Masonry contractor in Opelika, AL - fixes that start with the cause
United Auburn Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Opelika, AL. We repair brick, block, stone and chimneys on homes here and build walls, walkways, driveways and outdoor kitchens, with the owner on every job.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Opelika houses, from older brick to newer builds
Opelika runs right into Auburn, where we're based, so it's a short drive for our crew and a city we know from being on jobs here. There's a real mix of houses. On one street it's an older brick home with its original chimney and a porch that's settled a little over the years, and a few minutes away it's a newer house on a lot that was cut into a slope.
Those two kinds of houses ask different things of us. On the older ones the work usually starts with matching what's already there, and on the newer ones it starts with the grade, because the way the ground slopes decides where water goes and what a wall or a walk has to hold back.
Masonry work we do on Opelika homes
Foundation repair
When a brick house in Opelika shows stair-step cracks or doors start sticking, we find out why it's settling before we touch the foundation.
Chimney repair
Older chimneys here often lose mortar near the top first, where they take the most weather, and we rebuild or repoint what's loose before bricks start falling.
Tuckpointing
For brick homes with worn, sandy joints, we grind out the old mortar and lay in new mortar shaped to match the joints around it.
Brick repair
Cracked bricks, or ones with the face flaking off, get cut out and replaced with brick matched for size and color so the patch blends in.
Driveway pavers
A paver driveway holds up well on a sloped or shifting lot, because a section that sinks can be lifted and reset instead of breaking out a slab.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard drops off or a bank washes onto the driveway, we build retaining walls with drainage behind them so water drains away instead of building up.
Masonry restoration
On Opelika's older brick and stone houses, we repair what's failing with mortar and brick that suit the age of the house, not whatever's on the shelf.
Fireplace installation
When you're adding a fireplace to a den or a back porch, we lay up the firebox, hearth and surround in brick or stone sized to the room.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin face of cut stone, dresses up a plain block foundation or front wall on a newer house without the weight of solid stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls suit a privacy wall along a property line or a backyard shop, and we reinforce them with steel and grout where the height calls for it.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition, a crawl space or a garage on a sloped Opelika lot, we lay block foundation walls on a footing sized for the load.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build grill islands, counters and smoker bases in brick, block or stone, each on its own footing instead of riding on a patio slab.
Walkway construction
We lay brick and stone walks from the driveway to the door on a packed base with a slight pitch, so rain runs off instead of puddling.
Brick wall installation
We build brick garden walls, mailbox columns and entry piers, and we look for brick that matches your house so the new work looks like it belongs.
Stone masonry
Natural stone suits steps, low garden walls and porch work, and we fit each piece by hand so the joints stay tight and the wall sheds water.
Brick pointing
Brick pointing fixes a patch of cracked or sunken joints on a brick house before water gets in behind the brick, a smaller job than redoing a whole wall.
Get a free estimate for masonry work in Opelika
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit. The estimate is free, done at your home, and there's no pressure and no obligation to go ahead.
(334) 780-0060- Based in
- Auburn, AL 36830
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What to know before masonry work inside Opelika city limits
Inside Opelika city limits, the city's Building Inspection Division issues the building permit and inspects the work, and that covers repairs to an existing house, not only new construction. Any construction here needs at least basic plans, so on a permitted job the paperwork comes before the first brick and usually sets the start date. Before you hire anyone, it's fair to ask about two licenses. The state Home Builders Licensure Board covers anyone who builds, remodels, repairs or improves a house when labor and materials together run over $10,000, and working inside the city takes an Opelika business license as well.
We're licensed and insured, and we check with the office that covers your address and take care of the permit paperwork when a job needs it. That matters because we also work in Valley and the other cities around Auburn, and the office isn't the same from one city to the next. The price moves mostly with the size of the job and how far the damage runs once we open it up, the schedule turns on the permit and on what we find behind the surface, and your estimate spells out what we'll do and why.
Why Opelika houses end up needing masonry work
Older brick houses mostly need help at the joints and around the openings. Mortar wears back over the decades, and on older homes it's common to find patches of hard cement mortar that crack the brick next to them instead of giving a little, so we cut that out and repoint with a mortar that suits the house.
On newer lots the calls are about the yard. Grading often leaves a cut bank or a slope toward the house, so we look at where the water runs before we lay out the wall, walk or patio that goes there.
How a masonry job in Opelika runs once you call
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, and what you'll have in hand at each point along the way.
Call or send the form
We get back to you within one business day to set a time that works for you. If you've got photos of the crack or the spot for the new wall, have them handy.
I come out and look
I come out myself, look the job over and ask a lot of questions, because the cause usually tells me more than the crack does. You get a free estimate that says what we'll do and why, so you know the cost before anything starts.
We handle permits and build
When the job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork first, then I work alongside our crew on the job itself. The city's inspectors check the work as it goes, so we plan around those visits, and you just need to be reachable, not home every day.
We walk it with you
When we're finished, we walk the job with you so you can see what we did and ask about anything. We clean up before we leave.
Questions about masonry work in Opelika
Do I need a permit to repair a brick wall in Opelika, AL?
Plan on it if you're inside Opelika city limits, because the city's approval and inspections cover repairs and maintenance on an existing house, not just new building. The inspection office will also give you a copy of its building Inspection Guide if you'd like to read up first, and we sort out the permit before any work starts.
How much does masonry work cost in Opelika?
The cost comes down to how big the job is, what's causing the problem and what material it takes, and I give you a figure in a free estimate once I've seen it. Matching old brick, tight spots a truck can't reach and damage that runs deeper than the surface push it up, while a small repair caught early keeps it down. If the job needs a permit, the city's inspection office can quote you that fee over the phone.
How do I find out if my Opelika house is in a floodplain?
You can search your address on the state's AlabamaFlood map, which shows the regulatory FEMA floodplain data by address or county. It's worth a look before you plan a retaining wall, foundation work or a patio near a creek or a low spot, because I'd rather know that before we lay anything out.
What building codes apply to masonry work in Opelika?
Opelika builds to the International Building Code and the International Residential Code, with local changes written into the city's Code of Ordinances, and together they control construction, alteration and repair inside city limits. The versions get updated from time to time, so the city's inspection office is the place to ask which ones are current.
What causes cracks in brick walls on older Opelika houses?
Cracks in older brick usually come from movement or water, such as a corner of the house settling, water sitting along the foundation, or the steel over a window rusting and pushing the brick up. Stair-step cracks along the mortar usually point to settling, while a crack right above a window often means the lintel, the steel angle holding up the brick, has rusted. If it turns out to be a structural question, I'll tell you to bring in an engineer before we fix anything.
Does a masonry contractor need an Opelika business license?
Yes, a business working inside Opelika city limits buys a city business license from the Revenue Department at City Hall and renews it every year, with general renewals due by February 15. Any 1099 workers a contractor brings on need their own Opelika business license too, so it's fair to ask how a crew is set up.
Other areas we serve
Auburn, AL
Ask us about your Opelika masonry job
The sooner a crack or a loose joint gets looked at, the better the odds it's a small repair and not a rebuild, so call (334) 780-0060 or send the form.