Brick repair in Lake Charles LA - brick and mortar that keep water out of the wall
Cracked mortar, flaking brick or a damp spot inside? We find where water gets in, then fix only the joints and bricks that need it.
What should I do about cracked mortar or flaking brick?
Brick repair in Lake Charles means finding out why the mortar is cracking or the bricks are flaking, then replacing the worn mortar and damaged bricks so your wall keeps water out of the house. Most of the time it's the joints that wear out first, and the bricks can stay where they are.
You've probably spotted a crack running through the mortar, a brick face peeling off, or a damp patch on an inside wall, and you want to know how serious it is. The price mostly turns on how many joints and bricks need work, how high the wall goes and how closely new brick has to match the old, while the schedule turns on weather that lets mortar set and on finding matching brick. If it's only the joints, the job may be closer to brick pointing, and I'll tell you which once I've seen it. I walk the job with you, explain what I see and then send the estimate in writing, so you have your own figure and a plan before anything starts.
How we handle brick repair
I start by walking the outside of the wall with you and then checking inside for damp spots, because not every crack needs fixing today and the useful question is where water is actually getting in. Once we know, I explain what I'd fix and what I'd leave alone. On the day of the work, our crew rakes the worn mortar out of the joints we agreed on, cuts out the damaged bricks, packs in new mortar and shapes each joint to match the rest of the wall. We clean the brick face as we go, and when we're done I show you what we changed and what to keep an eye on.
Brick trouble often starts with what sits next to the wall. When a slope sends soil and runoff straight at your brick, retaining wall construction can hold the ground back and turn the water aside. And if the front of the house is getting attention anyway, it can be a good time to look at driveway pavers laid to drain away from the house.
Repointing worn joints
Repointing, which you may also hear called pointing or tuckpointing, means raking out crumbling mortar and packing new mortar into the joints. It suits a wall where the bricks are sound but the joints have cracked, shrunk back or gone soft.
Replacing broken or flaking bricks
Broken or badly flaking bricks let water through just like bad joints do, so we cut them out and set matching brick in their place. We take that slowly so the bricks around them stay whole, which matters most on a wall with a few bad bricks in an otherwise solid face.
Brick repair in Lake Charles, from permits to the walls we see
Before we start, we find out which office covers your address and what it asks for. Inside the city, that's the Lake Charles Permit Center, which sets the rules for building repairs and answers permit questions at 337-491-1294, so whether your brick repair needs a permit is something we confirm with them for your job rather than guess. When a permit is needed, we take care of the paperwork and tell you where it stands. If your house sits in one of the city's historic districts, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews the district's design standards and requests for exceptions, so it's worth contacting them while you're still planning exterior brick work.
Around Lake Charles we see a lot of brick veneer on newer homes along with some older solid brick, and most calls start with a damp wall inside or a crack someone noticed. We're based in Lake Charles and do the same brick repair work in the cities around it, including Sulphur and Moss Bluff. If your city isn't named here, call and ask.
Brick repair work up close
Why call us for brick repair
I look before we quote
I come out to look at the wall and talk it through with you, then our crew does the work while I'm on site checking it as it goes. The person who explained the job is the one watching it get done.
Built on years of rental upkeep
I spent years keeping up rental homes and apartments, patching brick and tracking down wet walls beside the masons we brought in, then started this business in 2023. That's why our first question about any crack is what's causing it.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. Before you hire any mason, ask for a license number and look it up on the state licensing board's contractor search, where you can search by name, number, city or parish.
Backed by our satisfaction guarantee
When the work's done, I walk the wall with you and point out what we replaced and why. You'll know what to watch for afterward, like new cracks near the repaired joints or a damp spot showing up inside.
If there's a crack or a damp wall you've been wondering about, tell us about it and I'll come take a look.
(337) 502-4212Get a written brick repair estimate
We reply within one business day by phone or message to set a time, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation. I walk the wall with you, explain what I see and then send the estimate in writing.
Brick repair questions from Lake Charles homeowners
Does every crack in my brick mortar need repair right away?
No. Brick veneer and cavity walls, which have an air space behind the brick, can usually handle the extra moisture a minor crack lets in. Repair makes sense when cracks outside line up with water getting in and other causes are ruled out, and cracks matter more on solid brick walls. Keep a note of where cracks sit and compare it with any damp spots inside.
Why does the strength of new mortar matter when repointing brick?
New mortar should be equal to or weaker than the mortar already in the wall. Mortar stronger than what's there puts stress on older brick and can make the face flake off, which masons call spalling. If your house has older brick, ask any mason which mortar they plan to use before work starts, and I'll tell you ours at the estimate.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
One national cost guide recommends spring or fall, when daytime temperatures stay between 40 and 90 degrees for at least 24 to 72 hours. It calls that ideal weather for fresh mortar to cure, which is the slow hardening that sets a joint. That's the guide's advice, so if your repair can wait, it's a reasonable thing to plan around when you book.
How much does brick repair cost in Lake Charles?
The price comes down to how many joints and bricks need work and how hard the wall is to reach. A second-story wall, brick that's hard to match, or extra work to stop the water source will raise it, while a small patch of joints at ground level costs less. You'll get your own figure in a written estimate after I've looked at the wall.
How do I compare brick repair quotes from different masons?
Ask each mason how they'll take the old mortar out. On walls with thin joints, which is most brick, power saws almost always break brick edges and overcut the short vertical joints, so the method tells you a lot about the finished wall. Ask about the mortar too, as covered above. I'll explain our removal method at the estimate so you can weigh it against the others.
What causes brick veneer walls to crack or pull away from the house?
Common causes include corroded ties, the metal anchors that hold veneer to the house, ties that pull loose, ties that were never set into the mortar, and poor mortar. Those are the failure types I look for when a veneer wall cracks or leans, though which one, if any, applies to your house only shows once we look closely.
Have your brick, mortar and damp wall looked at
Call (337) 502-4212 or use the form, and note where cracks sit and any damp spots inside, since that's where I start.
