Stone masonry in Lansing MI - repairs that match the old stone and let it dry
Crumbling joints, loose stones or a wall that stays damp? We fix the cause and repoint so the wall dries out and stays put.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Does your stone wall need repointing or a rebuild?
Stone masonry is building and repairing walls, steps and foundations made of natural stone, and in Lansing most of our stone work is repointing, where we clear out worn mortar and pack the joints with new. Done right, it keeps an old stone wall solid without replacing the stone itself.
Most people call when mortar is falling out as sand, a stone has worked loose, or a wall stays damp long after the rain stops. What you pay turns on how much of the wall needs work, how deep the joints have failed, whether stones have to come out and be reset, and how hard the wall is to reach. The schedule depends on the weather, since fresh mortar needs mild days to cure, and on whether the job needs a permit first. When I come out, I'll tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait, so you know where your money should go.
How we do stone masonry repair
I start by finding out why the wall is failing, because a gutter dumping on the stone or soil piled against it will wreck new mortar the same way it wrecked the old. Then we take out the worn mortar carefully so the stone edges don't chip, reset any stones that have worked loose, and pack the joints and shape them to look like the old ones. On older stone we use mortar that lets the wall dry out the way it was built to, and when the stone needs cleaning we go gentle with water and a brush instead of blasting it.
Stone work often runs into the work next to it. If the house itself is brick, the same worn joints call for brick pointing, and if the stone wall is your foundation and it's bowing or cracked through, that's foundation repair, which I'll want to sort out before we touch the joints.
Repairing the stone you have
This suits older houses with stone foundations, porch piers, steps or garden walls where the stone is still sound but the mortar is giving out. Keeping the original stone and repointing it is usually the least work for the most life left in the wall.
Building new with natural stone
This suits a new garden wall, set of steps or planter you want built from real stone, laid dry or set in mortar depending on the look and what it has to hold. Dry-laid stone has a looser, rustic look, while mortared stone looks tighter and more finished.
What to know about stone masonry in Lansing
In Lansing, the city's Building Safety Office issues building permits, and a permit is required before construction or remodeling begins. Whether your stone job needs one depends on the work, so before we start I check with the office that covers your address, and if it does, we work out the paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel. That step matters because when work that needs a permit starts first, the city makes a special investigation and adds a fee to the permit fee, whether or not a permit is issued.
A lot of the stone we work on here is on older houses, in foundations, porch piers and low garden walls, and the trouble usually starts with water. Ivy and shrubs growing against the wall hold damp in and block it from drying, so we clear them back before we repoint. We see the same older stone on jobs in East Lansing and Okemos.
Why Lansing homeowners call Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry for stone work
The owner prices it and works it
I come out to look at the job and give the estimate myself, then I work on site alongside our crew while it gets done. The person who told you what the wall needs is the one making sure it gets it.
Licensed and fully insured masons
We're licensed and fully insured. Michigan's license lists masonry among its trades and names the trade each holder is qualified for, so ask to see a license that names masonry work before you hire anyone.
Full time since 2023
I started out doing weekend side jobs for neighbors, rebuilding steps and pointing up old chimneys, and made it a full time masonry business in 2023. Three years in, I'd still rather tell you a wall can wait than sell you work you don't need.
Mortar matched to your wall
Lansing's guidelines for older buildings advise new mortar that matches the old in color, texture and strength, and that's what we aim for when we mix ours. When you compare bids, ask each mason how they plan to make that match.
Old stone holds up for a very long time as long as the mortar wears out first and the water has somewhere to go. Call (517) 237-5922 or send a few photos through our contact page, and I'll come take a look.
Request a quoteGet a stone masonry estimate from the person who does the work
We reply within one business day, and the estimate is free, done on site and comes with no obligation. Send a few photos with your message, and I'll set a time to come look at the wall myself.
What happens after you call about stone work in Lansing?
Call or send a few photos
Call (517) 237-5922 or use the form, and send photos of the wall, any cracks and any damp spots if you can. That lets me see what I'm walking into before I come out.
I look at the wall myself
I tell you what I see, what I'd fix first and what can wait, then put it in an estimate you can think over. You don't have to do everything at once, and I'll say so when something can wait.
We do the work and check it
Once you say go, we sort out any paperwork, do the work and clean up after ourselves. Then we look it over with you before we call it finished.
Frequently asked questions
What does stone veneer cost in Lansing?
Installing stone veneer in Lansing usually costs about $2,500 to $9,000 per job. That's the going range around here, not our price, and where your job lands depends on the size of the wall, the stone you pick and how much prep the wall behind it needs. The on-site estimate gives you your own number.
Why does the mortar between stones need repointing?
Mortar is meant to wear out before the stone does, and once it crumbles, water stays in the wall instead of moving out and drying off. Sound joints let that moisture escape, which is what keeps the stones from getting damaged. Masonry lasts a long time with little upkeep, but every mortar joint needs repointing eventually, so on an older stone wall it's normal upkeep, not a sign something went wrong.
Why do stone retaining walls fail?
Most retaining walls fail because water builds up behind them and pushes, which is why Colorado State University extension guidance says every wall should drain. When you compare quotes, ask whether each one includes gravel backfill or drainage blankets and drain pipes to carry that water away. For dry-laid stone walls, the same guidance puts the largest, steadiest stones on the bottom and says the base may need to be as wide as the wall is tall, so plan for how much yard it will take.
How do I apply for a building permit in Lansing?
You can print the city's permit application and email it to its residential contact, or get help in person at the Building Safety front office. The office reviews building plans to check that they meet the Michigan Building Code. If we're doing your job, we work that out with you before we start.
How do I remove old mortar without damaging the stone?
On historic masonry, federal preservation guidance says taking old mortar out by hand with chisels and a mash hammer, a short heavy hammer masons use, poses the least threat of damage in most cases and gives the best final result. It's slow, labor-intensive work, which is a big part of what repointing an old wall costs. Power tools are faster, but on soft old stone one slip can chip an edge you can't put back.
What causes stone veneer to fail?
Water getting in is the most common cause of failure in adhered stone veneer, according to one veneer maker's installation guide. Adhered veneer is thin stone set onto the face of a wall, so the wall behind it has to stay dry. If you're choosing veneer, ask the installer exactly how they'll keep water out of the wall behind it.
Other work that often goes with stone repair
Brick pointing
If the walls you're worried about are brick, crumbling joints there get the same careful treatment, with old mortar raked out and new mortar matched to what's already on the house.
Foundation repair
When cracks run through a basement wall, a wall bows inward or water keeps coming in, the problem is usually structural, and fixing the foundation comes before any surface repair.
Lansing, MI
Get your stone wall looked at
Have photos of the wall, any cracks or damp spots ready, and tell us whether it's a foundation, retaining wall or garden wall, so I can come out ready.