Craftsman Lansing Concrete and MasonryCraftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry

Masonry contractor in Lansing, MI - fixing winter-worn brick and block

Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lansing, MI. We repair foundations, chimneys, brick and mortar across the city and build retaining walls and walks, fixing the cause instead of the crack.

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 Lansing, MI

Lansing is home, and it's where a lot of our calls come from. The neighborhoods closer to downtown have plenty of older brick and frame houses with chimneys, front steps and block or stone foundations that have been through a lot of winters. Farther out, you see more ranches and newer homes with poured basements and paver patios. With the capital downtown and Michigan State right next door in East Lansing, there's a good share of rentals and multi-unit buildings in the mix too.

That spread changes the job. On the older houses we're usually repairing mortar, brick and foundations that have earned their wear, and on newer lots it's more often walls, walks and a yard that drains the wrong way.

Services in Lansing, MI

  • Foundation repair

    Basement walls here sit in ground that freezes and soaks every year, so cracks and seepage are common calls. Our foundation repair starts by finding why the wall moved, then fixing that.

  • Chimney repair

    Older Lansing chimneys take the worst of the weather above the roofline, so crowns crack and top bricks loosen first. We rebuild what's failed and redo the crown so water stays out.

  • Tuckpointing

    On older brick houses the mortar wears out before the brick, and open joints let water in each winter. We grind out failed joints and repoint with mortar that suits your brick.

  • Brick repair

    Bricks that flake or pop their faces have usually soaked up water and frozen. We find where the water's getting in, then cut out the damaged brick and match the replacement.

  • Retaining wall construction

    Sloped yards and settled grade push soil against old landscape walls until they lean. We build retaining walls on a packed base with drainage behind them so water doesn't push them over.

  • Walkway construction

    Front walks and steps here heave and crack when frost lifts them. We dig out to a solid base and build walks that shed water away from the house.

How a masonry job in Lansing gets from estimate to start

Inside city limits, the City of Lansing issues building permits for construction and remodeling through its Building Safety Office, and a permit has to be in hand before that work begins. If your job needs one, the start date waits on it. Before we start anything, I check with the office that covers your address, and if there's a permit or a historic district review, we work out the paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel. If you want to ask about a contractor's business license, the city sends those questions to the City Clerk. We're licensed and fully insured.

Price on a masonry job here mostly comes down to what's behind the damage you can see, how much has to come apart to reach it, how high or hard to reach the work is and whether old brick has to be matched. The schedule turns on any permit, the weather and how much rebuilding the cause takes, and your estimate is where you get the figure for your own house. If a driveway or walk ties into the city sidewalk or street, the city's Public Service Department has information on right-of-way permits, and I'll look into that with you. The same kind of work takes us west into Waverly and south into Holt.

Lansing, MI properties and local conditions

Lansing winters are the biggest thing working against your masonry. Water gets into brick, mortar and concrete, freezes and pushes it apart a little more each cycle, and salt from roads and sidewalks speeds that up on steps, walks and driveway edges. So when we repair a step or a chimney crown, we find where the water is coming from first, whether that's a gutter, a bad slope or an open joint, because patching the crack alone usually means it opens up again.

The other driver is age. A lot of houses in the city have block or stone foundations and brick that have outlasted their original mortar, and once the joints go, water finds the gaps. I'd rather repoint a wall now than rebuild it later, and I'll tell you when a wall can wait another season.

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

We reply within one business day, and I come out to your Lansing house myself to look at the job. You get a free estimate that says what I'd fix first and what can wait, with no obligation to go ahead.

What happens after you call us in Lansing

  1. Call or send a few photos

    Call (517) 237-5922 or use the form, and add a few photos of the crack, chimney or yard if you can. That lets me see what I'm walking into before we set a time to come out.

  2. I come out and look

    I come to your house myself, look at the wall, chimney or yard and tell you what I see. Your estimate separates what needs fixing now from what can wait, so you can think it over without pressure.

  3. We sort permits, then build

    Once you say go, I check with the city on any permit, and we handle that paperwork with you before work starts. I'm on site with our crew while the job gets done.

  4. Clean up and walk through

    We clean up and look the work over with you before we call it finished. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for a building permit in Lansing?

Homeowners print the city's permit application and send it to the Building Safety Office, which is open Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, at 517-483-4355. If your masonry job needs one, I'll go over the application with you so it's done before we schedule the work.

Which permit covers the gas line for an outdoor kitchen in Lansing?

In Lansing, gas piping falls under a mechanical permit, and lighting fixtures fall under an electrical permit. We build the masonry, meaning the base, counters and grill surround, and the gas and electrical work belongs to licensed trades.

How do I check a contractor's trade license in Michigan?

Use the state's Verify a License tool, which checks electrical, mechanical, plumbing and boiler licenses, among others. It's the check to run on whoever does the gas, wiring or plumbing on a job like an outdoor kitchen or fireplace, and business license questions go to the City Clerk.

Is a triplex in Lansing treated as a commercial building for permits?

Yes, for city permits Lansing counts a building with three or more dwelling units as a commercial building. If you own a triplex or something bigger, tell me when you call so I check the right requirements with the city before we plan the work.

How much does masonry repair cost in Lansing?

There's no fair number until someone looks, because the same crack can mean a few joints to repoint or a foundation wall that's moved. Chimney height and roof pitch, matching old brick, digging along a foundation and any permit all add to the price, and I'll tell you on site which parts can wait. Call (517) 237-5922 and I'll come take a look.

What is the best time of year for masonry work in Lansing?

Late spring through fall is usually best, because mortar and concrete need temperatures above freezing while they cure, and Lansing winters don't give us that reliably. Winter is still a good time to call, since I can look at the damage, put the estimate together and get any permit sorted so work can start when the weather turns.

Service areas

Explore the services

Lansing, MI

Tell us about your Lansing masonry project

Call (517) 237-5922 or send photos now, because a crack caught before the next freeze is usually a smaller fix than the same crack next spring.

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