Category Archives: Chimney Repair

29
Oct
Masonry Repair in Etobicoke
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Masonry Repair in Etobicoke

Masonry repair is something that, in the GTHA, most home owners will have to think about at some point in the near future. Northern weather is extremely trying on brick and masonry walls and, while most houses can withstand it for decades, many homes are in need of some restoration.

Snow and ice deteriorates bricks and mortar when it has been exposed for too long. Freezing water expands and pushes the mortar and clay apart. This increases exponentially as the years wear on and eventually can become a problem for your home. This problem can manifest aesthetically, in how well your home is sealed and, eventually, structurally.

It is always a good idea to get your home in Etobicoke checked out for any masonry repair or restoration it may need.

Types of Masonry and Brick Repair In Etobicoke

The types of homes in Etobicoke are varied in brick selection and age. South Etobicoke has many homes that are “newer”. This “newer” means that the homes are only about 70-80 years old. This is still plenty of time to have a need for brick replacement, repointing or tuckpointing, parging and, of course, chimney repair or replacement.

In the more northern areas of Etobicoke, the homes are a couple decades older and we find that, that extra 20 years definitely makes a difference. Old, soft brick shows signs of deterioration even quicker in areas where water has pooled or disproportionately saturated parts of a home. So, pretty much every part of Etobicoke will have homes in need of some level of masonry repair, ranging from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand in cost.

Get a Free Estimate

If you get in touch with us at our office or reach out to us via our WEBSITE, we can set you up with a free estimate. It is always a good idea to have someone come and look around your home and figure out ways to make your beautiful Etobicoke home last for another hundred years and more. Check out our photos and reviews on GOOGLE and HOMESTARS to see what our other customers are saying.

 

 

11
Oct
Masonry Repair In High Park
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Masonry Repair In High Park

High Park is one of Toronto’s best neighbourhoods. It is filled with beautiful old homes with gorgeous brick walls that, often, need a lot of tender love and care. Canada’s harsh winters batter the bricks and mortar of the walls and chimneys. Often, homeowners in the High Park area are in search of a good masonry restoration contractor who can help them keep their home in ship shape.

Brick Replacement and Repointing

The most common form of restoration needed in High Park is brick replacement and repointing of the old deteriorated mortar. A close match to the brick types of this neighbourhood are readily available and with just a small amount of mortar colour and tint, a good blend can be found when repointing as well. Brick replacement and repointing are a necessary way to keep your home from needing large repairs and having the integrity of it’s structure challenged.

Chimney Repair and Rebuilds

The other, common, need for High Park homes in Toronto is repair or, in some cases, a rebuild of the chimney. Chimneys tend to deal with the worst of the weather as they are exposed on all sides and are the first point of your home to be hit by snow and rain. Plenty of chimneys can last for many decades. Fifty to one hundred year old chimneys are readily found. But, with the homes in High Park getting on in age, many chimneys are in need of at least some minor repair, and many more are in need of a full rebuild from the roofline up. Wilkens will offer a fair assessment of the need for a repair or rebuild and walk you through the process for both.

Get in touch For a free estimate

Give us a call at the office or visit us on our WEBSITE to organize a time for us to swing by and take a look at any masonry restoration you may need around your home. We offer professional services for brick replacement, repointing, chimney repair and rebuild as well as other masonry restoration needs. You can check out our reviews on GOOGLE and HOMESTARS to hear what other satisfied customers have to say.

09
Aug
Chimney Repair Toronto
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Chimney Repair Toronto

Chimney’s in Toronto are constantly being bombarded by intense, polarizing weather. Heat and rain from our humid summers. Sleet, snow and ice from our frigid winters. This causes a lot of deterioration on the average chimney, and leads to a lot of needed repair as well as a full chimney rebuild in many cases.

Homeowners are faced with the task of keeping an eye on their chimney, which isn’t always possible depending on it’s location, and maintaining the chimney so that it never becomes a liability.

Repair Or Rebuild

If a chimney has a slight amount of deterioration in the cap or perhaps some of the mortar joints are showing signs of wear, a basic repair can be performed on a chimney. This is usually done in the form of repointing, which is adding in mortar to the deep joints and holes that may have manifested. Adding concrete to the dome portion of the chimney that allows for water run off is also a common practice. It secures the flue tiles and makes sure that rain sheds properly off the cap.

