Brick Masonry
New brick walls, veneer, columns, porches and piers for homes and small commercial buildings. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.
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About half of York's homes went up in 1939 or earlier, and 4 in 10 are attached rowhouses or twins. The city's design guidelines name brick as York's most common masonry. After so many freezing winters, mortar washes out of the joints and soft old brick flakes. Front steps settle and pull away from the house.
Steven Rigg Masonry works as a masonry contractor in York for homes and small commercial buildings. York is part of our service area, which reaches about 40 miles around Mechanicsburg. In the city we take on tuckpointing on old brick and chimney repair. Call or text (717) 608-2175, and we look at the job and put the quote in writing.
Tell us about the chimney, wall, steps or patio and where it is. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.
York's homes are old even by local standards. Across York County, about 18 percent of homes date to 1939 or earlier, against about half in the city. The median year built is 1941 in the city and 1976 in the county.
Many of those homes share walls in long rows. The city's design guidelines say wealthy factory owners built whole blocks of rowhouses for their workers. They point to Italianate rowhouses on North Duke Street and mansard rowhouses on South Pine Street.
The same guidelines say many York buildings were sandblasted years ago. That took off the brick's protective outer skin and left the softer inside open to water. Freezing nights then pop the faces off and loosen the joints. We do brick repair on spalling and loose brick and match new mortar to the old.
Often it does. York's Historical Architectural Review Board, known as HARB, reviews exterior work in the city's local historic district. If the work shows from a public street or alley, the city requires HARB approval before it starts. That holds even when no building permit is needed.
The city sorts the work by type. Repointing and brick repair are staff reviews, approved by the HARB consultant, and so are chimney caps. New or replacement front steps and stoops go before the full board, along with walls and retaining walls. City Council has the final say on what the board recommends.
The city's design guidelines call for repointing damaged joints once they wear back more than 1/3 inch. New mortar has to be softer than the brick around it. The guidelines also cap portland cement at 20 percent of the lime and cement. The HARB consultant can tell you what the board will look for.
Apart from HARB, the City of York's Bureau of Permits and Inspections issues building permits. Maintenance usually needs no permit unless the property sits in the city's historic district. Work that builds, enlarges, alters or removes something likely needs one. The city takes most applications online.
In York, the sidewalk out front is the property owner's job. The city requires a permit for curb and sidewalk repairs and replacements. Where front steps meet the public walk, ask the city before work starts.
Patios have two checkpoints. The Bureau of Planning and Zoning issues zoning permits for patios and concrete pads. The permits office also lists patios that change the drainage pattern among the jobs that need a permit. Patios sit on HARB's exempt list.
NOAA's climate normals for York, 1991 to 2020, count about 120 nights a year at or below freezing. In winter, the average high is about 44 degrees and the average low about 24. Water that soaks into brick by day freezes and expands after dark. In a typical year, the first fall freeze comes around October 19 and the last spring freeze around April 26.
NRCS soil maps label most of central York as urban land, ground covered by buildings and pavement. Where native soil shows, the maps include limestone soils such as Hagerstown silt loam. On limestone ground, where roof and patio water goes matters. Footings for new retaining walls and steps go below the frost line.
Codorus Creek runs through the city, and the York County Heritage Rail Trail follows it. The city's planning office says York's floodplain lies along the creek. Work inside the Special Flood Hazard Area needs a separate floodplain application. FEMA's flood map shows whether a lot falls inside it.
Communities and areas we serve around York: Downtown York, Olde Town East, Fireside, The Avenues, Springdale, Salem Square, Parkway, West End, South End, North York, West York, Spring Garden Township.
York ZIP codes served: 17401, 17403, 17404.
York is part of our service area. We look at the job first, then put the quote in writing.
(717) 608-2175 New brick walls, veneer, columns, porches and piers for homes and small commercial buildings. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.
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Natural stone walls and stone veneer for homes and small commercial buildings. We also face foundations and chimney rebuilds in stone.
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Concrete block foundations and basement walls for additions and garages, plus freestanding garden walls. We also repair block walls with cracked or broken block.
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We grind out failed mortar and repoint brick and stone with new mortar matched to the old. We do this work on walls, foundations, steps and facades around Mechanicsburg.
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We repoint chimneys and repair or replace cracked crowns. When the top is too far gone, we rebuild it from the roofline in brick or stone veneer.
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We repair cracked and spalling brick, loose steps, rusted lintels and damaged block and stone. We find the cause first, then match the repair to the wall.
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We build brick paver and flagstone patios on a compacted stone base with firm edging. Each one is pitched so rain runs away from the house.
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We build brick and stone walkways, front steps, porch steps, stoops and landings around Mechanicsburg. Old steps that have sunk or pulled away from the house get rebuilt on a new footing.
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We build and repair retaining walls in block and natural stone, plus segmental walls, around Mechanicsburg and the Harrisburg area. Each wall sits on a footing or a compacted gravel pad, with drainage behind it.
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We build outdoor kitchens in masonry: grill islands faced in brick or stone, and brick pizza ovens. You pick the grill, and we build each opening to fit it.
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We build outdoor fireplaces and masonry fire pits in brick and stone. Seat walls around the fire give everyone a place to sit.
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Concrete footings and pads poured for the masonry that sits on them. We also pour steps and small patios when you ask, and we repair walk sections.
Learn MoreReal reviews of our masonry work, 3 reviews on Google.
Fastest company to get back to me, as well as educate me on the process behind building up a brick step up to the front door. I found that very beneficial, and added a sense of security and i always stand behind anyone who is that confident in their work, as well as going above and beyond!!!
Efficient, quick, and on time, rain played a factor but these guys didn’t let that affect them, stayed on the timeline they gave me and crushed it, the work speaks for itself
Steven got us scheduled very quickly and gave us a quote! He was very honest about the work we needed done and pointed us in the right direction for how it should be done. The finished project looked great! We would definitely recommend Steven and are very happy with his work. Thank you Steven!
A few of the questions we hear most around York. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
Tell us what needs building or fixing and the town it is in, and text us photos if you like. Call or text (717) 608-2175 or use the form, and we will get back to you.
Tell us about the chimney, wall, steps or patio and where it is. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.