Advice for St. Louis Property Owners
Practical guides on what things cost, when to repair instead of replace and what the local rules require. Every guide is written for St. Louis conditions and cites its sources where it references codes, permits or rebates.
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7 Signs Your Chimney Needs Repair Before Winter
A St. Louis mason's checklist for chimney trouble: crown cracks, white staining, loose bricks, bad flashing and the damp ceiling that gives it away.
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Rusted Steel Lintels: The Crack Pattern to Know
A straight horizontal crack above a window with stair-step cracks running off the corners usually means the steel lintel behind the brick is rusting and swelling.
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Historic District Rules for Exterior Masonry in St. Louis
Permits, Cultural Resources Office review and district standards that govern tuckpointing, brick cleaning and stone repair on City of St. Louis buildings.
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Freeze-Thaw Damage and St. Louis Brick: A Spring Checklist
Why winter takes the face off St. Louis brick, how to read efflorescence against spalling, and what to walk your building for in March.
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Tuckpointing vs Repointing: What the Terms Mean
Tuckpointing is a decorative finish. Repointing is replacing failed mortar. In the Midwest the words got swapped. Here is what you are really buying.
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Why Old St. Louis Brick Needs Lime Mortar
Soft pre-1930 St. Louis common brick fails when it is pointed with hard portland mortar. Here is the reason, and how to specify a mix that fits.
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How Much Does Tuckpointing Cost in St. Louis?
Typical St. Louis tuckpointing prices per square foot, what moves the number on a century-old brick house, and how to read a masonry estimate.
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