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 Easton, PA - repairs that suit older brick and stone

Brickline Allentown Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Allentown, PA, and we work in Easton too. We repoint mortar, repair brick, chimneys and foundations, and build walls, walkways and paver driveways here.

Get an estimate(610) 424-2415
Outdoor kitchen with a gray stone-block counter, stainless steel grill and cabinets, beneath a thatched roof.

What masonry work in Easton usually comes down to

Easton is a city of older brick and stone, with tight rows of attached houses downtown and larger homes on the streets that climb away from the rivers. A lot of that masonry faces right onto the sidewalk, so wear is easy to spot. Homeowners usually call us after noticing mortar washing out of the joints, a chimney losing brick at the top or a front wall that needs rebuilding.

We're based in Allentown and do the same work in Catasauqua and across the river in Phillipsburg, where older houses ask the same thing of us. Most of the job is working out how the wall was built, so what we add suits it.

Masonry and concrete work we do on Easton homes

We do the full run of masonry and concrete work in Easton, from repointing an old wall to building a new one. Most calls start with something a homeowner has spotted, like crumbling mortar, a cracked chimney or a wall that's leaning, so the first step is the same for all of them. I come out, look at the job myself, tell you what I think is causing it and put the scope in writing. The crew that does the work is small, and I work alongside it.

  • Foundation repair

    Older houses here often sit on stone or block foundations that crack or let water in as the ground shifts. We find what's pushing on the wall first, then repair the damaged section.

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  • Chimney repair

    A chimney with loose top bricks or a cracked cap lets water down into the attic and walls of an older house. We rebuild loose brick, repoint the rest and replace a failed cap.

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  • Tuckpointing

    Brick fronts on older Easton streets often have joints worn back so far you can push a key into them. We cut out the worn mortar and refill each joint so it sheds water.

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  • Brick repair

    Cracked, loose or flaking bricks show up on older houses here, mostly where a wall has taken water for years. We replace the damaged ones with brick chosen to match in size and color.

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  • Driveway pavers

    Where a driveway is short and close to the street, a cracked slab is the first thing people see. We dig out, pack a solid base and lay pavers you can lift and reset.

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  • Retaining wall construction

    Sloped Easton yards that step down to the street often need a wall to hold the ground back. We build it with drainage behind it, since trapped water is what tips most walls over.

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  • Masonry restoration

    On an old brick or stone front, a repair has to suit the original wall. We match the mortar, brick and joint style so the work looks like part of the house.

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  • Fireplace installation

    Some older homes here have a fireplace that was closed off years ago, or a wall where one would fit. We build the firebox, hearth and surround in brick or stone.

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  • Stone veneer installation

    Additions and newer houses here often show bare block that looks out of place next to older stone. We set thin facing stone over a prepared surface so it bonds to the wall underneath.

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  • Concrete block walls

    On tight city lots, a garage or yard wall usually calls for something solid and plain. We lay block on a proper footing, with steel and grout where the wall needs strength.

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  • Foundation block wall installation

    Additions, porches and replacement foundations under older houses all start with a block wall below ground. We set the footing, lay the block and seal the outside before the dirt goes back in.

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  • Outdoor kitchen masonry

    City backyards here tend to be small, so an outdoor kitchen has to fit the space and leave room to move. We build the counters, grill surround and base in block, brick or stone.

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  • Walkway construction

    Front walks on older lots often heave, sink or crack where roots and water have worked under them. We rebuild them on a firm base in brick, stone or pavers so they sit level.

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  • Brick wall installation

    A new garden wall, stoop wall or addition in brick has to sit well beside the older brick around it. We choose brick and mortar color with you, then build on a proper footing.

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  • Stone masonry

    Old stone foundations, walls and steps turn up often here, and stone is laid differently than brick. We rebuild and repoint stonework with stone and mortar suited to what's there.

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  • Brick pointing

    On many houses here, only a back wall, a stoop or the joints around a window have gone soft. We point just those areas with mortar that matches the rest of the wall.

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What brick, stone and block work looks like up close

These photos show the kind of masonry we do, from repointed joints and rebuilt chimneys to new walls and walks. They're examples of the trade, not particular Easton jobs.

  • 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.

What to know before masonry work starts in Easton

Most of the planning on an Easton job happens before anyone mixes mortar. Here's who signs off on the work, what you can check about us, and what decides the price and the schedule.

Who signs off on masonry work here

Permits for building, altering, repairing or tearing down part of a house in Easton go through the city's code enforcement office, which enforces Pennsylvania's building code. Before work starts, we check with that office for your property, and if a permit is needed, we take care of the application. Waiting on that review is usually what sets the start date, not the crew.

The city also charges a yearly business privilege tax and license to anyone doing business in Easton, with a separate application for each business. It's renewed each calendar year and due December 31st. That makes it fair to ask any contractor, us included, whether theirs is current, and the city's Finance Department answers questions about it at 610-250-6755.

  • Permit questions go to the city's code office at 610-250-6724.
  • The city's main line is 610-250-6600, Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
  • Permit and license applications are filed through the city's online Public Portal.

What moves the price and the schedule

Price mostly comes down to how much of the wall is really failing, what it takes to match the old brick, stone and mortar, and how hard it is to reach. A tall chimney or a wall squeezed between two houses needs more scaffolding than a low front wall. When I walk the job with you, I put that scope in writing.

