Oakland & Macomb Counties
Residential brick repair
Cracked, loose, missing and spalled brick on walls, facades, porches, steps, columns and chimneys. We repair the damaged area and the joints around it so water stops getting in.
What we repair
Damaged brick, one area at a time.
Cracked brick
A crack through the face of a brick lets water in. A crack that runs through several bricks in a line points to movement, and we check for that before repairing anything.
Spalled brick
The hard outer face has popped off, leaving a soft, crumbling surface. Spalled units are cut out and replaced, since sealing them only traps more moisture.
Loose or displaced brick
Brick that moves by hand or has shifted out of line has lost its mortar bond. Those units get reset or replaced along with the joints around them.
Missing brick
Open holes in a wall, chimney or column are an entry point for water and animals. They get filled with matched brick and properly packed joints.
Deteriorated joints
Damaged brick almost always comes with worn mortar around it. We repoint the surrounding joints so the repair is not left sitting in failed mortar.
Impact damage
Vehicle, equipment and falling-limb damage on columns, corners, mailbox structures and garage jambs. Rebuilt back to the original coursing.
Where it shows up
Isolated damage on an otherwise sound house.
- Wall and facade sections, especially under windows and along the weather side
- Porch faces, knee walls, columns and piers
- Step risers, treads and porch bases where salt and splash collect
- Chimney brick above the roofline and around the crown
- Garage corners, jambs and mailbox structures hit by vehicles
- Brick near grade where soil and mulch hold moisture against the wall
Water and freeze-thaw
Most brick damage here starts with water.
Brick is designed to shed water, not to sit in it. When a downspout dumps against a wall, a gutter overflows, flashing fails, or grade slopes back toward the house, the masonry stays wet. Michigan then runs that wet brick through repeated freezing and thawing, and the face of the brick breaks down.
Replacing the brick without addressing the water source usually means the same repair again in a few years. During the inspection we point out the drainage or flashing issue we see, even when correcting it is not masonry work.
Brick matching
How close a match you can expect.
Matching is honest work, not marketing. Here is how we approach it.
Size first
Brick dimensions have changed over the years. A unit that is even slightly off throws the coursing out, so size is the first thing we match.
Color and texture
We source the closest available brick from local suppliers. Older colors and finishes are sometimes discontinued, in which case a perfect match is not available.
Borrow and relocate
On a prominent wall we can often pull matching brick from a hidden area, such as behind a bush or inside a garage, and place the new brick there instead.
Repair
Right when the damage is limited to individual units or a small area, the wall is plumb, and the surrounding masonry is sound. Damaged brick is cut out, the pocket is cleaned, matched brick is set, and the joints are repointed to match. Often paired with tuckpointing on nearby joints.
Partial rebuild
Right when a section has widespread deterioration, the coursing has shifted, or too many units in one area have failed. The section is taken down to sound masonry and rebuilt. If we see bowing, stair-step cracking or settlement, that is structural repair and it gets handled as such.
Process
Inspection and written estimate.
- 1We look at the damaged area up close and at the masonry around it, so a spot repair is not hiding a larger problem.
- 2We check the water path: gutters, downspouts, flashing, grade and anything else keeping the wall wet.
- 3We photograph the damage and note what brick match is realistically available.
- 4You receive a written estimate listing the repair area, the approach, and anything excluded. No pressure and no obligation.
FAQ
Brick repair questions.
- Can a few damaged bricks be replaced without rebuilding the wall?
- Usually yes. Individual bricks can be cut out and replaced as long as the surrounding masonry is sound and the wall is not carrying damage beyond that spot. We check the area around the damage before quoting a spot repair.
- Why is the face flaking off my brick?
- That is spalling. Water gets into the brick, freezes, and pops the hard outer face off. Once the face is gone the brick soaks up more water and deteriorates faster, so spalled brick is typically cut out and replaced.
- Will the replacement brick match?
- We look for the closest available match in size, color and texture. Brick colors and dimensions have changed over the decades and some runs are no longer made, so an exact match is not always possible. On a visible elevation we sometimes pull brick from a hidden area of the house and use the new brick where it will not be seen.
- How is brick repair different from structural repair?
- Brick repair addresses damaged units and the joints around them. Structural repair addresses walls that are moving, bowing or losing load-bearing capacity. If we find movement during the inspection, we tell you and point you to the structural work instead of patching the surface.
- A car hit my brick column. What now?
- Take photos before anything is moved, keep the area safe, and let your insurer know if you plan to file a claim. We provide a written estimate describing the damage and the repair, which you can hand to your insurer. Coverage decisions are made by them, not by us.
- How long does a brick repair take?
- Small repairs of a few bricks are often a one-day visit. Larger areas, columns and anything requiring scaffolding take longer. We give you a timeframe with the written estimate.
We repair brick throughout Oakland and Macomb counties.
Free Estimate
Get a brick repair estimate
Send a few details about the damage and we will schedule a look. Free written estimate.
Ready when you are
Fix the brick before the water spreads.
Free written estimate on brick repair across Oakland and Macomb counties.