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.
Freeze thaw damage in brick starts with water, not cold. How Chicago winters, wet brick and hard mortar combine to spall faces, and what actually stops it.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ArticleBrick repair cost in Chicago depends on scope, access, scaffolding, permits and hidden damage. Here is what moves the bill and how to compare quotes.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · What went wrongA bulging or leaning brick wall is not a tuckpointing job. What owners see, why the City cares, who looks at it first and how a rebuild is permitted.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · What went wrongA rusted lintel cracking brick shows up as rust stains and cracks around a window. What owners see, why steel lintels fail, and how Chicago masons fix it.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · What went wrongBricks falling off a building in Chicago usually trace to roofline water, a rusted lintel or bad repairs. What failed, what the City says, what to do.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · What went wrongAre spalling bricks dangerous? Usually a warning first, a hazard when faces loosen above a sidewalk. How spalling happens, what to watch, how it's fixed.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Code explainerParapet wall repair in Chicago: what Express covers (up to 2,500 sq ft), the 48 inch limit, who pulls the permit, and when a failing parapet is urgent.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · Code explainerReplacing brick in Chicago usually needs a masonry permit. See the 50 square foot exemption, what Express covers, who can pull it, and when to call DOB.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · ChecklistA masonry inspection checklist for Chicago brick buildings: what to look for on walls, joints, lintels and parapets, and when to call a pro.
Read →Brick and Masonry Repair · GuideChicago masonry repair explained: what fails in brick, what each repair involves, permits and licenses, and how to hire a mason. Free estimates, bilingual.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerTuckpointing painted brick is possible, but paint changes the job: lead rules, a visible repair and hidden moisture. What Chicago owners should ask.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerTuckpointing dust collection explained: the shroud and dust control federal rules require, what dust to expect, and how to prep your Chicago building.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerChicago tuckpointing and masonry: the City treats tuckpointing as mason work. What license to ask for and when one crew should handle both.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerHow deep to grind out mortar joints: the National Park Service rule of 2 to 2.5 times the joint width, why shallow work fails, and how to check your crew.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerTuck pointing vs flush pointing: what each term means, why Chicago owners hear them mixed up, and what to ask for on a quote. Free estimates in Chicago.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerType N vs type S mortar: S is stronger, N is softer, and for repointing the rule is softer than the brick. What the sources say and what to ask your mason.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerHow long for brick mortar to cure? Surface dry is quick, but curing runs longer. What the NPS says about the first days and what to avoid on new joints.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerCan you use brick mortar caulk instead of tuckpointing? Why caulk is not mortar, what it hides, and when a quick fill is the wrong call on Chicago brick.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerIs tuckpointing necessary? Sound mortar can wait. Open, crumbling joints can't. How to tell the difference on Chicago brick, and what the code says.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerCan tuckpointing be done in the rain? Why wet weather is a problem for fresh mortar, what protection looks like, and what to ask your Chicago contractor.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerHow long tuckpointing takes depends on wall area, joint depth, access and weather. Here is what drives the schedule on a Chicago building. Free estimates.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · Quick answerTuckpointing is cutting out failing mortar between bricks and filling the joints with new mortar. What it does, what it is not, and when a wall needs it.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · ArticleHow to match brick mortar colors when you tuckpoint: what controls color, why the test panel matters, and why color must never override mortar type.
Read →Tuckpointing and Mortar · ArticleTuckpointing limestone on a Chicago greystone follows the same repointing rules as brick, with more care. Mortar choice, joint prep, dust and licensing.
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