Straight Answers for Chicago Property Owners
Building violations, permits, porches, brick, concrete and roofs, explained by a Chicago contractor that fixes them. In English and Spanish.
Building violations, permits, porches, brick, concrete and roofs, explained by a Chicago contractor that fixes them. In English and Spanish.
Flaking, peeling concrete in Chicago is scaling: freeze-thaw plus deicing salt on concrete that was not built for it. Why it fails and how it is fixed.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · What went wrongA sinking concrete stoop usually means the ground under it moved. The causes, the warning signs, and the repair options a Chicago contractor may discuss.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Code explainerA Chicago driveway permit comes from CDOT, not just Buildings. What the permit and apron rules say, what to gather, and when none is needed.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Code explainerPouring a patio, walk or driveway in Chicago? See when the City's concrete permit rules apply, what is exempt, and when the public way changes everything.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · Code explainerHow the Chicago Shared Cost Sidewalk Program works: the 311 application window, what you pay, who gets a discount, and what it will not cover.
Read →Concrete and Sidewalks · GuideConcrete repair in Chicago: why slabs crack, flake and sink, what sidewalk, step and driveway jobs need, permits, and hiring. Free estimates, bilingual.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerWater in a brick wall usually enters at joints, sills, lintels, the roof edge or a chimney, not through sound brick. Where to look and what to fix first.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerCrumbling limestone window sills: when a mason can repair them, when the stone has to be replaced, and how the Chicago permit exemption fits.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerA leaning chimney or one pulling away from the house is a hazard until a mason says otherwise. Warning signs, what to do today, and who fixes it.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerNo single height defines a parapet. In Chicago, 48 inches is the Express Permit limit for rebuilding one, not a code cap. What changes above it.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerLoose, cracked or missing parapet coping lets water into the wall below. Signs it needs replacing, what to do now, and who should do the work in Chicago.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerChimney removal in Chicago is often possible, but permits, who does the work, and what happens to the roof and flues need answers first. Start here.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerA cracked or missing chimney crown lets water into the brick below. What the crown does, what failure looks like, and when to call a Chicago mason.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerPainting or sealing spalling brick covers the damage without fixing the cause. What the National Park Service says, and what to do first on Chicago brick.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerSpalling brick looks like flaked, peeled or popped-off faces with a rough, pitted surface underneath. Here is how to tell it from other brick damage.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Quick answerWhite powder on brick is usually harmless by itself, but it shows water is moving through the wall. When it is cosmetic, when it is a warning, what to do.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleLintel replacement in Chicago: the 6 foot permit line, when you need an architect or engineer, who pulls the permit, and how a mason swaps a failed lintel.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleOld Chicago brick is soft, and aggressive cleaning does lasting damage. How to clean brick safely, what to ask a contractor and what to leave to a pro.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleHow brick and stone foundation walls get repaired in Chicago: repointing, replacing bricks, drainage, what needs an engineer and how the permit works.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleStair step cracks follow the mortar joints in a zigzag. What causes them in Chicago brick, why they are not a DIY patch, and who should look at them.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleWhite powder on brick is salt carried out by water. What causes efflorescence, how to remove it without hurting old Chicago brick, and why it returns.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleChimney repair in Chicago: when repointing or a rebuilt top is enough, when the whole stack comes down, and what the City says about permits and licenses.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleSpalled brick can be cut out and replaced, but find the moisture problem first. How it's done, the 50 sq ft permit line, and who can pull the permit.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleSometimes you can fix spalling brick without replacing it, if you stop the water and the wrong mortar first. How to tell which bricks stay and which go.
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