Commercial & Residential Concrete Repairs Contractors Little Elm TX

If you are embarking on your first major construction project, and you find yourself stymied at the thought of selecting a professional bricklayer without knowing much about the profession itself, there’s no need to be ashamed. It’s completely understandable, and you wouldn’t be the first person to have this dilemma, either.

However, over time, and with increasing advancements in technology and its hand-in-hand association to advertising, it is becoming easier than ever to find bricklayers available at your budget. The only problem – in that case – lies only in choosing the right bricklayer. The first step to narrow your search criteria is to ensure that your bricklayer has been properly certified.

In most countries, a bricklayer needs to pass his/her apprenticeship before receiving a certification, which declares that they are competent enough to work as a professional within the industry. It’s rare that someone will claim to be a bricklayer without having done an apprenticeship or received certification, but just to avoid any future mishap, it is best to confirm that they have all of their papers in order before moving forward.

Qualities to Look Out for Among Bricklayers

The criterion for choosing the right bricklayer varies depending on what the project needs, but there are certain universal criteria that every bricklayer should possess. The following are just some general qualities that you – as the client – can use to find the right bricklayer for your needs among the list of candidates:

• Physically Capable: Bricklaying may not necessarily require heavy lifting (this depends on the particular job), but being reasonably fit is almost a must in any specialty in the construction industry, and bricklaying is no exception to that. If the candidate does not seem to be physically capable to do manual labor, then you might have to consider striking them off the list of candidates.
• Meticulous: This is often overlooked, but due to the delicacy and subtlety that bricklaying actually requires, a meticulous eye for detail is one of the most important qualities one should search for in a candidate. If a bricklayer’s measurements when layering mortar are off, or if their mixture density is inconsistent, then the structure may literally fall apart.
• Law Abiding: It may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but before starting any major renovations, you should take into account that there are building regulations, and they may be specific to your specific area. A “law abiding” bricklayer should know about all those pesky regulations, and will know how to work within the system, and get the necessary permits for the project.

To reiterate, the qualities you should look out for in a bricklayer varies depending on the project, but these are just some examples of qualities that every bricklayer should possess. Keep these suggestions in mind, and you’ll surely choose the right bricklayer.

No building, no matter its construction material, is immune to the effects of time and weather. Exterior brick walls are just as susceptible to damage despite their sturdy construction and should be examined for visible signs of damage routinely. Brick wall repair can be preventative or curative, depending on what stage in which your masonry contractor is called to the scene.

Not all signs of brick wall damage appear concerning, even when they are. If your building is being affected by any of the damage symptoms below, it’s time to call in a brick mason to address, diagnose and rectify the problem.

Bulging or Concave Bricks

Sometimes, water getting behind the bricks can cause them to expand outward (bulging) or become concave, jutting inward. The excess moisture causes this by softening the supportive materials behind the brick, which allows the brick itself to shift undesirably. This kind of damage can occur after winter, when ice and snow can cause excessive accumulation of water in, on or around your brick structures.

A brick wall mason will remove the bricks that have been affected by this penetrative moisture, replace the ones that have been removed, and assess/repair the damage that has been sustained by the outer wall.

Efflorescence

When water seeps into the brick material, salt can collect and crystallize if there isn’t adequate drainage. As this occurs, a flaky white appearance may take form on any side of the brick. This is called efflorescence. Leaking pipes are a common culprit behind this problem, which a brick wall repair specialist will be able to identify and diagnose.

Damaged or Missing Mortar Joints

Mortar joints are not designed to be as sturdy as the brick itself, meaning that repairs every 10-15 years is typically recommended. These joints break and wear down over time as a natural part of their process, but they should be repaired when you see that the damage or loss has taken place. Leaving the mortar joints missing or allowing them to become further damaged can cause moisture issues with the brick, which can become expensive and quite extensive to repair down the line.

Compacted Bricks

If one or more bricks appear to be compacted in the wall, this is an issue that can allow excess moisture to wreak havoc on the structure itself. This issue is not typically isolated to just one brick, either, as the pressure causing it to bow and bend is likely to impact the bricks located around it. A brick wall repair contractor will be able to identify, remove and replace the effected bricks. They can also tell you what appears to be causing the problem in the first place.

Call in the Brick Wall Repair Experts to Fix These Problems

If you address these problems early on, you can save yourself a lot of time, money and headache by acting quickly. A brick wall repair contractor will be able to identify the causes of your problems, repair the damage done, and often can repair whatever was causing the damage in the first place. Don’t let these problems slide just because they don’t seem to be affecting the building now. Unseen damage can lead to a heap of problems that you don’t want to be saddled with later on.