Masonry contractor in Opelousas, LA - sound joints and straight walls
K&D Lafayette Masonry and Concrete is a masonry contractor based in Lafayette that works in Opelousas, repairing brick and mortar, building block, brick and stone walls, and laying walkways and driveway pavers for homeowners here.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Masonry work for Opelousas homes
Opelousas has a lot of brick that's been standing a long time, and that shapes most of the calls we get here. Around downtown and on the older streets, we see brick steps and porches, chimneys nobody has checked in years, and softer old mortar that's starting to wash out of the joints. Farther out, the work is more about newer slab houses, garden walls, front walks and driveways.
It's the same work we do in New Iberia and Carencro, but older brick asks for a closer match in mortar and brick, so a repair doesn't stand out or crack the brick beside it. On the newer lots, the job usually comes down to the base and drainage underneath.
Our masonry services in Opelousas
Foundation repair
Cracked brick over a slab or pier often traces back to the foundation, so we find the cause before patching the brick.
Learn more about Foundation repairChimney repair
Old chimneys here usually lose mortar at the top first, so we repoint, rebuild loose rows of brick and reset the cap.
Learn more about Chimney repairTuckpointing
When joints on older brick turn sandy, we grind them out and refill them with mortar matched to the old in color and strength.
Learn more about TuckpointingBrick repair
Brick steps and porches wear first on older homes, so we cut out cracked or flaking brick and set a close match.
Learn more about Brick repairDriveway pavers
A paver driveway is only as good as the packed base under it, and on wet ground that's where we spend the time.
Learn more about Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a yard slopes toward the house or a ditch, we build the wall on a footing with drainage behind it.
Learn more about Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
On houses that have stood for decades, we restore worn brick and patched joints, and I'll tell you what needs doing now and what can wait.
Learn more about Masonry restorationFireplace installation
We build brick and stone fireplaces for living rooms and covered back porches, laid on a footing that will carry the weight.
Learn more about Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Thin stone over an existing wall dresses up a newer house front, and we give water a way out from behind it.
Learn more about Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
For property lines and shops on bigger lots, we set block on a poured footing with steel and grout where the wall needs strength.
Learn more about Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
Additions and raised floors here often sit on block, so we lay foundation walls straight and level on a footing dug and packed right.
Learn more about Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
For back yards built around cookouts, we set grill islands and counters in brick, block or stone on a slab poured for the weight.
Learn more about Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks that heave or hold water, we tear out and rebuild on a packed base with enough slope to shed the rain.
Learn more about Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
New brick garden and screen walls, laid to match the brick on your house so the wall looks like it's always been there.
Learn more about Brick wall installationStone masonry
Stone steps, planters and walls, set by hand, for owners who want something heavier than concrete next to a brick house.
Learn more about Stone masonryBrick pointing
A few cracked or missing joints don't need the whole wall redone. We refill just those spots, which is sometimes all the house needs.
Learn more about Brick pointing
What Opelousas rain and ground ask of masonry
Water is what we work around most in Opelousas. Rain soaks into sandy joints, the ground stays soft after a storm and pulls back as it dries, and that movement turns into cracked steps, leaning garden walls and stair-step cracks running up the brick. Before we fix a crack, we look at where the water goes and what the wall sits on, because a patch over a footing that's still moving just cracks again.
That's also what moves the price. It mostly follows how much has to come out and whether the trouble is under the wall, and the schedule follows the weather and the permit check with the city. I come look at the job myself and write your estimate on site, so you see your own number before we start.
Get a free estimate for your Opelousas job
Tell us what you're seeing and where in Opelousas the house is, and we'll reply within one business day. I come out myself to look and write your estimate on site, free and with no obligation.
Opelousas masonry questions
Do I need a permit for brick or concrete work in Opelousas?
Maybe, and the city's Code Enforcement Office is where to find out. That office takes permit applications for new construction, electrical service changes in additions or renovations, and buildings moved onto a lot, and those permits have to be in hand before the work starts. We check with the office before work starts and take care of any permit your job calls for.
What license does a contractor need to work in Opelousas?
For a city permit, the contractor has to be state licensed or licensed by the City of Opelousas. The city's own contractor license asks for a certificate of insurance for $100,000, plus product warranty, general liability and workers' comp. We're fully licensed and insured.
How much does masonry repair cost in Opelousas?
The price comes down to how much brick or mortar has to come out, how close a match the old material needs and whether the real problem is the footing or drainage underneath. A few cracked joints on a porch cost far less than repointing a whole wall, and I'd rather tell you the small repair will do. I'll look at it and write your estimate on site.
What causes mortar joints to crumble on older brick houses?
Water, mostly. Rain soaks the joints, they dry out, and over the years the mortar turns sandy and falls out, faster wherever a gutter spills or a sprinkler hits the wall. We grind out the soft joints and refill them with mortar matched to the old, because mortar harder than the brick can crack the brick around it.
What is the best way to keep a brick or block wall from cracking in Opelousas?
Build it on a proper footing and keep water away from it. Most cracked walls we see started with a footing that was too small or ground that stayed wet under or behind the wall. That's the part I care most about, so we dig the footing, pack the base and give the water somewhere to go before the first brick goes down.
Will a Lafayette masonry contractor come out to Opelousas for a small repair?
Yes. We're based in Lafayette and work across Opelousas and the other cities around it, and a few loose bricks or cracked joints are worth the drive. I come out myself to look, and if a small repair will do, that's what I'll tell you.
Got a wall or chimney to look at?
Call (337) 216-1882 or send the form, and I'll come out to look at the job and write your estimate on site.
Other cities we serve
If you're outside Opelousas, find your city here or call (337) 216-1882 and ask, since we work across the cities around Lafayette.