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Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.
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Before
AfterMortar Repointing in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mortar repointing in Fort Lauderdale typically costs between $800 and $2,500 depending on how much of the chimney’s mortar joints have deteriorated, and most residential jobs are finished in one to two days. Also called tuckpointing, repointing means grinding out the old, crumbling mortar between your chimney’s bricks and packing fresh mortar in its place. We’ve been doing this work across Fort Lauderdale since 2002, and every repointing job comes with a written price before we touch a single joint and a written guarantee when we’re done. If you can see gaps in your chimney’s mortar or you’re finding sandy grit at the base of your fireplace, call us at (754) 354-1451 and we’ll take a look.
When You Need Mortar Repointing
Fort Lauderdale’s salt air and heavy summer downpours are rough on brick and mortar. The mortar joints on a chimney here take a beating most homeowners don’t notice until the damage is already spreading. Here are the signs that tell us repointing is due:
- Sandy grit or dust at the base of the chimney. Mortar that’s failing turns back into sand. If you’ve noticed a fine, gritty pile where the chimney meets the roofline, the joints above are breaking down.
- Visible gaps or missing chunks between bricks. Look up at your chimney from street level. If you can see daylight-sized voids or sections where mortar has fallen out entirely, water is already working its way into the brick.
- Spalling bricks. This is the term for bricks whose faces have started flaking or popping off. It happens when water gets trapped inside the brick and the salt air accelerates the freeze-thaw cycle, even in South Florida’s mild winters.
- White staining on the brickwork. That chalky white residue is efflorescence, and it means moisture is traveling through the masonry and pulling mineral salts to the surface. It’s a warning sign the mortar has lost its waterproofing.
- Dampness or musty smells inside the home near the fireplace. Failing mortar lets rain water migrate down the chimney’s interior, and that moisture eventually makes its way into your living space, showing up as water stains, peeling paint, or a persistent mildew odor.
- Chimney age between 20 and 40 years. Masonry chimneys in Broward County were often built during the housing booms of the 1960s through the 1980s. If your home falls into that range and the mortar has never been touched, repointing is likely overdue.
When mortar fails, the structural integrity of the chimney goes with it. Loose bricks near the top of a chimney are a genuine falling hazard in high winds, and hurricane season makes that risk real. If you spot any of these signs, we’d rather come assess it now than wait for a brick to land on your patio. Call (754) 354-1451 and we’ll schedule a visit.
Our Mortar Repointing Process
Repointing isn’t just smearing fresh mortar over the old stuff. Done wrong, it looks patchy, falls out within a few years, and traps moisture behind the surface. Here’s the process we follow on every Fort Lauderdale repointing job, and it’s the same process we’ve used since 2002:
- Written inspection and price up front. We start with a close-up look at the chimney’s condition, both from the roof and from the ground. You get a written itemized price for the full repointing scope before any work begins, so the number on the invoice matches the number you approved.
- Joint grinding and mortar removal. We grind out the old, deteriorated mortar to a depth of at least 3/4 of an inch using angle grinders and raking tools. This step is what makes the difference between a repair that holds and one that peels off in two years. Removing the old material properly gives the new mortar a clean, solid pocket to bond into.
- Cleaning and prep of every joint. We blow out or brush out the dust and debris from each joint, then dampen the surrounding brick so it doesn’t suck the moisture out of the fresh mortar too quickly. Pre-dampening is a step a lot of crews skip, and it’s a big reason repointing jobs fail early in South Florida’s heat.
- Color-matched mortar application. We mix fresh mortar to match your chimney’s existing color and texture as closely as possible using materials from trusted chimney-trade suppliers like Gelco and Copperfield. The mortar is packed into the joints in layers, then tooled to match the original joint profile, whether that’s concave, vee, or flush.
- Tooling and finishing. Every joint gets tooled to a smooth, water-shedding finish. This matters in Fort Lauderdale, where a daily summer rainstorm means every horizontal surface needs to shed water quickly or it finds a way in.
- Written guarantee and clean-up. We leave the work area cleaner than we found it, then hand you a written guarantee that covers the repair. If the repointing fails within the guarantee period, we come back and fix it at no charge. That’s our 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s included with every repointing job at no extra cost.
