Category Archives: Hamilton Masonry And Brick Repair

01
Apr
Westdale Masonry and Brick Repair
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Westdale Masonry and Brick Repair

Westdale is one of Hamilton’s coolest neighbourhoods. It is the gateway to Macmaster with the feeling of being it’s very own town, not just a section of a city. Westdale is a vibrant and wonderful place to live.

Most of the houses built in Westdale are well over 50 years old. Many of them need at least a small amount of masonry restoration and brick repair. Some of the houses are in need of more extensive repairs. If you walk around your home you will quite possibly find areas where, due to an inordinate amount of water and ice exposure, you will find deterioration. You may need dozens of bricks replaced and hundreds of square feet of repointing where the mortar has deteriorated.

Types of Masonry and Brick Repair in Westdale

Wilkens Masonry performs all sorts of masonry and brick repairs. Our services include:

  • Brick replacement
  • Repointing and tuckpointing
  • Parging
  • Chimney repair
  • Chimney rebuilds
  • Pillar repair and rebuilds
  • New openings in brick and masonry walls

There are some other types of masonry restoration services. However, the above are the most common you will find needed in Westdale and in the surrounding areas of Hamilton, Dundas, Burlington etc.

The Quoting Process

At Wilkens Masonry, we offer free estimates and quotes, always. We are also well known for offering friendly advice and will never upsell you for the sake of more work. We aim to, through enlightenment on the process of brick repair and the structure of your home, show you that our suggestions are based off of necessity. Our motto is: “quality, built on referrals”. We have a reputation we are proud of for being ethical and fair and that is something we hope to maintain.

Our story

Wilkens Masonry was founded in 1977 and built into one of Toronto’s premier masonry and brick repair companies over the following years. In recent years, Ernie Wilkens handed operations over to his son, Jake, his nephew, Richard and his son in law, Connor.

If you think you may need some work done on your home, please get in touch via our WEBSITE. You can also check out our reviews on GOOGLE and HOMESTARS.

13
Jan
Brick Repair Hamilton
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Brick Repair Hamilton

Brick repair in Hamilton is something that Hamiltonians have had to consider since the beginnings of this wonderful city. Hamilton has endless numbers of beautiful, old, brick homes. Year after year, the harsh weather changes and sub zero temperatures bash against the brick and stone walls, leading to a lot of deterioration. For a house to last for hundreds of years, as they are very capable of doing, there needs to be regular and competent maintenance.

Types Of Brick Repair In Hamilton

Brick walls can be repaired in quite a few ways. When the surfaces of bricks begin to deteriorate, a process known as spalling, they continue to fall apart more quickly as the main shell has now been compromised. When this happens, brick replacement is needed. The damaged and rotting bricks are removed and new bricks, as closely matching as is available here in Hamilton, are put in their place. This can protect the integrity of a homes walls as well as greatly improve the aesthetics, when done right.

Tuckpointing or repointing is another preventative action that can be taken to maintain a home. This is the process of restoring the mortar between the bricks using fine tools and a mortar pointing bag which allows for a neat and tidy restoration. If the mortar around the brick or stone begins to fall away, this gives more of a foothold for water, snow and ice and can speed up the deterioration of the brick. Pointing is a much quicker and generally less expensive process than brick replacement. Wilkens Masonry technicians are highly trained and prolific when it comes to tinting and colouring our mortar and blending it in with the existing and healthy mortar joints.

Getting An Estimate For Brick Repair In Hamilton

If you would like an estimate for brick repair in Hamilton, all you have to do is give us a call at 416 425 8055 or visit our website and tell us what services you think you need. Jake Wilkens is our Hamilton estimator and will be in touch within 1-2 days to organize a site visit. You can contact us any time and we are always happy to walk you through anything you may need to know, this way you will know you are making the correct decision.

You can also check out our reviews on Homestars as well as on Google. We look forward to hearing from you!

15
Aug
Masonry Contractors In Hamilton
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Masonry Contractors in Hamilton

Hamilton is a city filled with thousands of century old brick homes. These homes have been battered by intense Canadian weather for so long, that many of them are in need of masonry repair or restoration. This means tuckpointing or repointing, parging, brick replacement and chimney repair. For all of these projects, it is important to find and contact a trusted and reliable masonry contractor.

