Pointing Brick

Sounds too low. Doubt you are getting a quality crew who will grind out the mortar properly and point with the right mix at that price. Make sure they are using equipment that is hooked up to a vacuum extractor or they will make a mess – you and your neighbors will be miserable.

Most important:
You need to specify lime-based mortar (vs. cement based) if your bricks are pre-1900. Cement mortar does not allow old bricks to expand/contract and will cause them to break over time, which is a nightmare. If the mason tells you this is a non-issue, it simply means he doesn’t have any experience with lime-based mortar, and you should run for the hills.

Also, know what the cost of the scaffolding is prior to signing.

See what Kensintonian says above about grinding the cement. The proper way to repoint is to use an angle grinder with a blade made for the purpose to remove the old pointing. I am not sure how deep they are supposed to go – but i am certain that there is a recommended depth lest the new mortar not bond (it is not possible to apply cement or mortar in thin applications and expect it to hold).

When we bought our house, we did not have the $ to hire a true mason, so we hired someone who had learned this on his own. He power washed the front of the house, hitting the old pointing to break out what was loose, and came along and put mortar on top of the old stuff. For what it was and for what we paid him, I am happy. I like the way it looks set on top and kind of flush. But I also know it will probably fall out in a few more years and I know something else: Mortar flush to the wall or sticking out a little bit can catch rain water on the top which may seep in and freeze in the winter causing all sorts of problems; a safe mortar joint is concave (not flush, nor “struck”) so as to allow water to roll away. Also, the bottom of the concave edge should reach the edge of the brick so water does not settle there either.

(FYI: Take a look at what happen to a lot of the brick work on Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Chicago and Grand Rapids; he used “struck” joints and they failed – but they looked nice).

I am not a mason, so there are others who can tell you a lot more than I. If you talk to a true mason, he will tell you what you should know.

Steve