Masonry Contractor in Seward, NE - Fixing the Cause of Cracks and Leaks
Mastercraft Lincoln Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lincoln, NE. In Seward we repair brick, chimneys and foundations, and we build new walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens for homeowners there.
- Foundation repair
- Chimney repair
- Tuckpointing
- Brick repair
- Driveway pavers
- Retaining wall construction
- Masonry restoration
- Fireplace installation
- Stone veneer installation
- Concrete block walls
- Foundation block wall installation
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
- Walkway construction
- Brick wall installation
- Stone masonry
- Brick pointing
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Seward homes as we see them on our jobs
Seward is one of the cities around Lincoln where we work, and the calls there sound a lot like the ones we get at home: worn mortar on an older brick house, a chimney that leaks, a basement wall that's cracked or started to lean. Most of the homes we see sit over basements or crawlspaces, with more older brick close to downtown and newer houses farther out.
We work the same way in Seward as we do in Gretna and Crete. The price usually comes down to how much is damaged, what's causing it and how hard it is to reach, and the schedule turns on permits, inspections and what we find once the old work comes apart, so you get your own figure when I come out and look. On older brick, the job usually depends on how far the mortar has gone and whether water is getting behind it, so I check the gutters, the chimney top and the way the yard slopes before I talk about patching. On a basement wall, I want to know what's pushing on it before I quote fixing the crack.
Why Seward houses need their masonry looked after
- The brick on older Seward houses usually outlasts its mortar, and once joints wear open, water gets into the wall and starts loosening the bricks around them.
- A chimney sticks up past the roof with nothing over it, so a cracked cap or loose top bricks often show up first as a stain indoors.
- New homes in Seward go through city plan review, which requires a passive radon system in every basement and crawlspace, so we plan new foundation walls around it.
Masonry work we do for Seward homeowners
Foundation repair
When a basement wall in Seward cracks, bows or seeps, we repair or rebuild the damaged section and deal with the water that caused it.
Chimney repair
We repair chimney caps, rebuild the loose top rows of brick and repoint the stack, so rain running down the chimney stays outside your house.
Tuckpointing
For a wall of worn joints on an older brick house, we grind out the old mortar and refill it, so water stops getting in behind the brick.
Brick repair
Bricks with cracks or faces flaking off, usually around steps, sills and corners, get cut out and replaced with brick matched as closely as we can.
Driveway pavers
If your Seward driveway is cracked or sinking, pavers on a well-packed base give you a surface where a single piece can be lifted and reset later.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard slopes toward the house, we build a retaining wall with drainage behind it, because trapped water is what pushes walls over.
Masonry restoration
For an older brick or stone house that needs more than one fix, we work through the joints, bricks and chimney together so the repairs match.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces in new rooms and older homes, laid out so the firebox, chimney and hearth work together and pull smoke up the way they should.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face over the wall, can cover an exposed block foundation, and we set it so water drains out instead of sitting behind.
Concrete block walls
Block walls work for garden walls, screening and outbuildings, and we fill and reinforce them where the wall has to carry weight or hold back soil.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition, garage or new house in Seward, we lay block foundation walls on a sound footing, set up to keep water moving away from the basement.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build outdoor kitchens for Seward backyards in brick, block and stone, with counters and grill surrounds sized to your patio and the appliances you've picked.
Walkway construction
A walk that's sunk or tipped toward the house sends water at the foundation, so we rebuild it on a packed base with a slight pitch away.
Brick wall installation
We lay new brick garden walls, piers and porch walls to match your house, on footings sized to keep them standing straight.
Stone masonry
Stone steps, walls and chimney fronts get rebuilt or laid new with stone fitted by hand and a mortar suited to it, since hard mortar can crack softer stone.
Brick pointing
When only a few patches of mortar have gone soft or sandy, pointing just those joints is often enough, and I'll say so before suggesting a whole wall.
- Request an estimate
Get a free masonry estimate at your Seward home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out to your place in Seward. I'll look at the brick, chimney or wall, find what's causing the trouble and write up the estimate, which is free and comes with no pressure to book. If you go ahead, our own small crew of masons does the work, and I'm on the job with them.
(402) 202-7624Other areas we serve
Questions Seward homeowners ask about masonry work
How do I get a building permit in Seward, NE?
Inside Seward city limits, building permits come from the city's Building and Inspection Department, which also issues the plumbing and electrical permits. On a new home, the city wants the permit in place before construction begins. When your job needs a permit, we take care of the application and set up the inspections, and if you're not sure whether it does, we'll check with the city for your address.
Do I need a Seward County permit for masonry work outside city limits?
You may, because Seward County requires a county permit to build, rebuild, enlarge, alter or move any nonfarm building or structure anywhere in its zoning jurisdiction. The exception is farm buildings on a farmstead of 20 acres or more that produces at least a set amount of farm products each year, and plain maintenance like painting or re-roofing doesn't need one. If your place is out in the county, we'll check with the county before we start.
Does a masonry contractor working in Seward need to register with the State of Nebraska?
Yes, Nebraska requires contractors and subcontractors doing business in the state to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor before doing construction work on property that isn't their own. The department says registration is a requirement, not a promise of good work, so it's one thing to check among several. A contractor with employees also has to keep a current workers' comp certificate on file, and one whose coverage lapses comes off the registered list until it's updated.
How much notice does Seward need for a building inspection?
The city asks for 24 hours' notice for every inspection on a new home, according to its new residential permit form. The Building and Inspection Department inspects all new construction that's applied for a permit, so when we're handling the permit, we call each inspection in ahead and plan the next stage of work around it.
How much does masonry repair cost in Seward, NE?
I give you a written price for your Seward job once I've seen it, because no two repairs need the same amount of work. Matching an older brick, reaching a tall chimney and fixing the drainage that caused the damage all add to it, while pointing only the joints that need it keeps it down. If a smaller job will do, I'll tell you so.
What causes a basement wall to crack or lean in a Seward home?
Usually it's water and soil pushing on the outside of the wall, often because gutters dump next to the house or the yard slopes back toward it. A crack that's wider at one end or a wall that bows inward tells me that pressure is still there, so we fix the drainage and the wall together instead of filling the crack and leaving the cause in place.
Call us about your Seward masonry job
Call (402) 202-7624 any day from 6 AM to 11 PM or send the estimate form, because a crack or leak looked at early is usually a smaller repair than the one it turns into.