Just ran the numbers on repointing costs

Been pricing out a big repointing job on a 1920s building downtown. $18 per square foot is what I'm seeing. That's way more than I expected. Found the stat in the RSMeans guide at the library. For a 40 foot wall that's gonna be brutal. Anyone else seeing prices jump this much?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_stone594d ago

That "$18 per square foot" number is wild, I can't believe that. But here's something nobody seems to talk about with repointing. You gotta think about what kind of mortar the old building used. Most of those 1920s places have lime mortar, not Portland cement. If the contractor just slaps in modern cement mix it'll crack the bricks because it's too hard. So part of that high price might be them sourcing the right materials. Make sure you ask what mix they plan on using. If they say "just standard Type N" then run away. You'll pay way more down the road fixing the damage.

morganmartinez4d ago

Damn, that's a good point, I never really thought about that.

wren_mitchell4d ago

This is spot on. Lime mortar is a totally different animal than Portland cement. A lot of contractors don't even know the difference, so you gotta do your own homework. Using the wrong mix will absolutely wreck old brick, and then you're in for a whole new nightmare of repairs. Just asking that one question can save you thousands down the road. It's one of those little things that makes a huge difference in the long run.