Masonry Contractor in Town 'n' Country - Sound Brick and Block on Older Homes
Cornerstone Tampa Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Tampa, FL. We repair cracked block, brick and mortar on Town 'n' Country homes and build new walls, walkways, paver driveways and outdoor kitchens there.
Masonry work on Town 'n' Country homes
Town 'n' Country is a short drive from where we're based in Tampa, and most of our calls there are about houses, not storefronts. A lot of them are single-story block homes with decades on them, so we see cracked stucco over block, mortar washing out of brick trim and planters, settled patio slabs and old concrete driveways people want redone in pavers. The lots sit close together, so we plan for tight side yards when we bring in block, stone or a mixer.
That's a different call from a newer subdivision in Wesley Chapel, where the block is young and the question is usually what to add. Here and next door in Egypt Lake-Leto, the ground is flat, sandy and low in places, so where the water goes after a summer storm shapes every footing and slab we set.
What we do in Town 'n' Country
Foundation repair
On older houses here we open up a crack before we patch it, so the fix goes to whatever is moving under the slab, not just the surface.
Chimney repair
Where a house here has a chimney, years of summer storms usually show up as loose brick and a cracked crown, the concrete cap on top.
Tuckpointing
When mortar has washed out across a whole brick planter or wall, we grind out the old joints and pack in new, matched to the color you have.
Brick repair
On brick steps and fronts here, spalled bricks, where the face has popped off, usually get cut out and replaced one at a time, not the whole wall.
Driveway pavers
Plenty of the original concrete driveways here are cracked and stained, and pavers on a packed base replace them with something you can lift and reset later.
Retaining wall construction
The ground is mostly flat, so these are usually short walls holding a raised bed, a pool deck edge or a grade change at the back fence.
Masonry restoration
On a house with decades of sun and rain on its brick and block, we clean, redo the joints and replace damaged pieces as one plan, not piecemeal.
Fireplace installation
Fireplaces around here usually go on a back patio, set on a footing, the poured base under it, sized for the weight of the stone.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone over a block front or a column is a common update here, and it only lasts if the mesh and drainage layer behind it are right.
Concrete block walls
Block privacy walls along a side yard or back lot line get a poured footing and filled cells, the hollow cores, with steel where the wall needs it.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition or a garage enclosure on an older house, we lay the block foundation to the plan so it ties into what's already there.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Block bases with stone or stucco faces hold up to the heat and afternoon downpours, and we set them on a slab that drains away from the house.
Walkway construction
A paver path to the front door or a side gate sits on a base we pack in layers, so it stays flat through a wet summer.
Brick wall installation
New brick garden walls and entry pillars can be matched to older brick on the house, and we pick the brick and mortar color with you before ordering.
Stone masonry
Natural stone steps, planters and wall caps here take sun and hard rain, so we set them on a full mortar bed with joints that shed water.
Brick pointing
On the brick trim of older houses here, a handful of cracked joints is often the whole job, so we refill those and leave the sound mortar alone.
Call about your masonry job
Call (813) 471-5857 or ask for an estimate, and I'll come out to your Town 'n' Country house and look myself.
Why Town 'n' Country homeowners call us
I learned this trade next to my father, and I still answer the phone myself. You get a plain read on what your house needs, and work backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
I look at it myself
I come out, look at the job and write the estimate, then work on site with our crew.
A fix that fits
If it's a few joints, that's the job, and if it's bigger I tell you on the spot.
Next step before I leave
You get a straight answer and a clear next step before I pull out of your driveway.
Work planned around summer rain
Summers here are hot and the rain is heaviest June through September, so we schedule pours and mortar work around it.
Licensed, insured, since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, licensed and insured, working on both sides of the bay.
Masonry questions from Town 'n' Country
Does a block wall or masonry repair need a permit in Town 'n' Country?
Often, yes. Hillsborough County, which serves the Town 'n' Country area, says all concrete fences and porches need a permit, as do repairs that cut away a wall or remove a load-bearing support, and its Building Services office issues them. The county also asks you to call its zoning department about any fence and to check your HOA or condo association rules first. When a job needs a permit, we pull it, handle the paperwork and line up the inspections.
How do I know a masonry contractor in Town 'n' Country is licensed?
Ask for their Florida contractor license and check that it covers where you live. The state's certified licenses are good anywhere in Florida after a state exam, while registered licenses only cover the cities or counties where the holder has a local certificate of competency, and Hillsborough County licenses its contractors through its Licensing Board and a state exam for their category. A contractor in the county also needs a county business tax receipt, renewed every year, and we're licensed and insured.
Is masonry work under $7,500 exempt from a permit in Hillsborough County?
It can be, but only when it's non-structural work on a single-family house and no part of the property is in a flood hazard area. The county's examples are siding, soffit and non-structural roof work, and the exemption leaves out structural, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas work, so a foundation or a wall that carries weight won't qualify. Where a job does qualify, the owner or contractor applies through HillsGovHub with a contract showing the scope and value.
What happens if masonry work started without a permit in Hillsborough County?
Stop the work and email permitting@hcfl.gov about an After-The-Fact permit, because the county says work that keeps going can bring a citation of up to $500 per violation. If a wall or repair was started and left half done, I'll come look at what's there and tell you what it needs, and if you hire us we take the permit side from there.
How do I find my flood zone in Town 'n' Country?
Look up your address on the county's FEMA Effective Flood Zone Viewer, which shows the flood zone for a property. High-risk areas show on the map as zones A or V, and renovations there have to meet the county's land development code, the Florida Building Code and the other flood rules, with the strictest one winning where they differ. We check this before we plan footings or walls, since it can change the job.
How much does masonry work cost in Town 'n' Country?
The price comes down to how much wall or surface there is, what's behind the crack, the materials you pick and how easy the work is to reach. On older houses here the unknown is usually what we find once a crack or joint is opened up, and a permit, flood rules or a tight side yard can add to it. Natural stone and pavers cost more than plain block, and refilling a few joints costs far less than rebuilding a wall, so the estimate gives you your own figure.
See your city, or call and ask
If your city has a page, you'll find it below. If you don't see yours, call (813) 471-5857 and ask, since we work in cities around Tampa on both sides of the bay.
Ask Cornerstone for an estimate
We answer from early morning until 11 PM, seven days a week, so call (813) 471-5857 or send the form about your Town 'n' Country home.