Craftsman Lansing Concrete and MasonryCraftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry

Masonry Contractor in East Lansing, MI - Brick Repairs That Fix the Cause

Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry repairs and builds brick, block and stone work for East Lansing homes, from crumbling chimneys and mortar joints to new walks and retaining walls. I come out myself and work alongside our crew.

Request a quote(517) 237-5922
Brick paver patio beside a stacked-stone outdoor bar with a lantern, grill, and nearby garage.
  • Licensed and fully insured.
  • Free on-site estimates.
  • We respond within 1 business day.

About East Lansing, MI

East Lansing sits right next door to us in Lansing, and a lot of our calls here come from the older neighborhoods close to campus. Those streets are full of brick houses with real chimneys, porches on brick piers and front walks that have been patched more than once, and plenty of them are rentals that see a lot of foot traffic.

Farther out, toward Haslett and Okemos, the houses get newer and the work shifts to block foundations, stone veneer and yard projects. Either way, the age of the house tells me what mortar it was built with, and that decides how we repair it so the new work doesn't fight the old.

Services in East Lansing, MI

  • Tuckpointing

    Older brick houses here often have joints washing out or patched with the wrong mix. With tuckpointing we grind out the bad joints and refill them with mortar matched to your brick.

  • Chimney repair

    Chimneys sit above the roof and take water from every side, so the cap and top rows of brick go first. We rebuild the loose brick and reseal the cap.

  • Brick repair

    Porch steps and piers on houses this age tend to spall, with the face of the brick flaking off. We swap in matching brick and deal with the water that broke it.

  • Retaining wall construction

    Sloped back yards need a wall that holds the soil without leaning out over time. We build on a packed base with drainage behind it, so water doesn't build up and push it.

  • Walkway construction

    Busy front walks near campus heave and crack until they're a trip hazard. We dig out the old walk, pack a proper base and lay a new one built to stay level.

  • Foundation repair

    Basement walls under East Lansing's older houses crack when water sits against them. We find where the water's coming from, then repair the wall so we're not patching the same crack twice.

What I check before we start a job in East Lansing

In East Lansing, building permits and inspections run through the city's Planning, Building & Housing Department, and if your house is in a historic district, exterior work also needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before it starts. Either one adds time ahead of the first day of work, so I check with the department for your address and we work out any paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel. The city also requires a licensed contractor when the work needs a permit and you're not doing it yourself, and we're licensed and fully insured.

We do the same work in Holt and back home in Lansing, but the streets near campus are tighter, with more parked cars and people walking by, so we plan where the truck, the mixer and the brick pallets go before day one. Your price moves with how much is really failing and how hard it is to reach, and the schedule mostly turns on any city review, so the estimate gives you your own number along with what I'd fix first and what can wait.

East Lansing, MI properties and local conditions

A lot of East Lansing's older houses were laid up with soft mortar, and over the years somebody patched them with a hard modern mix that's stronger than the brick around it. That patch holds while the brick next to it cracks and flakes, so when we repoint we match the mortar to the wall, not to whatever bag is handy.

Plenty of lots here send their water toward the house, the front walk or an old garden wall, and the water does the damage. I'd rather fix the grade or add a drain than rebuild a wall that's going to fail the same way.

Get a free on-site masonry estimate for your East Lansing home

Fill out the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your East Lansing house myself, look over the wall, chimney or yard, and give you a free on-site estimate with no obligation. It tells you what I'd fix first and what can wait.

What happens when you call us about masonry in East Lansing

  1. Call or send us photos

    Call (517) 237-5922 or send a few photos, and we'll set a time for me to come look. It helps if you're there so I can show you what I'm seeing.

  2. I look at it myself

    I come out, tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait. All of it goes into an estimate you can think over before you spend a dime.

  3. We sort paperwork, then build

    Once you say go, I check with the city on permits or historic review and we handle the paperwork with you, and when a review is needed, that's what sets the start date. Then I work on site with our crew while the job gets done.

  4. Clean up and walk through

    We clean up the site and haul off the old brick and mortar. Then we look it over together before we call it finished.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out if my masonry project needs a permit in East Lansing?

The surest way is to call the city's building department at (517) 319-6810, the number the city gives for any project that needs plans, permits or approvals. The city also keeps a chart of common one- and two-family projects and what each one requires. I check with them for your address before we start, so you're not guessing.

Does a retaining wall need a permit in East Lansing?

A retaining wall up to four feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, is on the city's list of projects that don't need a permit unless it supports a surcharge, extra weight like a driveway or a slope above it. Go taller or add that kind of load and it's off the exempt list, so we take it to the city first.

How do I know if I need a soil erosion permit for yard work in East Lansing?

You need one when the earth change is over 6,000 square feet, or over 225 square feet when the work is within 500 feet of a lake, stream or drainage course. The city's grading and soil erosion rules are stricter than the state's, with a few minor exceptions, so a long retaining wall or regrade near water can cross that line sooner than you'd think. I measure the area we'll disturb at the estimate so we know before any digging starts.

Who do I call about the public sidewalk or driveway approach in East Lansing?

Questions about the public sidewalk or the driveway approach go to the city's Department of Public Works at (517) 337-9459. If we're redoing your walk or driveway, I'll point out where your part ends and the city's begins so nobody's surprised.

How much does masonry repair cost in East Lansing?

Your price comes from what's on your house, and I'll put a number on it once I've seen it in person. Matching old brick and mortar, working up on a chimney and fixing the water problem behind a crack all add cost, while spot repairs on a wall that's mostly sound keep it down. If part of the job can wait, I'll say so.

What building code does East Lansing use for masonry work?

The city states that projects currently have to comply with the 2015 Michigan Residential Code, and it inspects permitted work against that code. When your job needs a permit, we build it to that code and leave room in the schedule for the inspection.

Service areas

Explore the services

Lansing, MI

Tell us about your East Lansing masonry project

Call (517) 237-5922 or use the form, because I'd rather tell you a repair can wait than sell you one you don't need.

Request a quote(517) 237-5922
(517) 237-5922Request a quote