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 Northampton, PA - Repairs That Suit Older Brick Homes

Brickline Allentown Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Northampton, PA, from our base in Allentown. We repoint, repair and rebuild brick, block and stone, and build walls, walkways, driveways and chimneys that suit the house.

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

Northampton's older brick homes and how we work on them

Northampton is a borough in the Lehigh Valley, north of Allentown, and from the street it's mostly older houses. You'll see brick twins and rows, single homes on stone foundations, front stoops close to the sidewalk and tight lots with an alley out back. A lot of it looks like the older blocks in nearby Catasauqua, and much of what we do in Easton carries straight over here.

Those houses shape the work. Old soft mortar needs a soft mortar back, a shared wall means thinking about the neighbor's half, and a narrow side yard means more of the job gets done by hand.

Masonry work we do on Northampton homes

Most calls we get are about older brick and stone, such as mortar that's crumbling, a chimney shedding brick, or a stoop or wall that's moved. We also build new walls, walkways, driveways and outdoor kitchens on lots where space is tight. Every job starts the same way, with me looking at the wall, working out what's causing the problem and planning the repair around the house it's on, because masonry should suit the building. Below is the work we do here.

  • Foundation repair

    Older houses here often sit on stone or block foundations with cracked joints or loose stones. We find what's causing it first, then repair and repoint the wall to suit it.

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  • Chimney repair

    Chimneys on older brick houses usually fail at the top first, at the cap and the last few rows of brick. We rebuild what's failed and repoint the rest to match.

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  • Tuckpointing

    Some older brick fronts here were built with a crisp, fine joint that plain repointing would lose. We cut out worn mortar and rebuild that joint so the wall looks as built.

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  • Brick repair

    Cracked, flaking or loose bricks turn up on older porches, stoops and side walls, where water's been getting in. We replace them with the closest match we can find and deal with the water.

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  • Driveway pavers

    Driveways here are often short and tight beside the house or off an alley, so they have to drain well. We dig out, pack a solid base and lay pavers that suit the house.

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  • Retaining wall construction

    Yards that step down toward the street or alley often rest on old walls that bow. We build new walls with drainage behind them so water doesn't push them over.

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  • Masonry restoration

    Many older brick and stone fronts have years of patches, paint and mismatched mortar layered on them. We work out what the wall needs and bring it back with materials that suit its age.

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  • Fireplace installation

    Owners of older houses here often want a closed-up fireplace working again, or a new one built. We check the chimney first, then build the firebox, hearth and surround to fit the room.

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  • Stone veneer installation

    Stone veneer, thin stone set on a wall face, dresses up plain block foundations and porch bases here. We set it over a backing with a drainage gap so water can get out.

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  • Concrete block walls

    On tight lots, block is often the choice for a garage wall, shed or wall along an alley. We lay it straight and level on a solid footing, reinforced where the wall needs it.

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  • Foundation block wall installation

    Additions and rebuilt porches on older lots need a block foundation that lines up with what's already there. We lay the block on a sound footing and seal the outside before the soil goes back.

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  • Outdoor kitchen masonry

    Backyards here tend to be compact, so an outdoor kitchen has to fit the space and keep clear of neighbors. We build the base, counters and grill surround in block, brick or stone.

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  • Walkway construction

    Front walks and side paths on older lots often sink or lift where roots and settling have moved them. We dig out, rebuild the base and lay brick, stone or pavers that sit flat.

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  • Brick wall installation

    A new brick wall here usually sits beside old brick, whether it's a garden wall, porch wall or addition. We pick brick and mortar color to blend with what's on the house.

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  • Stone masonry

    Older stone foundations, garden walls and steps here were laid by hand, often with soft lime mortar. We rebuild and repoint stonework the same way so the new work moves with the old.

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  • Brick pointing

    On older brick fronts here, mortar joints wear back and crumble long before the bricks do. We cut out worn mortar and repack the joints with a mix that's no harder than the brick.

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What this kind of masonry work looks like

These photos show the kinds of masonry we're called for on older houses, from repointed brick and rebuilt chimneys to new walls and walkways. They show the trade in general, not a particular house in Northampton.

  • 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 Northampton: permits, prices and planning

A masonry job in Northampton starts with the paperwork, not the trowel. Here's how the permit fits the schedule, what you can check yourself, and what moves the price on work here.

The borough's permit comes before the work

The Borough of Northampton issues permits here, and it requires one for most construction work, issued before any work begins. So if your job needs one, the permit sets the first date on the calendar, not our crew. You can check that part yourself by asking to see the issued permit before anyone sets up on your property.

Rules differ from one borough or township to the next, so before work starts I check with the borough about your property instead of guessing from the last job. If a permit is needed, we take care of the application and keep you posted on where it stands, so you're not chasing paperwork while you're also choosing brick and mortar.

  • Where a permit's needed, our crew waits until it's issued.
  • We check your property's requirements before setting any start date.
  • In a historic district, we'll help you reach that office early.

