- Free written estimate
- Mortar matched to your brick
- Historic homes welcome
- Site left clean
What we do
Six services covering the brick, stone and chimney work that century-old St. Louis buildings ask for.
Tuckpointing
Failed joints raked to depth and repointed with mortar mixed to suit the age and softness of your brick.
Brick repair and replacement
Spalled and split brick cut out and replaced with salvaged or matched common brick, then pointed in.
Chimney repair and rebuild
Crown recasting, flashing, partial rebuilds above the roofline and full stacks taken down and rebuilt.
Stone and foundation repair
Limestone foundations repointed, loose stone reset, porch piers and retaining walls rebuilt.
Lintel replacement
Rusted steel lintels cut out, the opening needled and supported, new galvanized steel set and bricked back.
Waterproofing and sealing
Breathable water repellents on sound masonry, plus parapet, sill and cap detailing that keeps water out.
How a job runs
- 1
On-site assessment with photos
We walk the elevations, check joint depth, look at the chimney and lintels, and photograph every area of concern. You get the photos whether or not you hire us.
- 2
Written scope with the mortar type named
The estimate lists each elevation, the square footage, the joint depth we will cut to and the mortar mix we plan to use. Prices are per area so you can stage the work over two seasons.
- 3
Work completed, washed down and inspected with you
We point, cure and wash the masonry, pull the scaffold, then walk the finished wall with you before the final invoice goes out.
Four things that bring owners to us
Crumbling mortar joints
You can rake a key into the joint and it comes back as sand. Once the joint recedes past a quarter inch, water sits behind the brick face and every freeze makes the hole bigger.
See what to doLeaning or leaking chimney
A stack above the roofline gets weather on all four sides. Open crown cracks, loose bricks and a damp ceiling below the flashing all point at the same repair.
See what to doCracked or bowing wall
Stair-step cracks follow the joints and usually mean settlement. A straight horizontal crack above a window or door usually means the steel lintel behind it is rusting and swelling.
See what to doWater in the basement near brick walls
Water that gets in through failed joints, a bad parapet or an open stone foundation travels down inside the wall. Sealing the basement side alone leaves the source untouched.
See what to doWhat you get from us on every job
Lime-based mortar on soft historic brick
Mortar has to stay softer than the brick it sits between. On pre-1930 common brick we mix with lime so the joint takes the movement and the brick face survives.
Color match sample before full work
We mix test boards with local sand, let them cure, and hold them against your wall in daylight. Work starts once you pick the one that reads right.
Daily cleanup and a washed site
Mortar droppings, brick chips and dust get cleared at the end of each day. The masonry and the ground below it are washed down before we leave for good.
Workmanship warranty in writing
Our labor carries a written warranty, with the term stated on your estimate. If a joint we pointed fails early we come back and put it right.
Neighborhoods we cover
We work across the City of St. Louis and the inner suburbs of St. Louis County. Estimate visits usually land within a few days of your call.
- Tower Grove and Shaw Rows of brick two-family flats, some still on the original brick streets in Shaw
- Soulard 19th century rowhouses with shared party walls and chimney stacks packed tight together
- The Hill Compact brick bungalows with short chimneys and rear porches that take the weather
- Central West End Larger stone and brick homes with carved sills, bay fronts and tall stacks
- University City Parkview's stone and brick houses plus the apartment blocks around the Delmar Loop
- Webster Groves Older frame-and-brick stock sitting on masonry foundations that need repointing
- Kirkwood Brick and frame homes with stone foundations and porch piers that move on clay soil
What masonry work costs in St. Louis
Installed prices for the work we are asked about most. Access drives the number more than anything else, so a third-floor gable behind a power line costs more per square foot than a garage wall you can reach off a ladder.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Tuckpointing, per sq ft Joints cut to depth and repointed. Scaffold access and lime mortar sit at the upper end | $9 to $22 per sq ft |
| Chimney crown repair Cracked crown cut out and recast with a proper overhang and drip edge | $450 to $1,600 |
| Chimney rebuild above the roofline Stack taken down to the flashing and rebuilt, including new flashing and cap | $1,800 to $5,500 |
| Lintel replacement, per opening Opening needled and supported, rusted steel cut out, galvanized lintel set and bricked back | $950 to $3,200 |
| Spalled brick replacement, per brick Cut out and replaced with salvaged or matched brick. Small counts carry a minimum charge | $12 to $28 per brick |
| Masonry waterproofing, per sq ft Breathable repellent on sound masonry, applied after any pointing has cured | $1.75 to $4.50 per sq ft |
Typical ranges for St. Louis and the surrounding area, reviewed September 2026. Your price depends on access, the size of the job and what we find on site. Every quote is written and fixed before work starts.
Read the full St. Louis tuckpointing cost guideCommon questions
How do I know I need tuckpointing?
Look at the joints from close up. If a key or screwdriver rakes into the mortar and brings it out as sand, the joint has failed. Other signs are joints recessed more than about a quarter inch, mortar collecting in the flower bed after storms, white efflorescence on the brick face, and damp patches on the plaster inside. An open joint lets water reach the back of the wall.
How long does tuckpointing last?
Careful repointing on a St. Louis wall generally runs 20 to 30 years. Exposure moves the number. South and west elevations take our weather and go first, and a chimney above the roofline gets wet on all four sides so it needs attention sooner. Shallow work with a hard mix can fail inside five winters, because trapped water and freeze-thaw cycles pry the brick face loose.
Why does mortar type matter on old St. Louis brick?
Most housing here built before about 1930 uses soft common brick fired from local clay. The mortar around it has to be softer than the brick, so the joint absorbs movement and stays the sacrificial part of the wall. A portland-heavy modern mix is harder than that brick. When the wall expands, the pressure lands on the brick face and it spalls off. Lime-based mortar flexes and lets water leave the wall.
Can you work in winter?
Some of it. Mortar has to cure above freezing, and standard cold weather practice is to stop placing it below 40 degrees Fahrenheit unless materials are heated and the work stays covered and warm for a day or two after. St. Louis gives useful windows through December and February. We book crowns, small repairs and interior work in cold spells, then hold full elevations for spring.
Do I need a permit in the City of St. Louis?
Usually yes. The city's Building Division treats tuckpointing and structural masonry repair as permitted work, and your contractor should pull that permit rather than hand the job to you. If your building sits in a local historic district, the Cultural Resources Office reviews exterior work, and district standards can govern mortar mix, joint profile and tooling. We check the address before quoting and build the permit time into the schedule.
Will the new mortar match?
We get it close, and you approve the match before the wall is touched. We take a sample of sound original mortar, mix test boards with local sand and pigment, let them cure, then hold them on your wall in daylight. Cured mortar always looks lighter than wet mortar, so judging a wet joint misleads people. A repair a few years old still reads slightly fresher than the surrounding wall.
Get a free masonry estimate
Tell us the address, the age of the building and what you are seeing. We will walk the elevations, photograph the problem areas and send you a written scope with the mortar type named.
(314) 627-4085- Monday to Friday
- 7am to 5pm
- Saturday
- 8am to 1pm
- Sunday
- Closed