Masonry Contractor in Alamo, TX - Brick Repairs That Blend Right In
Cornerstone McAllen Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor repairing brick, mortar and block on Alamo homes, and building new walls, walks, stone fronts and outdoor kitchens that match what's already there. I look at each job myself.
- Service area
- Alamo, TX
- Call
- (956) 331-0202
Brick homes and block walls in Alamo
Alamo sits along the expressway between San Juan and Donna, a short drive east of us in McAllen, and its homes run from older brick ranch houses near the center of town to newer subdivisions with stucco walls and stone fronts. Most backyards are closed in with block, and the businesses along the main roads mix brick storefronts with plain block buildings. We do the same kind of work south in Hidalgo, so the houses here look familiar to us.
Under all of it is the Valley's heavy clay, which swells when it's wet and shrinks back in a dry summer, and that slow movement is behind a lot of the cracked brick and split joints we're called out to fix here. Before I patch anything, I look at what moved it, because fresh mortar over a crack that's still moving just opens up again.
Our services in Alamo, TX
When the clay under a house shifts, it usually shows up as stair-step cracks or loose brick at corners. We replace damaged brick with matching brick and tie the repair back into the wall.
Older brick homes in Alamo often have joints that have gone sandy after years of Valley sun and rain. We grind out the loose mortar to a clean depth and repoint with mortar matched to yours.
Brick storefronts and older homes along Alamo's main roads can carry decades of patches, stains and mismatched mortar. Our masonry restoration work cleans the brick gently, cuts out bad patches and evens out the wall.
A lot of the older privacy walls around Alamo yards lean or crack because the footing under them was skimped. We pour a real footing, set steel and fill the cores on the walls we build.
Newer houses in Alamo often get a stone front added over plain stucco or block. We hang a moisture barrier and lath first and leave water a way out, since trapped moisture pops stone loose.
Valley weather lets you cook outside most of the year, so plenty of Alamo backyards get a grill island. We build the base in block on a solid slab and face it to match the house.
Every service we offer
Foundation repair
Chimney repair
Tuckpointing
Brick repair
Driveway pavers
Retaining wall construction
Masonry restoration
Fireplace installation
Stone veneer installation
Concrete block walls
Foundation block wall installation
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Walkway construction
Brick wall installation
Stone masonry
Brick pointing
How it goes when you call us about a job in Alamo
Call us or send a request
Call (956) 331-0202 or fill out the form and tell us what you're seeing, whether it's a cracked wall, crumbling joints or something new you want built. We set a time for me to come out to your place in Alamo.
I look at it in person
I come out myself, ask a lot of questions and show you what I see, including when good brick should just be left alone. You get an estimate before anything starts, and I walk you through what's driving the number.
Permits, inspections, then the work
If the job needs a permit, we handle the paperwork with the City of Alamo and set up the inspections, which the city inspector does in the field from 10 to noon and 3 to 5. Then my crew and I do the work, the same careful way whether a joint will show or not.
We clean up and walk it
When the work is done, we clean up the site. Then I walk the finished job with you so you can look it over with me.
Alamo masonry questions
Do I need a building permit for masonry work in Alamo, TX?
Alamo does issue building permits, and for a new business building the city releases one only after staff approve the full submittal, including a complete set of plans and a windstorm design. For masonry on your house, ask the city's Planning Department at 787-0006, option 4, whether your job needs one before any work starts.
Which building codes does Alamo, TX use for masonry work?
Alamo works from the 2024 International Building Code and International Residential Code, and the city's list marks the residential code for windstorm. If you're planning a tall wall or a stone front, it's worth asking the Planning Department how that wind label applies, and we plan the build around what the city's code calls for.
How do I find out how close to my property line I can build in Alamo?
Ask the city's planning staff, because Alamo's zoning covers every property inside city limits, homes included, and sets minimum building setbacks and building heights for each zone. Settle it before we lay out anything new near a property line, since moving a wall after it's built means tearing it down.
How much does masonry repair cost in Alamo, TX?
The cost comes down to how much brick or block is involved, how much has to come out before new work goes in and how hard your brick and mortar color are to match. A wall that's hard to reach or a job that needs a permit and inspections adds time, and summer heat can push mortar work into the cooler morning hours. I give you your own figure at the estimate visit, after I've seen the work.
What is the best way to get rid of old brick and concrete in Alamo?
Have it hauled off with the job, because the city's brush and bulky item pickup leaves out construction material like sheet rock, lumber and roof shingles. Brush mixed in with other debris gets left too, and then it's yours to get rid of at your own expense, so on our jobs we take the broken brick, old mortar and block we tear out with us.
When is the city inspector at Alamo City Hall?
The city inspector is at City Hall from 8 to 10 in the morning and from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. The rest of the workday goes to inspections out in the field, so those two windows are your best shot at catching the inspector in person.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Alamo
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to your Alamo property myself to look at the job and talk it through with you. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
- Call
- (956) 331-0202
- Location
- McAllen, TX 78501
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Plan your Alamo masonry project with us
Call before you buy brick or stone, because I'd rather match what's on your house first than leave you with a patch that shows.