Masonry Contractor in Monahans, TX - Brick and Block Work for Dry, Sandy Ground
Masoncraft Odessa Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Odessa, TX that works in Monahans. We repair cracked brick, worn mortar and moving foundations, and we build block walls, stone and paver driveways for homes here.
Monahans houses and the ground under them
Monahans is a short run west of us on I-20, past West Odessa, and it's a smaller, quieter place than Odessa or Midland. Most of the homes I'm called to are single-story brick or block ranch houses, a lot of them older, with a block fence around the yard, a slab driveway and a patch or two from somebody else over the years. Out past the neighborhoods you get bigger lots, shops and metal buildings that go with oil-field work, and those bring their own block and slab jobs.
The ground here is sandy, and sand drains fast and moves when water gets under it. So when I see a crack in a wall or a sunken corner of a driveway, my first question is what's going on underneath it, and I want that answered before we pick up a trowel.
Services in Monahans, TX
Foundation repair
Sandy ground that settles shows up as stair-step cracks and sticking doors. Our foundation repair starts with finding where the movement begins, not patching the cracks.
Tuckpointing
Blowing sand and hot sun wear mortar until it crumbles under your finger. We grind out the worn joints and tuckpoint them to match your brick.
Brick repair
Cracked or flaking bricks on ranch houses usually point to water or movement behind them. Our brick repair replaces the damaged ones after we've found which it is.
Concrete block walls
Block fences catch the wind here, and a lean usually starts at a shallow footing. Our concrete block walls go on footings sized for the wall's height.
Driveway pavers
Sandy soil can let a poured driveway crack and sink. Driveway pavers on a packed base let us lift and reset a low spot instead of replacing slabs.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
A grill island here sits out in hot sun and blowing grit all year. We build outdoor kitchen masonry from block, brick and stone that handle both.
Permits, contractor checks and price in Monahans
Inside the city of Monahans, permits go through the city's Permits and Licensing Department, and the city requires a building permit for any type of construction, including changing, moving or repairing walls. City officials inspect the work against state and federal building codes and city ordinances, so the permit and the inspection are part of the schedule, and I plan the start date around them. When your job needs a permit, we check with the office that covers your address and handle the application ourselves. The city also requires every contractor doing construction work here, down to remodelers and handymen, to register, and it keeps each one's license and insurance on file, so it's fair to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring whether they're registered. We're fully licensed and insured.
Price mostly follows the cause and how much has to come apart to fix it, and the schedule turns on that permit step and the weather, since we hold off on mortar work in high wind or ahead of a hard freeze. Monahans is an easy drive for our crew from Odessa along I-20, so a small repair here is worth the trip. The estimate puts it in writing, what I think is causing the problem and what we'd do about it.
What the dry air and wind here do to masonry
Monahans has a desert-like climate, with low humidity and short winters. That's easier on brick than a place with long freeze and thaw seasons, but dry air pulls water out of fresh mortar and concrete fast, and mortar that dries before it cures ends up weak and chalky. So we work early in the day, keep new joints and slabs damp and covered while they set, and on older houses we look for rushed patch jobs that are already turning to powder.
Then there's the wind. It leans on long block fences and freestanding walls and throws grit at the face of the brick year after year, so on a wall that faces it we check the caps and top courses first, because that's where loose block and worn joints usually show up.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Monahans
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day, with no pressure and no obligation. I'll come out to your place in Monahans myself, look the job over and ask what you've noticed. Then I write up a free estimate that says what I think is causing the problem and what we'd do about it.
How it goes when you call us about a job in Monahans
Call us or send the form
Call (432) 280-0058 or fill out the form and tell us what you're seeing at your house. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
Walk the job with me
I come out to Monahans myself, look at the brick, block or slab, and ask what you've noticed and when it started. Photos of the crack from a while back or notes on old repairs help me read it.
Read the written estimate
The free estimate says what I think is causing the problem and what we'd do about it. If a smaller fix will do the job, that's the one I'll write down.
Let us handle the permit
Once you say go, we sort out any permit step with the office for your address. You'll know where that stands before work starts.
Work, cleanup and final walk-through
My crew and I do the work, clean up the site and walk it with you at the end. I'll show you what we did and what to keep an eye on after we leave.
Monahans masonry questions we hear
Who do I call in Monahans to find out if my project needs a permit?
Call the Permit Clerk or Building Inspector at City Hall, 432-943-4343, since the city asks people to check with one of them before starting a construction or home improvement project. If we're doing the work, we make that call for your job, but it's a good number to have if you want to ask before you hire anyone.
What building code does Monahans use for brick and block work on a house?
The city's permits page lists the International Residential Code among the code books it uses, and that's the code that covers brick, block and stone on a house. The page names specific editions, so ask the Building Inspector which one governs your job before the design is settled.
Who can wire lights or outlets in an outdoor kitchen in Monahans?
Wiring for lights, outlets or a fan in an outdoor kitchen is work the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses electrical contractors to do. To hold that license, a business has to employ a licensed Master Electrician, who can also be the owner. We build the masonry, and it's worth planning where the wiring runs before the block goes up so nothing gets cut in later.
How much does masonry repair cost in Monahans, TX?
The cost comes down to what's causing the damage and how big the fix is, so repointing a few joints runs far less than rebuilding a wall section or repairing a foundation. Matching older brick or mortar color, how high the work is, how much has to be torn out and whether the job needs a permit all push it up or down. Your free on-site estimate spells out what I think is causing it and what we'd do about it.
What causes cracks in brick walls on houses in Monahans?
Most cracks in brick here come from the ground moving under the house or from water getting where it shouldn't, and the shape of the crack usually tells you which. A stair-step crack along the mortar joints usually means part of the foundation has settled, while a crack straight through the bricks or one that keeps widening points to bigger movement. I like to see a crack before anyone fills it, because a patch over a moving crack just opens back up.
How do I tell if my block fence needs repair or rebuilding?
Check whether it leans, because a fence that's tilting has usually moved at the footing, and that section needs to come down and go back up. Cracked joints, loose cap blocks and worn mortar on a fence that still stands straight can usually be repaired in place. If it comes to rebuilding, the city's list of projects that need a permit includes fences.
Get your Monahans masonry looked at early
Call (432) 280-0058 or send the form while the crack or loose joint is still small, because a small problem is easier to read and usually a smaller job to fix.