STLStructural
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Brick and masonry evaluation.

Cracked or bulging brick, failing lintels, chimneys, parapets, and cornices.

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A stair-step crack in a brick wall above a rusted window lintel

Is a cracked brick wall a structural problem?

Sometimes. In an older St. Louis house the brick is often the structure, not a veneer, so a bulge or a stepped crack can mean the wall itself is moving. An engineer tells you which it is.

When you need it

  • A wall bulges or leans away from the house
  • Stair-step cracks run through the brick
  • Brick is cracking above a window or door
  • A chimney, parapet, or cornice is leaning or shedding pieces
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  1. 1Steel lintel over the opening
  2. 2Stair-step crack along the mortar joints
  3. 3Solid brick wall, often the structure itself

What the engineer looks at

  • Whether the wall is solid brick or a veneer over framing
  • Bulges, leans, and cracks, and whether they are still moving
  • Steel lintels over windows and doors for rust and sag
  • Chimneys, parapets, and cornices above the roof line
  • Mortar condition and earlier tuckpointing

What you get

  • A written report signed by a licensed Professional Engineer
  • Whether the wall is stable, and what is driving the movement
  • A repair scope a mason can bid
  • Notes on anything overhead that should be made safe first

Common questions

Can a mason just tuckpoint it?

Tuckpointing fixes mortar. It does not fix a wall that is moving, so find out why it cracked before paying to cover the crack.

Is a bulging wall an emergency?

It can be. If brick is loose or the bulge is over a sidewalk or doorway, keep people away from it and call.

Do you evaluate stone foundations?

Yes. Many older houses here sit on stone or brick foundations, and they are evaluated with the walls above them.

Read first

Common structural issues in St. Louis brick housesThe structural problems older St. Louis brick houses tend to develop, and what they look like. Foundation cracks: which ones matterHow to tell a harmless shrinkage crack from one that signals foundation movement. Structural engineer vs foundation repair companyWhy an independent engineer's opinion differs from a quote from a company that sells repairs.

Related services

Foundation and basement wallsCracks, bowing or leaning walls, settlement, and sloping floors. Inspection before you buyA structural review of a house you are under contract on. Damage assessmentAfter water, fire, a vehicle strike, a fallen tree, or a storm.