Masonry contractor in Prien, LA - brick and block work built for settling ground
Quality Lake Charles Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lake Charles, LA. In Prien we repair cracked brick, mortar joints and chimneys, and build new walls, walkways, driveways and outdoor kitchens.
Prien homes sit on ground that likes to move
Prien started on the southeast shore of Prien Lake, the wide stretch of the Calcasieu River you probably drive past every week, and it now reaches south as far as West Gauthier Road. Between the water and that road it's mostly houses on their own lots, some older ones closer to the lake and newer streets farther out, with Lake Charles right next door. We're out in Moss Bluff a lot too, and the brick there settles and wears much like it does here.
The ground here settles, the way a lot of south Louisiana soil does, and brick and mortar are the first things to show it when it moves. So on a Prien job I look at what's under a wall and where the water runs before I talk about the brick.
What we know from jobs in Prien
Before anything else on a Prien job, I find out which office covers your address. Where Prien is unincorporated, the Calcasieu Parish Division of Planning and Development issues permits for construction and remodeling, and its permit staff take calls at 337-721-3610, while any part inside Lake Charles city limits goes to the City of Lake Charles Permit Center. The permit has to come before the work, so that wait usually sets the start date more than anything we do on site. It's worth checking your mason too, because working outside city limits takes the parish's yearly occupational license, which a contractor gets only after the state's resident or non-resident contractor certification, plus the state license or registration that fits the size of the job.
We're licensed and fully insured, and when a permit is needed we handle the paperwork and tell you where it stands. Price turns mostly on the size of the job, the material and what we find once a wall is open, and the schedule turns mostly on that permit, so your written estimate is where you get your own number. We do the same work in Sulphur, and the first question there is the same one, which office covers the address.
Masonry work in Prien
- 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
Settling soil is behind many cracks here
The parish itself warns about foundation settlement in south Louisiana soils, and it strongly recommends a geotechnical engineer for soils testing and a structural engineer or architect for foundation design. On a new foundation or block wall we build to that engineer's design. On a repair, I find out why the wall moved before we patch anything, because a crack filled without a reason usually opens again.
The rest of what we see is plain wear. Mortar joints go soft and sandy long before the brick does, and chimneys take more weather than any other masonry on a house, so plenty of calls start with loose brick at the top of a stack or a damp spot inside. Our chimney repair work starts with finding where the water gets in. Watch for mortar you can scratch out with a key.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Prien
We reply within one business day by phone or message. I come out to your Prien house, look at the job with you and show you what I see, then send you a free written estimate. There's no obligation to go ahead.
How a masonry job goes when you call us in Prien
Call or send a message
Call (337) 502-4212 or use the form and tell us what you're seeing. A photo of the crack or the wall helps me know what to look for.
Walk the job together
I come out to your house, look at the job with you and point out what I think is causing the problem. Plan to be there so you can ask questions on the spot.
Get your written estimate
After the visit I send you a free estimate in writing. You can take your time with it and compare it with anyone else's.
Sort out the permit office
We check whether your address falls to the parish or the city and what that office asks for. When a permit is needed we handle the paperwork, and work starts once it's issued.
Build it and walk it through
Our crew does the work and I'm on site checking it as it goes. When it's done we walk it with you, and I show you what to keep an eye on.
Brick, block and stone work
Masonry questions from Prien homeowners
Do I need a permit for a new brick wall or outdoor kitchen in Prien?
Usually yes, because the parish requires a permit for any construction or remodeling project, and a new wall or outdoor kitchen is construction. State rules make it a violation for a contractor to start before the permit is issued, or to misstate the job's value or scope. We find out what your office needs and wait for the permit before we start.
How long is a Calcasieu Parish building permit good for?
A parish building permit is good for 180 days, about six months. It stays active until the project is finished as long as work keeps moving and hasn't stopped for six months. That gives some room if a job waits on materials or an engineer's design.
When does a masonry job in Louisiana need a licensed contractor?
A home improvement or residential construction job of $50,000 or more, or one with any structural work, has to be bid and done by a licensed Residential Building Contractor. Jobs over $7,500 and up to $50,000 need a home improvement registrant or a licensed contractor, and a registrant can't take on structural work. Foundation repair and load-bearing walls are structural, so ask about licensing before you sign.
What is the best way to plan new masonry on a Prien lot in a flood zone?
Start by finding out whether your lot sits in a flood hazard area, because the parish requires a permit before any construction there and a big share of the parish is high risk. Before repairs, rebuilding or demolishing, check with the parish's building official and floodplain administrator. On new construction and substantially improved homes, the parish sets the lowest floor one foot above the highest of four measurements, such as the FEMA base flood elevation.
What affects the cost of masonry work in Prien?
The size of the job, the material and how much old work has to come out set most of the price. Matching older brick, reaching a tight backyard and anything we only find once a wall is open can raise it, and a foundation that needs an engineer's design adds that step. I walk the job with you and put your number in a written estimate.
What causes stair-step cracks in brick walls on Prien houses?
Usually the ground under the wall settling unevenly, which pulls the brick apart along its weakest line, the mortar joints. Water draining toward the house instead of away can make it worse. A hairline crack that stays the same size is often old movement, but a crack that keeps widening or a door that starts sticking is worth a look.
Talk to us about masonry at your Prien home
We pick up (337) 502-4212 until 10 PM weekdays and 11 PM weekends, so you can call after work or send us a message.