Prospect Heights Repointing
Brick Pointing in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
Failing mortar cut out and replaced on row house facades, parapets and chimneys, so water stays out of the walls of your Prospect Heights building.
- Mortar matched to your brick
- Facades, parapets and chimneys
- Free visit with a written price
What Does Failing Mortar Look Like on a Prospect Heights Building?
Failing mortar looks sandy, recessed or cracked, and it often leaves gaps you can see with the naked eye. Brick edges may be exposed or chipped. Water stains under windows and along parapets are another sign. Once joints open, rain reaches the wall and the damage moves inward.
Prospect Heights has brick and brownstone row houses, pre war apartment buildings and newer towers near Atlantic Avenue. The older buildings are the ones that need pointing. Their mortar has weathered through many winters, and the joints on upper floors and parapets take the most exposure.
- Sandy or recessed joints on front walls
- Cracked mortar around window sills
- Loose bricks on parapets
- Leaking chimney stacks
- Efflorescence, the white chalky stains
- Open joints on side and rear walls
Look at the building from the sidewalk on a bright day. Joints that have lost depth cast no shadow, and that flat look is an early sign.
Mortar Crumbling on Your Facade?
Send photos of the wall. We will explain what repointing would involve.
What the Work Involves
How Is Brick Repointing Done?
The crew grinds or chisels out the failed mortar to a set depth, cleans the joints and packs in new mortar in layers, then tools the joint to match the wall. Getting the depth right and using the correct mortar are what separate a lasting repair from a cosmetic one.
Mortar has to be softer than the brick around it. If the new mix is harder than the brick, the brick faces spall over time as the wall moves and breathes. Older lime mortar buildings need a compatible mix, and we match it to the wall we are working on.
Height controls how the job is set up. A two story facade may need a lift or a scaffold, and a parapet or chimney adds its own access needs. We price the access along with the pointing itself, and the work moves in sections so the whole wall is not disturbed at once.
Does Brick Pointing Need City Approval in Prospect Heights?
It can. Much of the neighborhood is inside the Prospect Heights Historic District, where exterior work on a facade may need Landmarks Preservation Commission review. Buildings taller than six stories also fall under Local Law 11 facade inspections every five years. Confirm current rules with the city.
For a historic row house, the goal is a repair that looks the way the wall did, with joints that match in color, width and profile. Landmarks staff care about those details, so photographs and a clear description of the work help any application go smoothly.
Taller pre war apartment buildings and towers on Atlantic Avenue and near Pacific Park are a different case. If your building is over six stories, an inspection report may already list unsafe or defective conditions that need to be repaired. Pointing is often part of the fix, and work at height can require scaffold permits.
We are a private contractor and not a city agency. We describe the work and help with documentation, and the city makes the final call.
Which Parts of a Prospect Heights Building Need Pointing First?
Parapets, chimneys, window sills and the tops of walls take the most weather, so they usually fail first. On row houses the front facade above the stoop and the rear wall exposed to weather come next. A quick inspection shows which areas need work now and which can wait.
Parapets sit on the roof edge with water hitting them from several sides. When their joints open, water enters the wall below and can travel down inside it. Chimneys are similar, exposed on every side and constantly heated and cooled.
Window sills and lintels collect water and pass it into the joints below. A sill that has lost its slope or its mortar sends water sideways into the brick. If your building has brownstone trim, that trim needs separate attention, since brownstone reacts differently from brick.
On a full facade job we can work in phases. Some owners repoint the front wall first because it is visible from the street, then return to the rear the following season.
What Affects the Price of Brick Pointing in Prospect Heights?
Wall area, height, mortar matching, scaffold or lift needs and the condition of the brick behind the joints set the price. A low rear wall costs differently from a four story front with a parapet. We give a written price after a free site visit and never quote by phone.
Brick that has cracked or shifted may need replacing before pointing, and that is easier to judge on site than from a photo. If we find hidden damage, we show you and update the estimate before any extra work starts.
Why Call Us
What You Get When You Hire Us
25+ years in business
We have repointed walls on Brooklyn row houses and apartment buildings for more than 25 years.
Correct mortar for the wall
We match the mix and joint style to your building instead of using one blend for every wall.
Insured and licensed
Licensed and insured, with permits handled when a job needs them.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near Prospect Heights
We repoint facades in the neighborhoods that surround Prospect Heights as well.
FAQ
Prospect Heights Brick Pointing Questions
There is no fixed schedule. Mortar on exposed walls and parapets can wear out sooner than mortar on sheltered walls. A visual check every few years shows whether joints are losing depth.
Yes. We test mixes against the existing wall and match color, texture and joint profile as closely as we can. We show you the sample before we do the full wall.
We plan the setup so an entrance stays usable wherever possible. If the access has to close for a period, we tell you at the visit.
It depends on height, the scaffold and whether the building is in the historic district. Landmarks review and DOB requirements can apply. We help with paperwork, and you should confirm current rules with the city.
It depends on wall area and height. A small wall can take a few days, and a full facade takes longer. We give a schedule with the written estimate.
Yes. We visit, inspect the walls and give you a written price at no charge. Call (718) 468-8803 to set a time.
Free on site estimate
Repoint Your Prospect Heights Facade
A free visit, matched mortar and a written price.
Contact
Request a Prospect Heights Pointing Quote
Give us the address and tell us which walls concern you. Photos of the mortar joints and any stains help us prepare.
- 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.