If the chimney has a curve to it, or so many of the joints are deteriorated to the point of a structural problem, a rebuild is always necessary. Sometimes a few brick faces have actually fallen off the chimney. Many people want to replace only the obvious bricks, but this is usually a bad idea as the few brick faces are usually the tip of the ice berg. If you started hammering away at one or two obvious bricks, often a can of worms is opened up and you are forced into a rebuild in the end.

Get In Touch For A Free Quote!

Wilkens Masonry is a family company and has been since 1977. For 47 years we have strived to build a reputation as an honest, reliable and talented group of masons. Visit our WEBSITE or check our our reviews on GOOGLE or HOMESTARS and get in touch for a free, no obligation quote!

Before and After Chimney Rebuild

 

23
Jul
Cost Of Chimney Repair Toronto
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Cost Of Chimney Repair Toronto

The cost of chimney repair in Toronto varies greatly depending on many factors. First off is the access available to the chimney. If the chimney is on a one or two storey home and has a cleared area below from which to put up a ladder or build scaffolding, this means less cost for access. If a complicated scaffolding setup is required, the cost can go up.

Scaffolding Or Ladders

The safest way to access anything at heights is with scaffolding as opposed to ladders. Ladders are a good solution if the repair needed on a chimney is small and can be done with one hand. If the mason is intelligent and cautious with his approach, he can get up and down safely and perform a small brick patch or pointing repair using only a ladder. Where a significant amount of work is needed, such as a chimney rebuild, scaffolding is a necessity. Hundreds of pounds of rubble and debris will have to be safely lowered. The same amount of new bricks and mortar, if not more, will have to be hoisted back up and safely reinstalled during the rebuild. This greatly increases the amount of labour involved and in turn increases the price.

Is It Worth Repairing or Rebuilding My Chimney?

The answer is almost always yes to whether or not you should have your chimney repaired or rebuilt. Chimneys vent harmful gases and smoke up and away from a home. If the chimney is in use and in disrepair, it is imperative that it be taken care of. Pieces of debris can occasionally fall away from a chimney, which is a safety hazard in its own right, and the venting capabilities of the chimney can be compromised. If the chimney is no longer in use, it still needs to be repaired or torn down to avoid any safety issues.

Give Us a call or visit our website for a free estimate

You can reach us at 416 425 8055 or visit our WEBSITE and FILL OUT OUR FORM to line yourself up for a free quote. You can also read our reviews on HOMESTARS and GOOGLE

26
Jun
Wilkens Masonry Is Now In Burlington!
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Restoring Masonry and Brick in Burlington

Toronto has long been the bread basket for most trades in Southern Ontario. This is of course due to the population size as well as the plethora of old homes that have been victim to the harsh Canadian winters for so long, leading to massive amounts of deterioration to the masonry and brick. In 1977, when Wilkens Masonry first started, the suburban zones of Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington were much less populated and the homes were newer. This means that most companies wouldn’t have been able to establish themselves exclusively in these towns. Many homes in Burlington are now entering the stage of needing some upkeep as well as some larger restorative projects.

What Do Homes In Burlington Need?

Most of the time, the work we are performing in Burlington is isolated to basic brick replacement and repointing in the areas where the exterior walls are close to grade and find themselves exposed to salt, snow and rain. Also, many chimneys have seen 40-50 years of ice and snow and are now in need of repointing and, in many cases, a full rebuild. Deterioration generally happens over a long period of time, but reaches a point where it can exponentially increase. Fifty years of slight erosion on some brick surfaces can expose more surface area to ice and jump into a problem over a single winter.

Wilkens Masonry Is Now In Burlington!

Wilkens has been offering it’s masonry restoration services to Toronto for 47 years, Hamilton for 5 years, and is now available for free estimates in Burlington. People are always looking for honest, reliable and talented tradesmen to take care of their beautiful homes. Wilkens would like an opportunity to meet with you and offer our educated advice for all projects. Our motto is “Quality, Built on Referrals”. Get in touch with us at our office by calling 416 425 8055 or check out our WEBSITE. You can also read our glowing reviews on HOMESTARS as well as on GOOGLE.

