Craftsman Lansing Concrete and MasonryCraftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry

Masonry Contractor in Owosso, MI - Older Brick and Block Fixed at the Source

Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Owosso, MI. We repair chimneys, mortar and cracked foundation walls and build walkways and retaining walls, fixing what's causing the damage, not just what shows.

Request a quote(517) 237-5922
Stone outdoor kitchen island with grill and bar seating stands on a paved patio with outdoor chairs.
  • Licensed and fully insured.
  • Free on-site estimates.
  • We respond within 1 business day.

About Owosso, MI

Owosso holds on to its old places. Curwood Castle and the Hoddy House are still preserved here, and the Steam Railroading Institute shows what it takes to keep steam-era railroad equipment running, on the site of the old Ann Arbor Railroad steam shops. A lot of homeowners we meet here feel the same way about their houses and would rather fix old brick than cover it up.

As a masonry contractor based in Lansing, MI, we take the same kind of calls in Owosso that we do in Saint Johns, mostly crumbling mortar, tired chimneys and block foundations that have been patched before. On houses this age, matching the old brick and finding out why a joint failed matter more than how fast a patch goes on.

Services in Owosso, MI

  • Tuckpointing

    Older brick homes here often have joints that crumble under a finger. We grind them out to solid mortar and repack them so water stays out of the wall.

  • Chimney repair

    On older Owosso houses, a cracked chimney cap lets water run down inside the brick. We rebuild the loose brick up top and pour a new cap that sheds water.

  • Foundation block wall installation

    When an old block basement wall has bowed past saving, patching it only buys time. We dig out, take it down and lay a new foundation block wall on a sound footing.

  • Retaining wall construction

    Plenty of yards here have an old timber or stacked-stone wall that's started to lean. We build new retaining walls with drainage gravel behind them, because trapped water pushes most walls over.

  • Walkway construction

    Old front walks here are often cracked or heaved slabs that catch a toe. We dig out, pack a proper base and lay brick, stone or concrete on it.

  • Masonry restoration

    Owners of older brick homes here usually want the house to look like itself after the work. We restore worn brick and stone, matching the old mortar color and joint shape.

Permits, licenses and pricing for masonry work in Owosso

Homes in Owosso get their building permits from the city's Building Department. Its permits cover work to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or tear down a building or structure, and no work starts until the application is filed with the city, so when a job needs one, that filing goes first on the schedule. If a contractor applies, the city's form asks for a copy of their state license, so ask anyone you're thinking of hiring to show you theirs. We're licensed and fully insured, and before work starts I check with the city about your address and work out any paperwork with you first.

Price here comes down to what the job really is once I look closely: how deep the mortar damage goes, whether old brick has to be matched, how much digging a wall or foundation needs, and whether the water causing it has to be fixed too. The schedule turns on the permit, if your job needs one, and on how much has to come down before it goes back up. Owosso is a drive from Lansing, much like Jackson, so we bring what the job needs and plan full days on site instead of running back and forth. Your estimate is where you get the number for your own house.

Owosso, MI properties and local conditions

A lot of older brick in Owosso has already been patched once, often with a hard modern mortar on brick that was laid in a softer mix. That hard mortar won't give, so the brick takes the stress and starts to crack and flake at the edges. We look at what was there first and repoint with a mix that suits the brick, because the joint should wear out before the brick does.

Block basement walls under older houses tend to show stair-step cracks or a slow lean inward. Most of the time water is behind it, from gutters that empty at the corners or ground that slopes toward the house, and I'll show you that before we touch the wall, because new block with the same water against it usually ends up in the same shape.

Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Owosso

We reply within one business day to set up a visit, and I come out to your Owosso house myself to look at the work. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.

What happens when you call us about a job in Owosso

  1. Call or send us photos

    Call (517) 237-5922 or send a few photos through the form so I get a first look at the wall, chimney or yard. Then we set a time for me to come out to Owosso.

  2. I come out and look

    I look the job over myself and tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait. That goes into a free estimate you can think over, and if part of it can wait, I'll say so.

  3. Paperwork first, then the work

    Once you say go, we sort out any paperwork with the city first, then do the work. I'm on site working alongside our crew while the job gets done.

  4. Clean up and walk through

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

Frequently asked questions

Does tuckpointing or brick repair need a permit in Owosso?

Ordinary repairs need no application or notice to the city's building official, but cutting into walls, structural beams or load-bearing supports doesn't count as an ordinary repair. Where your job falls on that line is the real question, so I check it with the city for your address before we start.

Do I need a permit for a brick fence in Owosso?

A fence not more than 7 feet high needs no building permit on the city's posted list of exempt work. The fence rules themselves sit in the city's zoning ordinance, so we check a brick or stone fence against those before we lay it out.

Do I need a separate permit for a gas fireplace or outdoor kitchen in Owosso?

Yes, installing, altering or replacing a regulated gas, electrical, mechanical or plumbing system needs a permit of its own in Owosso. The city also notes that separate electrical, mechanical or plumbing permits may be needed to finish a project, so we plan the masonry around those trades' permits and inspections.

How much does masonry repair cost in Owosso, MI?

The biggest swing in price is whether your wall or chimney can be repaired or has to come down and be rebuilt. Pointing up joints costs far less than relaying a bowed block wall, and fixing the water behind a crack adds to the job but usually saves you from paying for the same repair twice. Send a few photos through the form and I'll come take a look.

How long does a building permit last in Owosso, MI?

A City of Owosso residential permit stays valid for 6 months, and it closes if no inspections are performed. We plan the work so inspections happen inside that window, which matters most on bigger jobs like a foundation wall where the work runs in stages.

How do I know if my Owosso project needs a soil erosion or floodplain permit?

For house and garage permits, the city's site plan checklist lists a soil erosion permit from Shiawassee County. The same checklist says an MDEQ floodplain permit is required for all work in a flood zone, land the river can flood, so tell me if you know your lot is in one and we'll go through it before anything gets dug.

Service areas

Explore the services

Lansing, MI

Get your Owosso masonry problem looked at

An early look tells you whether it's a small repair now or something that can safely wait.

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