant to wear first and steer moisture away from the brick, and a harder mix like Portland cement could make the brick soak up that moisture and fail, which can cause structural as well as cosmetic damage. Before work starts, ask your mason how the new mortar's strength compares with the old.
What is the best way to remove old mortar without damaging soft brick?
Hand chisels and mash hammers take more labor, but in most cases they pose the least threat to historic brick and give the best result. Power saws and grinders are more common, and in unskilled hands they can be disastrous for soft brick. On an older house, ask whoever you hire how they plan to get the old mortar out.
How long do mortar joints last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself may well go past 100. How long the joints hold depends on how exposed the wall is and what mortar was used, so a brick house can expect some joint repair from time to time over its life.
Other masonry work around your home
Retaining wall construction
If a bulging or leaning garden wall keeps cracking because soil behind it is pushing outward, a properly built retaining wall deals with that pressure itself.
Driveway pavers
When the front of the house is getting attention anyway, a paver driveway in colors picked to go with your brick can tie the whole entrance together.
Cities we serve around Auburn
United Auburn Concrete and Masonry is based in Auburn, AL, and does brick repair in the cities around it, including Opelika and Tuskegee. Each of the 7 cities below has its own page, and they aren't the only places we work.
Auburn, AL
Send us photos of your worn mortar
Pictures of the joints, a note on any leak inside and whether your house sits in an Auburn historic district let me show up knowing what to look for.