Recent Masonry IQ Answers
Browse the latest masonry questions from Ottawa homeowners.
Why is my mortar crumbling out of the joints in Kanata?
Crumbling mortar joints have more than one possible cause, and a mason looking at your wall is the only one who can say...
What does minor repairs mean in Ottawa's hardscaping licence?
The City's hardscaping licence by-law (By-law 2026-222) carves out "minor repairs or minor alterations" from the...
$28 a square foot for Ottawa repointing, is that high?
Near the top, but inside the range: published Ontario contractor pricing for 2025–26 puts repointing at about $10 to...
Does my Ottawa mason need the hardscaping licence for new steps?
Steps are named in the City of Ottawa's hardscaping licensing by-law, so the licence question is real and worth asking...
Replacing 40 spalled bricks in Orleans, ballpark price?
Spalled brick replacement runs about $20 to $45 per brick installed in published Ontario contractor pricing, 2025–26,...
Lime mortar repointing on a Centretown rowhouse, price range?
Heritage lime-mortar repointing runs about $15 to $45 per sq ft of wall in published Ontario contractor pricing,...
Upper-storey repointing quotes in Ottawa run higher, why?
Published Ontario contractor pricing for 2025–26 puts repointing at about $10 to $30 per sq ft of wall, more for upper...
How much does repointing a brick bungalow cost in Kanata?
Published Ontario contractor pricing, 2025–26 puts repointing at about $10 to $30 per sq ft of wall, with the middle of...
How do Ottawa masons price stone wall repair on an old house?
Stone wall repair has too few published prices to quote a range, so get written quotes from two or three masons and...
Painting brick in a Centretown heritage district, allowed?
The Centretown Heritage Conservation District Plan says directly that "painting brick or stone is not appropriate."...
What temperature is too cold for mortar work in Ontario?
Mortar work is too cold under Ontario's Building Code (9.20.14.1) when this rule cannot be met: mortar and masonry...
Are brick steps covered by Ottawa's hardscaping licence?
Brick steps are named in the City of Ottawa's hardscaping licence by-law, so they can fall under it. The by-law covers...
Repairing an old limestone house wall in Ottawa's Lowertown?
Repairing the natural stone walls of a limestone house has too few published prices to quote a range, so ask each mason...
Should I worry about a few spalled bricks near my Nepean driveway?
Spalled bricks near a driveway are worth having a mason look at, but the right level of concern depends on what is...
Lime mortar for repointing a stone house in rural Ottawa?
Lime mortar is a reasonable choice for repointing a natural stone house, and for historic walls the Centretown Heritage...
My Nepean brick steps are pulling away from the house, why?
A mason at the wall can tell you what is causing the separation; there are several possible explanations and the right...
Brick wall on my front lot line in Orleans, how high?
A freestanding brick wall along a front lot line may count as a fence under the City's Fence By-law (2003-462), and if...
Could a water repellent coating hurt my Ottawa brick?
A water-repellent coating can cause damage to brick, and a National Research Council building digest (CBD-30) explains...
Why is only the bottom row of my brick spalling in Barrhaven?
Why your brick is spalling only at the bottom row is something a mason needs to see at the wall. A National Research...
Natural versus manufactured stone veneer for an Ottawa house front?
Natural stone veneer is the more expensive of the two in published Ontario contractor pricing, 2025–26: natural stone...
At what point do Ottawa masons stop replacing spalled bricks one by one?
We found no source that sets a number or percentage where individual brick replacement automatically gives way to a...
Is November too late for repointing in Ottawa?
November can work for repointing in Ottawa, but the window is narrow and the weather has to cooperate. The Ontario...
What should repointing the front of my Glebe house cost?
Published Ontario contractor pricing, 2025–26 puts repointing at about $10 to $30 per sq ft of wall, with the middle of...
Do I need a heritage permit to repoint in Centretown?
Centretown has a heritage conservation district plan, and whether you need a heritage permit depends on what the plan...
Mortar joints sitting back from the brick face on my Kanata house?
