Craftsman Lansing Concrete and MasonryCraftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry

Masonry contractor in Mason, MI - repairs that fix the cause, not just the crack

Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lansing that repairs chimneys, foundations, brick and block walls in Mason, and builds new walls, walkways and paver driveways for homeowners here.

Request a quote(517) 237-5922
Stone fire pit with a burning fire sits before a curved built-in stone bench on a paved patio.
  • Licensed and fully insured.
  • Free on-site estimates.
  • We respond within 1 business day.

About Mason, MI

Mason is a small city south of us, with an older core around downtown and newer neighborhoods out toward the edges. Close in, we see older houses with brick chimneys, block or stone foundations and front steps that have been patched more than once. Farther out the houses are newer, with block or poured basements, brick fronts and paver walks and patios, a lot like what we see in Holt.

Both kinds of houses sit on ground that holds water and freezes hard. On the older homes that shows up as loose mortar and tired chimneys, and on the newer ones as walks and walls that heaved because the base under them was too thin, so a lot of our work here starts below what you can see.

Services in Mason, MI

  • Chimney repair

    Chimneys on older Mason houses take the most weather, so the crown and the top rows of brick go first. We rebuild what's loose and reset the crown so water stops getting in.

  • Foundation repair

    Wet soil that freezes pushes on Mason basement walls, and a stair-step crack in block is the usual sign. We track down the water first, then repair the wall.

  • Tuckpointing

    On older brick houses here, mortar joints wear out decades before the brick does. We grind out the failing joints and refill them with mortar matched to the old brick.

  • Fireplace installation

    Plenty of newer Mason houses went without a fireplace, and owners ask us to add one. Our fireplace installation starts with a concrete footing, so that weight sits on its own base.

  • Retaining wall construction

    Where a Mason yard slopes, wet soil behind a wall pushes on it all winter. We build on a packed stone base with drainage behind it, so water has a way out.

  • Walkway construction

    Front walks on older Mason houses often heave after years on a thin base. We dig out, pack a deeper base and slope the walk so water runs off.

What to know before masonry work starts in Mason

In Michigan, the building permit comes from whichever code office enforces the building code where you live, and that can be the state, the county or the city, so the first thing I do on a Mason job is find out which one covers your address. The state keeps a list of who enforces the code where and suggests checking it before anyone applies. If your job needs a permit, you or someone acting for you, like your builder, applies in writing with the fee that office sets, we work out that paperwork with you, and the work waits until it's in hand. On licenses, anyone building a house needs a Residential Builder license from the state's licensing department, and for repair and alteration work the state license names the contractor's craft, such as masonry, so ask which one your contractor holds. We're licensed and fully insured.

Price on a Mason job mostly comes down to how much has to come apart to reach the cause, how hard the spot is to get to, like a chimney top on a steep roof, and whether we have to match old brick and mortar so the repair doesn't stand out. The schedule turns on any permit the job needs and on the season, since mortar doesn't set right in freezing weather. Your own figure comes in the estimate, after I've seen the job. Mason is a short run down US-127 from Lansing, and we do the same kind of work in Grand Ledge and Charlotte, so the houses here don't surprise us.

Mason, MI properties and local conditions

Freezing and thawing do most of the damage we see in Mason. Water gets into soft mortar, a cracked chimney crown or the gap between a step and the house, then freezes and pushes everything apart a little more each winter. That's why crumbling joints, loose brick at the top of a chimney and steps pulling away from the house are the calls we get here. We fix where the water gets in first, because new mortar on a wall that stays wet just fails again.

Some lots here sit low, and that matters for anything below ground level. FEMA counts any place with a 1% or higher chance of flooding in a year as high risk, which works out to at least a one-in-four chance over a 30-year mortgage. If your house is in a mapped flood area, I plan a basement wall or retaining wall for water sitting against it, with drainage to match.

Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Mason

Tell us about the job in the form, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Mason house myself, look at the wall, chimney or yard, and give you a free estimate with no obligation to go ahead.

What happens when you call us about a Mason job

  1. Call or send a few photos

    Call (517) 237-5922 or use the form, and send a few photos if you can. Then we set a time for me to come out to Mason.

  2. I come out and look

    I look at the wall, the chimney or the yard myself, and you're welcome to walk it with me. I tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait, so you're not paying for work you don't need yet.

  3. Think over the estimate

    You get the estimate to think over on your own time. Once you say go, we sort out any permit or paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel.

  4. Do the work and walk it

    Our crew does the work with me on site alongside them, and we clean up when it's done. Before we call it finished, we look it over together.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for masonry repair in Mason, MI?

Under Michigan rules, ordinary repairs don't need a building permit, but structural work can. Cutting away part of a wall, removing a beam or a bearing support, or changing a required exit doesn't count as an ordinary repair, and rebuilding part of a foundation or chimney can land there. I check with the office that covers your address before we start.

How do I check a trade license in Michigan before I hire someone?

Anyone can look up a boiler, electrical, mechanical or plumbing license through the state's Verify a License tool. That matters on a job like a gas fireplace or an outdoor kitchen with power, where the gas or wiring work needs its own licensed trade. For the masonry side, ask the contractor which state license they hold.

Where do I find the flood map for my house in Mason?

Your official flood map is on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, the official public source for flood hazard information under the federal flood insurance program. Check it online instead of trusting an old printout, because newer maps can replace what was downloaded or printed before. If your lot shows a flood zone, tell me before I look at a basement or retaining wall.

How much does chimney or brick repair cost in Mason, MI?

Your price comes in the estimate after I've seen the job, because the cause is often somewhere other than the crack you can see. Pointing a few loose joints costs far less than rebuilding a chimney top, and catching it before another winter usually keeps it on the smaller side. The estimate is free.

How do I know if a crack in my basement wall needs repair?

A thin crack that isn't growing can usually wait, but a stair-step crack in block, a wall bowing inward or a crack that lets water through should be looked at soon. Mark the ends of the crack in pencil with the date, and if it's longer after a season of freezing and thawing, call. I'll tell you straight if yours can wait.

When is the best time of year for masonry work in Mason, MI?

Late spring through early fall is the easiest stretch, because mortar needs steady temperatures above freezing while it sets. We can do some work in colder weather by covering and protecting it, but a chimney top or a long wall usually goes better when the weather is mild.

Service areas

Explore the services

Lansing, MI

Tell us about your Mason masonry job

Send a few photos through the form and I'll know what I'm walking up to before I get to your house.

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