Concrete block walls in Lansing MI - walls built to hold back soil and water
Planning a basement, or stuck with a leaking block wall? We build on a solid footing, then seal and drain it before it's buried.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What goes into a concrete block wall that holds up?
A concrete block wall in Lansing is usually the basement or foundation wall your house sits on, built of block on a concrete footing set below the frost depth so freezing soil can't heave it. Built right, it holds back the ground around your basement and keeps water on the outside.
Most people who call us about block walls are putting in a basement for a new house or an addition, or looking at an old wall that's cracked, bowed or letting water in, and if it's the old one, I'll tell you straight whether it needs foundation repair or a rebuild. The price mostly comes down to how long and tall the wall is, how much digging the site needs, which coating and drainage the wall calls for and how much old wall has to come out first. The schedule turns on the dig, the footing, the weather and getting the wall braced or the floor framed before the soil goes back. Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry is based in Lansing and works across the cities around it, and once I've seen your site I'll put your own numbers in an estimate, with what I'd do first and what can wait.
How we build a concrete block wall
We dig out, form and pour a concrete footing below the frost depth so freezing soil can't heave the wall, then lay the block on it. On the outside we put on a parge coat, a smooth layer of mortar that fills the holes in the block face, because the dampproofing or waterproofing needs a clean surface to hold onto. Then the drainage goes in at the footing. The coating and drainage get checked before any dirt is pushed back in, because fixing that work later is a mess and costs a lot more, so we don't rush that step, and if you want to see it before it's covered, that's the time. Last, the wall gets braced or the first floor goes on before backfill, the soil pushed back against it, because a wall built to be held at the top can crack or even fail if the soil pushes on it first.
If the whole house or an addition needs a new foundation, our foundation block wall installation work handles it from the first dig to the top course. Block makes a good base outdoors too, and outdoor kitchen masonry starts the same way, with a footing and a block core under the grill and counters.
New basement walls
This suits a new house or an addition where you're starting from an open dig. We build the whole wall in order, so nothing gets covered before it's been checked.
Replacing a failed section
This is for a wall that's cracked, bowed or leaking past the point where a repair makes sense. We take out the bad section, look at what caused it and rebuild on sound footing so the same problem doesn't come back with the new block.
Block walls above ground
Garage and outbuilding walls fall here, where you'll see the block every day. We keep the joints clean and even, because on these walls the finish counts as much as the strength.
Concrete block wall permits and work in Lansing
In Lansing, the city's Building Safety Office checks construction against the state's building codes, and that office decides whether your wall needs a permit. I won't guess at that from the driveway. Before work starts I check with the office that covers your address, and if the job needs a permit we work out the paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel. If you'd rather handle the application yourself, the city's front office will help you with it in person. One note for landlords is that the city counts buildings with three or more units as commercial, so if your wall is on a larger rental, mention that when you ask.
A lot of our block wall calls around Lansing come from older houses with basement walls that are cracking or taking on water, and from families adding on, and we see the same mix on jobs in East Lansing and Holt. Either way, the wall gets built in the same order, with the outside checked before it's covered.
Why Lansing homeowners call Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry for block walls
I give the estimate myself
I come out to look at the wall and the site, and I work on site alongside our crew while the job gets built. The person who told you what your wall needs is the one making sure it gets done that way.
Licensed, insured and easy to check
We're licensed and fully insured. Michigan's maintenance and alteration contractor license lists concrete, masonry and basement waterproofing among its trades and names the ones each holder is qualified for, so it's fair to ask any contractor which trades theirs covers.
Straight answers on what can wait
If part of your wall is fine for now, I'll tell you that instead of selling you a rebuild. We'd rather fix the reason a wall is failing than patch the part you can see from the driveway.
In business since 2023
I learned the trade on other crews, then took weekend jobs for neighbors rebuilding steps and pointing chimneys until the calls turned it into a full-time business in 2023. That's three years of running our own jobs, start to finish.
On a block wall, the work that counts most is the part you'll never see again once the dirt is back. If you're planning one or worried about the one you have, send us a few details and I'll come take a look.
Request a quoteGet a free estimate for your concrete block wall
We respond within one business day to set up a time for me to come out and look at the site. The estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation. It's yours to think over before you decide anything.
What happens after you call about a block wall
Call or send photos
Call (517) 237-5922 or send a few photos through the form. We'll set a time for me to come out to your place.
I look at the wall
I tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait. Then I put it in an estimate, so you know the cost and what it covers before you decide.
We sort paperwork and build
Once you say go, we take care of any paperwork, then dig, build and coat the wall. The coating and drainage get checked before the soil goes back.
Clean up and walk through
We clean up the site when the wall's done. Then we look it over with you before we call it finished.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a concrete block wall cost in Lansing?
The cost of a block wall comes from its length and height, the digging, the coating and drainage it needs and any old wall that has to come out, so I give a number only after I've seen your site. Replacing a wall under a standing house usually takes more work than building one in an open dig, and waterproofing usually costs more than dampproofing. The estimate lays out what I'd do first and what can wait.
Do I need dampproofing or waterproofing on my basement block wall?
Dampproofing is usually enough when water drains well through loose, granular fill against the wall down to a drain below. Heavy clay or a high water table can push water against the wall, and then waterproofing is worth weighing, because it stretches and spans small cracks. I'll tell you which one I'd use once I've seen your lot.
Why does drainage matter around a block wall in a cold climate like Michigan?
Drainage matters because water held in the soil against the wall can freeze and lift the ground, which is frost heave. In cold climates, building guidance calls loose, free-draining fill or a drainage mat on the outside of the wall, plus a drain pipe at the footing, critical to prevent it.
What causes a stair-step crack in a concrete block wall?
A stair-step crack running along the mortar joints usually comes from settlement, where weak or poorly packed soil lets part of the foundation sink. The fix starts with why the soil moved, not with the crack itself. Send a photo and I'll tell you what I see.
Are small cracks in a concrete block wall a structural problem?
Small shrinkage cracks in block are a looks issue, not a structural one. On walls above ground, crack-control steps are typically built in where looks, water getting in or air leaks matter. A stair-step pattern is a different story, covered above.
How do I apply for a building permit in Lansing?
To apply for a permit in Lansing, print the city's application and send it to Ann Garza at the Building Safety Office. If you get stuck, the city's front office will help you with it in person. If we're building your wall, I check with the office before work starts, as noted above.
Other work that goes with a block wall
Foundation block wall installation
If you're building a new house or adding on and need the whole foundation laid in block, this covers the footing, walls and water protection as one planned job.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
When you want a grill station, counter or bar out back, a block base gives it a solid core, and we finish it with brick, stone or veneer to match your house.
Lansing, MI
Tell us about your block wall project
Have the wall's purpose, rough size, where it sits on your property and any cracks or water trouble ready when you call (517) 237-5922 or fill out the form, so the first visit gets right to the point.