Tuckpointing in Perris CA - new mortar joints that blend in with your old brick
Mortar between your bricks crumbling, cracked or sunk back? We cut out the worn joints and refill them to match the old work.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What is tuckpointing, and does my brick wall need it?
Tuckpointing in Perris, CA means cutting out the worn mortar between your bricks and packing in fresh mortar, so the wall stays where it is and only the failing joints get replaced.
Most people call us after they notice sandy, sunken or cracked mortar on a garden wall, a chimney or the brick front of the house. The price moves with how tall the wall is, how many joints have worn, what shape the brick and the foundation under it are in, and how easy the wall is to reach. The schedule turns mostly on how much wall there is and whether the job needs a permit, and I'll write up an estimate for your wall once I've looked at it.
How can you tell your mortar joints are wearing out?
Mortar sunk back from brick
The joints sit in a groove behind the brick face instead of running flush with it, which usually means the mortar has been washing out a little at a time. Water collects in that groove and works into the wall, so the longer it goes, the more joints you'll end up redoing.
Joints that rub off like sand
If you can scrape the mortar out with a fingernail or a key, it has lost its grip on the brick. Left alone, the bricks on caps, steps and top courses start to rock loose, and resetting them is more work than repointing.
Cracks along the mortar lines
Thin cracks in the joints, or mortar pulling away from the edge of the brick, often just mean old mortar, but cracks that step up the wall can mean something moved underneath. That's worth finding out before anyone fills the joints, because new mortar over a moving wall will crack again.
How we do tuckpointing on your wall
We start by working out why the joints wore out, because fixing only the mortar when something else caused the damage means doing the job twice. Then we cut out just the failing mortar, so the bricks stay put. We mix the new mortar to suit your old joints and keep it no harder than what's there, because a mix that's too strong can crack the face of the brick, and that can't be undone. We pack the joints, shape them to match the rest of the wall and clean the brick before we leave. If you pick lime mortar, we keep the fresh joints from drying out too quickly, since lime that dries too fast hardens poorly and doesn't last as long.
Some walls need more than new joints. When bricks have cracked or flaked, we replace them with brick repair as part of the same job so the patch blends in, and if the wall runs along your drive, we also lay driveway pavers that sit well beside the brick.
Spot repointing
This suits a wall where only some joints have failed, like the bottom courses or the patch under a downspout, because there's no reason to cut out mortar that's still sound. The care goes into matching color and texture so the new joints don't stand out.
Full-wall repointing
This suits a wall where most of the joints are worn, because patching one area after another usually costs more over time and leaves the wall looking uneven. Every joint gets fresh mortar at once, with one consistent look across the wall.
Get a free tuckpointing estimate for your brick wall
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out, look over your joints and write up a free estimate on site, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
- Based in
- Perris, CA 92571
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What happens when you call us about tuckpointing in Perris?
Here's how a repointing job goes on your end, from the first call to the walk around the finished wall.
Call or send us a note
Call (951) 418-3037 or fill out the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
I look over the wall
I come out myself, check the joints, the brick and what's under them, and answer whatever you want to ask. The written estimate spells out which walls we'd repoint, the mortar we'd use and the price, so you know the cost before anything starts.
We cut and refill joints
If you go ahead, we take care of any permit the job needs. I'm on the job with our crew while we cut out the old mortar and pack in the new.
Walk the finished wall together
When we're done, we walk the finished work with you. You can look at the joints up close and ask about anything before we pack up.
Why Perris homeowners call Superior Perris Concrete and Masonry for tuckpointing
The owner gives every estimate
I come out to look at your wall and write the estimate myself, and I'm on the job with our crew when the work starts. You talk with the person who decides how your joints get done, not someone passing notes along.
Brick and block work since 2017
We've been in business since 2017, and we're best known for repairs that blend in with the old work. On a repointing job, that means new joints that look like they belong on your house.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. That matters in California, where the state lets someone work without a license only on jobs under $1,000 that need no permit, and only when they employ no one.
Ask as many questions as you like before you decide. Send us a note or call (951) 418-3037, and I'll come take a look at your wall.
Tuckpointing, permits and brick work around Perris
In Perris, permits come from the city's Building Division, and whether your repointing job needs one is something we check before we start rather than guess at. Some addresses around here go through a city office and some through the county, so we find out which one covers yours, and when a permit is needed, we pull it and line up the inspections. State rules also say any change to a home improvement contract has to be in writing, easy to read and understand, and has to state your right to cancel, so if we open up the wall and find more bad joints than we planned for, the change goes on paper before we touch them.
We're based in Perris and work in the cities around it across this part of Riverside County, and most repointing calls are for brick garden walls, planters, chimneys and brick fronts on houses. We see the same kinds of walls on jobs in Menifee and Moreno Valley, and most of it is sound brick with tired joints.
Questions about tuckpointing in Perris
How do I know if my brick wall needs tuckpointing?
Your wall needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than about 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has gaps or holes, shows hairline cracks or has cracked away from the brick. Any one of those is reason enough to plan the work. I'll tell you at the estimate whether yours needs doing soon or can wait a while.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Perris, CA?
Tuckpointing across the US usually costs about $5 to $25 per square foot, and that's a national range from a cost guide, not our price. Where your wall lands depends mostly on how many joints are worn and how hard the wall is to reach. I'll put the figure for your wall in writing at the estimate.
How long do mortar joints last on a brick wall?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and what it's built with, while the bricks themselves may well last more than 100. That's why a sound brick wall usually needs its joints redone at some point in its life, not new brick.
Who takes out the permit for tuckpointing in Perris?
Either a licensed contractor or you as the owner can take out a permit with the city when a job needs one. A contractor brings a state license pocket card, a workers' compensation certificate, a city business license and the fees, while an owner fills out and signs the City of Perris Owner/Builder Letter and Verification Form. If you'd rather pull it yourself, I'll go over what the office asks for.
What causes mortar joints to crack and crumble?
Mortar wears out with age and weather, but cracks can also come from something else going on, which is why brick maintenance guidance says to find the cause and fix it along with the joints. Uneven support under the foundation is a leading cause of cracks in concrete block walls, and if that's what we see, it's a fair question whether to get a qualified design professional's advice on the fix before repointing.
What is the best way to remove old mortar for tuckpointing?
Old mortar can come out with power tools or hand tools, and power tools are faster but can chip the masonry around the joint. It's fair to ask any crew how they'll cut out your joints, and I'll show you at the estimate how we'd handle yours.
Related masonry work for your brick walls
Brick repair
When a brick has cracked, flaked or come loose, replacing it before repointing gives the new mortar something solid to grip and keeps the patch from showing.
Driveway pavers
If you're fixing up the front of the house anyway, a paver driveway can finish the job and sit well beside your brick walls, planters and steps.
Service areas around Perris for tuckpointing
Superior Perris Concrete and Masonry is based in Perris, CA, and we repoint brick in the cities around it, including Murrieta and Lake Elsinore. The 12 cities below have their own pages, and they aren't the only places we work.
Send us photos of your worn joints
A few photos and the wall's rough size in square feet let me see what's going on before I come out, so the visit goes straight to your wall.