Joints that sit back from the brick face are a sign that the mortar has receded or eroded, leaving a gap between the...
What questions should I ask an Ottawa mason before repointing?
Here are the questions worth covering before you sign for repointing. About the work itself - How do you cut out the...
Should I replace brick steps with stone steps in Orleans?
Brick or stone, replacing steps has too few published prices to quote a range, so the comparison starts with getting...
Why is my old brick garden wall leaning in the Glebe?
A leaning garden wall needs a mason to look at it in person before any work is planned. A mason standing at the wall...
Should I seal the brick on my Ottawa house?
Sealing brick is a decision worth pausing on, because a sealer can cause the very damage it seems to prevent. A...
Why is mortar falling out of my stone house in Manotick?
Mortar falls out of stone walls for a few reasons, and a mason looking at your wall is the only one who can say which...
Finding an Ottawa mason who repoints with lime mortar?
To find a mason who works with lime mortar, say upfront, in your request, that you want lime-based mortar and ask each...
Adding a stone landing at my Stittsville front door?
A stone landing at a front door sits at the intersection of masonry work, landscaping and building access, so a few...
Is Type N or Type S mortar used for brick veneer in Ontario?
Ontario's Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24, Table 9.20.3.2.-A) specifies mortar type by location and function. For brick...
Bulging brick wall repair in Ottawa: does the City need a permit?
A bulging brick wall can raise a structural question, and the short answer on permits is: ask the City of Ottawa before...
Can thin brick be added to a house front in Barrhaven?
Thin brick can be added to a house front in Barrhaven, but how the system is assessed under the Ontario Building Code...
Is my house in an Ottawa heritage conservation district?
Only the City can confirm it. Ottawa has over 300 individually designated buildings and 20 heritage conservation...
Does matching old mortar colour raise an Ottawa repointing price?
Colour matching has too few published prices of its own to quote a range. Published Ontario contractor pricing, 2025–26...
How tall can a brick garden wall be in Ottawa?
The City of Ottawa's Fence By-law (2003-462) is the main rule to know. A freestanding brick or stone wall along a lot...
Will efflorescence on my new Barrhaven brick fade by itself?
We found no source that says whether efflorescence on new brick fades by itself, so a mason looking at the wall is the...
Stone wall repair on an old Ottawa farmhouse, what's involved?
Stone wall repair on an old farmhouse is hands-on diagnostic work before it is anything else. A mason needs to look at...
Does a garden wall job need Ottawa's hardscaping licence?
The City of Ottawa's hardscaping licence (Licensing By-law 2002-189, Schedule 36, as amended by By-law 2025-415) covers...
Do masons in Ottawa need any licence?
Masonry in Ontario is a non-compulsory trade, so a mason is not required to hold a certificate to work. We found no...
Rebuilding entrance steps in Kanata: permit needed?
Entrance steps in Kanata can trigger a building permit, and the short answer is: ask the City before work starts. The...
Why are the faces of my bricks popping off in Orleans?
When the face of a brick breaks away from the body behind it, that is called spalling. A mason looking at your wall can...
For how long must new mortar stay above 5°C in Ontario?
The Ontario Building Code (9.20.14.1) requires that mortar and masonry be maintained at a temperature not below 5°C...
Is a heritage property exempt from Ottawa permit exemptions?
No: on a designated heritage property, the City of Ottawa's permit exemptions do not apply. The City states plainly...
Is it a problem that my weep holes are blocked in Kanata?
Blocked weep holes are worth addressing. They sit at the base of the air space behind your brick veneer, and their job...
Is an Ottawa heritage approval also a building permit?
Heritage approval and a building permit are two separate things, issued under two different laws. Getting one does not...
Is silica dust from grinding mortar a concern on Ottawa jobs?
Yes, silica dust from grinding and cutting mortar is a regulated workplace hazard in Ontario, not just a nuisance....
Scaffolding on an Ottawa repointing quote, how much extra?
Scaffolding can add about $500 to $3,000 on top of the repointing cost in published Ontario contractor pricing,...
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