Overheard a guy at the supply yard say tuckpointing is dying

Was grabbing mortar at the yard in Gary last Tuesday and this older fella, probably 60s, told the counter guy that tuckpointing is a lost art and nobody under 40 wants to learn it. I've been doing brick repair for about 8 years now and I still get calls every month for tuckpointing on old houses. He might be right that it's not taught much, but the demand is still there. Anyone else seeing more work in repair than new builds lately?

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bennett.patricia19d ago

Wait, somebody actually said tuckpointing is dying? That's wild to me. I mean, I did three jobs last month alone where people were begging me to match the original mortar on houses from the 1920s. Sure, the young guys coming up mostly want to do new brick and block work, but that's because it's easier and pays quicker. But the repair side, the old stuff, that's where the steady money is. I've got a waiting list right now and I'm not even advertising. If anything, I'd say new builds are slowing down but repair work is what keeps my calendar full. That old fella at the yard probably hasn't picked up a trowel in ten years, so he's just salty.