Masonry contractor in Durham, NC - brick and wall repairs that fix the cause
Premier Wake Forest Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Wake Forest, NC. In Durham we repair brick, mortar, chimneys and foundations, and build retaining walls, driveway pavers and outdoor kitchens for homeowners across the city.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Older and newer homes across Durham
Durham is one of the bigger cities we work in from our base in Wake Forest, and the houses there cover a lot of ground. Near downtown we walk around plenty of older brick homes with original chimneys and front steps, while farther out it's ranch houses from a few decades back and newer subdivisions with block foundations and poured driveways.
Most calls here are the same ones we get in Raleigh and Knightdale: mortar wearing out on an old wall, steps or a wall that's started to sink, or a new project someone wants planned right the first time. The price and the schedule both turn on what's hidden, how much old mortar or soil has to come out and what we find behind it, so I give you your figure in writing only after I've walked the job. On Durham's older houses that hidden part is often the bigger share of the work, because a crack you can see is usually telling you about something you can't.
Our services in Durham, NC
- Tuckpointing
Older brick homes in Durham often have mortar joints worn back from the face. We grind out the worn mortar and repack the joints with a mix matched to the brick.
- Foundation repair
Clay ground under many Durham houses can shift and crack block foundations, leaving stair-step lines in the brick above. We find what moved before we repair the wall.
- Retaining wall construction
Sloped Durham yards often need a wall holding the hill off a patio. We put gravel and drain pipe behind it so water runs out instead of building up.
- Driveway pavers
Many Durham driveways are cracked concrete with sunken spots. We lay driveway pavers on a packed gravel base so a low spot can be lifted and reset instead of torn out.
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
Backyards in Durham's newer neighborhoods often have room for a grill counter and patio. We frame the block and stone around where power and water lines will run.
- Chimney repair
A chimney is usually the first spot loose brick shows up on an older Durham house. We relay loose brick and recast the concrete cap to keep water out.
What Durham houses and yards ask of masonry
On the older brick houses, the first thing I check is the mortar, because it's meant to be the part that wears so the brick doesn't have to. Mortar on those homes is usually softer than what comes in a bag today, and when someone patches it with a hard modern mix, the brick next to the patch takes the stress and starts cracking or flaking on its face. We match the new mortar to the old so the wall keeps wearing the way it was built to.
Out in the yard, it's the ground that does the damage. Clay soil holds water and shifts as it wets and dries, so a block wall or a set of steps with nothing to drain it gets pushed out of line over time. Before we rebuild anything leaning or sinking, we look for where the water comes from, often a downspout dumping at the base or a yard that slopes toward the house, and fix that as part of the job.
Get a free estimate for your Durham masonry job
Fill in the form or call (984) 237-6028, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out to your Durham property, walk the job with you and put in writing what we'd do and why, free and with no obligation. Photos sent with the form help me come prepared.
Brick, block and stone work
Durham masonry questions answered
Do I need a permit for masonry work in Durham?
You need a building permit from City-County Building & Safety for any project that includes load-bearing work or runs over $40,000 in market value. On a masonry job, that usually means foundation walls, block walls that hold up part of the house and structural brick repair. For smaller work like repointing, we check with the department before we start rather than guess, and when a permit is needed, we handle the paperwork side with you.
Does Durham County use the same permit office as the City of Durham?
Yes, the same department handles plan review and inspections for both the City and the County of Durham, so it covers you whether you're inside city limits or out in the county. It also enforces the city and county zoning ordinances, which makes it the place zoning questions about a new wall or patio go too.
How do I submit plans for a home masonry project in Durham?
You submit them online through the department's website, which takes digital plan submissions for home projects as well as commercial ones. When one of our jobs needs plans, we work through the submission with you so what goes in matches what we'll build.
Does an outdoor kitchen in Durham need electrical or plumbing permits?
If it has outlets, lighting or a sink, yes, because the department requires an electrical permit to install wiring and a plumbing permit for new plumbing and changes to existing lines. Those permits cover the wiring and pipes, not the stone and block, so we plan the masonry around where those lines run and leave room for their inspections.
How do I tell if my older Durham brick house needs repointing or a bigger repair?
Look at whether the trouble is in the mortar joints or in the wall itself. Joints that are recessed, sandy or missing in spots usually just need repointing. Cracks that run through the brick, a bulge or a wall leaning out of line point to something moving behind or under it, and that's the first thing I look for when I walk the job.
How much does masonry repair cost in Durham?
There's no single number, because each Durham job is priced on its size, the material and the condition of what's there, and I give you your figure in writing after walking it. On older houses, matching brick and mortar color can take extra time, and tight lots where we can't get equipment close add labor. Work that needs a permit, such as a load-bearing wall, also adds the review and inspection steps to the schedule.