Guides
Read before you let anyone touch the brick
Seven guides cover the questions homeowners ask before a masonry job: which mortar, why the window cracked, what the lead rule says, what drives the price and what the contract must say. Pick the one that matches your wall, or send a request now.
Tell us what you see on the wall
We help you get the repair priced by separate local masonry contractors, and tell you what to ask them first.
Three things to say before you hear a price
Say them on the phone or at the wall. The answers show how a mason works.
Which mortar type goes in, and why?
A good answer names a mix softer than your brick.
How deep will you cut the old joints?
Too shallow, and the new mortar pops out.
What is the lintel made of, and is it flashed?
Rusting steel lifts brick; flashing keeps water off it.
$100 off your first job
Book your first repair through us and take $100 off.
The $100 comes out of our fee; the mason's price stays the same.
Each customer gets one credit per property.
Book the first repair by December 31, 2026, to use it.
Say you hold the credit as you book; we confirm it before work starts.
The Soft Joint promise
- Asking us is free, and asking never ties you to anything.
- We never charge you for the introduction.
- Your $100 credit is honored exactly as our Terms say.
- If an introduction goes wrong, we help you sort it out.
The masonry work is between you and the mason you hire.
Masonry Contractors Syracuse, (315) 640-3590
Seven guides, tied to what you see
Each guide leads with the decision in front of you, gives the one fact that matters and ends with what to ask. They do not recommend a mason. They tell you what to look for in the answers you hear.
Start with the mortar guide if your joints are crumbling. Start with the window guide if a crack runs up from a corner. Start with the contract guide if you already have a quote in your hand.
The other four cover the rest of the decisions you may face. One explains how the lead rule treats painted brick on older houses. One shows how historic district review and the state homeowner credit can touch a repair. One explains why quotes for the same wall differ so much. One helps you weigh repairing a chimney against rebuilding it.
Read as much as you like, and bring the questions to every mason you speak with. When you are ready, send your request and we help you get it priced.
Crumbling joints
Which mortar to ask for on old Syracuse brick
Mortar letters, soft against hard, and what to ask.
Crack from a corner
The crack above your window
How rusting steel lifts brick, and what to ask.
Crumbling joints
Painted brick and the lead rule
What the EPA lead rule asks of painted brick.
Any sign
Historic brick: district review and the state credit
Review boards, the state tax credit and brick repair.
Any sign
Why repointing costs what it costs
Labor, height and scope: why quotes differ.
Loose chimney top
Repair your chimney or rebuild it
Repair or rebuild: the questions that decide it.
Any sign
What your masonry contract has to say
What a New York home improvement contract must say.
Quick answers before you read
How should I start with the seven guides?
Pick the one that matches your sign. Crumbling joints go with the mortar guide, a crack from a corner with the window guide, and a quote in hand with the contract guide.
Do the guides give prices?
No. They explain what drives a price, such as labor and height, so you can read a quote. Only a mason who has seen your wall can price it.
Can I share a guide with my mason?
Yes. Many owners print the questions and take them to each mason. Their answers help you compare quotes fairly.
Know the crack before anyone fills it.