24
Jun
How Much Does It Cost To Rebuild A Chimney
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How Much Does It Cost To Rebuild A Chimney?

This is one of the most searched questions when it comes to masonry restoration and repair. Chimneys are used to vent harmful gases from your furnace or water heater, or the smoke from your wood burning fire, up and away from your house.  Because of their height and lack of protection from our harsh Canadian winters, chimneys are often the first part of the home that will have deterioration and a need for repair or replacement. Since they are hard to access, repairing or rebuilding them can be more expensive than some may expect, ranging usually from $2500 at a minimum. Generally, a per brick price is calculated with an added on cost for complicated access and specialty scaffolding construction.

Will My Chimney Fall Over?

This is another question that we get asked all the time. The answer is hard to guarantee and it’s thankfully something we have not witnessed many times in our long running service of the Toronto, Hamilton and surrounding areas. Chimneys are built with the design of having more than one point of support. If one brick is taken out of a chimney, the whole thing will not just topple over. This means that a little bit of degradation is not the end of the world. However, bricks can have a little bit of wear and tear at first and then be in dire straits quite quickly, so addressing the problem early, and having your chimney rebuilt, may save quite a bit of annoyance in the future.

How Long Does It Take To Rebuild A Chimney?

A chimney rebuild can take anywhere from one day to a week for a chimney on the average home in Toronto, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga. It usually takes about half a day to setup scaffolding and tear down around 300 bricks, which is the average size or a chimney. The building back up part is the most time consuming and, depending on the skill of the mason, will usually be done at a rate of 200 bricks per day.

GET IN TOUCH FOR A FREE ESTIMATE!

We are more than happy to come out and take a look at your chimney rebuild project and give you an honest and fair quote. You can reach us via our WEBSITE and can check out our stellar reviews on HOMESTARS and GOOGLE.

 

12
Sep
Get Your Masonry Work Done Before Winter!
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Get Your Masonry Work Done Before Winter!

When the weather get’s too cold, masonry restoration and repair work such as brick replacement, tuckpointing and repointing, parging and chimney repair get’s difficult to do. Unless you create an artificially heated environment, the work has to wait until there is a steadily warm forecast that allows for the mortar used in masonry restoration to properly dry and cure. If the water in masonry freezes, it interrupts the chemical process that allows it to harden.

Winter Weather

If you leave a repair too long, it can continue to deteriorate at an increased rate. It may take decades to get to a certain, manageable point and then only a matter of years to get to dire straits. When water get’s in to a partially deteriorated mortar joint, it can exponentially increase deterioration and even get behind the faces of bricks when it freezes and expands. Chimneys in particular are exposed to the worst of winter weather as they have little to no natural protection or protection from the rest of the house.

Autumn Rush

Most masonry companies have a huge influx of calls and requests for work in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and Wilkens Masonry is no exception. We are proud of being a company that people rely on, and we do our best to get to everyone before the season is over and the weather gets to be too cold. Still, it is better to call soon and line us up so that there is no question we can perform your brick and masonry restoration work.

Get in Touch!

Give us a call or request an estimate at our website. You can also check us out on Google and Homestars to peruse our glowing reviews from our many satisfied customers.

03
May
The Masonry Season Well Under Way!
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The Masonry Season Well Under Way!

Every year, the question we ask at Wilkens Masonry is: when can we get back to work!? The main barrier we face in the masonry repair and restoration industry is the weather. For larger jobs, we can avoid the cold and wet weather of the winter months by closing jobs in with a series of tarps and scaffolding and then install job site heaters. For smaller repair jobs, the cost would be too high. So, we find ourselves waking up in March and April, and checking the weather before we even have our first cup of coffee.

This year though, we’ve had a streak of good luck! The masonry season has begun and we are off and running. The weather turned in our favour at the beginning of April and we are finally able to get to all of our wonderful customers who have been waiting for Mother Nature to play ball! We are so happy to be back at it and can’t wait for the weather to get warmer and warmer.

What To Look For On My House

Now that the weather has stabilized, it is a good time to take a walk around your home and look for signs of brick, mortar and other forms of masonry deterioration. Look for discolourations that show where water has saturated the wall. Identify areas where the brick and mortar appear to be softer or seem to be flaking off. These are spots on the wall that are being effected by the weather and, while the cause of the deterioration needs to be addressed, reinforcing the masonry is a good idea.

