Frequently Asked Questions

A masonry contractor builds and repairs structures made of brick, concrete block and stone, set in mortar. For homeowners that usually means tuckpointing, replacing damaged bricks, chimney repair, stone veneer, retaining walls, garden walls and steps. The job is as much about water as about the brick: most masonry damage starts where water gets in.

HomeAdvisor's brick repair guide lists mason labor at about $40 to $75 an hour, or a flat $1,000 to $2,500 per project, and its other guides list higher hourly figures, so rates vary. Most masonry is priced by the job rather than by the hour, because materials, access and scaffolding matter as much as time. Your written quote is the price.

Most residential work falls into three groups: brick masonry, stone masonry and concrete block masonry. Brick is fired clay in uniform units, stone is natural or manufactured stone in varied shapes, and block is hollow or solid concrete units often used for foundations and retaining walls. Many projects mix them, like a block wall faced with stone.

Brick units are all the same size, so bricklaying follows regular courses and bond patterns. Stone comes in irregular sizes, so each piece is fitted by eye and joints vary in width. Natural stone is usually heavier and costs more to lay, while manufactured stone veneer is lighter and installed over a prepared wall.

Ask what mortar they plan to use and why, how they will remove the old mortar, and how deep. On older brick, a good answer is a soft, lime-rich mortar and hand tools. Ask whether the price includes flashing or drainage if water is the cause, and whether your street is in one of Louisville Metro's eight preservation districts.

If the house is in a local preservation district or is an individual landmark, Louisville Metro requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior alterations, and its masonry guidelines cover repointing and cleaning. The city's preservation staff can be reached at (502) 574-6230. Outside the districts, routine repair usually needs no review, but retaining walls over 4 feet need a building permit.

HomeAdvisor says professionally repointed mortar lasts about 20 to 30 years, and up to 50 with good upkeep. Keeping gutters and downspouts working and stopping water at the top of walls and chimneys makes the biggest difference.

Small repairs can be done on mild days, but mortar should not freeze before it cures. Large repointing jobs are best scheduled from spring through fall. If water is coming in during winter, we can often make a temporary fix and finish the work when the weather warms.

HomeAdvisor says brick walls and chimneys typically need repointing every 20 to 30 years. Walls that get the most rain, like the top of a chimney or a wall under a leaking gutter, usually go first.

Yes. Louisville's Landmarks guidelines actually recommend repointing only the joints that are no longer sound. We match the new mortar so the patched area blends with the rest.

HomeAdvisor's guide puts repointing at $400 to $2,500 per 100-square-foot section, depending on mortar type, height and condition. Brick replacement runs extra. We measure and price your wall in writing.

Paint traps moisture in brick and is hard to remove. The Louisville Landmarks guidelines say not to paint masonry that has never been painted. Fixing open joints and water sources usually does more than any coating.

Flaking, or spalling, happens when water inside the brick freezes and pushes the face off. Hard mortar, sandblasting in the past, and constant wetting from gutters or soil make it worse. We replace the damaged bricks and fix where the water comes from.

Stains that appear on the ceiling right next to the chimney during heavy rain usually point to the flashing. Damp spots on walls around the chimney, white deposits on the brick, or water in the firebox point more to the crown and the brick. We check both.

Hairline cracks in a crown that is otherwise solid can be sealed. If the crown is thin, crumbling or has no overhang, replacing it lasts much longer. HomeGuide lists crown repair at $200 to $700 and replacement at $1,000 to $3,000.

It depends on how much is rebuilt and where the house is. In a local preservation district, removing or changing a chimney is an exterior alteration that needs a Certificate of Appropriateness. We check the requirements for your address before we schedule.

Sometimes. Lowering it below the roof and roofing over it removes the maintenance. On older homes the chimney is often part of the look of the house, and in a preservation district removing it goes through review, so a repair and cap may make more sense.

HomeAdvisor's guide lists most stone veneer at $13 to $22 a square foot installed, and about $5,000 to $6,000 for a 250-square-foot facade. Natural stone and complex layouts cost more. We measure and price your wall in writing.

It looks close and costs less, and it lasts well when installed over a proper drainage layer. Natural thin stone has more variation and handles weather a bit better. Both depend on the backing and flashing more than the stone itself.

Over sound modern brick, sometimes, with the right lath and anchors. We do not cover historic brick, because it traps moisture and the Louisville Landmarks guidelines say not to put permastone-type cladding over historic masonry.

Usually water is getting behind it at a window, roof line or the bottom edge, or the stone runs down into soil or mulch. We open a small area to check the barrier before recommending a repair.

Louisville Metro Construction Review says retaining walls over 4 feet tall require a building permit. Walls that tall also usually need an engineered design. We check the rules for your address and handle the permit if one is needed.

A well-drained wall on a proper base can last for decades. Walls without drainage are the ones that lean within a few years. The drainage behind the wall matters more than the type of block.

HomeGuide's guide lists segmental block walls at $15 to $35 per square foot of wall face and natural stone at $20 to $95, with a 25-foot, 4-foot-tall wall running about $3,500 to $6,500. We price your wall after measuring.

Often, yes. If the block is sound, we can take the wall down, build a new base and drainage, and restack it. If it is cracked through or holding up a driveway, replacement is usually the safer choice.

Deep enough to sit below the depth where ground freezes, and wider than the wall. We confirm the depth for your location and wall height before digging.

Block is usually less expensive to build. HomeGuide lists installed block walls at $15 to $30 per square foot. Brick costs more but looks finished without a coating. Many walls use a block core with a brick face.

Louisville Metro requires a building permit for fences over 7 feet and retaining walls over 4 feet. Lower garden walls usually do not, but subdivision or preservation district rules can. We check your address.

HomeGuide's mailbox guide lists brick mailboxes at about $600 to $1,500 installed, depending on size and whether it includes a planter or light.

Usually the stoop was built on loose fill without a real footing, so it settled while the house did not. Filling the gap does not stop it. The stoop needs to be rebuilt on a footing.

HomeAdvisor's guide lists brick step repair at about $300 to $750 per step, and replacing a stoop of up to five steps at $1,500 to $4,400. We price your steps after looking at what is under them.

Often, yes. Stone treads can usually be lifted, the base rebuilt, and the same stones reset. We only replace stone that is cracked through or badly worn.

Light foot traffic is usually fine after a day or two, depending on the weather. We tell you when they are ready for normal use and when it is safe to shovel or treat them in winter.