Masonry Contractor in American Fork, UT - Repairs That Start With the Cause
Precision Lehi Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lehi that repairs and builds brick, block and stone in American Fork, from crumbling joints and leaning walls to new walls, walks and patios.
American Fork: older brick beside newer veneer
American Fork is right next door to our home base in Lehi, and the masonry we see here covers the whole range. Some houses are older brick with the original mortar going soft. Others from later decades have brick or stone fronts and a chimney or two, and the newer subdivisions use a lot of stone veneer, block retaining walls and paver walks where the yards step down. The calls we get match that mix: crumbling joints, leaky chimneys, walls that lean or crack, and new walls, walks and patios.
That mix shapes the job before anyone picks up a trowel. On an older house it's usually about matching the old brick and using a mortar soft enough that it won't crack it, and on a newer lot it's usually about what's behind the wall: the fill, the drainage and the footing.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Masonry work we do in American Fork
Brick repair
Older brick houses here often have cracked or flaking bricks near downspouts and steps. Our brick repair finds the water first, then swaps in matching brick.
Tuckpointing
Mortar on older houses here goes soft and sandy before the brick does. We rake out worn joints and refill them with mortar matched to your brick.
Chimney repair
Leaky chimneys on older roofs here usually trace to a cracked concrete cap or open top joints. We fix where the water gets in, not just the stain.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped yards here often need a retaining wall to hold back the dirt. We build ours with a solid footing and drainage behind, since trapped water tips walls.
Stone veneer installation
Many newer houses here have stone veneer fronts and porch columns. When it loosens or stains, we check the backing behind it before resetting stone.
Walkway construction
Older front walks here that have settled trip people and can send water toward the foundation. We rebuild on a packed base sloped away from the house.
What we know from working in American Fork
Most of what we do in American Fork is repair or alteration, and Utah's statewide construction code covers that as well as new building, so a rebuilt wall or chimney here is held to the same rules as new work. When your project needs a permit, we handle the application and book the inspections with the city, and I'll go over what your job calls for when I come out to look at it. That's usually what sets the schedule, along with how long it takes to find brick or stone that matches yours. We're licensed and insured, and I'm on site with our crew of masons while the work gets done.
From Lehi, American Fork is a short drive for our crew, and we do the same work just north in Highland. The price here usually turns on a few things: how much brick, block or stone is actually failing, how tall the wall is, whether we can get a mixer and pallets into the back yard or have to carry everything through a side gate, and whether old brick and mortar have to be matched. I'll walk it with you, ask a few questions about when the trouble started, and give you the estimate right there.
Get a free masonry estimate for your American Fork home
Send the form or call (385) 338-6022, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll set a time to come out to your American Fork house myself, look at the wall, chimney or walk, and give you a free estimate on site, with no pressure and no obligation. If you go ahead, our crew of masons does the work with me on site.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Masonry ideas for American Fork homes
Masonry questions from American Fork homeowners
Which building code covers a masonry repair on my house in American Fork?
Utah's statewide construction code covers it, the same as new building, and American Fork homes fall under it. For houses, an earlier version of the state law, since replaced, pointed to the International Residential Code with state and local changes written into it. Editions change, so ask us which ones apply to your project and we'll go over it at the estimate.
Does the wildland code apply to my home in American Fork?
It applies only where the local agency that enforces the building code has adopted it, going by the earlier version of the state law that set it up. That code, the Utah Wildland Urban Interface Code, covers building where homes meet wild land, and a local agency could adopt it by ordinance or a similar action as a local change to the state code. If your house backs onto open land, mention it when I come out and we'll go over what your job calls for.
How do I find out if my American Fork lot is in a mapped geologic hazard area?
You can look up your address on the Utah Geological Survey hazard map, but a blank result doesn't clear your lot, because most hazards have been mapped only inside specific study areas. The survey has also mapped the Wasatch Fault Zone and marked special study zones where an earthquake can break the ground surface. If you're planning a new wall or foundation block work, tell me what you found when I come out.
What causes mortar joints to crumble on older brick houses in American Fork?
Usually it's water soaking the same joints over and over, from a downspout, a sprinkler or a leaky chimney cap, so the mortar breaks down long before the brick does. Sometimes it's an old repair done with mortar harder than the brick, which forces the brick to give instead. I look for the cause first, because repointing without fixing it just brings the problem back.
How much does masonry repair cost in American Fork?
The price is set mostly by how much of the brick, block or stone is failing and why, more than by the size of the wall. Fixing the cause, like adding drainage behind a leaning wall, adds to the job up front, but skipping it usually means paying for the same repair twice. I'll give you your own number once I've seen it.
How do I keep a retaining wall on a sloped American Fork lot from leaning?
Give it drainage behind it and a footing that fits its height, because water building up behind a wall is what usually pushes it over. If yours has already started to lean, we dig out behind it to see whether the drainage failed or was never there, and then we decide whether it can be fixed or needs rebuilding.