Ocean Hill Repointing
Brick Pointing in Ocean Hill, Brooklyn
Crumbling mortar cut out and replaced on Ocean Hill row house fronts, side walls, parapets and chimneys, with joints matched to the brick.
- Facades, parapets and chimneys
- Mortar matched to the original
- Free visit and a written price
What Mortar Problems Show Up on Ocean Hill Buildings?
Eroded joints, cracked mortar, loose bricks and leaking parapets are the common ones. Many Ocean Hill buildings are a century old or more, so the original mortar has weathered back, and water now gets into the wall. You can often see the damage from the street.
Brick and brownstone row houses line many blocks between Broadway and Atlantic Avenue. Side walls, party walls and rear facades are usually plain brick, and their joints take a lot of weather because nobody looks at them. Small apartment buildings have larger brick areas with the same wear.
- Sand or powder falling from joints
- Gaps you can push a key into
- Cracks that follow the brick lines
- Loose or leaning brick at the parapet
- Chimney tops with missing mortar
- Water stains on inside walls
Wood frame houses in the neighborhood may have brick foundations or chimneys, and those masonry parts need pointing just as row house walls do.
Seeing Crumbling Mortar on Your Ocean Hill Wall?
Send a photo from the street. We will tell you how far the repointing needs to go.
How We Fix It
How Does Repointing Work on a Row House Wall?
The old mortar is cut out to a set depth, the joints are cleaned of dust, and new mortar is packed in and tooled to match the profile. Work goes wall section by section, usually top down. Only failed joints need cutting, not the whole wall, if the rest is sound.
Depth decides how long the work lasts. Shallow repointing pops out within a few winters. We cut deep enough to give the new mortar something to hold onto, and we take care not to chip the brick edges. On soft older brick that often means hand tools.
Mortar choice matters as much as depth. Older brick usually needs a softer mix than modern brick, so the mortar wears before the brick does. We can show you a test patch so you see the color before we do the whole wall.
Access depends on height. A two story wall can be reached from ladders or a light stage. Taller walls need scaffolding or a swing stage, which affects the schedule.
Do Ocean Hill Facades Fall Under Facade Inspection Rules?
Local Law 11 requires buildings taller than six stories to have their facades inspected every five years. Most Ocean Hill row houses and frame houses are lower than that, so the rule does not apply to them. Taller apartment buildings may be covered, and owners should confirm with the city.
Lower buildings are not exempt from maintenance. A loose parapet brick can fall to the sidewalk, and the owner is responsible. Brick pointing is one of the cheapest ways to stop that kind of failure.
We cannot confirm a historic district in Ocean Hill. If your building has landmark status in some other way, tell us at the visit, since it changes what the mortar and joint should look like.
What Does Brick Pointing Cost in Ocean Hill?
The price depends on the wall area, the height and how the crew reaches it, how deep the mortar has failed and how closely the new mortar must match the old. A chimney is a small job. A full facade with scaffolding is larger. We give a written price after a free visit.
Condition matters as much as size. A wall that needs only pointing is different from one with loose bricks that must be reset first. We point out both at the visit and separate them in the estimate.
Permits come into play when scaffolding or a sidewalk shed covers the public sidewalk. We handle DOB permits when a job needs them and tell you what to expect.
Which Part of the Building Should Be Repointed First?
Start with the parapet and chimney. They stand highest, catch the most rain and freeze from all sides, so they fail first and cause the most damage below. Fixing them protects walls and ceilings, and it is often the cheapest place to stop water from getting into the building.
Next comes the front facade, since it is visible and it tells people how the building is kept. After that come side and party walls. Rear walls are often overlooked, but they take just as much rain.
Most owners stage the work over a season or two. That is fine as long as the worst areas are done first.
Why Does the Wrong Mortar Ruin Old Brick?
Hard cement mortar is stiffer than old soft brick and lime mortar. Water cannot escape through it, so it leaves through the brick, freezes just under the face and pops it off. A mortar softer than the brick lets the joint take the wear instead, which is how old walls were designed to age.
You can spot earlier hard patches as bands of gray, smooth mortar that stand out from the rest of the wall. Bricks next to them often show flaking faces. That is a sign the wrong mix was used.
When we find those patches, we explain what the wall needs. Sometimes the hard mortar can be cut out and replaced. Sometimes it is safer to leave it and repoint around it, and we tell you which case you have.
Why Us
Why Ocean Hill Owners Call Us for Brick Work
25+ years in business
Repointing and masonry across Brooklyn for more than 25 years.
Licensed and insured
Construction, injury and workers compensation insurance.
Permits handled
We handle DOB permits when the job needs one and explain the rest.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near Ocean Hill
We also do repointing in the neighborhoods around Ocean Hill.
FAQ
Ocean Hill Brick Pointing Questions
Look for sand or powder at the base of the wall, joints you can push a key into, and cracks that follow the brick lines. Water stains inside on a party wall are another sign.
Yes. They are often the most exposed parts, and repointing them alone is a common job.
It depends on wall size and access. Your written estimate includes a time frame. Jobs with a shed or scaffold over the sidewalk may need permits.
It can at first, because fresh mortar is lighter. We aim to match color and profile, and a test patch shows you the result.
It stops leaks that come through failed joints. If water enters through a lintel, a roof edge or a crack in the brick, we find that at the visit.
Yes. Call (718) 468-8803 for a free visit and a written price.
Free on site estimate
Repoint Your Ocean Hill Building
A free visit and a written price for the wall, parapet or chimney.
Contact
Ask for an Ocean Hill Repointing Quote
Describe the wall or parapet and add photos from the street if you can.
- Call us(718) 468-8803
- HoursMon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Free on site estimate with a written price
- Licensed and insured, 25+ years in business
- We handle DOT sidewalk permits
- Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx
Get Your Free Estimate
Takes about a minute. No cost and no obligation.