Masonry Magazine May 2006 Page. 15
epoxy pinning, tuckpointing, sealing, rebuilding and so forth. Basically, we restore the entirety of the outside of that building to as close as it is possible to what it was originally. At the same time, it's not only from an aesthetical standpoint of how it looks, but it has to be watertight to weather many more years. So that's kind of how it all comes into play.
Masonry: Your website mentions the company's "commitment to extensive evaluation and diagnosis." Please explain what steps you take for each client to fulfill this commitment.
Schmitt: It's changed a little bit recently, but for 25 years, we were owner-direct. We did not do a lot of work with general contractors in the bid world. We were on the street developing the accounts with the hospitals, universities, government and what have you. They would rely on us, and still do. If they have a problem, they call us, or if they have budget plans to create, we help prepare such.
A lot of the large organizations have a lot more long-range planning, so they'll look at a building and determine its needs over an extended period of time. That's what we do; we go in, talk to the owner and ask, "What are your goals? What are you trying to achieve?" Obviously, money dictates, as it does with everything. Everyone would like to buy a Rolls-Royce, but most people can't.
We will first evaluate the structure and let the owner know what they are up against. Our job is to let them know the full extent of the conditions that exist on the building façade. So then you talk to them and find out if they're having any specific problems-if there are specific tar-
CONCRETE, MASONRY WALL SCRAPER 6' Handle Standard
with the building façade. The problems become many, for instance, tuckpointing, sealant failures, loss of brick or stone integrity, deterioration of building surfaces, and design flaws.
[Concerning the aspect of historical restoration... there's a lot of that going on in St. Louis right now. There's a big push and revitalization of the downtown area with condominiums, lofts, apartments and so forth. It is an exciting time for downtown St. Louis. They're taking a lot of buildings and bringing them up to speed. We are cleaning them, aesthetically-getting all the dirt and pollution off-and repairing them. This includes stone repair, replacement,
NEW WALL SCRAPER PAYS CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME "DOES NOT PAY
MASONRY JOINT CLEANER
* 5/8" halfround slotted carbide/ 3/8" cutting slot
One side for vertical/one side for horizontal
* Remove excess mortar from block or brick
* Removes fins and burs from concrete wall form joints
* Less chance for injury while laborers work on scaffold
* Pays for itself in just one day
* Also available: 6' extension handle that extends wall scraper to 11'
* Swivel head adjusts for easy use in difficult areas.
Constructed from lightweight durable aluminum, it features a swivel head for easy use in difficult areas and corners. It has a durable 6-foot powder coated handle. The scraper uses a standard 7" rubbing disc as an abrasive pad. The disc holder is engineered for quick and easy disc changes.