Masonry Contractor in Brandon, FL - Brick, block and pavers done to plan
Cornerstone Tampa Concrete and Masonry repairs brick and mortar, builds block walls and lays pavers and stone for homeowners in Brandon, FL. I come out to look at the job myself and work on it with our crew.
Masonry work on Brandon homes
We're a masonry contractor based in Tampa, FL, and Brandon is one of the places we work most weeks. The houses here are mostly single-family, a lot of them block with stucco, with paver driveways, pool decks and backyards that end at a fence line. The calls follow from that: a cracked block wall, a driveway where the pavers have sunk, a brick front that's lost its mortar, or a new wall or outdoor kitchen someone wants built. It's the same work we do in Riverview and across the bay in St. Petersburg, just with a little more winter.
Brandon sits farther from the coast than Tampa or Pinellas County, so it usually gets a few nights below freezing each year. Fresh mortar and concrete need time to set before a cold snap, so in winter I check the forecast before we lay or pour.
What we do on Brandon properties
Foundation repair
A crack through the block or slab edge of a Brandon house gets a look at what's moving first, so the repair fits the cause.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on Brandon homes lose mortar at the top first, so we rebuild the loose rows and redo the concrete cap to keep rain out.
Tuckpointing
On Brandon brick fronts where the joints have gone soft or sandy, we grind out the old mortar and pack in new, leaving sound brick alone.
Brick repair
Brick steps and planters on Brandon houses crack, or the faces pop off, and we cut out those bricks and set matching ones in fresh mortar.
Driveway pavers
Paver driveways are all over Brandon. We lift and relay sunken sections on a rebuilt base, or lay a new driveway from the ground up.
Retaining wall construction
Where a Brandon backyard drops toward a pond or a neighbor's lot, we build block or stone walls with drainage behind them so water doesn't push them over.
Masonry restoration
We clean weathered brick and stone on Brandon houses, redo the worn joints and replace only the failed pieces, so the wall keeps its original look.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces indoors or out, often on a Brandon patio beside the pool, laying the firebox and chimney to plan.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin face of real or cast stone, dresses up the front of a block-and-stucco Brandon house, and we set it over the right backing.
Concrete block walls
Block privacy walls along Brandon property lines go up on a poured footing with steel and grout in the cells, ready for stucco or paint.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions and new structures on Brandon lots, we lay block foundation walls level and square on the footing, because everything above sits on them.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Brandon backyards get used most of the year, so we build block and stone bases, counters and grill surrounds sized to your appliances.
Walkway construction
We lay paver, brick and stone walkways around Brandon houses, out to the pool or the front door, on a packed base that keeps them level.
Brick wall installation
Garden walls, mailbox columns and brick entry walls for Brandon homes get a footing sized to the wall and brick picked to match the house.
Stone masonry
Natural stone steps, columns and accent walls suit a lot of Brandon yards, and we fit each stone by hand with joints that shed rain.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints on a Brandon wall have cracked or washed out, we fill just those with matching mortar, because that's the job.
Tell me about your masonry job
Call (813) 471-5857 or send the form, and I'll come out to your Brandon property and look at it with you.
Why Brandon homeowners call Cornerstone
I learned this trade working next to my father, and you can count on a fix that fits the problem and a clear next step before I leave your driveway.
The owner at your house
I come out myself, look at the wall or driveway with you and write the estimate.
On site with the crew
After the estimate, I'm on the job with our crew, so the person who priced it is there building it.
Bigger problems shown on the spot
If something bigger than a few bad joints is going on, I'll show you right there so you can decide.
Mortar that matches your house
On older brick and block, we match the mortar color and joint shape so a repair doesn't stand out.
In business since 2013
I opened in Tampa in 2013, we're licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions we hear in Brandon
Do I need a permit for masonry work in Brandon, FL?
For new walls, foundations and other structures, yes, because Brandon is under Hillsborough County and the county requires a building permit for construction like that. Ordinary repairs where nothing structural changes need no permit, and some non-structural work on a single-family home valued under $7,500 can be exempt, but you still apply for that exemption through the county and it doesn't cover structural work or homes in a flood hazard area. I'll tell you at the estimate which way your job goes, and when it needs a permit, we pull it, handle the paperwork and line up the inspections.
Do I need a permit for a concrete fence or porch in Brandon?
Yes, Hillsborough County requires a permit for concrete fences and for all porches. The county also asks you to call its zoning department about any fence and to check your HOA or condo association rules, so if your neighborhood has one, check those rules before we settle on a height or a finish.
Can I pull my own permit for a masonry project in Hillsborough County?
Yes, you can pull your own permit, and when you hire a contractor, the contractor gets the permits instead. An owner-builder permit, where you act as your own builder, needs the deed in your name and the property for your own use, and you can't sell, lease or rent it for one year after the work is finished. If you hire us, the permit and inspections are ours to handle.
How do I handle masonry work that was started without a permit?
Stop the work while it's still under construction and email the county at permitting@hcfl.gov about an After-The-Fact permit. Keeping on without one can bring a citation of up to $500 per violation. If we're picking up a job someone else started, I'll look at what's already built before we add to it.
How do I find out if my Brandon home is in a flood zone?
Look up your address on the county's flood zone map, which shows the high-risk flood areas the county calls Special Flood Hazard Areas. It matters for masonry because building in mapped flood areas comes with its own county development rules, and a home partly or fully in a flood hazard area can't use the small-job permit exemption mentioned above.
What does masonry work cost in Brandon, FL?
The price comes down to the size of the job, the materials and what's under the surface, so I give you your number at the estimate rather than guess over the phone. A taller or longer wall, matching an old brick, a tight backyard we have to wheel everything into, or a footing or base that has to be rebuilt will push it up. The schedule mostly turns on the permit and its inspections, getting the material in, and a dry, mild stretch of weather.
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Ask Cornerstone for a Brandon estimate
Our phone hours run until 11 PM every day, so call (813) 471-5857 after work or send the form and tell us what you're seeing.