Masonry contractor in Palm Beach Gardens, FL - fixing the cause, not just the crack
BR West Palm Beach Masonry & Concrete repairs and builds masonry in Palm Beach Gardens, from brick and block walls to paver driveways, walkways and outdoor kitchens, with our crew based nearby in West Palm Beach.
Masonry work on Palm Beach Gardens homes
Palm Beach Gardens is a short drive up from our base in West Palm Beach, and most of the homes I look at here went up in planned neighborhoods, many of them gated or built around golf courses. The houses are mostly concrete block finished in stucco, often with brick or stone around the entry, a paver driveway, a pool deck and a screened lanai out back. A lot of neighborhoods have an association with a say in how walls and drives look, so matching what's already there is part of the job. We do the same kind of work next door in North Palm Beach and down the coast in Boynton Beach.
What moves the price here is how much wall or paving is involved, how closely we have to match the brick, stone or pavers already on the house, and what we find once a damaged section is open. The schedule usually turns on permit review when a job needs one and on the summer rain, and I'll give you your own number when I come out. Since so many houses here are block under stucco on sandy ground, a crack in the finish often leads back to the block or the slab, so that's where I look first.
What we do for Palm Beach Gardens homes
Foundation repair
Sandy ground under slab-on-grade homes can shift after heavy summer rain, so we find where the settling started before we patch the crack it left behind.
Chimney repair
Most chimneys here are more for looks than for fires, but wind-driven rain still finds cracked crowns and loose caps and soaks the brick underneath.
Tuckpointing
When the joints on a brick-faced entry or garden wall start to powder, we grind out the worn mortar and fill fresh joints matched to the old color.
Brick repair
Brick accents on homes here often crack where they meet stucco. We swap out the damaged pieces and blend the new ones into the brick around them.
Driveway pavers
Paver driveways are common here, and roots, rain and car weight push them out of line. We relay the sunken spots or build a whole new drive.
Retaining wall construction
On mostly flat lots, a retaining wall here usually holds a raised bed or a pool deck edge, and it needs drainage behind it for the summer rain.
Masonry restoration
For older block and brick homes in the city's established neighborhoods, restoration means repairing joints, cracks and worn faces so the house keeps its original look.
Fireplace installation
Outdoor fireplaces on lanais and patios are the usual request here. We build them in block, brick or stone, sized so smoke clears the seating.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer dresses up a lot of stucco columns and entries here, and we set it over a backing that lets water drain out from behind.
Concrete block walls
Block privacy walls are common along property lines here. We build them on a solid footing and finish them in stucco to match the house.
Foundation block wall installation
Homes set up off low ground here sit on block foundation walls, and we lay them on a poured footing so the floor above has an even base.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
A lot of backyards here are built around the pool and the lanai. We build the block base, counters and stone or brick facing for an outdoor kitchen.
Walkway construction
Front walks and pool-side paths here take bare feet, wet shoes and standing rain, so we finish them with a textured surface that grips better when wet.
Brick wall installation
Brick garden walls suit the more traditional houses here, and we cap them so rain runs off the top instead of soaking down through the wall.
Stone masonry
Natural stone turns up on mailboxes, planters and pool surrounds here. Softer and harder stone need different mortar, so we pick it to suit what's there.
Brick pointing
Pointing is the smaller fix for brick joints that have cracked or shrunk back. We fill them fresh before the summer storms push water into the wall.
What should Palm Beach Gardens homeowners watch for on masonry?
Long, hot summers and heavy afternoon rain work on mortar, stucco and pavers here a little every year, so small changes are worth catching before water gets behind them.
- Crumbling or sandy mortar joints
- A crack that keeps getting longer
- Stair-step cracks in block or brick
- Pavers sinking or rocking underfoot
- White chalky stains on brick
- Stucco bulging or sounding hollow
If you see one of these around your house, call or use the form and I'll come out to look and tell you what can wait.
Should you repair the masonry or replace it?
On homes here, I look at whether the trouble is in the surface or in what's underneath, because a sound wall with worn joints or a few cracked bricks rarely needs to come down.
When a repair will do
If the block, brick or pavers are solid and the trouble is worn joints, a few broken pieces or a small settled patch, we fix that part and leave the rest alone. I'll show you what I found so you can see why the repair is enough.
When it's time to rebuild
If a wall leans, cracks keep coming back after repairs or the ground under the pavers has washed out across the whole drive, patching only buys time. Then we take that section down to good footing or base and build it again.
What Palm Beach Gardens weather asks of masonry
I come out to look at each job and write the estimate myself, and our own masons do the work while I check on it, because I want the cause fixed, not covered over.
Mortar cared for in the heat
Long, hot summers dry fresh mortar fast, so we keep new joints damp and shaded while they set.
Cracks traced to the cause
When stucco or brick cracks, I look at the block, slab and drainage behind it before we patch anything.
Pavers set for summer rain
We pack the base and set the slope so heavy rain runs off your drive instead of washing sand out.
Permits handled with the city
The city's Building Department permits most repair work, and when yours needs one we file it and handle the inspections.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, so you aren't carrying the risk if something goes wrong on your property.
Call about your Palm Beach Gardens masonry
Our hours run into the evening every day, so you can call (561) 268-0285 after work and set a time for me to come look.
Don't see your city? Call us
Wherever you are in Palm Beach County, check the list for your city, and if it isn't there, call (561) 268-0285 and ask.