Tuckpointing in Ann Arbor
The joints go first. Here, they go faster.
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4.9 · 1,066 Ann Arbor reviews
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CSIA & NFPA certified
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1-year workmanship warranty
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Written quote before any work
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40 years sweeping chimneys
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3,412 verified Google reviews
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4.9 average rating
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CSIA-certified crew
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NFPA 211 compliant
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Licensed in 6 states
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100% background-checked technicians
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Free estimates
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40 years sweeping chimneys
●
3,412 verified Google reviews
●
4.9 average rating
●
CSIA-certified crew
●
NFPA 211 compliant
●
Licensed in 6 states
●
100% background-checked technicians
●
Free estimates
●
40 years sweeping chimneys
●
3,412 verified Google reviews
●
4.9 average rating
●
CSIA-certified crew
●
NFPA 211 compliant
●
Licensed in 6 states
●
100% background-checked technicians
●
Free estimates
●
40 years sweeping chimneys
●
3,412 verified Google reviews
●
4.9 average rating
●
CSIA-certified crew
●
NFPA 211 compliant
●
Licensed in 6 states
●
100% background-checked technicians
●
Free estimates
Pricing, before you commit
Want an estimate before booking?
Not sure how much of your chimney needs repointing? A $49 Ann Arbor inspection measures the scope and credits toward the work. Use our free Inspection Cost Calculator to see what it costs — in less than 30 seconds, no email, no callback.
Estimate preview
Live
tuckpointing
$595 – $4,995
Inspection (credited)
−$49
Typical job
$595 – $2,500
Final price quoted in writing before any work.
The craft, done properly
TUCKPOINTING IN ANN ARBOR, MI
Mortar is the sacrificial layer — softer than brick on purpose, so it weathers instead of the brick. In Ann Arbor it does that work under real pressure: lake-effect snow, a long freeze-thaw season, and the spring thaw that drives everything the winter put in back out again. Joints that might last decades in a milder climate recede noticeably faster here, which is why repointing shows up on Washtenaw County chimneys sooner than owners expect.
Brown Chimney tuckpointing runs $595–$4,995 depending on how much of the chimney is affected and how we reach it. Joints are repacked with refractory-grade mortar and tooled to match your existing profile. That matters more on the older stock: century-old brick through Burns Park and near campus was laid with soft lime mortar, and packing a modern hard mix into those joints damages the brick faces rather than protecting them. The wider repair picture is on our Ann Arbor chimney repair page.
Ground-out joints repacked and tooled to match — Ann Arbor, MI
The Work
What tuckpointing does for an Ann Arbor chimney.
Every masonry chimney has a clock on it, and in Michigan the clock runs fast. Once a joint recedes past the brick face, water stops running off the wall and starts sitting against it. Then it freezes. Brick that stays wet through a Washtenaw County winter is brick that spalls, and spalled brick is no longer a repointing job.
The prep decides everything: joints ground out until sound material is reached, then repacked in layers and tooled to the original profile. A smear over crumbling mortar looks fine in November and fails by March. Once fresh joints are in, sealing them is worth pricing — waterproofing with a vapor-permeable sealer keeps meltwater out while letting the masonry breathe, and it is cheapest while we are already on the roof.
We repoint chimneys across Washtenaw County and in Brighton and Northville. See the full local service list on the Ann Arbor page.
When to book
What are the signs your Ann Arbor chimney needs tuckpointing?
Failed mortar announces itself quietly, usually in the spring after the thaw. These are the signs our crews see most — and the earlier you catch them, the smaller the job stays.
If the brick faces are spalling as well as the joints failing, the scope may have grown past repointing. A $49 inspection tells you which, in writing, and the fee credits toward the work.
What to expect
What happens during tuckpointing?
Ann Arbor tuckpointing is quoted first, worked second — you approve the written price before a single joint is ground. Most jobs run half a day to a full day on site depending on scope and access.
01
Joint assessment
Every deteriorated joint is checked on site. If the mortar can be scraped out with a key, that section has failed and goes in the scope — nothing is guessed from the driveway.
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Written quote before grinding
You approve the exact price before a single joint is ground. Tall chimneys that need lift or scaffolding access are flagged and priced up front, never added to the invoice afterward.
03
Grinding out failed joints
Deteriorated mortar is ground or chiselled out until sound material is reached, so the new mortar has something real to key into rather than sitting on crumbling sand.
04
Repair or replacement
The failed component is replaced with the correct part for your appliance — thermocouple, pilot assembly, spark ignitor, or control module. Where the unit is beyond economical repair, we say so and price the replacement instead of selling parts into a dying appliance.
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Cleanup, photos & next step
Brick faces are cleaned down and before-and-after photos added to your report. All labor carries a 1-year workmanship warranty, and we'll tell you whether waterproofing is worth doing while the joints are fresh.
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Mortar is supposed to fail before the brick does. That's not a defect — that's the design. Replacing it on schedule is the cheapest thing you'll ever do to a chimney.
Company Owner
The Brown Chimney Standard
The visit your neighbors already recommend.
No-mess guarantee
If we leave a single visible soot mark on your floor or furniture, the visit is free. Period.
Proven, not promised
Airflow tested, photos taken, findings documented — every result you can verify yourself.
Same crew, every visit
You get a W-2 technician you'll recognize next year — not a rotating cast of subcontractors.
Written, photo-backed report
Every job ends with a PDF. Great for insurance, great for selling the home, great for peace of mind.
For transparency
What this visit doesn't cover.
Brick replacement where individual faces have spalled through — quoted separately
Full rebuilds where the brick itself has failed, not just the joints
Waterproofing — always offered after repointing, priced as its own line
FAQs
Common questions about tuckpointing in Ann Arbor
How much does tuckpointing cost in Ann Arbor?
Brown Chimney tuckpointing in Ann Arbor runs $595 for small accessible sections up to $4,995 for extensive or multi-level scope. Chimneys needing lift or scaffolding access are priced up front, never added later. Every job is measured on site and quoted in writing.
How do I know if my chimney needs repointing?
Drag a house key across a mortar joint. If it grooves or crumbles, that mortar has failed. Receding joints, sand collecting at the chimney base, and white efflorescence on the brick are the other reliable signs — all visible from the ground before you call anyone.
Do older homes near campus need different mortar?
Often, yes. Much of the century-old Ann Arbor stock was laid with soft lime mortar, and packing a modern hard mix into those joints transfers stress to the brick faces and accelerates spalling. We match the repair to what is actually there.
When should I book tuckpointing in Michigan?
Late spring through early fall, while mortar can cure in moderate temperatures. Booking after the spring thaw also means the damage the winter caused is visible, so the scope you are quoted is the scope that actually needs doing.
Do you repoint chimneys outside Ann Arbor?
Yes. From our Eisenhower Parkway office we cover Washtenaw County and the surrounding area — Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Pittsfield Township, plus Brighton and Northville.
Related Services
Related Services
A safer hearth — for 2026
Repacked properly, before the freeze.
Every Brown Chimney tuckpointing job in Ann Arbor is measured on site, quoted in writing before a joint is ground, and backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty. Book online or call 248-260-5979.