Quick Answer
Emerald Masonry LLC performs tuckpointing, façade repair, parapet and lintel work, and brick replacement for Chicagoland HOAs and condo associations. Boards get a written scope in plain language that can be read at a meeting, itemized so it can be compared bid-to-bid, and phased against a reserve study across multiple budget years. In most Illinois condominium declarations the exterior masonry is a common element and therefore the association's responsibility — confirm with your declaration and counsel. Call (708) 288-1696.
Who pays — the association or the unit owner?
In most Illinois condominium declarations, exterior masonry walls are a common element, which makes repair the association's responsibility rather than the individual owner's — even when the damage shows up inside one unit. Limited common elements such as balconies and patios are often split differently.
This is a declaration question, not a masonry question, so read yours and confirm with association counsel. What we can do is document exactly where the water is entering and which building element failed, which is usually the fact the decision turns on.
Scopes a board can actually vote on
We write the scope so it reads at a board meeting: what is failing, why, what happens if it waits, what each option costs, and what we recommend. Itemized by elevation so it can be phased.
If the association is collecting three bids, the itemization is what lets the board compare them honestly instead of choosing the smallest number.
Phasing against the reserve study
Full-building tuckpointing rarely fits one year's reserves. We rank elevations by exposure and condition — south and west faces and parapets usually first — so the association can spread the work across budget years without letting water into the building in the meantime.
Where a special assessment is on the table, we will put the phased and the all-at-once numbers side by side so the board can show owners the actual trade-off.
Common Questions
Is exterior masonry the association's responsibility or the owner's?
In most Illinois condominium declarations the exterior masonry wall is a common element, making it the association's responsibility even when the resulting damage appears inside a unit. Balconies and patios are often limited common elements and may be treated differently. Read your declaration and confirm with association counsel — we can document which building element failed and where water is entering, which is usually what the determination turns on.
Can the work be split across multiple budget years?
Yes. We rank elevations by exposure and condition so the association can phase the work against its reserve study, addressing water-entry and safety conditions first and scheduling the rest across following years.
Will you present the scope to our board?
Yes. We can walk the building with the board or property manager and present the findings and options directly, in plain language, so owners can see what they are voting on.
How long does tuckpointing last on a condo building?
Properly executed tuckpointing — joints ground out to full depth and repointed with mortar matched for color and hardness — lasts 20 to 30 years in Chicago's freeze-thaw climate. Surface patching over deteriorated mortar typically fails again within one to three years.
Have a building that needs masonry work scoped?
We'll walk it, tell you what's structural and what can wait, and put it in writing before you get a price.
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