A couple in Fair Haven called me in because they wanted their tired 1920s living-room fireplace to be the centerpiece of the room again. What…
Chimney Repair in New Haven: Costs and Warning Signs
The worst chimney I ever took down was on a colonial in Westville, off Whalley Avenue. The homeowner had a stain on the ceiling near…
When Does Old Brick Need Repointing? Signs to Watch
I was setting a bluestone landing for a client in Great Kills last fall when I noticed the brick on the side of her house…
What Brick Repointing Costs in New Haven (2026)
Last fall I climbed a scaffold on a three-story brick colonial off Livingston Street in East Rock, and I could pull mortar out of the…
Repointing vs Tuckpointing: What’s the Difference?
A contractor and I once burned an entire afternoon on the phone talking past each other, because we were using the same word to mean…
Matching Historic Mortar on Older Homes
A homeowner in Fair Haven once handed me a baggie of crumbled mortar off the back of her 1890s brick house and asked me to…
How Freeze-Thaw Cycles Damage New England Brickwork
Every March the same phone photos start showing up: little flakes of brick scattered across a flower bed in Westville, or a porch pier that…
Brick Veneer Repair After Water Intrusion
A buyer’s inspector flagged a soft, stained wall on the first floor of a New Dorp house I got pulled into last year, and everyone…
Brick Pointing for Staten Island Row Homes
I set brick and stone in limestone and Texas clay country for a living, but a bad mortar joint looks the same wherever I run…
A Guide to Historic Brick Homes in Wooster Square
My name’s Mike Pellegrino. I’ve spent the better part of 19 years selling houses within a few blocks of the Wooster Square green in New…