Masonry Contractor in Melbourne, FL - Block and Brick Work That Holds Up to Heavy Rain
Fieldstone Palm Bay Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor that repairs and builds block walls, brick, chimneys, pavers and retaining walls in Melbourne, FL, from a cracked garden wall to crumbling mortar on an older house.
Older brick near the river, newer block out west
Melbourne stretches west from the Indian River Lagoon, and the houses change as you go. Near the water and around the historic Eau Gallie area, where the arts district keeps the old main street busy with galleries, shops and restaurants, we see older homes with brick, stucco over block and the odd fireplace, a lot of it on its second or third round of mortar. Further west it's mostly concrete block houses with paver driveways, pool decks and garden walls, much like what we work on down the road in Palm Bay, where we're based.
That spread changes the job. On an older house the real question is usually what sits behind the crumbling joint you can see, and I won't know that until some of the old mortar comes out. On a newer block house it's more often water and ground, a wall or walkway settling where the yard stays wet.
What we check before any Melbourne masonry job
Inside Melbourne city limits, permits come from the city's Building Department, and the state building code it follows calls for a permit before construction, alterations and repairs. The department's list names roofing, fences, pools and the trade work but not masonry by name, so for a wall, a chimney or a foundation repair you or we can ask the department at 321-608-7915, and when a permit is needed, the start date waits on it. On any contractor here you can check two things, a Florida contractor license and a city Business Tax Receipt, which the city only issues to a contractor who shows liability insurance of at least $300,000 for any one claim and $500,000 a year in total.
We've been doing this work since 2013, and we're fully licensed and insured. What moves the price here is how much damage sits behind what you can see and how hard the spot is to reach, and the schedule turns on the permit and the weather, so your written estimate is where you get the figure for your house. The office changes at the city line, too. A house in West Melbourne answers to that city, not Melbourne, and since the two run into each other along the same roads, we confirm which side of the line your address sits on before anything else.
Masonry services in Melbourne
- 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
Rain does most of the damage to masonry here
Melbourne gets a lot of rain, much of it in hard summer storms, and September is usually the wettest month. Wind drives that water into old mortar joints and cracked chimney crowns, the sun bakes it back out, and over a few seasons that cycle turns a hairline crack into loose brick. When we do chimney repair or repoint a wall, which means cutting out the worn mortar and packing in new, I want the way the water gets in closed off and not just the joint filled, because new mortar over a wall that's still taking water goes the same way as the old.
Most yards here are sand, and sand moves when water runs over it. A downspout emptying against a garden wall or a patio shedding onto the walkway will wash the base out from under it, so before we relay sunken pavers or rebuild a wall, we fix where the water goes.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Melbourne
Send the form with what you're seeing at your Melbourne house, and we'll reply within one business day to set up the visit. I come out myself, look the job over with you, and you get a written estimate with no pressure and no obligation.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Melbourne
Tell us what you're seeing
Call (321) 326-1779 or use the form and describe the crack, the wall or the project you have in mind. We set up a visit at a time that suits you.
I come out and look
I come to your house, look the job over with you and answer every question you've got. If the cause sits somewhere other than the crack, I'll show you where.
Read your written estimate
You get it in writing, with what we'd do and why we'd do it that way. Take your time with it and ask about anything that isn't clear.
We check the permit first
Before work starts we check with the office that covers your address and handle the permit when your job needs one. When there is a permit, your start date waits on it.
Walk the finished work together
Our lead mason runs the crew on your job from the first day. When they finish, I come back and look it over with you.
Brick, block and stone work
Masonry questions from Melbourne homeowners
How do I get an owner/builder permit for masonry work in Melbourne, FL?
You apply to the city's Building Department, and it's open to you when you own the property as an individual and the property then stays off the market for sale or lease for one year. The city's Building Department FAQ covers how it works. If you'd rather not carry the permit yourself, we'll check and handle it when your job needs one.
What license should a masonry contractor have to work in Melbourne, FL?
Look for a Florida contractor license, which you can check with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. A certified license covers work anywhere in the state, while a registered one only covers cities or counties where the holder has a certificate of competency, so a registered contractor pulling a Melbourne permit also shows a Brevard County Competency Card. Either way, the city asks for proof of workers' comp coverage or a sworn exemption.
What happens if masonry work starts before the permit in Melbourne?
The city says an owner or contractor who starts before getting a permit could face a penalty of 100% of the usual permit fee, which in effect means paying for the permit twice. That's money that fixes nothing on your house. It's why we check with the office that covers your address before the crew shows up.
What causes flooding in Melbourne, and how does it affect walls?
Flooding here comes from heavy rain falling in a short time and from storm surges during coastal storms, tropical storms and hurricanes, with water coming off the Atlantic, the St. Johns River and the Indian River Lagoon. For masonry, the trouble is water that sits against a wall or pushes behind it. After a big storm, walk your garden and retaining walls and look for new cracks or lean.
What affects the cost of masonry repair or new block work in Melbourne?
Size and what's hidden behind the face move the price most, because a crack over a wet, settling footing costs more to fix right than a crack that's only in the mortar. Matching older brick, getting materials into a tight backyard, fixing drainage first and any permit all add to it. I price it once I've seen it, and the written estimate spells out what's included.
Does Melbourne's summer heat affect new mortar or concrete?
Yes, mortar and concrete that dry too fast in hot sun come out weaker and crack more easily, so summer changes how we work. We start early, keep new work damp while it cures and plan bigger pours around the cooler part of the day. Afternoon storms matter too, since we won't lay mortar into a downpour.
Tell us about your Melbourne wall, chimney or patio
Most cracks are cheaper to fix before a wet season works on them, so call (321) 326-1779 or use the form while yours is small.