Masonry contractor in Scott, LA - brick, block and stone built to stay straight

You need a City of Scott building permit when the work counts as a substantial improvement or a repair of substantial damage, which is rebuilding, adding on or repairing at a cost that's a large share of the building's market value. For damage, the city counts what a full restoration would cost, whatever repair you actually do, and work over the line has to meet today's building rules and sit above the flood elevation on the city's map. The Planning Department at City Hall, (337) 233-1130, can tell you where your job lands, and we check with them before we start and take care of any permit the job calls for.

Yes, once a home improvement project totals $7,500 or more, labor and materials together, the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors says the subcontractor bidding or doing it must be licensed. Permits for licensed work only go to holders of an active license in the right class, so a contractor without one can't get the permit for your job. We're fully licensed and insured.

No. The board says an occupational license only gives a business the right to operate in a city or parish, mostly for local sales tax, and it isn't a contractor's license. When you compare contractors, ask about the state license, not just the city one.

Yes, Louisiana lets you build your own primary residence without a license as long as you live in it, and that covers a shed or similar structure next to it. A house built to rent or sell needs a license. You get the permit and the exemption form from the city's permit office, and state law has you sign a sworn statement on the board's affidavit form before the permit is issued. The exemption doesn't cover subcontractors the state licenses, so a mason you bring in still needs their own license when the state requires one.

Most brick cracks we see here come from movement underneath, usually a slab or footing settling where water sits around it. Stair-step cracks that follow the mortar joints point to that kind of movement, while a single cracked brick is often just that brick. I'll tell you which one you've got and whether the footing needs work or a few joints and bricks will do.

The cost of masonry work in Scott comes down to how much brick, block or stone the job takes and what shape the footing and base are in. Matching older brick, working in a tight spot and a footing that needs rebuilding all push it up, while pointing a few joints instead of relaying a wall keeps it down. I come out, look at it and write the estimate myself, so you get a number for your own job.