Getting three bids on a masonry repair job sounds like due diligence. And it is — but only if you know what you're comparing. A $12,000 tuckpointing bid and a $27,000 bid for the same building might be two contractors pricing the same scope. Or they might be pricing completely different amounts of work. Without understanding what's in each proposal, you can't tell the difference.

This guide is for property managers and building owners who want to make an informed decision — not just pick the lowest number and hope for the best.

Start with the Scope, Not the Price

The first thing to do with any masonry bid is ignore the bottom line and read the scope. A legitimate masonry proposal should describe:

What surfaces are being addressed — which elevations, which sections, full building or partial?
What specifically is being done — repointing only, or repointing plus brick replacement, caulk, flashing assessment?
What the prep method is — how deep are joints being cut? What equipment is being used?
What materials are specified — mortar type (N, S, or M), sealer product, caulk product?
What's excluded — what won't be touched even if it looks related?

If a bid is one or two lines and a dollar figure, that's not a scope. That's a placeholder for a dispute later.

The Joint Depth Problem

Tuckpointing quality is largely determined by how deep the old mortar is removed before new mortar is installed. The industry standard is ¾ inch minimum. At that depth, the new mortar has enough surface area to bond properly and will last 20–30 years. At ¼ inch — which is what a contractor with a hand grinder doing quick passes will achieve — the new mortar sits on the surface, fails in a few years, and you're back to square one.

Ask every bidder: what is your minimum joint cut depth, and what tools do you use? A contractor who cuts to ¾ inch minimum with oscillating tools or angle grinders with the right wheel will take more time and charge more. That's not a problem — it's the work being done correctly.

Licensing, Insurance, and Business Legitimacy

In Illinois, masonry contractors working on commercial properties should carry:

General liability insurance ($1 million minimum per occurrence is standard)
Workers' compensation insurance (required by Illinois law for any employer)

Ask for certificates of insurance naming your property as an additional insured. A legitimate contractor produces these without hesitation. If you get a verbal "yeah we're covered" with no documentation, walk away. If something goes wrong on an uninsured contractor's job, the liability falls on you.

Also verify the contractor is operating as a legitimate business entity — licensed, insured, and with an established presence. Check Google, check references, check how long they've been in business. A masonry contractor who has been doing commercial work in the Chicago suburbs for decades is not the same as someone running bids off a general contractor license obtained last year.

Mortar Type and Compatibility

This is where a lot of masonry work goes wrong, and most property managers never know it.

Mortar comes in types: M, S, N, O, and K, ranging from strongest (M) to weakest (K). The instinct is that stronger mortar is better. This is wrong. Mortar should be softer than the brick it's surrounding. If the mortar is harder than the brick, seasonal thermal movement that would normally flex through the mortar joint instead cracks the brick face. On older Chicago-area buildings — anything pre-1960, and particularly pre-1940 — using Type S or M mortar on soft historic brick will cause spalling within a few years.

A contractor who says "we use Type S on everything" without looking at your building hasn't assessed the job. The right answer depends on the age of the masonry, the brick's compressive strength, and the exposure conditions.

Ask what mortar type they're specifying and why. A contractor who can explain the decision is a contractor who knows what they're doing.

Red Flags in Masonry Bids

Some things to watch for:

No written scope. If the contractor only provides a verbal price, you have no basis for enforcing anything.

No breakdown by task. A lump sum with no breakdown makes it impossible to understand what you're getting or to compare bids accurately.

Immediate pressure to sign. Legitimate commercial contractors have schedules that fill up, but they don't pressure clients into same-day decisions on scopes over $10,000.

No reference to mortar type. The bid should specify the mortar. If it doesn't, the contractor may be using whatever's cheapest.

Significantly below-market pricing. The cheapest bid isn't wrong just because it's cheap — but a bid that's 40–50% below the others warrants detailed questions. Either the scope is much smaller, the materials are lower quality, or the prep work isn't being done correctly.

No mention of permits for structural work. Lintel replacement and wall rebuilding typically require permits in Illinois municipalities. If no one on the bid mentions permits for that kind of work, ask why.

What Documentation to Expect

A quality masonry contractor providing commercial work should furnish:

Written scope of work with clearly defined inclusions and exclusions
Material specifications — mortar type, sealer product if applicable, caulk type
Access method — lift or scaffold, who provides it, cost included or separate
Payment schedule — reasonable commercial terms, not full payment upfront
Project timeline — start date and estimated completion
Warranty terms — what's covered and for how long
Insurance certificates before work begins
Before/after photos at project completion

The completed work documentation matters more than most property managers realize. When the building sells, refinances, or undergoes a property condition assessment, having documented repair history — with photos, scope, and contractor information — is a material asset.

Warranty Language

Warranties on masonry work range from none (a red flag) to 2–5 years on labor and materials for commercial repointing. Understand what's covered: labor warranty means if the mortar fails prematurely, the contractor comes back. Material warranty means the product itself was defective.

Longer isn't always better if the language is vague. A 10-year warranty from a contractor who won't be in business in three years is worthless. A clear 3-year labor warranty from an established firm with 40+ years in the market is worth more.

Comparing Bids Accurately

Once you have written scopes from multiple contractors, compare them line by line:

Are they addressing the same surfaces?
Are the joint cut depths the same?
Is the mortar type the same?
Are ancillary items (caulk, brick replacement, lift access) included or excluded?

If the scopes differ significantly, request clarifications before making a decision based on price. A lower bid that excludes 30% of the work isn't a better deal.

Emerald Masonry LLC provides free on-site assessments with a written scope and no obligation for commercial properties throughout Chicagoland. Call (309) 323-9959 or request an estimate online.

Also see: Tuckpointing services | Commercial Masonry | Masonry Restoration

How to Evaluate a Masonry Contractor Bid — What Property Managers Should Look For