Your gracious DC brick home is showing signs of brick and mortar deterioration, and needs to be tuckpointed. You have hired a masonry contractor who specializes in historic brick restoration. The contract is signed and the permitting process completed. Here’s what to expect when your historic home becomes a tuckpointing worksite.
Tuckpointing is Messy
The work of tuckpointing brick is messy. The grinders that remove old mortar can be noisy and dirty. To minimize the amount of dust penetrating the building’s interior, the work crew will cover your windows and those of the neighbors and add some protection to landscaping if possible.
Your Historic Home As a Temporary Worksite
But before any work begins – before the work crew assembles and begins setting up the job site – you should have a brief meeting with the construction manager. Think of it as your last chance to review the contract, discuss your expectations, and clarify what you and your family can expect on a daily basis. Living in a home that is temporarily a tuckpointing worksite requires you and your family to accept some changes to your environment.
- How will the crew access water and electricity?
- Will they need to bring a porta-potty onsite?
- Will you see the same crew members each day, or will they be rotated between jobs?
- What is the daily work schedule and does it include weekends?
How to Manage the Mess
Once the job is underway there are things that can be done to manage the mess and minimize the inconvenience to the family. Look to the work crew to:
- Cover your windows and those of the neighbors
- Protect your landscaping if possible
- Complete a daily cleanup of the work
- Place all removed mortar in heavy-duty/contractor bags that are removed from the job site on a regular basis.
- Wash wall carefully with water [low pressure, not power washed] to remove dust or debris
Look for a final cleanup that includes window washing – yours and the neighbors – washing the exterior walls, and repairing your landscaping.
Renaissance Development, a leader in brick restoration and historic preservation, specializes in the restoration of a historic brick building’s mortar joints using traditional methods (tuckpointing) and materials. Contact us for a free site visit and project quote.