Types Of Masonry Contractors

There are generally three types of masonry contractors. First, there are contractors who take on large jobs such as new home builds, additions etc. Then there are the contractors who specialize in the smaller jobs. These are the restoration masons. Their bread and butter is fixing the deteriorated mortar of your home, a process known as repointing, replacing damaged bricks and fixing or rebuilding your chimney. Lastly, there are the individual contractors who generally work alone and don’t have a properly established company.

What Type Of Masonry Contractor Should I Choose?

When it comes to the average home owner, the mid sized masonry contractor is generally going to be the way to go. If a company is too large, they may not take your :smaller” project seriously and will consider it an add on and not something that they want to show clients. If you hire an individual who is not properly established, you may have a worker who isn’t properly insured or who doesn’t have all of the necessary tools and supplies to perform the work properly.

Wilkens Masonry is a good example of a mid sized masonry contractor. We make a name for ourselves with the small to medium sized repair jobs. Rebuilding chimneys, parging, repointing and brick replacement is what we do. We are also a family company who’s name and reputation drives our business. We strive for friendly, competent work performance as well as reliable customer service before, during and after the completion of the work order.

Get in touch!

We would love to hear from you regarding your masonry needs. We can be contacted via our WEBSITE and our reviews can be seen on GOOGLE or HOMESTARS. We are family owned and operated and our estimates are always free. We look forward to hearing from you!

Brick Repair Before and After

20
Apr
Brick Restoration Hamilton and Burlington
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Brick Restoration Hamilton and Burlington

Hamilton is filled with older homes, just like Toronto, while Burlington has more “new” homes built in the last 50-60 years. Both cities are in need of good masonry restoration companies, however. Depending on how well the weather is controlled around your brick walls and structures, you may see brick deterioration on homes that are as young as 20 years old. Once an inordinate amount of water begins to saturate a wall, it will deteriorate in a few short years, leading to a need for brick repair and replacement, tuckpointing, parging and other types of masonry repairs.

Why Call Wilkens?

Wilkens Masonry is 47 years old. It is second generation family run and maintains a company slogan that has led it through decades of change and modernization in the restoration world: “Quality, Built on Referrals”. We are known for our friendly advice and for our willingness to give people pointers on how to do it themselves, or confidence that, if their budget doesn’t allow for it just now, to prioritize other projects and give us a call when they have the resources. We have been in business for almost 50 years, and plan to be in business for at least another 50. The way we will do that is by empowering our clients and demonstrating that not all industry is about money. It’s about garnering trust from a population of intelligent and proud homeowners.

What Kind Of Projects Do We Perform In Hamilton and Burlington?

Our bread and butter is basic brick repair and restoration. There are plenty of old houses with areas on their exterior walls in need of brick replacement of varying amounts, repointing the deteriorated mortar or patching in the parging in their foundation wall. We also restore and rebuild chimneys, which most people still use to vent harmful gases, from their furnaces, fireplaces or water heaters, up and away from their house. To be honest, it’s worth giving us a call to see if your project is in our wheel house, if it isn’t, we can try and point you in the right direction.

FREE ESTIMATES, Always!

Give us a call or visit our WEBSITE for a free consultation and to organize getting an always free estimate from us. If you still aren’t convinced, check out GOOGLE and HOMESTARS for a look at our glowing reviews or visit our TESTIMONIAL page

About Us | Wilkens Contracting Inc. | Masonry Toronto

Wilkens Masonry in 2022

23
Aug
How To Tell If A Masonry Company Is Legit
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How To Tell If A Masonry Company Is Legit

There are many different contractors and masonry companies to choose from in the Toronto and Hamilton area. Many of them are tried and true, perform good work, and can be relied on to deliver what they promised they would. However, there are always the companies out there that will misrepresent themselves and, sometimes, will try and scam a client just looking to have some restoration done.

Online Presence

If a company has an online presence that seems to have original content and interaction with legitimate clients, it is a pretty reliable sign that they are an actual outfit who has been around for a while. On Google, you can view a company’s business profile and read their reviews. If they have recent reviews as well as reviews going back a few years at least, they have most likely been around for a while. Also, if they post often or respond to their reviews, this means that they are proud of the good work they deliver and would want to please every new client that decides to have them perform some work. At Wilkens Masonry we pride ourselves on the reviews we have garnered on websites such as Google and Homestars.

