Sight unseen brick foundation

[randynavarro]

I will be potentially looking at a brick foundation in an old house; but I have not been there nor seen any photos.

Supposedly, the mortar is pretty shot.

Is this a structural concern?

What's the fix?

Does normal re-pointing solve anything?

[Jim Katen]

Even with really dramatic looking mortar loss, they usually work fine as long as gravity is the only force acting on them.

When the ground starts shaking though, they tend to collapse.

[kurt]

Yeah, pretty much. If you've got access, it's not complicated to point them back into decent condition.

Is the building solid load bearing masonry, or is it frame on the brick foundation?

[allseason]

You need to use the right kind of mortar based on the age of the house. If you us a portland based mortar where a lime based exists it will cause problems in the softer bricks.