In short
A bulging wall is a bump (or a hollow) in a brick wall: the brick has come loose from its anchors, iron nails that rotted because of water or condensation. To fix it, the section is taken down, and the same brick is cleaned and laid back up with a new weather barrier and new galvanized anchors. On a plex, this usually costs $15,000 to $50,000 and takes 1 to 2 weeks. Rebuilding a whole facade takes 2 to 4 weeks, and the price requires an on-site assessment.
A bulging wall is a typical problem on Montreal's plexes and century-old brick buildings, from the Plateau-Mont-Royal to Rosemont, as well as in Outremont, the Sud-Ouest and Ville-Marie. It shows up most often on the top floor. Cam Construction has been repairing brick walls in Montreal since 1991.
What is a bulging wall?
On a Montreal plex, the brick on the facade is not the wall that holds up the building. It's a veneer, attached to the wall behind it by anchors: back then, iron nails driven into the wall cavity. When these anchors give way, nothing holds the brick anymore. The wall warps and forms a bump that pushes outward, or a hollow that sinks inward. This is what's called a bulging wall (in Quebec French, a *ventre de bœuf*).
The causes
Water and condensation
The main cause is water. Water infiltration or condensation behind the wall makes the iron anchors rot. Once the nails are eaten away, the brick comes loose little by little. If water is getting in through the wall, that source also has to be found and fixed: see our water infiltration repair service.
Foundation movement
A foundation that moves can also make the brick come loose. In that case, the bulge tends to appear at the bottom of the wall.
Signs it's time to act
A bump or a hollow
You can clearly see part of the wall sticking out or sinking inward.
The wall is no longer plumb
Stand against the wall and look along the facade: you'll easily see how pronounced the bulge is.
Stretched or detached caulking
Around a window, it's a sign that the window has stayed in place while the brick is pushing outward.
Cracks in the joints
New fine cracks in the mortar around the bulging area show that the brick is separating from the wall.
When is it urgent?
Don't wait too long. Once or twice a year, owners call us because they've received a notice from the City: their bulging wall has become dangerous, and they have to act right away. It's better to keep an eye on your facade and call at the first signs.
Anchor the wall or rebuild it?
Rebuilding the section: the real fix
To fix a bulging wall, the method is to take down the affected section, clean the brick and reinstall it. Before laying it back up, we install a new weather barrier behind it, replacing the original black paper, along with new galvanized anchors. The wall is straight again and firmly attached. See our bulging wall repair service
Helifix anchors: only if the bulge is slight
When the bulge is very slight, Helifix anchors can be installed to tie the wall back to the structure. It's an option to consider, but it has a limit: it holds the wall without correcting the bulge.
Reusing the original brick
Most of the time, the original brick can be reused if it's in good condition. We always give this option priority before considering new brick. When we fix a bulge on part of the wall, we always lay the same brick back up, cleaned.
How much does it cost?
| Work | Usual price |
|---|---|
| Fix a bulging wall on a plex (take down the brick, clean it, lay it back up with a new weather barrier and new anchors) | $15,000 to $50,000 |
| Rebuild a whole brick wall | On-site assessment required |
Range given by Cael Camirand, General Director of Cam Construction, for a typical bulging wall, often on the top floor. Only a visit can give the exact price.
What makes the price vary
For a bulging wall
- Access. The bulge is often on the top floor: how the wall is reached affects the price.
- Size. The bigger the section to take down, the more brick there is to remove, clean and lay back up.
- How hard the joints are. The mortar joints have to be broken out to recover the brick: their hardness affects the work.
- The masonry detail. Arches, patterns or relief in the brick are part of the work to redo.
For a whole wall
Rebuilding a whole wall depends on a great many factors, which is why each project needs its own assessment:
- reusing the same brick or supplying new brick;
- access and how the crew sets up;
- the masonry detail and whether there are arches;
- the features to reproduce, such as concrete or stone lintels.
Waiting costs more
A bulging wall caught in time is repaired in a planned way. When the City steps in because the wall has become dangerous, it's more demanding. It can close off a perimeter around the building, make the owner pay for a permit to temporarily occupy public property and require plans or recommendations from an engineer, which would not always have been needed if the problem had been dealt with earlier.
Permits and requirements in Montreal
Do you need a permit?
To repair part of the wall, it depends on how much of the wall will be taken down and whether there are patterns in the masonry. Most of the time, it's important to check before the work to make sure everything complies with the City. To replace a facade with new brick, a permit is always required. We prepare the application for you: learn more about our permit application service.
Original features to rebuild
In some boroughs, architectural features were removed long ago: for example, the top of the brick wall that rose above the roof, with candle and step shapes. Even if they've been gone for decades, the City can require, when the facade masonry is touched, that they be rebuilt as they were, with moulded parapets and the same patterns. It's better to know this before setting your budget. See our roof parapet service
Season and length of the work
Masonry needs mild temperatures: we avoid doing it in winter as much as possible. In an emergency, the work can still be done in winter, but the work area absolutely has to be protected and heated.
How long it takes depends on the work. Normally, plan for 1 to 2 weeks to fix a bulging wall, and 2 to 4 weeks to rebuild a whole facade.
When the City sends a notice
Once or twice a year, owners contact us after receiving a notice from the City: their bulging wall has become very dangerous. They then have to act fast, under pressure, and the bill goes up with the safety perimeter, the public property occupancy permit and the engineering requirements. We can respond quickly in these cases, but ideally it never gets to that point. "Don't wait too long. Check your facade and keep an eye on it, because an emergency with a notice from the City is very stressful for owners," says Cael Camirand.
Before you sign
- The RBQ licence. Check the contractor's licence with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec. Cam Construction's: 2854-6760-18.
- Certification. Cam Construction is an APCHQ-certified contractor.
- The permit. Ask who checks whether a permit is needed and who files the application. At Cam Construction, we take care of it.
- The method. Ask whether the section will be taken down and laid back up with a new weather barrier and new galvanized anchors, or only held in place with anchors. Only the first option corrects the bulge.
