Masonry contractor in Big Spring, TX - neat repointing and straight block walls
G&R Midland Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Big Spring, TX. We repoint and repair brick, rebuild cracked or leaning block walls and build new brick, block and stone work for homes, rentals and small businesses.
Big Spring, the way we see it on the job
Big Spring is its own city with its own rules, and much of what we get called for here is older brick. That means houses that have stood a long time, rentals that have changed hands a few times, and small commercial buildings that have had more patch jobs than real repairs. Most people here have driven the loop up Scenic Mountain at the state park and seen the Civilian Conservation Corps work, so they already know careful hands leave something behind.
Like in Odessa, there are plenty of block yard walls and brick fronts here, and on older places the first job is usually working out which earlier repair to undo. That decides whether you need a few joints redone or a section rebuilt.
Working in Big Spring: permits, contractors and what moves the price
In Big Spring, whether a job needs a permit is the city's call, and it belongs to the Building Official. Owners, agents and contractors apply to that office to build, alter, repair or tear down a building or structure, and the city's Building Permits and Inspections Department enforces the codes. When your job needs a permit, we do the paperwork and don't start until it's issued, so the permit is usually the first thing that sets the schedule. The city also keeps a free contractor registration that asks for a current license and proof of liability coverage or a bond, so it's fair to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring whether they're registered. We're licensed and fully insured.
Price comes down to what's actually wrong. Repointing a few cracked joints is a different job from pulling out a bowed section and relaying it, and matching old brick, tight access, hauling off old material and any permit all move the number. The schedule turns on the permit, how much has to come out before new work goes in, and where we are on the crew calendar. We come out from Midland for Big Spring jobs the same way we do for West Odessa, and I'll give you a written estimate with what's included spelled out, so you aren't guessing.
What Big Spring houses and lots usually need from a mason
On older brick the mortar usually gives out before the brick does, because the joints go sandy and let water in behind the face. The fix is tuckpointing, where we grind out the failed joints and pack in fresh mortar suited to the brick. The most common bad repair we find is mortar harder than the brick around it, and it's very good at cracking the brick instead of itself. If a few joints are all you need, I'll tell you that and not sell you a wall.
Block yard walls on homes, rentals and small business lots are the other steady call. When a run leans or cracks, we look at what's under it before we patch, because a crack that keeps coming back is telling you something. New walls go up straight to a line, which sounds basic until you've seen the alternative.
Get a written estimate for your Big Spring masonry job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day. I'll set a time to come out to your Big Spring property, look at the job myself and give you a free written estimate with what's included spelled out. There's no obligation to hire us.
(432) 219-3791How a Big Spring masonry job goes once you call
Call or send the form
Call (432) 219-3791 or use the form and tell us what's cracked, leaning or needs building. A couple of photos help me know what I'm walking into.
I look at it myself
I come out to your property and look at the job in person. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included.
We file any needed permit
If the job needs a permit, the application goes to the city's Permit Clerk and the Building Official reviews it. We wait for it to be issued before any work starts.
The crew and I build
I work on the job alongside our crew. On a permitted job, we call for the city's inspection before new work covers earlier work, like a footing before block goes on it.
Walk the finished job together
Before we pack up, I walk the finished work with you and point out what we did and why. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Brick, block and stone work
Big Spring masonry questions we hear
How do I find out if my masonry project needs a permit in Big Spring?
Ask the city's Building Official, because Big Spring requires a permit to build, enlarge, alter, repair, remove or demolish a building or structure, and that office reviews the applications. The city's permit FAQ names fences, additions, porches and carports, so a new wall or masonry addition usually goes through it, while repairs like repointing aren't named either way. When we take a job, we check with the city first instead of guessing.
What home projects don't need a permit in Big Spring?
The city lists cosmetic work as needing no permit, such as painting, wallpaper, carpet, windows, doors and cabinets. The Building Official can also approve minor repairs without a permit when they meet the technical codes, but that approval is the official's to give. Masonry isn't on the no-permit list, so we ask before we start.
Which building codes does Big Spring use?
Big Spring uses the International Building Code, and the city also lists the International Fire Code and International Property Maintenance Code as codes in use. Local changes to those codes are in the city's Code of Ordinances, and the permits department suggests reading its FAQs or calling staff before any construction or home improvement. We build to the codes the city uses.
How does a setback request work in Big Spring?
The request goes to the Building Official, who denies it, and then the Zoning Board meets to review the application. The $50 meeting fee is non-refundable and pays for letters to everyone within 200 feet of your property line. Setback lines limit where a building can sit, so if a planned addition or structure crowds one, we'll talk about it at the estimate before anything gets filed.
How much does masonry work cost in Big Spring, TX?
We price each Big Spring job after I've seen it, because the size of the job and how much has to come out matter more than anything else. City costs are smaller, and the city's own guidance lists a standard permit fee of $25 for the first $3,000 and a landfill fee of $46.92 per ton for commercial contractors, with dumping at the City Landfill taking a building permit. Your written estimate shows what's included, so none of that turns up later.
What causes mortar to crumble on older brick homes in Big Spring?
Usually age and water, plus old repairs made with mortar harder than the brick. Hard mortar doesn't give, so the brick cracks or flakes instead of the joint, which is backward from how a wall is supposed to work. We grind out the failed joints and repack them with mortar suited to the brick.
Where we work
Call before your Big Spring project starts
Catching cracked joints or a leaning wall early usually means a smaller fix, so call (432) 219-3791 or send the form.