Deposits For Work

This is a tricky way to gauge a company’s reliability. Some jobs that you want to have done can be pricey, and not all companies have the cash to buy the materials required and to pay their men for the duration of the job. If the job is relatively small, a good sign is that a masonry company will not need a deposit for the work to be done. Wilkens Contracting does not need a deposit for our work to be performed. We trust in our clients and we believe that having that trust will further build our reputation as a masonry contractor that clients in Toronto and Hamilton can continue to rely on.

GET IN TOUCH

Give us a call or visit our website for a free estimate!!!

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 working. 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, has lead to a relatively lazy approach. The truth  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. For all of that and more, 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 too.

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 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.

 

17
Feb
Can I Do Masonry Repairs By Myself?
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Can I Do Masonry Repairs By Myself?

The answer is undoubtedly, yes. However, the extent to which you can perform masonry repairs depends on a few things. If the work is not too far off the ground or does not require a specialist tool, then for most basic repairs, a competent person could perhaps perform the work.

There are a few things to consider which we address in the rest of this article.

How High Is The Work?

Many times a masonry repair such as brick replacement, tuckpointing or repointing, parging or just patching in a hole will be close to the ground. Almost always, though, there will be more work just out of arms reach or even further up the walls of your house. If you do not own a ladder, or perhaps are not comfortable and confident working at heights, this is a good reason to bring in a professionally trained masonry contractor such as Wilkens Contracting. We are all certified Working At Heights trained and can bring in a variety of ladders and scaffolding setups to safely and properly access all areas needed to be addressed. This is particularly important when considering a chimney repair or rebuild. Most people are not properly trained to work on a roof in a safe and efficient way.

How Important Are Aesthetics In Masonry Repairs?

If you wanted to just fill a hole near the ground level of your exterior wall that you were worried about pests or water getting through, you can go to most hardware or home improvement stores, speak to an employee and find a product you can apply. However, over the past 46 years, at Wilkens Masonry Contracting we have seen many attempts by customers to do the work themselves, leading to more work when the end product is sloppy and unsightly. You have to decide if that matters to you or if the work will be in an obvious place.

Do You Have The Right Tools For Masonry Repairs?

Many masonry repairs can be done with basic tools that most households have in their basement or shed. However, when it comes to brick replacement, you need heavy duty saws and jackhammers to remove the bricks from the wall. When it comes to tuckpointing and parging, special trowels are needed to provide the proper finish and texture to the mortar or cement. It may not be worth the investment into these tools if you want to get the job done the right way!

Also, there are special mortar mixtures and standards set that vary when performing masonry repairs. Not all cement or mortar is appropriate for a repair. Some mortar is more flexible, some are meant to be used for load bearing walls. Wilkens Masonry Contracting can provide you with the right ingredients for a job well done!

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.

08
Feb
Homestars Hamilton
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Wilkens Masonry Is Now On Homestars Hamilton!

Wilkens Contracting Inc. has been built on quality and referrals since 1977. Most of our leads for masonry restoration, brick repair and replacement, tuckpointing and chimney repair has come from word of mouth and returning customers, throughout that time period. Now, with our recent expansion into the wonderful city of Hamilton, we are proud to be listed on Homestars. We are planning on a broadened relationship with the home renovations website Homestars as one of the ways that the good people of Hamilton, Burlington and the surrounding areas will find us and bring us out for a free estimate.

What Will Wilkens Masonry Be Offering In Hamilton?

Our services to the people of Hamilton will be all things masonry restoration! We want to give you a free estimate, at your convenience, for your brick restoration and repairs, your tuckpointing and repointing, your new masonry openings, your chimney repair and rebuilds and much more! Hamilton is a booming city that we are excited to grow with and serve.

How Does Homestars Work?

Homestars has a brilliant system for helping people find reliable, verified companies for their home renovation and repair needs. The first option, if you are seeking a trained masonry restoration specialist, you can go on Homestars and put out a general call for a reliable contractor. Homestars will send your posting to the companies in the designated area that fit your needs and give them the option to reach out to you.

The next way that you can use Homestars is as a directory for contractors who you can read about, vet and contact all on your own. Homestars has rated the companies based on a variety of categories to give you the control in choosing the contractor, such as Wilkens, for your project.

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! Watch our short video on Youtube. You can also Contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation or call us at 416 425 8055.

 

 

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