What masonry services do you offer in Chicago?

312 Masonry covers tuckpointing, brick repair, masonry restoration, commercial facade work (including Chicago Facade Ordinance scope, parapets and lintels) and brick pavers with retaining walls and stone veneer. Everything in residential and commercial masonry is in scope across Chicago's North Side.

How fast can I get an estimate?

Most jobs get an on-site visit within 48 hours. You receive a written scope with line items, not a phone-only guess. The estimator is the same crew lead who runs the work — no subcontracted middleman.

Are you licensed and insured in Chicago?

Yes. 312 Masonry is a DBA of 312 Master Construction LLC, licensed since 2007 under City of Chicago general contractor license TGC-098-734, and is bonded and insured.

Which Chicago neighborhoods do you serve?

Lincoln Park is our primary service area. We also work across Lakeview, Logan Square, Lincoln Square, Old Town, Bucktown and Wicker Park, and respond to commercial requests across the wider North Side.

How long does tuckpointing last?

Properly executed tuckpointing on a Chicago brick building typically lasts 25 to 30 years before the new mortar joints need attention again, provided the matching mortar mix and tooled joint profile suit the original wall and water management is addressed at the same time.

Guides · Chicago · updated 28 May 2026

Chicago masonry guides — answer-first reference.

Five short reference pieces for Chicago masonry — what a lintel is, what tuckpointing and repointing mean (and when they're different), how to read the signs your brick wall needs repair, a vocabulary of the trade, and a per-service cost guide. All written to be cited from, not skimmed.

312·458·5757 Get a free estimate

The library

Pick your question.

Each guide answers a single core question and links to the service page that handles the work.

Guide · largest

What is a lintel?

Types (steel/stone/concrete), signs of failure, the 7-step replacement process and Chicago Facade Ordinance scope.

Guide · comparison

Tuckpointing vs repointing

In modern Chicago practice they're synonymous. The historic distinction is real but rare in the field today.

Guide · diagnostic

Signs your brick needs repair

The early warning signs — spalling, mortar dust, hairline cracks, efflorescence — and what to check first.

Reference · 30 terms

Masonry glossary

Wythe, mortar types, collar joint, parapet, soffit — the trade vocabulary in short definitions.

Cost · all services

Chicago masonry cost guide

Per-service ranges across all five trades, neighborhood spread and Facade Ordinance scope.

Guide · mortar

How long tuckpointing lasts

Matched mix and tooled joints on a Chicago wall — what drives a 25–30 year service life.

Guide · diagnostic

Efflorescence explained

The white staining on brick — what causes it, when it matters and how to remove it safely.

Guide · commercial

Parapet wall failures

Why parapets fail first, what an inspection looks for and when a rebuild is the right call.

Guide · code

Chicago Facade Ordinance

Who it applies to, the inspection cycle and how critical-exam repairs are scoped.

Guide · repair

Spalling brick, explained

Why brick faces pop off, what water and freeze-thaw do, and when to replace versus repoint.

Guide · hardscape

Brick pavers vs concrete

Patios and walkways — the trade-offs in cost, repair and longevity for a Chicago yard.

Direct

Not finding it?

Send the question. We answer same day during business hours — it probably lands in the next update.

Quick questions

Which guide should I read first?

I'm not sure what's wrong with my wall — which guide should I read first?

Start with Signs Your Brick Needs Repair — it walks the early warning signs and ties each one to a likely cause. If you've already seen diagonal cracks above a window or rust streaks from a steel piece, jump to the Lintel Guide instead.

What's the difference between tuckpointing and repointing?

In modern Chicago practice, tuckpointing and repointing are the same trade — grinding out failed mortar joints and replacing them with fresh, matched mortar. The historic distinction is real but rare in the field today. The vs-repointing guide covers both meanings.

Where do I find the cost ranges?

The cost guide consolidates per-service ranges across all five 312 Masonry trades — tuckpointing, brick repair, restoration, commercial facade and brick pavers — plus neighborhood differences, the permit question and Facade Ordinance scope.

Do I need a permit for tuckpointing in Chicago?

Most residential tuckpointing in Chicago does not require a permit. Permits apply for buildings 80 feet and taller (Facade Ordinance scope), addresses inside a Chicago Landmark district, and any structural work. The cost guide has the full answer.

What does "wythe" or "collar joint" mean?

Those are masonry trade terms. A wythe is a continuous vertical section of wall one masonry unit thick; a collar joint is the vertical mortar joint between two wythes in a multi-wythe wall. The masonry glossary defines those and 25+ other terms used across our guides and quotes.

Are these guides written for homeowners or contractors?

Both. The guides are written to be readable by a homeowner or condo board member who wants to understand what's happening on their wall, while being technically correct enough to be cited by another tradesperson. Each definition and number is sourced from working Chicago masonry practice.

Services these guides reference