Questions to ask a masonry or concrete contractor before you hire

Updated November 11, 2026 · KeystoneProGuide editorial team

What should you ask first?

Ask what is causing the damage. The National Park Service (NPS) says structural repairs come before cosmetic ones, and that cracks through the bricks over a window often trace back to a sagging or rusting lintel. A contractor who explains the cause, and whether the quote fixes it, is giving you the most useful answer you will get. The rest of the questions below follow from it.

Questions about the contractor

• What is your Pennsylvania home improvement registration number? It should start with PA and appear on the estimate. You can check it on the Attorney General's contractor search.
• Can I see your insurance certificate? Registration requires at least $50,000 each of personal injury and property damage cover.
• Have you worked on houses of this age and material? For old brick or stone, ask for addresses of similar jobs you can look at from the street.

Questions about the mortar

These matter most on houses built before the Second World War.

• What is the existing mortar, and how will you find out? A good answer names a method. The General Services Administration (GSA), on historic federal buildings, has the old mortar analyzed by a laboratory and the new mix based on the results.
• Will the new mortar be softer than the brick and no harder than the old mortar? The NPS says hard mortars high in portland cement are less permeable than old brick and will often make it deteriorate faster. "We use a strong mix so it lasts" is the wrong answer for soft brick.
• Will you match the color, joint width and tooling? The NPS describes mismatched joints and mortar smeared over brick faces as signs of poor pointing.
• Will you do a sample area first? The GSA has a test area approved before the full job.
• Do you plan to parge, coat or waterproof any wall? The NPS says coating old masonry with an impervious material such as high-content portland cement is never recommended. Ask why, if the answer is yes.

Questions about method and dust

• How will you remove the old joints? Hand tools are the GSA's default; power tools are allowed only after a demonstration that they do no damage, and never with a rotary saw on the vertical joints.
• If you use grinders or saws, how will you control silica dust? For grinding out mortar, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's rule calls for a shroud and dust collector on the tool and a respirator for the operator; for saws, water at the blade. It bars dry sweeping where wet methods or HEPA vacuums work.
• How will you protect windows, plants and neighbors' property?
• How will you cure the mortar, and what will you do if the weather turns? The GSA keeps new mortar damp for at least 72 hours and stops work in freezing, very hot or wet conditions.
• Is there paint on anything you will disturb? On a house built before 1978, the contractor must be lead-safe certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Questions about digging, permits and approvals

• Will you call 811, and can I see the serial number? Pennsylvania 811 says the excavator must make the call and that the eleven-digit serial number proves it. Locators need three to ten business days.
• Does this job need a permit, and who will get it? Under the state code, retaining walls over 4 feet or supporting a surcharge are not exempt. The Federal Trade Commission lists a contractor who asks you to get the permits among its warning signs.
• Is my house on a historic register? In Philadelphia, pointing, cleaning and repairing masonry on a listed property needs Historical Commission review, so the contractor should allow time for it.

Questions about price, payment and paperwork

• What exactly does the price include? Area, height, scaffolding, brick replacement, removal of old concrete, debris disposal.
• What happens if you find more damage once you open up the wall? Ask how extra work will be priced and approved in writing before it is done.
• What is the payment schedule? The FTC advises against paying the full amount up front and against making the final payment before the work is done and you are satisfied.
• Will the contract include start and finish dates, the total price and my right to cancel? Pennsylvania requires those in writing for home improvements over $500.
• What warranty do you give, and what does it cover? Get it in the contract.

What are the warning signs in the answers?

Pressure to sign today, a story about materials left over from another job, and a demand for cash or full payment up front are all tactics the FTC lists. The scams guide has Pennsylvania cases. For the step after hiring, see what to expect on the day, and for the wider checks, how to choose a masonry contractor.

Sources

1. Frequently Asked Questions: Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
2. Home Improvement Contractor Search, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
3. Common Problems with Brick Masonry, U.S. National Park Service
4. This Masonry is for the Bees!, U.S. National Park Service
5. Repointing historic masonry, U.S. General Services Administration
6. 1926.1153 - Respirable crystalline silica., U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
7. FAQs Homeowners, Pennsylvania One Call System (Pennsylvania 811)
8. 34 Pa. Code § 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions., Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania Code)
9. Get approval for work to a historic property, City of Philadelphia
10. How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam, Federal Trade Commission
11. Renovation, Repair and Painting Program: Contractors, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
12. Homeowners, Pennsylvania One Call System (Pennsylvania 811)