Brickline Allentown Concrete and MasonryBrickline Allentown Concrete and Masonry(610) 424-2415
Brickline Allentown Concrete and Masonry
(610) 424-2415Get an estimate

Masonry contractor in Bethlehem, PA - brick and stone work that suits the house

Brickline Allentown Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Allentown, PA, and we work across Bethlehem, repointing and repairing brick, fixing chimneys and foundations, and building walls, walkways and paver driveways that fit the house.

Get an estimate(610) 424-2415
Curved retaining wall of pale stone blocks encloses a leafless shrub beside a brick house.

What we find on Bethlehem homes and yards

Bethlehem has a lot of older brick and stone, from the streets around the old Moravian settlement to the SouthSide neighborhoods near where Bethlehem Steel once stood. Farther out, you'll find newer homes with block foundations, poured steps and concrete or paver drives. Our calls here swing between the two, sometimes on the same street.

The work itself is a lot like what we do in Allentown, Dorneyville and Hellertown. The difference is how often the age of the house decides the job, because on old brick the mortar and the brick have to suit each other.

Masonry services we bring to Bethlehem homes

We bring every service below to Bethlehem, and most calls here are about brick and mortar that's wearing out, chimneys that have had years of weather, and walls, steps or walks that need building or rebuilding. Each job starts with me looking at it with you and working out why it failed, because a repair that ignores the cause usually doesn't last. Then the scope goes in writing, and our crew does the work with me on site.

  • Foundation repair

    Foundation trouble on older houses here usually shows up as a damp basement wall or a stair-step crack. We find what's pushing or leaking first, then repair the block or stone to match.

    Explore service

  • Chimney repair

    Chimneys take the worst of the weather, so on older homes we often see loose bricks, a cracked cap and washed-out joints up top. We rebuild what's failed and repoint the rest with matching mortar.

    Explore service

  • Tuckpointing

    Mortar joints on older brick houses wear back over the years, and water gets in behind them. We clean out the worn joints and refill them with mortar matched to the house.

    Explore service

  • Brick repair

    Cracked, chipped or flaking bricks are common on older Bethlehem walls, usually where water sits or a hard mortar was used before. We cut out the bad ones and set in matching brick.

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  • Driveway pavers

    Plenty of Bethlehem driveways are cracked concrete or asphalt that has settled over the years. We dig out, build a packed base and lay pavers, so the drive drains and stays level.

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  • Retaining wall construction

    Where a yard steps down, a wall often holds soil back from a drive or the house. We build on a solid base with drainage behind, because trapped water usually pushes walls over.

    Explore service

  • Masonry restoration

    Older brick and stone fronts collect years of worn joints, mismatched patches and damaged brick. We work through the wall with materials that suit its age so it looks and wears like the original.

    Explore service

  • Fireplace installation

    Some older homes here have a fireplace that's been closed off, and others never had one. We build or rebuild the firebox and surround in brick or stone to suit the room and chimney.

    Explore service

  • Stone veneer installation

    Stone veneer, a thin stone facing, often dresses up block foundations and plain walls on newer homes. We set it over a backing with a drainage gap so water can't sit behind it.

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  • Concrete block walls

    Block walls make sense for garage walls, sheds, the edge of a lot and anywhere you need something strong and plain. We lay them on a proper footing with reinforcement where the wall calls for it.

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  • Foundation block wall installation

    New additions, garages and full rebuilds of failed foundation walls all start with block laid true. We set the footing and courses square and level, because every wall above depends on them.

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  • Outdoor kitchen masonry

    A backyard cooking area needs a base and counters that can take heat, weather and freeze-thaw. We build them in block, brick or stone and finish them to match the house.

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  • Walkway construction

    Front walks on older lots often heave, crack or sink where roots and water work under them. We dig out, pack a base and lay brick, stone or pavers so the path drains away.

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  • Brick wall installation

    A brick garden or boundary wall ties a yard to an older brick house. We match the brick and mortar to the house and build on a footing that holds up through winter.

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  • Stone masonry

    Some of the oldest houses here have stone walls, steps or foundations that need stone and mortar to match. We repair and build stonework by hand and keep the joints true to the original.

    Explore service

  • Brick pointing

    Not every wall needs a full repoint, often just the joints under a leaky gutter or along a porch. We point those spots and match the mortar's color so the repair blends in.

    Explore service

Brick, stone and block work up close

These photos show the kinds of masonry we do, from repointed brick and chimney tops to new walls, walks and paver drives. They show the trade in general, so your own plan comes from walking your house together.

  • A curved stone fire pit with red cushions sits beside tiered retaining walls and a broad brick-paver patio.

  • An irregular stone walkway leads to a home entrance, bordered by dense green shrubs and bright pink flowers.

  • Stone outdoor fireplace beneath a covered patio, with a mounted TV and firewood stacked in built-in side niches.

Working in Bethlehem: permits, licenses and planning the job

Bethlehem has its own permit office and its own license rules for contractors, and both affect when a job can start. Here's how we handle them, and what decides the cost and the timing.

Who issues permits and what to check

In Bethlehem, building permits come from the city's Building Code Enforcement Office, and the city asks people to check with that office before starting any work. The city requires a building permit whenever a building or structure is built, altered, enlarged, repaired or demolished, and its list of examples names things like roofing, decks and fences. So before we start, we ask the office about your job.

If a permit is needed, we take care of the application, and the city has 15 days to review one for residential work, so we raise the question at the estimate rather than the week we're due to start. Before you hire anyone for work in Bethlehem, ask whether they hold a city business license and who's handling the permit.

