Lintel Replacement & Structural Brick Repair

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

Signs of a structural problem

Stair-step cracks running through the mortar joints
Cracks at the corners of windows and doors, or brick sagging over an opening
Rusted steel lintels pushing the brick up and out
Walls bulging or bowing outward
Cracks that keep getting wider
Parapet walls or brick tops coming loose

How we do it

Find the causeWe look at where the wall is moving and why: rusted lintels, water, settling, or missing support.
Support the wallBefore brick comes out, we shore up the area so the wall above stays safe.
Repair the sourceReplace or clean and coat the lintel, rebuild the bulging section, or repair the block below.
Rebuild and matchBrick goes back in with matched mortar, and cracks around the repair are ground out and repointed.

Why cracks start at windows

Most brick homes around Chicago have a steel angle, called a lintel, holding up the brick over each window and door. When water reaches it, it rusts, and rust takes up more room than the steel did. That lifts the brick and cracks the wall at the corners. The fix is to take down the brick above the opening, replace the lintel or clean and coat it, and relay the brick.

What's included

Steel lintel replacement
Rebuilding cracked or bulging wall sections
Stair-step crack repair
Foundation and block wall crack repair
Porch, stoop and step rebuilds
Parapet repair and rebuilds

If we see signs of a foundation problem that needs a structural engineer, we'll tell you straight.

What affects the price

Every job is different, so we price it after we see it. These are the things that move the number:

What's causing the movement
How many lintels or how much wall is involved
Shoring the wall while work is done
Matching brick and mortar on the rebuilt section
Engineering or permits, when the job calls for them

Estimates are free.

Homeowner guideWhy brick cracks above windowsA crack that starts at the top corner of a window and steps up through the mortar joints usually has one cause on Chicago-area brick homes: a rusting steel lintel.

Questions about structural repair

Is a stair-step crack serious?

It means part of the wall has moved. Thin cracks that aren't growing are often from old settling and can be fixed with tuckpointing. Wide cracks, cracks that keep growing, or bricks that are pushed out of line need a closer look.

What is a lintel, and why does it crack my brick?

A lintel is the steel angle that holds up the brick over a window or door. When water gets to it, it rusts, and rust takes up more space than the steel did. That pushes the brick up and out and cracks the wall at the corners of the opening.

Can you just fill the crack?

Filling it without fixing the cause usually means it opens again. We find out why it cracked first.

Where we do structural repair

We work across Chicago and the suburbs, including:

Structural masonry repair