Masonry Contractor in Northchase, NC - Brick and Block Built for Low Ground
B&T Wilmington Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Northchase, NC, repairing brick, repointing mortar joints, and building block foundations, retaining walls and walkways for homes across this part of New Hanover County.
Book a masonry estimate in Northchase
I come out, look at the brick and the ground around it, and talk it through.
Request an estimateNorthchase: low ground under brick and block
Northchase is an unincorporated community north of Wilmington, mostly neighborhoods of single-family homes with brick fronts, block foundations, front walks and backyard patios. When I pull up to a job here, the first thing I look at isn't the brick. It's the yard around it, which way it slopes, where the downspouts dump and whether the ground stays soft after a rain. We see a lot of the same kind of houses in Wrightsboro and Kings Grant.
The county describes itself as low-lying, and that's what shapes masonry work here. Water that sits against a wall or under a walk finds the weakest joint, so on most Northchase jobs what's underneath and behind the masonry matters as much as the face you see.
Working in Northchase, where the county sets the rules
Northchase isn't incorporated, so New Hanover County is your local government and the county offices are the ones we deal with here. If your job sits in the floodplain, the county's Building Safety Department handles the building side of its flood rules and the Engineering Department handles grading and fill, so I'll tell you which office handles your address and help you get the paperwork together before we start, because the work waits until that's settled. When you're checking out a contractor, the county's business license only covers beer and wine sales, so there isn't one for a mason to show you, but the state requires a licensed general contractor once a project's total cost reaches $40,000. We're fully licensed and insured.
What moves the price on a Northchase job is mostly what I find once I'm up close, like how much old mortar has to come out, whether the brick needs matching, how deep we dig for a solid base and what it takes to get water away from the wall. The schedule turns on that paperwork and on how much of the ground needs fixing before the first block goes down. I walk the job with you and put the estimate in writing, so you've got your own numbers to look over before you decide. We do the same work across the river in Leland and down in Myrtle Grove, so our crew has seen plenty of ground like yours.
Services in Northchase, NC
Masonry restoration
Brick steps and fronts here often show soft joints and stains where water sits. Our masonry restoration work repairs the brick and mortar so the wall sheds water again.
Brick pointing
Mortar joints are where water gets into a Northchase brick wall first. We cut out the worn mortar and repack it with a mix matched to your brick, not harder than it.
Foundation block wall installation
On low ground, what sits under a house matters more than how it looks. We set block on a solid footing and plan where water goes before the first course.
Foundation repair
Stair-step cracks in brick usually mean the soil under the foundation moved. We find the cause before repairing block and brick, since a patch over moving ground won't hold.
Retaining wall construction
Yards here often slope toward a low corner that holds water. We build retaining walls with gravel and drainage behind them so trapped water doesn't push them over.
Walkway construction
Front walks on soft, wet soil settle and crack, then trip people up. We dig out, pack a firm base and pitch the new walkway so rain runs off it.
A written estimate for your Northchase masonry job
We get back to you within one business day, and then I come out to Northchase myself to walk the job with you and show you what I'm seeing. The estimate is free, done at your property and put in writing, and there's no obligation to go ahead. If you do, I'm on site with our crew of masons while the work gets done.
- Phone
- (910) 218-9550
- Location
- Wilmington, NC 28403
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
- Credentials
- Fully licensed and insured.
What Northchase homeowners can count on
We're a masonry contractor based in Wilmington, NC, with 16 services and 12 service areas on this site, Northchase among them, and every job starts with a free on-site estimate.
- Based in
- NC
- Wilmington
- Services
- 16
- Service areas
- 12
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if my house in Northchase is in a floodplain?
The county points owners to its Flood Risk Information System website, and you can also contact the county's Planning and Land Use staff, both found through New Hanover County's floodplain management page. It's worth checking before you plan a new wall, foundation or fill, because in the floodplain the county's flood standards can change how that work has to be built.
How do I build a block foundation that meets Northchase flood rules?
If your home is in FEMA's mapped 100-year floodplain, new construction and substantial improvements to an older house have to meet the county's flood-loss standards. Those mostly come down to raising the lowest floor and using anchoring and foundations that let floodwater pass under the building, so a closed block foundation may not be the right design there. We work that out with you before any block goes down.
Can I build a retaining wall in a floodway in New Hanover County?
Only if an engineering study shows it won't raise base flood levels, because the county allows a structure in a floodway only after a No-Rise study proves that. A floodway is the stream channel and the land beside it that's kept open to carry a big flood with no more than a foot of total rise. If your yard backs onto a stream, I'll bring it up at the walk-through.
Which building code applies to masonry work in Northchase right now?
The 2018 North Carolina State Building Code is still in effect, and the state fire marshal's office says it stays that way until the 2024 code's official start date is set. That date lands 12 months after the state certifies the 2024 code is published and the residential code council is fully seated, and until then an owner can ask to build to the 2024 code as an alternative.
Who can run the gas line for an outdoor kitchen in Northchase?
A contractor licensed by North Carolina's state board for plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler work, because that board is the one that licenses fuel gas piping. We build the block and stone for the kitchen and leave the gas line to that licensed trade.
How much does masonry work cost in Northchase, NC?
The price comes down to what's wrong and what's under it, so I give you a written figure after walking your job rather than a guess. Repointing a few soft joints costs far less than taking down and rebuilding a section, matching older brick adds to it, and on low ground the digging, base and drainage behind a new wall or walk are often a big share of the bill. Skipping those is how a cheap wall turns into a wet one, so I won't leave them out to hit a number.
Call us about your Northchase masonry
We take calls every day from 6 AM to 11 PM, so reach us at (910) 218-9550 or use the form.