Craftsman Lansing Concrete and MasonryCraftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry

Masonry contractor in Grand Ledge, MI - brick, stone and walls fixed at the cause

Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lansing, MI. In Grand Ledge, we repair crumbling mortar, cracked walls and chimneys, and we build retaining walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens.

Request a quote(517) 237-5922
Gray-sided house with a stone veneer foundation and a curved concrete walkway through landscaped beds.
  • Licensed and fully insured.
  • Free on-site estimates.
  • We respond within 1 business day.

About Grand Ledge, MI

Grand Ledge is a river city, with the Grand River running through downtown and sandstone ledges along its banks. On our jobs here we see older brick houses near downtown and newer houses on bigger lots as you head out, so one week can mean pointing up an old chimney and the next setting a block wall in a backyard.

It's a short drive from our base in Lansing, and a lot of the work here comes down to grade. Where a yard slopes toward the river, a wall or a walk has to handle that slope, so we plan the drainage before we set the first block.

Services in Grand Ledge, MI

  • Tuckpointing

    Older brick houses near downtown Grand Ledge have mortar joints worn back or crumbling. We grind out the bad mortar and repack the joints with a mix that suits the old brick.

  • Chimney repair

    Chimneys on older houses here often have loose brick and a cracked crown. We reset the brick and redo the crown, the concrete cap on top, so water stops getting inside.

  • Retaining wall construction

    Yards that slope toward the river need a wall that holds the grade and lets water through. We build on a packed base with drainage behind the wall so it can stay straight.

  • Foundation repair

    When water sits against a foundation after rain, block walls crack and basements leak. We repair the wall and go after the water that caused it, not just the crack.

  • Stone veneer installation

    Many houses here show bare block or poured concrete along the foundation. Our stone veneer installation goes over a backing with a drainage gap, so water behind the stone can drain out.

  • Walkway construction

    Front walks here often sink or tip toward the house, which sends water the wrong way. We rebuild them on a packed base pitched away from the foundation.

What to know before masonry work in Grand Ledge

Inside Grand Ledge city limits, building permits for residential buildings over 200 square feet come from the Eaton County Construction Codes Department, and the county handles trade permits there too. The city has its own forms that come before the county application, so a job that needs both has an extra step at the start, and I check with the offices that cover your address before we set a date. If someone is building a residential structure, the state licensing department requires a Residential Builders license, with some exceptions in state law, so ask any contractor what state license they hold. We're licensed and fully insured.

Price here turns on what's actually failing and why, how much of it there is, how easy it is to reach, and how closely new brick or stone has to match the old. Lots near downtown and the river can be tight, and when we have to carry material in by hand, that adds labor. The schedule mostly depends on that permit step and the size of the job, and when I come out, I'll tell you what I'd fix first and what can wait. We do the same kind of work in Saint Johns and the other cities around Lansing.

Grand Ledge, MI properties and local conditions

Some properties in Grand Ledge take on a lot of water when it rains or snows, and on a house that water ends up against the foundation, under the front steps or behind a retaining wall. Over time it pushes walls out of line, washes the base out from under walks and soaks old brick until it starts coming apart. When we fix one of these, we find where the water comes from first, because a new wall that still sits in water just fails again.

A lot of the older houses here have mortar that's simply worn out, soft and sunk back from the face of the brick. We repoint with mortar softer than the brick so the joint wears instead of the brick, and if a wall can go a few more years, I'll tell you.

Get a free on-site masonry estimate for your Grand Ledge home

Send the form with a few photos if you have them, and we reply within one business day. I come out to Grand Ledge myself, look at the wall, chimney or yard, and give you a free estimate with no obligation.

How it works when you call us about a Grand Ledge job

  1. Call or send us photos

    Call (517) 237-5922 or use the form, and a few photos help me see what I'm walking into. Then we set a time for me to come out.

  2. I look at it myself

    I walk the job and tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait. You get it in an estimate you can take your time with.

  3. Paperwork first, then the work

    Once you say go, we sort out any city forms and county permits with you before work starts. I'm on site working alongside our crew while the job gets done.

  4. Clean up and walk through

    We clean up the site when the work is done. Then we look it over together before we call it finished.

Frequently asked questions

How much does masonry repair cost in Grand Ledge, MI?

Your cost comes down to what's failing, how much of it there is and how hard it is to get to. Tearing out a wall that's already moving, matching old brick or adding city and county paperwork raises it, while catching worn mortar before the brick goes soft keeps it down. I'll give you the number on site, with the urgent work split from what can wait.

What do I need from the City of Grand Ledge before a county building permit?

You need the city's Zoning & DPS Referral Form first for new construction, accessory structures, additions, porches, exterior alterations and anything else that changes a building's footprint. You'll find it through the city's building department, and the county application comes after it. If your project needs it, we fill it out with you before anything else happens.

How do I get approval to redo the walkway or driveway apron by the curb in Grand Ledge?

Work in the city right-of-way, which includes the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb, needs a City Right-of-Way Permit. You get it from the city before you apply for a county building permit, if the job needs one. If your new walk or pavers reach that strip, we plan for the permit before we set a start date.

Does tuckpointing or brick repair need a permit in Grand Ledge?

State guidance says ordinary repairs don't need a building permit, and cutting into walls or beams, changing required exits or moving piping or wiring doesn't count as ordinary. Before we start, I check your specific job with the county, so you know where it falls before we start, not after.

How do I build a retaining wall in Grand Ledge without sending water onto my neighbor's yard?

Plan where the water goes before the wall goes up, because the city says it's unlawful to divert, block or concentrate natural water flow onto another property. A wall or raised patio changes how water crosses a lot, so we put drainage behind the wall and aim the outlet along the path the water already took.

Who can pull an electrical permit for an outdoor kitchen in Grand Ledge?

A licensed electrical or specialty contractor can, and so can a homeowner working on a single family home they own and live in or will live in. The state requires a permit to add or change electrical wiring or equipment, which covers outlets and lights in an outdoor kitchen. We build the masonry and leave room for the wiring, and whoever pulls that permit does the electrical work.

Service areas

Explore the services

Lansing, MI

Plan your Grand Ledge masonry project with us

Send a few photos today, and on the first visit I can tell you whether the job is urgent or can wait.

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