Honesty And Ethics With Your Quote

The trades and restoration, with masonry as no exception, are home to all types of people and companies. When dealing with any company, you should always trust your feelings with the person who is trying to sell you on having them perform your work. There are many outfits that can do good work, but they aren’t always  a pleasure to deal with. At Wilkens, we aim to show you that honesty and ethics in the world of masonry are not forgotten concepts or simply a banner to add to your website’s homepage. These are two ideas that are at our very core and philosophy as a company. You can learn more about us here

Give us a Call for a Free Estimate!

At Wilkens masonry, our estimates are always free. We serve the Toronto and Hamilton areas. We will come by and give you an honest assessment coupled with a fair price for the services we deliver. Also, if the scope of work is something we don’t cover, we can always point you in the right direction of a company that can service your needs.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

 

23
Feb
Small Masonry Repairs Toronto And Hamilton
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Small Masonry Repairs Toronto And Hamilton

There is no shortage of masonry restoration companies in Toronto and Hamilton. Masonry is an age old trade, people have been laying bricks as long as homes have been properly made. However, many companies seek larger, longer jobs to keep them busy for greater periods of time. It is a fair need as many companies have larger crews that they want to keep busy. It is because of this that not every company though, unlike Wilkens, will perform small repairs.

Big Repairs vs Small Repairs

Many people are on the hunt for a masonry contractor that can help them with a quick fix. Not everyone has it within their budget to hire a company to do a full rebuild of a chimney, or replace hundreds of bricks. Not everyone has the luxury of restoring their masonry to its former glory. This means that small repairs are something sought after.

The nature of the industry, however, is that some contractors won’t even come and take a look when they hear that all you need is a few holes filled or a few bricks replaced. Wilkens Masonry is known as a leader in the small repairs part of masonry. Our trained masons can be in an out in a few hours and we can do it for a fair price that won’t break your budget. A few holes tuckpointed, some spalling bricks replaced, a small section of your foundation parged or your chimney repaired rather than fully rebuilt, we are your guys.

For the record though, while we are more than happy to come out for the small things, we will also come out for the bigger jobs.

Give Us A Call For A Free Estimate!

At Wilkens masonry, our estimates are always free. We serve the Toronto and Hamilton areas. We will come by and give you an honest assessment coupled with a fair price for the services we deliver. Also, if the scope of work is something we don’t cover, we can always point you in the right direction of a company that can service your needs.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

 

13
Feb
Is It Too Cold For Masonry Repairs?
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Is It Too Cold For Masonry Repairs?

Many people in Toronto, Hamilton and the surrounding areas wait until the spring season has undoubtedly arrived to turn their attention to home repairs. However, living in southern Ontario means that we often have warm weather spells throughout the winter. If you have a small masonry repair such as a chimney repair, a few bricks to replace or some tuckpointing to be done, you may want to reach out to Wilkens Masonry and have the work done before the rush of the warmer months.

Does Temperature Matter?

For mortar to be mixed, you add water to a mixture of sand and masonry cement. If the temperature is below zero, it means that the water can freeze and the mortar will not be able to “cure” properly (this is the chemical process by which mortar and concrete become hard. Sometimes, in a pinch, you can add a liquid that speeds up the curing process and allows the mortar to be worked with at colder temperatures. However, this can alter the look of the mortar and make it harder to do aesthetic work. Speaking to the masonry estimator can help you determine what course of action to take and weather or not the brick replacement, tuckpointing, chimney repair, parging or other masonry repair needs to be done.

Are Masonry Companies Open Throughout The Winter?

While we cannot speak for the responsiveness of other Toronto and Hamilton based masonry restoration companies, Wilkens is open year round. We will come out and take a look at the work you may need done and provide an honest opinion on the importance and process of the project. If it’s too cold we will let you know and we will help find a solution to ensure you are well taken care of.

Give us a Call for a Free Estimate!

At Wilkens Masonry, our estimates are always free. We serve the Toronto and Hamilton areas. We will come by and give you an honest assessment coupled with a fair price for the services we deliver. Also, if the scope of work is something we don’t cover, we can always point you in the right direction of a company that can service your needs.

Check us out on Homestars and Google! You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

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