Tuckpointing in Ontario CA - new mortar where it's failing, good joints left alone
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks? We repoint the joints that are failing so your wall is tight again and keeps its look.
Does my brick wall need tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing, which is the same work as repointing, means we clean out the worn mortar between your bricks and pack in fresh mortar, so the brick stays in place and your wall in Ontario, CA is solid and sealed again.
Maybe you've noticed sandy grit piling up at the bottom of a wall, or a joint you can scrape out with a key. Usually it's a handful of patches, not the whole house. The price mostly comes down to how many joints are actually failing, how high up and easy to reach they are, and how closely the new mortar has to match the old. The schedule mostly comes down to how much wall we're doing and what works for you. When I come out, I'll take photos and write up exactly which joints we'd redo and which ones can stay.
Why Ontario homeowners call us for tuckpointing
When I come out, I'm looking for what's really wrong with your wall, and I'll tell you plainly what needs work now and what can wait.
I see every wall myself
I come out to look at every job in person, and I'm on site with our crew while the work gets done.
Careful work since 2023
I started this business in 2023 after years of property upkeep, so I could do masonry carefully instead of fast.
Licensed and insured
We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to go over that with you when I come out to see the wall.
A tidy site, people live here
Years of working around tenants taught us to keep walkways clear and clean up as we go, because your family is home.
Our satisfaction guarantee
Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee, and if you'd like to talk it over first, call (909) 738-1042.
How we handle tuckpointing on your wall
The right approach depends on how much of the mortar has actually failed, how old the brick is and what else around the wall needs attention.
What happens after you call about tuckpointing?
We plan the job around your house and your schedule, and nothing gets raked out until you've seen what I'm seeing and told us to go ahead.
You get in touch
Call (909) 738-1042 or send the form, and we get back to you to find a time for me to come out.
I look at the wall
I come out myself, check the joints up close, take photos and show you what I'm seeing, so you don't have to just take my word for it.
Your written estimate
You get an estimate that spells out which joints we'd fix, what can stay as it is and why, with the photos to back it up.
Work and walk-through
Once you give us the go-ahead, we set a schedule together. Our crew does the work with me on site, and then we walk the finished wall with you.
Questions about a step? Call and talk it through.
(909) 738-1042Tuckpointing questions we hear
How do I know if my brick needs tuckpointing?
Your brick needs tuckpointing wherever the mortar has worn back more than about 1/4 inch, crumbles, has holes in it, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between the mortar and the brick. Only those joints need work, and repointing is slow work done by hand, so it's fair to ask for a price on just the failing ones. If you're also seeing stains, flaking brick or damp spots inside, it's worth finding where the problem starts, so the cause and the damage both get fixed.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Ontario, CA?
Across the US, tuckpointing usually costs about $5 to $25 per square foot, and that's the general market range, not our price. Where your wall lands in that range mostly depends on how many joints truly need redoing and how hard they are to reach. After I've looked at your wall, the written estimate gives you a number for your job.
Can someone without a contractor license do tuckpointing in California?
Only on very small jobs. California lets an unlicensed person do minor work up to $1,000, and only when the job needs no permit and that person has no one working for them on it. A crew repointing a whole wall is past that line, so ask any bidder about their license before work starts.
What kind of mortar should be used on an older brick house?
On older masonry, the new mortar should be the same strength as the old mortar or weaker. A harder mix puts stress on old brick and causes spalling, where the face of the brick breaks away. Mortar from before the early 1900s was mostly lime, so if your house is that old, ask each bidder how their mix will match your wall.
How long does tuckpointing last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself may well go past 100. That means a brick wall can need repointing more than once in its life, so it's easier to plan for it as regular upkeep than as a one-time fix.
How do I choose a contractor for tuckpointing?
Ask each bidder about their repointing work specifically, because a good job depends on someone skilled at it, and even an excellent mason or bricklayer may not be. It's also fair to ask how they keep the dust down, since California workplace rules call for handheld grinders used to remove mortar to have a shroud, a guard around the blade, and a dust collection system.
Tuckpointing older brick homes in Ontario
On a historic home in Ontario, the city has a say in how the brick gets pointed. The City of Ontario's planning staff and its historic preservation commission review applications for exterior changes to historic buildings in the city's historic neighborhoods, and the city leaves room for ordinary repair that doesn't change the design, material or look. For covered homes, the city's guidelines call for removing bad mortar with hand tools instead of power tools, with new pointing that matches the original's strength, color, texture, style, width and profile. Whether your job counts as ordinary repair is up to the city, so if your house might be covered, we check with the city early and plan the work around those guidelines from the start.
We're based in Ontario and work across the cities around it. Most calls we get are about an older brick house, a chimney or a garden wall where a few runs of mortar have gone soft and the rest is fine. We see the same thing on jobs in Upland and Pomona, and we handle those walls the same careful way.
Ask Fieldstone about your mortar joints
Call (909) 738-1042 or use the form while it's still a few loose joints, since small spots are usually simpler to fix than a whole wall.