Led by principals John Salib and Paul Salib, Castellan Real Estate Partners is an investment firm that acquires buildings that have been mismanaged and adds value, often by renovating or rehabbing the properties. One way to rehab older properties is by improving their brickwork. Investing in rehabbing brickwork, particularly by repointing brick mortar, can greatly approve the aesthetic appeal, and thus the value, of the home or office.
One of the main challenges with brickwork is that often the brick’s appearance deteriorates over a period of time 25 to 30 years, particularly in the mortar joints—the gaps between bricks into which mortar (cement) is placed. Warning signs of deterioration include hairline cracks, crumbling, and too much space between brick and mortar. Erosion greater than six millimeters deep is also a sign of excessive wear. So how do property owners add value when it appears their mortar crumbling? Easy, you must restore the brick walls by using a process called repointing.
The first stage of repointing is removing the old mortar down to a depth of one inch. Hammers and chisels are the tools of choice, although electric grinders can be used (carefully) if the gap is half an inch thick or greater. Removing mortar is slow work, since the renovator must prevent damage to the soft surface of the brick. Costs can go as high as $25 a square foot. Because of the expense, homeowners sometimes choose to skip the chiseling and simply cover the old mortar with new material. This practice should be avoided, because it can cause water damage where the two areas of mortar meet and water is able to seep in. It can also widen the gap. Eventually, water can destroy the mortar and allow the bricks to fall out.
However, with proper planning and cost controls, repointing can be a great value-add to aging properties.
One of the main challenges with brickwork is that often the brick’s appearance deteriorates over a period of time 25 to 30 years, particularly in the mortar joints—the gaps between bricks into which mortar (cement) is placed. Warning signs of deterioration include hairline cracks, crumbling, and too much space between brick and mortar. Erosion greater than six millimeters deep is also a sign of excessive wear. So how do property owners add value when it appears their mortar crumbling? Easy, you must restore the brick walls by using a process called repointing.
The first stage of repointing is removing the old mortar down to a depth of one inch. Hammers and chisels are the tools of choice, although electric grinders can be used (carefully) if the gap is half an inch thick or greater. Removing mortar is slow work, since the renovator must prevent damage to the soft surface of the brick. Costs can go as high as $25 a square foot. Because of the expense, homeowners sometimes choose to skip the chiseling and simply cover the old mortar with new material. This practice should be avoided, because it can cause water damage where the two areas of mortar meet and water is able to seep in. It can also widen the gap. Eventually, water can destroy the mortar and allow the bricks to fall out.
However, with proper planning and cost controls, repointing can be a great value-add to aging properties.
