Masonry Contractor in Westgate, FL - Repairs That Hold Up on Older Homes
BR West Palm Beach Masonry & Concrete repairs and builds brick, block and stone work for homes in Westgate, from crumbling mortar joints and cracked walls to new walkways and driveway pavers.
Masonry work for Westgate homes
Westgate is the part of unincorporated Palm Beach County between Okeechobee Boulevard and Belvedere Road, running from Florida Mango Road west to Military Trail, a short drive from us in West Palm Beach. The county says some of its earliest neighborhoods date back to the 1920s, and it's a redevelopment district now, so on one street we'll find older block and brick houses that have been patched more than once, and on the next a newer build. We also work nearby in Palm Springs, and older houses across this stretch usually need the same thing from us, which is finding what's under years of patching before we add anything new.
Westgate has no city government, so the county's Permit Center issues building permits here, and a contractor's state license has to be enrolled with the county before they can pull one. A newer state law lets some work under $7,500 on single-family homes skip a permit, but the county counts all of Palm Beach County as a flood hazard area, so it says its permit rules haven't changed. When your job needs a permit, we apply for it and handle the inspections. Price moves with how far the damage runs once a wall is open, how easy it is to reach and how closely new brick and mortar have to match the old, and the schedule mostly turns on whether there's a permit to wait on. I'll come out and walk the job with you, and the estimate I write gives you your own number.
What we do for Westgate homes
Foundation repair
Older Westgate block homes can show stair-step cracks along the base as the house settles over the years. We find where the movement starts before we patch anything.
Chimney repair
On an older Westgate house with a chimney, the top bricks and the cap usually go first. We reset loose brick and rebuild the cap.
Tuckpointing
Westgate homes patched a few times often show mortar in three colors. Tuckpointing evens that out with joints colored to match and a thin finishing line.
Brick repair
Cracked brick and brick with a flaking face are among the most common calls we get, so we cut out the bad ones and set matching brick.
Driveway pavers
Older concrete driveways here crack and lift with age. Pavers give you a surface we can pull up and reset in one spot instead of breaking everything out.
Retaining wall construction
In Westgate yards, a retaining wall holding a raised bed or patio edge needs drainage behind it, or water pushes it out of line. We build that in.
Masonry restoration
Restoration on Westgate's oldest houses means repairing the brick, block and stone that's there and matching it, rather than covering years of patches with paint or stucco.
Fireplace installation
In Westgate backyards, a masonry fireplace usually goes on the patio. We set it on its own footing so the firebox and chimney stay straight over the years.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone set over an existing wall, can dress up the front of a plain block house here. We put a drainage layer behind it first.
Concrete block walls
Block garden and property walls are common along Westgate lots. We repair cracked or leaning sections and build new ones on a footing sized for the wall.
Foundation block wall installation
When an addition or rebuild goes up on an older Westgate lot, we lay the foundation block walls it sits on, square and level for the work above.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Plenty of Westgate backyards have room for a grill counter. We build the block base and finish it in stone, brick or stucco to match the house.
Walkway construction
Older Westgate front walks that have cracked or sunk turn into tripping spots. We rebuild them in brick, pavers or concrete on a packed base.
Brick wall installation
A new brick wall along the front of a Westgate lot can tie an older house to its yard. We match brick and mortar color to the house.
Stone masonry
Natural stone shows up here on planters, steps and the odd older porch. We lay new stonework and reset loose pieces with mortar that suits the stone.
Brick pointing
Pointing is the work we're best known for, and older Westgate homes often need it where joints have gone soft or sandy. We rake them out and refill.
What signs mean your Westgate masonry needs attention?
On the older houses here, brick and block usually show trouble slowly, so these are worth catching while the fix is still small.
- Mortar crumbling out of joints
- A crack that keeps getting longer
- Stair-step cracks in block
- Brick face flaking off
- White chalky stains on brick
- A wall or cap leaning out
If you've spotted one of these, call or use the form, and I'll come out and tell you what it means and what can wait.
Should you repair the wall or rebuild it?
On Westgate's older homes I start from what the wall shows and where the damage stops, because a sound wall with tired joints is a different job from one that's moving.
When a repair is enough
If the brick and block are solid and the trouble is in the joints or a few bad bricks, we repair. Repointing and swapping out damaged brick keeps the original wall, which is usually the better choice on an older house.
When rebuilding makes sense
If a wall is leaning, a crack keeps opening after repairs, or the footing under it has failed, patching only hides the problem. We take it down to sound work and rebuild, and that's the kind of job most likely to need a county permit.
What Westgate's older homes ask of a mason
I've run this business since 2013, and I'm the one who comes out to look at your job, so the person who writes your estimate is the person who checks the work.
Our own masons
Our own crew of masons does the work at your house, and I check on it as it goes.
Mortar matched to old brick
On older houses we match mortar color and strength to the brick, so the repair wears the way the original did.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, and if it's unclear whether your job needs a county permit, we check before work starts.
The cause fixed, not just the crack
We find the cause before we patch, since a repair that only looks right on the last day isn't worth doing.
Easy to have at your house
We keep the work area tidy and clean up each day, so you're comfortable with our crew around your home.
Call about your Westgate masonry today
Our phones are open until 11 PM on weekdays and 9 PM on weekends, so you can call (561) 268-0285 after work and describe what you're seeing.
Other cities we work in
Pick another city from the list, or call (561) 268-0285 if yours isn't there, because we work in cities across Palm Beach County.