  • Permit questions go to the city's code office at 610-865-7091.
  • Every contractor needs a city business license, out-of-city ones included.
  • Out-of-city contractors keep that license at the job site, so ask.

What moves the price and the start date

Most of the price comes from how much wall needs work and how hard it is to reach, since a chimney or a second-story wall means scaffolding. On older brick, matching the brick and getting the mortar right takes time, and some of what's behind a joint or a step you only see once it's opened up, which I'll tell you plainly at the walk-through.

The schedule turns on weather, permit review and materials. Mortar needs to cure without freezing, so we plan around cold snaps, and matching brick for an older house can take a while to find. When I walk the job with you, I'll explain what I see and put the scope in writing, so you know what's included before you decide anything.

  • New walls and walks cost more when the base needs digging out.
  • A full-wall repoint costs more than pointing a few problem joints.
  • Removing old cement patches adds work before new mortar goes in.

Get a free on-site estimate for your Bethlehem masonry

Call (610) 424-2415 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Bethlehem property myself, walk the job with you, explain what I see and put the scope in writing. It's free, and there's no obligation.

(610) 424-2415

What Bethlehem houses and yards ask of a mason

Most of what we run into in Bethlehem comes down to the age of the house and how water moves around it. These are the conditions we look for before we suggest any fix.

  • Lime mortar on older brick

    A lot of older Bethlehem brick was laid in lime mortar, which is softer than today's cement mixes and meant to wear before the brick does. When we repoint, we match it, because a hard modern mix can hold water against the brick and crack its face off.

  • Old cement patches

    Many walls we look at have been patched before, often with gray cement mortar that's harder than the wall around it. Those patches usually look fine for a while, then the brick beside them starts to flake. We take them out instead of working around them.

  • Chimneys above the roofline

    The part of a chimney above the roof takes weather from every side, so it wears faster than the walls below. We check the cap, the top rows of brick and the joint where it meets the roof, because water that gets in up there often shows up as a stain inside.

  • Damp basements and old foundations

    Older stone and block foundations often let water through at the joints, and you see it as a damp wall, white powder or flaking inside the basement. We look at how water reaches the wall before we touch it, because a repair with water still pouring at it won't hold for long.

  • Steps, walks and drives that heave

    Concrete steps, walks and driveways here go through a lot of freezing and thawing, and once water gets under them they crack, sink or lift. When we rebuild them, most of the work is underneath, in the base and the slope that sends water away.

How we work on Bethlehem brick and stone

We're a small crew based in Allentown and have been doing this work since 2023. Here's how we handle a job in Bethlehem and what you can count on from us.

We explain the wall before we fix it

I spent years at a desk before I picked up a trowel, and I learned this trade working under experienced masons. What stuck with me is that most masonry problems start with a reason, like water, a hard patch or a bad base, and the repair only lasts if we deal with that reason too.

So when I come out, I show you what I'm seeing and why, and I'll tell you when something can't be known until the wall is opened. I'd rather you understand your own house and make a good choice than just take my word for it. If that's the kind of walk-through you want, call (610) 424-2415 or send us the form.

  • I walk every job myself

    I come out to look at every job myself, and I work alongside the small crew that does the work. The person who explains your wall at the estimate is the same one on site when it's repointed or rebuilt.

  • Known for repointing older brick

    Repointing and brick repair on older homes is what we're best known for. That matters in Bethlehem's older neighborhoods, because matching mortar and brick is slow, careful work and a rushed job usually shows up a few winters later.

  • Licensed, insured and written down

    We're fully licensed and insured, and the scope of your job goes in writing before we start. You'll see what we're repairing, what we're rebuilding and what we'll only know once the wall is open, so you can decide with the whole picture.

  • Satisfaction guaranteed, not rushed

    Satisfaction guaranteed. We'd rather wait for the right weather to lay mortar, or keep looking for brick that truly matches, than hurry a wall that has to look right and hold up for years after we've gone.

Questions Bethlehem homeowners ask about masonry work

These are the questions we hear most from Bethlehem homeowners before a job. If yours isn't here, ask when you call and I'll give you a straight answer.

How much does masonry repair cost in Bethlehem, PA?

The size of the job sets the cost more than anything, so pointing the joints under one leaky gutter is a small bill and rebuilding a chimney top from the roofline up is a much bigger one. Between those, the things that move it are the ones covered above, mainly access, matching older brick and what turns up once joints are opened. The walk-through at your house puts your scope in writing.

Can I get my own building permit in Bethlehem and do the masonry myself?

Sometimes, yes. The city may issue a building permit to a genuine owner-occupant of a single-family home used only as a residence, as long as you buy all the materials and do all the labor yourself. If you hire the work out, that route no longer fits, and a builder or your authorized agent applies instead.

What causes mortar to crumble on older brick houses in Bethlehem?

Water does most of it, because the joints soak it up, freeze and loosen a little more each winter. It's usually worst under a leaky gutter, beside a downspout or near the ground where splashback keeps the wall wet. Fixing the water source along with the joints is what keeps a repoint from wearing out early.

How do I know if my chimney needs repointing or rebuilding?

If the bricks are solid and only the joints are worn, repointing is usually enough. Once bricks are loose, cracked through or the top is leaning, that section usually has to come down and go back up, because new mortar can't hold failing brick together. I'll look at it up close and tell you which one it is and why.

Service areas

We're based in Allentown and work in the cities around it on both sides of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey line, including the ones below. If your city isn't listed, call or send the form and ask.

Ask about your location
(610) 424-2415Get an estimate