3 Things that impact expert Tuckpointing Cost?
This is a very common question that we receive from homeowners. Unfortunately, the answer to how much tuckpointing costs is not as straight forward as one would hope. There are many variables that come into play. It is impossible to provide a standard price for tuckpointing cost by square foot for example. But if we had to provide a parameter for how much does tuckpointing cost, it would be between $10-$30 per square foot. Here is a list of variables that will determine how much it will cost to tuckpoint your property.
- Will the old mortar be removed at least ¾” in depth?
Many fly by night companies will not remove the old mortar in a satisfactory way. The old mortar should be grinded out at least ¾” in depth to ensure long life for the new mortar. Some companies leave the old mortar in the joints and simply tuckpoint over. This causes many problems almost immediately. When the old, brittle and failing mortar is not removed the new mortar does not adhere to the joints and actually traps moisture in between the old and new mortar. Instead of lasting decades you will be forced to re tuckpoint this poor craftsmanship in the matter of months or a few short years.
- What type of rigging is involved?
One of the biggest expenses for tuckpointing cost at a property is the amount of rigging that is involved. In order to safely rig pipe scaffolding or a swing stage takes expertise and additional time. If you own a ranch house that is 7’ high, the cost to tuckpoint will obviously be lower than if you own a 3 flat. You definitely do not want a company to cut corners while rigging, this is when injuries can occur and as a homeowner you may be liable for medical expenses, especially if the masonry company does not carry Commercial General Liability and Worker’s Compensation Insurance.
That’s why “spot pointing” is also difficult to estimate cost. The time to rig the scaffolding often far exceeds the time to tuckpoint a spot here and a spot there. Please keep this in mind when you only have a small area that you feel needs to be addressed.
- What permits are required for tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing cost can be impacted by what permits are required. Every municipality has different rules for what is required to allow tuckpointing in their Village or city. For example, many municipalities require a mason contractor to be a registered contractor in their municipality and some cities, like Chicago, require the mason to be licensed in order to pull a permit. These permits can cost between $600-$1,000, this can significantly impact the tuckpointing cost. Once again, if you go with a mason contractor that is unlicensed or under insured you can potentially receive citations, be fined and/or face litigation if a worker is injured on your property.
The city of Chicago also requires an Air Pollution Control permit if the tuckpointing will be using an electric grinder. Even with a dust minimization plan in place this will increase the tuckpointing cost in Chicago.
These are just a few variables of what can affect tuckpointing cost. If the price sounds to good to be true, it probably is. The mason is probably not licensed, does not carry the required insurance and will not be able to pull the required permits. The work may also be sub-standard costing additional time and money when they have to redo the work in short order.
Please feel free to contact FocalPoint Masonry Inc for a proposal on your tuckpointing job on the northwest side of Chicago and the northwest suburbs. Call (847)496-3343
Surgeon Burning2023-08-30Dan and his team did a great job tuckpointing my home. Thanks guys we will be calling you for future projects
Miki Radivojevic2023-04-22I have used Dan and his guys on a couple jobs at a mixed use building I own. Dan is easy to communicate with and clearly lays out costs upfront (which isn't always the case with construction people). I will definitely use him again!
John Allegretti2023-04-20Dan and his team have done multiple jobs at my Park Ridge, IL home. Jobs have included stone arch work, brick tuck pointing, and waterproofing. All water seepage has ceased. Brick and stone work has turned out beautifully. The team was always punctual and courteous. Sergio always had time for any questions we had. All this at a reasonable price. I would highly recommend FocalPoint Masonry to any of my friends or neighbors.
Juliaan2022-06-24I cannot recommend Sergio enough. The masonry on our home had been allowed to go too long before we purchased it and required a significant rebuilding all the way from the windows up. As a result, we got to know Sergio well and he is a great person to work with when undergoing a project like we did. The quality of their works was excellent and Sergio knows what he is doing when works with old homes, which was particularly important to us. The price to the quality of work is excellent and I highly recommend Focal Point Masonry.
Riser Vet2021-09-01They did a good job, we would hire them again.
lorrainedorff2021-07-22The crew was on time, worked an incredibly long day, and was businesslike and professional. The work they did was exceptional. We were extremely pleased with the entire experience.
Alex Mattucci2021-06-16One of the best contractor experiences I've ever had. They show up on time, keep you informed and most importantly they do great work and easy to work with. I highly recommend.
ngeligirl2021-06-15Great work. Got the job done quickly. Did good quality work. Was polite and informative of the entire process. Competitive prices. They rebuilt my chimney. Will hire them again to do tuckpointing.
Jennifer Pembroke2020-10-13The team at FocalPoint did a beautiful job restoring the brick on my 120 year home. Tuckpointing including custom mixing the perfect color mortar to bring them back to life was done marrying the art and skill of the assignment. Sergio and his team were super friendly, ensured our plant material around the house was cared for, they cleaned up our space and the neighbors after work each day. Couldnt say enough good things about the work that was done! Our home is all kinds of beautiful again!
