Masonry Contractor in Madison, AL - Mortar Repair and Walls That Drain Right
Capstone Huntsville Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Madison, AL. We repoint and repair brick on older homes, build retaining walls with proper drainage behind them, and lay pavers, walkways, veneer and outdoor kitchens.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Madison homes, from historic downtown to newer neighborhoods
We see two kinds of houses in Madison. In the Madison Station Historic District around downtown, the homes go back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, built in Queen Anne, Folk Victorian and American Craftsman styles.
Away from downtown, much of the city is brick homes from more recent decades, with yards full of retaining walls, walkways, steps and patios that get used every day. The brick on those newer houses looks a lot like what we work on in Harvest. How the house was built decides the job. An older house usually needs softer mortar and patient matching, while on a newer one we're more often fixing a wall, step or walk where the base or the drainage was cut short.
Masonry services for Madison homes and yards
Foundation repair
When a brick house in Madison shows stair-step cracks or sticking doors, we find what's moving under it first, then repair the cause, not just the crack.
Chimney repair
Older chimneys around downtown Madison often lose mortar at the top first. We rebuild the loose courses and reset the cap so water stops running down inside.
Tuckpointing
On the older brick homes here, tuckpointing replaces worn joints with fresh mortar matched in color and strength, so the wall sheds water again.
Brick repair
Flaking or cracked brick turns up on Madison homes old and new. We cut out the bad pieces and find replacements that match what's on your house.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit Madison driveways where a cracked slab keeps causing trouble. We dig out, pack a solid base and lay pavers that can be lifted and reset later.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped yards and terraced beds in Madison need walls with gravel and drain pipe behind them, because water trapped back there is what pushes a wall over.
Masonry restoration
For the older houses near downtown Madison, restoration means repairing brick, joints and stonework with materials that suit the house's age, not modern shortcuts.
Fireplace installation
Adding a fireplace to a Madison living room or porch takes a proper firebox, hearth and footing. We build it in brick or stone to suit your house.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer dresses up plain foundation walls, porch columns and entries on Madison homes. We set it over a backing that drains, so moisture doesn't get trapped behind.
Concrete block walls
Block walls work for privacy screens and garage walls on Madison lots. We set them on a footing and fill the hollow cores where the wall needs strength.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions, crawl spaces and garages in Madison, we lay foundation block on a level footing and get the drainage right before anything is built on top.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
A brick or stone outdoor kitchen on a Madison patio needs a solid base and space planned for gas, water and power before the counters go on.
Walkway construction
A brick or stone walkway gives a Madison home a front path that fits the house. We build it on a packed base so the pieces sit flat underfoot.
Brick wall installation
New brick garden walls, mailbox posts and porch walls can match the brick on your Madison house. We start every one on a footing dug past loose topsoil.
Stone masonry
Natural stone suits garden walls, steps and fire pits in Madison yards. We set it dry-laid or in mortar, whichever holds up better for what you're building.
Brick pointing
If only a few joints on your Madison house are cracked or hollow, brick pointing fixes those spots before water gets behind them and loosens the brick.
Get a free written estimate for your Madison masonry job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your property, look the job over and follow up with a free written quote, with no pressure and no obligation.
- Based in
- Huntsville, AL 35801
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Working in Madison: permits, licenses and what moves the price
Permits in Madison come from the city's Building Department, which covers additions and most alterations, and its list of alterations names jobs like new roofs, vinyl siding and windows. For brick, block or stone work, I ask the city about your job before we set a start date. You can check any contractor here, too. Anyone building in the city for profit needs a city business license before work starts, and a company based outside the city applies through the Revenue Department, which answers licensing questions at 256-772-5654. The city's contractor license also asks for copies of state credentials and a current general liability certificate that names the City of Madison as holder, so ask to see both. Statewide, the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board licenses residential building and remodeling. We're licensed and fully insured.
We're a masonry contractor based in Huntsville, AL, and we run Madison jobs the same way we run them in Huntsville and Decatur. What moves the price is how much brick or stone we're replacing or adding, how closely it has to match your house and how hard the work is to reach. The schedule turns on the permit and any historic review first, then our crew calendar, and the written quote after my visit gives you the number for your own job.
What wears out on Madison houses and yards
On the older houses near downtown, the mortar has usually been patched more than once, and not always with the right mix. So we see soft, sandy joints next to hard gray repairs, chimneys losing mortar at the top and brick piers under porches that have shifted. We take out what's failing, match the original mortar and brick, and leave sound joints alone, because redoing a wall that doesn't need it is money you don't have to spend.
On newer homes, the trouble is usually underneath. A retaining wall leans or a walk sinks when the base was thin or nothing lets water out from behind, so we dig back to firm ground, build the base up and put the drainage in before any block or stone goes on.
What to expect when you hire us in Madison
From your side, there are four steps, and the two you'll want to be home for are my visit and the final walkthrough.
Call or send us a note
Call (256) 417-4326 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. You don't need measurements or a plan yet.
I come out and look
I do every estimate myself, take photos and tell you what I see, including any work I don't think you need. Then you get a written estimate, so you know the cost before you decide anything.
Permits first, then the crew
I check the permit and historic district steps with the city before work starts, and for a house in the Madison Station Historic District, the review application goes to the Planning Department by the last Wednesday of the month before the meeting. Once that's settled, our crew lead runs the job on site with our masons.
We walk the finished job
I walk it with you so you can see the joints, the base and the cleanup before we leave. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Masonry contractor questions in Madison, AL
How much does masonry repair cost in Madison, AL?
The cost comes down to how much brick or stone is involved, how closely it has to match your house and how easy the work is to reach. Matching century-old mortar near downtown takes more time than patching a newer home, a retaining wall costs more as it gets taller and needs more drainage behind it, and a permit or historic review adds steps. I give you a written estimate after I've seen the job, so the figure is for your house, not a guess.
What causes mortar to crumble on older brick houses in Madison?
Age and water, mostly, because mortar is meant to wear out before the brick does, and after enough years the joints turn soft and sandy. An old patch done with hard modern mortar can speed it up, since it holds water against softer brick and the brick faces start to flake. When we repoint, we match the strength of the original mortar, not just its color.
Does masonry work in the Madison Station Historic District need approval?
Work in the district can call for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Madison Station Historic Preservation Commission. If your house is in the district, I start that review before anything else, because the commission's meeting schedule sets the pace for the whole job.
How do I get a permit for a masonry project in Madison, AL?
We handle it when your job needs one, and the city asks for a signed application plus an invoice or contract you've signed that states the scope of work and the price. Registered users can apply for permits online any time of day, so your part is usually just signing the written quote once you've agreed to it.
What building code does Madison, AL use for brick and block work?
The city has adopted the International Residential Code for houses along with the International Building Code, and its Inspections page lists the editions in force. For your job, that means footings, walls and chimneys get built to a set standard, and work under a permit gets inspected against it.
Does a big retaining wall or driveway project in Madison need a land disturbance permit?
Once a project disturbs 10,000 square feet of land or more, the city requires a Land Disturbance Permit and an erosion and sediment control plan. That's close to a quarter acre, so most home walls and driveways fall well short of it, but I measure the dig area at the estimate so we know where yours stands.
Plan your Madison masonry job with us
Call (256) 417-4326 or send the form before you buy any brick or stone, because I can tell you what will match your house and what you'd end up returning.