Brick repointing vs paver installation

Brick repointing vs paver installation: repairing existing mortar joints vs laying a new paver surface. Compare costs, timelines, and when each is the right call.

Brick repointing is the process of removing deteriorated mortar from the joints of existing brickwork and replacing it with fresh mortar. It addresses crumbling joints, water infiltration, and spalling caused by freeze-thaw cycles. Costs range from $5 to $25 per square foot depending on accessibility (scaffolding adds cost), mortar type (lime-based for historic brick vs Portland cement), and joint depth. A typical chimney repoint runs $500–$2,500; a full wall face $3,000–$15,000. When done correctly, repointing extends the life of structurally sound brick by 25–50 years without altering appearance. Paver installation means creating an entirely new surface — a patio, walkway, or driveway — from interlocking concrete pavers, natural stone, or brick pavers over a compacted gravel and sand base. Costs run $10–$25 per square foot installed, covering excavation, base material, pavers, edge restraints, and polymeric sand. A 300 sq ft patio typically costs $3,000–$7,500. Pavers offer design flexibility (patterns, colors, textures) and are easy to repair individually. The key difference is scope: repointing preserves what you have; pavers build something new. Repointing makes sense when the brick itself is solid and only the mortar is failing. Pavers make sense when you want a new surface altogether or when the existing brick is too deteriorated for mortar work alone to save it.