What moves the price and the schedule

On masonry here, price mostly comes down to how much has to come apart. Repointing a wall where the bricks are sound costs far less than rebuilding one where they've cracked or let go. Matching old brick and mortar color adds time, and so do tight side yards between houses, where materials get carried by hand and staging has to fit a narrow space.

The schedule turns on the permit first, then on the size of the job and what we find once a wall is open. A wall that looks like it only needs pointing sometimes needs a few bricks rebuilt behind the face, and I'd rather tell you that's possible up front than surprise you halfway through.

  • The size and height of the wall, chimney or walk.
  • Brick, stone or block chosen, and how closely it must match.
  • Any permit work needed before our crew can start.

Book a free on-site masonry estimate in Northampton

We reply to calls and form messages within one business day and set a time for me to come out to your Northampton property. I'll walk the job with you, explain what I see and put the scope in writing, and there's no obligation to go ahead.

(610) 424-2415

What we see on houses around Northampton

Most of what we're asked to fix here comes from the age and layout of the houses. These are the conditions we plan for before we price any job in the borough.

  • Old mortar softer than new

    Older houses were usually laid in soft lime mortar, and the brick was made to move with it. If someone repoints with a hard modern mix, the brick takes the stress and starts to crack and flake, so we match the mortar to the wall instead.

  • Twins and rows share walls

    On a twin or a row house, your front wall and chimney often tie into your neighbor's. We look at where your half ends before we cut anything, and we'll tell you if a problem runs across the line so you can talk to your neighbor before work starts.

  • Chimneys nobody looks at

    A chimney is the part of an older house nobody checks until a brick lands in the yard. By then the cap and top rows have usually been letting water in for a while, which is why a cracked chimney often needs more than a patch.

  • Stoops right by the sidewalk

    Front steps and stoops close to the sidewalk take foot traffic every day and settle over the years. A cracked or tipping stoop is a trip hazard, so we check what's under it before deciding with you between a repair and a rebuild.

  • Rental houses and borough code

    If you rent out a house here, the borough's code enforcement officers enforce a property maintenance code and a rental property ordinance. Loose brick, a crumbling chimney or a broken stoop is worth fixing on your own schedule rather than waiting until it becomes a bigger problem.

Why hire us for masonry on your Northampton house

We're a small crew based in Allentown, and I come out to look at the job myself. Here's how we work and why, so you can decide whether we're the right fit for your house.

We explain the wall before we fix it

I spent years behind a desk before I traded it for a trowel, and I learned masonry working under experienced masons before starting this business in Allentown in 2023. What stuck with me is how rarely homeowners get told what's actually wrong with their wall. So when I walk your job, I show you the cracks, the joints and the likely cause.

I'd rather you understand your own house than just take my word for it, because then you can make a good choice, with us or with anyone else. Sometimes I can't know everything until a wall is opened, and I'll say so plainly. A rushed masonry job shows up later, so we'd rather slow down and get it right.

  • The owner comes out

    I come out myself to look at your job, and I work alongside the small crew that does it. The person who explained the problem to you is the same one on the scaffold, so nothing gets lost between the estimate and the work.

  • Brick and joints matched

    Masonry should suit the building it's on, so we match brick size and color and the shape of the old joints instead of reaching for whatever's on the truck. New work on an old wall should be hard to pick out from the street.

  • Licensed, insured, scope in writing

    We're fully licensed and insured, and your scope goes in writing before work starts, so you know what's included. If something changes once a wall is open, we stop and talk it through with you before going any further.

  • Satisfaction guaranteed, easy to reach

    We back our work with one promise, satisfaction guaranteed. If you've got a question before, during or after the job, call (610) 424-2415 any day from 7 AM to 11 PM, or send the form on this page.

Common questions about masonry work in Northampton

These are the questions Northampton homeowners tend to ask about permits, urgent repairs and cost. If yours isn't here, call or send the form and I'll answer it.

How do I find out if my masonry project needs a permit in Northampton, PA?

Call the borough's Zoning Office, which takes permit questions, at 610-262-1433 between 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday. Ask before you settle on a start date, since the permit comes before the work. We make that check for you on every job here and handle the application if one's needed.

What do I need for a building permit application in Northampton Borough?

Every building permit application needs a zoning permit application and three project plans, whatever the project is, and the zoning application also needs a plot plan, a drawing of your lot showing where the work sits. Even a modest wall or set of steps takes that preparation. When we take care of the application, we pull those pieces together from what we measure on site.

How do I handle an emergency masonry repair before getting a permit in Pennsylvania?

The state's summary of its building code says emergency repairs can be made without a permit, as long as the application reaches the building code official within three business days. So you can deal with the urgent part first, but the paperwork has to follow quickly. If a chimney or wall can't wait, call (610) 424-2415 and we'll talk through it and get the application started.

How much does masonry repair cost in Northampton, PA?

Masonry cost here turns mostly on how much of the wall has to come apart, which often gets clearer once old mortar is cut back. The materials you choose and any permit preparation add to it, along with the matching and access issues covered above. I'll go over each one when I walk your job, so call or send the form to set that up.

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 cities listed here. If yours isn't named, call (610) 424-2415 or send the form and ask.

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