Foundation repair
We look at cracked or settled block and the footing under it, find out how far the damage runs, then rebuild the bad section rather than patching over the crack.
Masonry contractor in Westgate, FL - sound joints and solid walls for older homes
AJ West Palm Beach Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Westgate, FL. We repair crumbling mortar, brick and block, and we build new walls, pavers, walkways and stone work for homes across Westgate.
How Westgate houses shape our masonry work
Westgate isn't a city of its own. It's part of unincorporated Palm Beach County and runs roughly from Okeechobee Boulevard south to Belvedere Road and from Military Trail east to Florida Mango Road, so county rules, not a city's, cover the work on your house. We do the same kind of work nearby in Palm Springs and in West Palm Beach, where we're based. Some of Westgate's first neighborhoods go back to the 1920s, and on houses that age we usually find mortar that's worn thin, brick or block that's been patched more than once and additions built in different decades, which is why so many of our jobs here start with repair.
The price comes down to how much needs fixing, how far the damage runs once we open it up, the material you pick and how easy the spot is to reach. The schedule turns mostly on whether the job needs a county permit and inspections. You get your own figure at the estimate, once I've seen the work.
I come out to see it myself
I've run this business since 2017, and I'm the one who comes out to look at the job and price it, so you're talking to someone who's laid the brick.
Our own masons do the work
The crew that shows up is our own masons, not strangers I've never worked with, so what I tell you at the estimate is what they build.
A tax receipt isn't a license
The county tax collector requires a local business tax receipt to sell services, but it doesn't regulate anyone or vouch for the work, so ask for the license too. We're licensed and fully insured.
What we build and repair in Westgate
Chimney repair
On older houses the crown and the top rows of brick usually go first, so we reset loose brick, recast the crown and repoint the joints before water gets inside.
Tuckpointing
We grind out worn mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the old, because mortar harder than your brick can make the brick itself crack instead.
Brick repair
Brick with cracked or flaking faces gets cut out and replaced with the closest match we can find, then pointed in so the patch blends into the wall.
Driveway pavers
We dig out the old drive, pack a base sized for the cars that park on it, then lay pavers inside a solid edge so they don't spread.
Retaining wall construction
Where a planter, slope or raised bed needs holding back, we build block or stone walls with drainage behind them, since trapped water is what pushes most walls over.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and block that's been patched over the years, we sort out what needs fixing now and what can wait, then repair, clean and repoint it.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces and surrounds from the firebox out, setting the layout with you first so the hearth, opening and mantel height fit the room.
Stone veneer installation
We set thin stone veneer on walls, columns and fireplace fronts over a properly prepared backing, because the prep behind the stone decides whether it stays on.
Concrete block walls
Privacy and property-line walls go up on a poured footing with steel and concrete in the block cores where the design calls for it, so the wall stays straight.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions we lay foundation block on the footing, level and square row by row, then reinforce and fill it the way the plans call for.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the block base for grills, counters and bars, finish it in stone, brick or stucco, and plan the grill cutout and utility lines before we start.
Walkway construction
We lay paver, brick or stone walkways from the driveway to the door or out back, sloped slightly so water runs off instead of sitting on the path.
Brick wall installation
New brick garden walls, columns and entry walls go up on a proper footing with joints tooled tight, so they shed water and look right next to an older house.
Stone masonry
We set natural stone for walls, steps, columns and accents, cutting and fitting each piece by hand so the joints stay even and the stone carries its own weight.
Brick pointing
When joints are just starting to open, pointing fills and seals them before water gets in, a smaller job than the brick repair that follows if you wait.
Get your Westgate masonry job priced on site
Send us a few lines about the work and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the job and give you the estimate right there.
Free, with no pressure to book
The estimate costs you nothing and there's no pressure to book, because I'd rather you decide with the real scope in front of you than with a guess.
You hear what can wait
I'll tell you what's wrong, what it takes and what can wait, and if the job is smaller than you feared, or bigger, you hear it before we start.
A day you can plan around
I spent years running the schedule for a busy construction company, so we set the work day up front, and we're best known for showing up on the day we planned.
Questions Westgate homeowners ask about masonry work
These are the questions about permits, licenses and paperwork that come up most when we price masonry work in Westgate.
Does my masonry project in Westgate need a county permit?
Ask the county, because the Palm Beach County Permit Center issues building permits for most construction work in unincorporated areas like Westgate. Some work needs only a zoning review, and work that's exempt still has to meet code. An older county brochure sends owners whose work isn't on its no-permit list to the Permit Center Help Desk at 561-233-5120.
Does Florida House Bill 803 change permits for my Westgate home?
No, the county says permit requirements here are unchanged. The law exempts certain work under $7,500 on single-family homes, but it leaves out flood hazard areas, and all of Palm Beach County is designated one under the state building code. So the permit rules for your job are the same as before.
How do I know if my home is in unincorporated Palm Beach County?
Look at the first two numbers of your parcel control number. If they're 00, your property is in unincorporated Palm Beach County and county rules apply, as they do across Westgate. It takes a minute and saves you calling the wrong office about a permit.
Does my contractor have to enroll their state license with Palm Beach County?
Yes, if they're applying for your permit. A state-licensed contractor has to enroll that license with the county to apply for permits in unincorporated Palm Beach County, and that covers Westgate. When a job of ours needs a permit, we check with the office that covers your address, pull it and set up the inspections, so you're not chasing paperwork.
Cities where we do masonry work
These are the other cities with their own page on our site. If yours isn't listed, call and ask, since we work across the cities around West Palm Beach.
Tell us about your Westgate masonry job
Our hours run into the evening and through the weekend, so call (561) 220-1584 or use the form to tell us what you're planning.