About us
About Salt Lake City Masonry
We repair, restore and build brick, stone and block for homes in Salt Lake City and nearby communities along the Wasatch Front.
Who Is Behind Salt Lake City Masonry
Salt Lake City Masonry is a masonry contractor. When you contact us, you're contacting the business that does the work. We don't collect requests to pass on to other contractors: the estimate you receive is ours, and so is the masonry work that follows.
That matters more than it might seem. With some home service websites, the name on the page isn't the company that shows up. Here, the business you call, the business that assesses your masonry and the business that performs the work are the same.
How We Work
Every project with Salt Lake City Masonry follows the same basic relationship:
You contact us directly, by phone or through our estimate form, and tell us about the masonry.
We assess the work ourselves
The person scoping your project is looking at it as the contractor who will carry it out, not as a go between.
We prepare the estimate, which is free, for the work we will do.
We perform the work, so questions during the project come back to the same business.
Because one business handles the whole job, there's no hand off between whoever sold the work and whoever builds it. For a step by step overview of a project from first call to finished work, see our homepage.
The Masonry Work We Handle
Our work covers three broad areas:
Repair
damaged brick, stone and block, worn mortar joints through tuckpointing and repointing, and masonry chimneys.
Restoration
coordinated work on older and historic masonry, covered on our masonry restoration page.
Each service has its own page with the details, from how repointing is done to what makes a retaining wall last.
How We Approach Assessment and Repair Choices
Masonry problems are easy to treat superficially: fill the crack, replace the brick, seal the wall. The trouble is that many of those quick fixes don't last because they skip the reason the damage happened. Our approach rests on a few practical principles.
Look for the cause. Cracked brick, failing joints and staining usually have a source, often water and sometimes movement. A repair that ignores the cause is likely to be repeated.
Size the scope to the problem. Some walls need a few bricks replaced; others need a section rebuilt. The scope should come from what the masonry needs, not from a standard package.
Use compatible materials. Mortar and replacement units should suit the existing masonry. On older brick in particular, a mortar that's too hard can damage the wall it's meant to protect.
Know where masonry work ends. Some situations call for someone else first: a structural engineer for a wall or chimney that's moving, a geotechnical investigation for soil questions, a chimney sweep for the inside of a flue. We'll say so when a project reaches that point rather than offer a masonry repair as the answer to everything.
What this means for you is a clearer picture of what you're paying for and why, and fewer repairs that have to be done twice.
Working With Salt Lake City Masonry
Masonry in and around Salt Lake City faces a particular mix of conditions, and they shape the choices on almost every project.
Freeze thaw winters. Winters here spend a lot of time around freezing, and masonry that stays wet can deteriorate as that water freezes. That's why we pay attention to drainage, caps and joints, not only to the damaged brick.
Hot, dry summers. Fresh mortar loses water quickly in heat and wind, so new work needs protection while it cures.
Older brick. Salt Lake City has a long history of brick construction, and older brick and mortar often differ from modern materials. Matching units and choosing compatible mortar are part of working on these homes.
Earthquake awareness. Along the Wasatch Front, older unreinforced brick and chimneys carry seismic risks that ordinary repair doesn't change. We're clear about that distinction, and about when an engineer's input is needed.
Communication, Estimates and Project Expectations
A masonry project goes more smoothly when everyone agrees on what's included before work starts.
Estimates are free. The estimate describes the scope of the work. When comparing estimates from different contractors, compare the scope as well as the price.
Materials are part of the conversation. On repairs, that usually means how closely new brick, stone or mortar can match what's there. On new work, it means choosing brick or stone, mortar color and finish.
Weather affects scheduling. Masonry needs suitable conditions to cure properly, so timing can shift with cold snaps or extreme heat. We'll keep you informed when weather affects the schedule.
Changes should be agreed, not assumed. Sometimes work uncovers something an estimate couldn't anticipate, such as damaged brick behind a failed section. Utah's Division of Professional Licensing publishes a model residential construction agreement that treats scope, approvals and changes as things to set out in writing (DOPL: Residential Construction Agreement), which is a sensible standard for any masonry project.
Licensing and Insurance
Salt Lake City Masonry is licensed, insured and bonded.
Those three things protect different interests. A contractor license shows the state has authorized the business to do that type of work. Insurance covers certain losses if something goes wrong on the job. A bond provides an additional form of financial protection. Together, they're among the basic checks any homeowner should expect from a masonry contractor.
Our Service Area
We serve Salt Lake City and surrounding communities across the Wasatch Front, from cities in Salt Lake County such as Millcreek, Murray, Sandy and Draper, to Davis County cities including Bountiful and Layton, and American Fork and Pleasant Grove in Utah County. See every city we cover on our service areas page, or call if you're not sure your address is included.
Get in Touch
To talk about a masonry project, call Salt Lake City Masonry at (385) 516-8689, Monday to Saturday 8 AM to 9 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 3 PM, email info@saltlakecity masonry.com, or request a free estimate.