The schedule turns on two things, the permit review when one is needed and what we find once a wall is open. Old masonry hides things, like soft brick behind a sound-looking face, and I'll tell you up front which parts can't be judged until we're in. We don't rush the mortar either, because a rushed repoint shows up again in a few years.

  • Matching old brick and mortar often takes longer than building new.
  • Tight lots and shared walls mean more planning for scaffolding and access.
  • Damage found once a wall is open can change the scope.

Book a free on-site masonry estimate in Easton

Send the form or call (610) 424-2415, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Easton property myself, walk the job with you, explain what I see and put the scope in writing. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.

(610) 424-2415

What Easton's older houses ask of a mason

Easton's older brick and stone houses tend to raise the same handful of questions on a job. These are the conditions we plan around before we start, and why each one matters to the work.

  • Old mortar is softer than new

    Mortar in older walls was usually made with lime and is softer than the brick around it, which is how it should be. If a hard modern mix goes into those joints, the brick takes the stress and starts to crack, so we match the mix to the wall.

  • Houses built close together

    A lot of Easton houses sit tight to their neighbors or share a wall, so there's often little room for scaffolding, mixing or stacking material. We plan where everything goes before we start and protect the house next door while we work.

  • Chimneys wear from the top down

    On older houses the chimney stands above everything else, so its top few courses and its cap usually wear out well before the walls below. A chimney can look fine from the sidewalk and still have loose brick up top, which is why we go up and look.

  • Stone foundations under older homes

    Many older houses here sit on fieldstone or early block foundations, and a damp basement wall is often the first sign that mortar between the stones has washed out. Fixing the joints from the outside, where we can dig, usually does more than patching the inside face.

  • Water usually starts the damage

    Most of the worn mortar and flaking brick we see sits right under a leaking gutter, a downspout that empties against the wall or a sill that sends water down the face. Fixing the masonry without fixing the water just means doing it again, so we point those out before we start.

Why hire us for brick and stone work in Easton

We're a small masonry contractor based in Allentown, PA, best known for repointing and brick repair on older homes. Here's how we work on brick and stone in Easton, and why.

We explain the wall before we fix it

I spent years behind a desk before I learned masonry under experienced masons, and I started this business in Allentown in 2023. What stuck with me from that change is how rarely anyone explains a house to the person who owns it. When I walk your job, I show you what's failing, what's still sound and why, so you can make the call yourself.

That matters on older brick, because the easy fix isn't always the right one. A patch of hard mortar or a coat of sealer can look fine and then trap water in the wall. We'd rather slow down and do the repair that suits the building, since a rushed job always shows up later, and you should know why we chose what we did.

  • The owner looks at your job

    I come out to every estimate myself, and I'm on the job with the small crew that does the work. The person who looked at your wall and wrote the scope is the same one standing at it when the mortar goes in.

  • Scope in writing before work

    After I walk the job with you, the scope goes in writing, listing what we'll repair, rebuild or leave alone. If we open a wall and find more than we expected, I show you before the scope changes.

  • Licensed, insured, satisfaction guaranteed

    We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm happy to go over that at the estimate before you decide anything. Satisfaction guaranteed, so if something about the finished work bothers you, I want to hear about it directly.

  • Calls taken seven days a week

    Call (610) 424-2415 any day from 7 AM to 11 PM, so a loose chimney brick you notice in the evening or on a weekend doesn't have to wait. Tell me what you're seeing and where the house is, and we'll set a time to look.

Questions about masonry work on Easton homes

Most questions we hear about Easton jobs are about permits, approvals and what to do when water gets in. Here are straight answers, with the city offices to call when the answer is theirs.

Do I need a permit for brick or chimney repair in Easton, PA?

A repair can need a permit in Easton, because the city's permit guidance says work that alters, repairs or rebuilds part of a building needs the permits Pennsylvania's building code calls for. The state code itself leaves out some home repairs and alterations that don't change the structure or the exits, but a city rule can still require a permit, so we ask the code office about your property rather than guess.

Do I need a zoning permit for a garden wall or outdoor kitchen in Easton?

You may, because the city's Zoning Office reviews any accessory structure or use, and the city says a fence or a shed needs a zoning permit. A freestanding wall or an outdoor kitchen is the kind of yard project we ask the Zoning Office about before we dig, so any review is in the schedule from the start.

Do I need a permit to put in a paver driveway in Easton?

Yes, the city says a driveway or parking pad needs a permit. It also asks you to contact its Bureau of Engineering about possible sidewalk or curb cut approvals, so we take care of the permit application and go over the engineering call with you before the old driveway comes out.

How do I get approval for brick work on a historic house in Easton?

Start with the city's Historic District Commission, because the city says work on a building's outside face may need the commission's sign-off, called a certificate of appropriateness, on top of any permit. If your home sits in a historic district, we'll help you reach that office early, before we order material or set a start date.

How much does masonry repair cost in Easton, PA?

There's no single Easton price, because the cost follows the job itself, mainly how much of the wall is failing, what it takes to match the old brick and mortar, and how hard it is to reach. Here, a permit, a zoning review, a curb cut approval or a historic sign-off can also add steps, and I'll tell you which ones apply when I walk the job and put the scope in writing.

How do I get a flooded basement pumped out in Easton?

Call the Easton Fire Department at 610-759-2200, because the city says the fire department pumps out flooded basements. Once the water's gone, we can look at the foundation walls for where it got in, such as open joints in old stone or a crack in block, and explain what a repair would involve.

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 listed here. If your city isn't listed, call or send the form and ask.

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