Estimating Costs for Brick Repairs Re-Repairs
I’ve assembled some simple equations (below) to help understand the basis of this topic.
Repair + Re-repair > Repair
Fixing something broken ≠ Breaking something fixed + fixing again
1(Failed Attempt) = Tuckpointing Costs x 2
This picture shows a job where an untrained professional attempted to tuckpoint the front of a house as a handyman project. Notice the smearing and overlapping of mortar on the brick. The bottom corner shows an area where we started to clean up the mess.
I joke, kinda, sorta… Doing it right the first time is always going to be the cheapest solution, in any industry.The picture to the left is a shining example of having to fix an “already fixed project”. This person could have had this brick wall initially assessed by us, here at Atek, and had a quote of around $5 +/- sq ft for tuckpointing the wall. Now that the project had been botched, the brick must first be cleaned, the newer mortar (Now harder than the original) must be grinded out of the wall with more expensive diamond blades. These two steps are in addition to what would’ve been done had it been done right the first time. Nearly doubling the time to correct the situation, this person is now looking at closer to $8+ to tuckpoint the wall.
Beyond the Costs of Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing is not only a maintenance item but also offers great aesthetic value when done right. Before beginning a tuckpointing project as a diy project or handing the project over to a do-it-all handyman, consider calling a professional tuckpointing company to assess the situation and offer an Estimate for repairs. The value, both aesthetically and structurally, will far outweigh costs associated with repairs. You will get something that lasts and as well a visual appeal.
Tuckpointing is a Developed Skill
Like nearly any profession, Tuckpointing is a skilled that has to be learned & developed. Here at Atek, Myself and the crew have countless hours of, to over-simplify it, “putting mortar in the wall.” Our skills have been honed to a fine point and will stay sharp while we continue on with expanding our education and skills in the masonry field every day. We take a lot of pride in the quality of work we offer, Brick Restoration isn’t just a “job” for us, it’s an art-form and career in which we hold great value.
A memory from a kid, turned tuckpointer…
I remember seeing a sign in a mechanic’s shop, as a kid. You may have seen a similar one in a similar place or elsewhere, that described their hourly rates. The sign had a reasonable rate for their hourly services, an increased rate if you help and a tripled rate if someone attempted 1st and failed. The first time I saw this sign, I was young and didn’t quite get it. Time passed, I grew up and I saw it again and thought it was funny. Thinking about the sign today inspired this little snippet of information on the cost of re-repairing.
Do you have a tuckpointing or brick restoration project you would like addressed? Let us do it right, The 1st time. Give us a call @ 314-629-2283.
Atek Masonry 