Prepare a bid/estimate for a repointing job: measuring wall area, setting depth assumptions, and structuring unit-price contingencies

Steps

1. Measure the total wall area requiring repointing in square feet (or use a standard unit like square feet or per-100-square-feet pricing common in the masonry trade), distinguishing full-wall repointing from spot/selective repointing scope
2. Physically inspect and probe a representative sample of joints to establish the actual mortar removal depth needed (using the roughly 2-2.5x joint width guideline as a baseline assumption) rather than assuming a uniform, minimal depth across the whole wall
3. Account for joint width and coursing pattern in the estimate, since narrower joints and denser coursing (more linear feet of joint per square foot of wall) require more labor per square foot than wide-joint or coarser masonry
4. Price scaffolding/lift access, protection of surrounding surfaces and landscaping, and cleanup separately from the mortar-and-labor unit price, since access costs vary significantly by building height and site conditions
5. Build in a unit-price contingency (a pre-agreed rate for additional square footage or additional-depth removal, and a separate unit price for unforeseen brick replacement) to cover conditions that can't be fully verified until raking begins, such as unexpectedly soft/friable brick or deeper-than-expected deterioration
6. Clearly state assumptions in the proposal (mortar type/mix to be used, joint profile to be matched, expected depth range, what triggers a contingency unit price) so the client understands what conditions would change the price