What We Build
Foundation RepairHow We Fix and Build Them
A house is only as straight as what it sits on. On Cape Cod, sandy soil, a high water table and decades of freeze and thaw work on every foundation. We repair cracked and crumbling foundations, repoint and parge old block, brick and stone, rebuild sections that have failed, and build new foundations for additions, garages and porches. Here is how, step by step.
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- Licensed & Insured in MA
- Since 2017
- All 15 Cape Cod Towns
Step 1
Find the cause before fixing the crack
We start with a visit. We look at the cracks, the mortar, how the walls sit, and where the water goes around the house: the grading, the gutters and the downspouts. A crack is a symptom. If we only patch it and leave the cause, it comes back.
Then we tell you plainly whether it is cosmetic or structural, what we would do, and when the job needs a structural engineer or a permit before any work starts.
Step 2
Cracks and repointing
On block, brick and stone foundations, most of the damage is in the mortar. We cut out the loose and crumbling joints and repoint them with fresh mortar, packed tight so water stops getting into the wall.
Cracks are cleaned out and filled so they are sealed against water, not just covered over.
Step 3
Parging
Parging is a coat of cement mortar over the outside face of the foundation, from the ground up to the siding. It protects block and stone from water and weather, and it gives an old, patched foundation a clean, even finish again.
We clean and prepare the wall first so the new coat bonds to it instead of peeling off in a few winters.
Step 4
Rebuild the sections that failed
When part of a wall is bowed, loose or crumbling, patching is not enough. We support the structure, take out the failing block, brick or stone, and rebuild that section solid.
The new section is tied into the sound wall on either side, so the foundation works as one wall again.
Step 5
New foundations
For additions, garages, porches and sunrooms, we build the foundation from the ground up: excavation and a poured concrete footing with steel rebar, built to the size and depth your plans and your town require.
On the footing we build the walls one of two ways: poured concrete walls, or concrete block walls with the cores filled solid with concrete. We help you choose based on the plans, the site and what your engineer calls for.
We work from your architect or engineer’s drawings and coordinate with your builder, so the foundation is ready when the framing crew arrives.
Step 6
Backfill, grading and clean-up
We backfill and grade so the ground slopes away from the house and water runs away from the foundation instead of toward it. Then we bring in loam where we disturbed grass and take the debris with us.
What we work on
Foundations we repair and build
Many older Cape homes sit on fieldstone or brick foundations that were never meant to see a century of salt air and freeze and thaw. They can almost always be saved with the right repointing and rebuilding. If the damage is beyond repair, we will say so and tell you what it takes.
Ask any contractor
Four questions worth asking
Whoever you hire, these four answers tell you most of what you need to know:
Is this crack cosmetic or structural?
A thin, dry crack that is not growing is usually cosmetic. A crack that is wide, leaking, getting bigger or has one side pushed out further than the other needs a closer look before anyone patches it.
What caused it?
Water against the foundation, poor grading, missing gutters and frost are the usual causes. If the plan only fixes the crack and not the cause, ask why.
Does this need an engineer or a permit?
Structural repairs and new foundations often do. You want that answer before the estimate, not halfway through the job.
What will the repaired wall be made of?
Ask exactly what goes back in: what kind of mortar, what kind of block or stone, and how the new section ties into the old wall.
Get in touch
Free foundation estimate
No commitment. We will respond within 24 hours and schedule a visit to your property within 48.
Get a Free EstimateMain: (508) 360-2151 · Office: (508) 373-3495
Masonry and hardscaping contractor serving all of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Licensed and insured in MA.
(508) 360-2151(508) 373-3495contact@bridimasonryservices.comWhat We Build
- Custom Patios
- Pool Decks
- Walkways
- Stone Steps & Stairs
- Retaining Walls
- Cobblestone Aprons
- Paver Driveways
- Chimney Repair
- Foundation Repair