Mortar Repointing Pricing in Fort Lauderdale
Here’s the straight pricing picture. Repointing is priced by the square foot of chimney surface being repaired, and the final number depends on how much of the mortar has failed, how high the chimney is, and how accessible it is from your roof. Most single-family homes in Fort Lauderdale fall into these ranges:
| Scope of Work | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|
| Partial repointing (small section, 10-20 sq ft) | $400 – $900 |
| Full chimney repointing (standard single-flue) | $900 – $1,800 |
| Full repointing plus crown repair | $1,500 – $2,800 |
| Repointing with limited brick replacement (10-25 bricks) | $1,200 – $2,500 |
| Two-story chimney with steep roof access | $1,800 – $3,200 |
What drives the cost up? Height and roof pitch are the two biggest variables. A chimney on a two-story home in Victoria Park with a steep tile roof takes more time to set up safely than a single-story ranch in Lauderdale Manors. The condition of the bricks matters too. If the bricks themselves are spalling, some will need to be replaced, and that adds material cost. We don’t upcharge for surprises; if we find something unexpected after we start, we stop and show you what we found before any additional work happens.
Every repointing estimate is free, and the price we quote in writing is the price you pay. No percentages added at the door, no “while we’re here” extras. Call (754) 354-1451 and we’ll come out, look at the chimney, and give you a number you can plan around.
Need broader chimney work done while we’re on the roof? See our full Chimney Repair in Fort Lauderdale page for details on crown repair, flashing, and cap replacement. And if you’re not sure whether repointing is the whole story, start with our home page and give us a call, we’ll walk you through it.
FAQs – Mortar Repointing
How much does mortar repointing cost in Fort Lauderdale?
Mortar repointing in Fort Lauderdale typically costs between $900 and $1,800 for a standard single-flue chimney, with partial repairs starting around $400 and tall two-story chimneys running up to $3,200. Your final number depends on square footage, chimney height, and whether any bricks need replacing. Call (754) 354-1451 for a free written estimate at your home.
Can you do repointing the same day in Fort Lauderdale?
In most cases, yes. Smaller partial repointing jobs are often completed in a single visit, and we schedule full chimney repointing for one or two days depending on scope and weather. Call (754) 354-1451 in the morning and we’ll let you know the next available arrival window, we answer live 24/7.
Is it cheaper to repoint or rebuild the chimney?
Repointing is almost always significantly cheaper than rebuilding, typically about 30% to 40% of the cost of a full teardown and rebuild, which in Fort Lauderdale usually starts at $5,000. As long as the bricks themselves are structurally sound and the chimney isn’t leaning, repointing restores the masonry’s water resistance and extends the chimney’s life for years.
How long does mortar repointing last in South Florida’s climate?
Properly done repointing with the right mortar mix lasts 25 to 40 years in South Florida’s salt-air and high-rainfall climate. The key is using a mortar that matches the original’s compressive strength, and we use materials from suppliers like Olympia Chimney and Famco that are specified for coastal masonry conditions.
Do you guarantee your repointing work in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes, every repointing job we complete includes the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the repair fails within the guarantee period, we return and correct it at no charge. The guarantee is written, not verbal, and it’s included with every job at no extra cost. Call (754) 354-1451 to schedule a free estimate and see the guarantee in writing before you commit.
Why Fort Lauderdale Homeowners Call Ashby Chimney Fort Lauderdale
Our owner, Nathan Corliss, has made one expectation clear since 2002: the price you’re quoted is the price you pay, the technician who shows up is one you can identify, and the repair is backed in writing. That’s how we run every mortar repointing job in Fort Lauderdale. We don’t upsell, we don’t scare homeowners into work they don’t need, and we don’t leave a mess behind. Ashby carries ash right in the name, fitting for the people whose job is to clean it out and keep it out.
Here’s what you get on every visit:
- Written price before any work starts. Always. No exceptions. The number on the invoice matches the number we quoted at the door.
- Background-checked, uniformed technicians. You know exactly who is walking into your home, and you can confirm their identity at the door.
- Professional-grade materials. We use mortar and masonry products from trusted chimney-trade brands like Gelco, Olympia Chimney, and Copperfield, not whatever happened to be in the van.
- Written guarantee on every repair. Included with every job, not sold as an add-on. If the repair fails inside the guarantee period, we come back at no charge.
- Live person answers the phone 24/7. No voicemail loops, no callback forms, no waiting until Monday morning to get a human.
If you’re noticing grit at the base of your chimney, white staining on the brick face, or gaps you can see from the yard, don’t wait for hurricane season to make the problem worse. Call (754) 354-1451 today. We’ll come out, assess the masonry, and give you a written price for mortar repointing in Fort Lauderdale before any work begins.
Written by Nathan Corliss, Owner at Ashby Chimney Fort Lauderdale, serving Fort Lauderdale.