Masonry Contractor in Springfield, IL - Repointing and Repair for Older Homes
Artisan Springfield Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Springfield, IL. We repoint and repair brick on older homes, fix chimneys and foundations, and build walls and walks that look like they belong on your house.
Older and newer homes across Springfield
Springfield is where we're based, and most jobs here come from two kinds of houses. On the west side, the established neighborhoods around Washington Park are full of well-kept older homes on big lots, and that's where a lot of our repointing, brick and chimney work happens. Out in the newer subdivisions the houses are younger, so the calls there are more about walls, walks and what water is doing near the foundation.
We bring the same trade to Taylorville and Decatur, but in Springfield the house usually decides the job. An older home needs brick and mortar that match what's already there, and a newer one needs the ground under the work done right.
What we know from working in Springfield
If your job needs a permit in Springfield, it comes from the city, and the city's Building Division is the office that enforces the building codes. The city's permit application covers building, demolition, fence and erosion control work, among others, and whether your masonry job needs one is the city's call, so I check with the city for your address before we start. If it does, we take care of the paperwork, and the start date waits on the city's approval. The city's Office of Business Licensing handles business licenses here, and we're licensed and insured if you want to ask.
The price moves mostly with how much wall needs work, how deep the damage runs and how hard the brick is to match on an older house. I won't know the depth for sure until the old mortar's out, and a chimney or a second-story wall adds cost because it means scaffolding. The schedule turns on whether there's a permit and how long it takes to find matching brick. I'll tell you what I see and put it in a written estimate, which is how we handle jobs in Chatham and the other cities around Springfield too.
Services in Springfield, IL
Tuckpointing
Lots of Springfield's older homes have mortar that's worn back from the brick. We grind out the bad joints and refill them with mortar matched to what's there.
Brick repair
Old brick that's cracked or flaking usually means water's been getting in for years. We cut out the damaged ones and set in brick that matches the house.
Chimney repair
On older Springfield houses the chimney usually falls apart first, since it's exposed on every side. We rebuild the loose top and repoint the rest.
Foundation repair
Cracked or bowing foundation walls here usually trace back to water or settling ground. Our foundation repair starts with finding the cause, then fixing the wall.
Retaining wall construction
Large Springfield lots often have a bank that's creeping toward a drive or patio. We build retaining walls on a packed base with drainage behind them.
Walkway construction
Front walks on older Springfield lots are often heaved, cracked or worn out. We dig out, pack a base and lay brick or stone that fits the house.
What Springfield's older houses and ground ask for
The older homes here usually have good brick and tired mortar. Mortar is supposed to be the part that wears, and on houses this age a lot of joints have worn back or been patched with something harder than the brick, which is what makes the brick itself crack and flake. We repoint with mortar matched to the old stuff in strength and color, and if only one or two walls need it now, I'll tell you that instead of quoting the whole house.
Ground is the other thing. The city's permit form puts it on the owner to research soil compaction and whether the ground could sink over old mines, and it says a permit doesn't mean the land is right for the project. So before we set a retaining wall or a block foundation wall, I look at the ground, and if I think it needs a closer check, I'll say so before we build.
Get a free estimate for your Springfield house
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out to your Springfield house myself, look the job over and write up a free estimate, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
How a Springfield job goes
Call or send the form
Tell us what you're seeing, and we'll set a time for me to come out. A photo of the problem helps, but it isn't required.
I look it over myself
I come to your house, check the masonry and tell you what I see, including anything that can wait. Then I write up the estimate so you know the cost before anything starts.
We check permits and schedule
Once you say go, we check what the city asks for at your address and set a date. We'll let you know ahead of time when the crew is coming.
We build it and walk it
Our crew does the work, and I'm on the job right alongside them. Before we pack up, we walk it with you so you can see what was done.
Springfield masonry questions answered
Do I need a floodplain permit for masonry work in Springfield, IL?
If the work is in a floodplain, you need a floodplain development permit from the city before any development starts. The city issues them for new buildings, demolition, reconstruction, substantial improvements and fences in a floodplain, and the city's permit application has you certify you'll get one first. I check this for your address before we set a date.
What building codes does Springfield IL use for new masonry work?
The list of codes the city posts names the International Building, Residential, Existing Building and Property Maintenance Codes. State law also says local residential codes in places that adopt codes have to regulate structural design at least as strictly as the International Residential Code. The Building Division can tell you which versions are in force when your job starts.
Is there a building code for repairing brick on an older house in Illinois?
The state hasn't adopted a building code for repairs to existing single-family homes, so any rule comes from your local government. Owners and their insurers should check whether the local government has a code or ordinance for those repairs, and in Springfield that means the city. Either way, we repair old brick to match what's there, because a patch that doesn't match tends to start the next problem.
How do I get approval to connect a sump pump to the storm sewer in Springfield?
You ask the city, because connecting a sump pump to the city storm sewer needs approval and the Office of Public Works reviews each request on its own. If the sewer runs under the public strip along the street, you may also need a street opening permit. In many newer subdivisions the sump lines run underground in rear-yard drainage easements, and those are private, kept up by the homeowners or the HOA rather than the city.
How much does it cost to repoint an older brick house in Springfield?
The cost of repointing comes down to how many walls need it, how deep the old mortar has failed and how high we have to work. Matching the color and strength of old mortar takes longer than plain new work, and on a lot of houses only a wall or two needs it now while the rest can wait. I'll give you a written figure after I've seen the house.
What causes mortar to crumble on an old brick house?
Age and water, mostly, since mortar is meant to be the softer part of the wall that wears out first and gets replaced. Bad gutters, a cracked chimney crown or a downspout dumping against the wall will speed it up a lot. If you can scratch the mortar out with a key, it's time to have someone look at it.
Plan your Springfield masonry job with us
If you're not sure whether the job needs a permit, or whether it can wait, call (217) 210-0722 or send the form and I'll give you a straight answer.
