The elegant and stylish touch of luxury mortar or stonework can bring to a home, is something you definitely want to preserve, but even the best masonry work can become damaged over time.
Here are just some of the types of repairs commonly needed:
Deteriorating mortar – gradually worn down by rain, wind, time and friction, the mortar between your brickwork will eventually need to be dealt with by a qualified masonry contractor, and most likely using a technique known as tuckpointing.
Cracking and chipping stones – over time, bricks are prone to bulging, warping and shifting, and you’ll always need a mason to repair this problem for you.
Bulging and shifting bricks – symptoms of structural damage often caused by a strong, sudden impact, if your brickwork is cracked, chipped or has shifted, you’ll need to get them repaired sooner rather than later.
If your home is need of any of the above masonry repairs, you might be tempted to carry out the work yourself, but here are 3 reasons why you shouldn’t!
- It’s dangerous and tricky!
Masonry contractors are highly skilled at what they do, and their training takes many years. Even if you think that repairing masonry damage to your home looks easy, it’s guaranteed not to be! It’s important to keep in mind that a lot of masonry actually affects the structure of a building, or part of it, too, and that tampering with stone or brickwork can result in serious structural problems, which will bring you far more stress and expense than simply hiring a contractor to take care of the work for you.
- There may be bigger, underlying problems
While cracks or shifting in stone or brickwork may be easy to spot with an untrained eye, it’s highly likely that there are underlying problems that need to be addressed, making the need for an inspection by a qualified masonry contractor, even more important. Small cracks, for example, can indicate a larger, foundational concern, and if this isn’t repaired, the entire building could be deemed unsafe and uninhabitable.
- DIY repairs invariably end up costing more
Tackling masonry repairs yourself, or attempting to, is never a solution, and aside from the repairs not being carried out properly effectively, doing so will probably end up costing you more money in the long run. Whether this is from the need for additional repairs caused by failing to address any underlying issues, or from having to get the work redone by a professional, DIY masonry repairs are never a cost-saving solution.
It’s so simple to call up a local masonry contractor and have them come out and assess and repair the damage to your masonry, that there really is no need to attempt to do the work yourself. If you’re trying to save money, pay attention to the fact that it will almost always end up costing you more to do so.