Masonry contractor in Donna, TX - brick and block work for heat and heavy rain
Premier Mission Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Mission, TX that works in Donna, TX, repairing brick, repointing mortar and building block walls, foundation walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens for homes across the city.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Brick and block homes across Donna
Donna sits between Alamo and Weslaco, and we come over from Mission for the same kinds of calls we get all across the Valley. Near the center of Donna you'll find older brick and block houses that carry years of mortar repairs, and farther out there are newer subdivisions with brick fronts, block fences between yards and patios out back. A lot of the calls are small and specific, like a cracked wall, a loose row of brick or a fence that's started to lean, and that suits the way I like to work.
On an older house, the hard part is usually matching what's already there, so I look at the brick's size and color and the mortar's color and texture before we order anything. On newer lots it comes down to what's under the wall, because a block wall is only as steady as the footing it sits on.
Our services in Donna, TX
- Foundation block wall installation
Additions and raised floors on Donna's flat lots need a steady base. We set foundation block walls on a proper footing and reinforce the cores so they carry the load.
- Brick repair
Older brick homes in Donna often have cracked or loose brick around windows and corners. We replace the damaged brick with pieces matched for size and color.
- Tuckpointing
Strong sun and summer storms wear mortar joints down until they turn soft and sandy. We grind out the worn mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the old.
- Concrete block walls
Block fences in Donna's newer subdivisions lean or crack when the footing is too shallow. We build block walls on a full footing, with steel and grout where needed.
- Walkway construction
On flat lots, a walkway that tips toward the house sends rain to the foundation. We build walkways sloped away from your walls so water runs into the yard.
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
Donna's long, hot summers move a lot of cooking out to the back patio. We build outdoor kitchens in block, brick or stone, with grill surrounds built for the heat.
What Donna's heat asks of your walls
Summer here is long, and it's hard on fresh mortar. The weather record kept in Weslaco, about 5 miles east, puts the average August high at 97°F, and a freeze of 32°F or colder shows up in only 44 percent of years. So freezing is a smaller worry here than in colder places and heat is the bigger one, because mortar that dries out too fast never reaches its full strength. We do mortar work in the cooler morning hours when we can, and we keep fresh joints damp and shaded so they cure slowly.
The other thing we see on Donna houses is patchwork, where one owner after another filled cracks with whatever mortar was on hand. Before we touch a patched wall, I find out why it cracked, because a joint that keeps failing usually points to something under or behind it, and the right repair fixes that cause, not just the line you can see.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Donna
We reply within one business day to set a time that works for you. I come out to your Donna home myself, walk the job with you and explain each part of it, and the estimate is free with no obligation. If you decide to go ahead, a crew lead runs the work with our masons and I check in along the way.
Brick, block and stone work
Donna masonry questions answered
Does an addition to my house in Donna, TX need a permit?
Yes, Donna's building permits office says additions to a house need a permit, and the application has to be filled out before any work starts. The city's Planning and Zoning Division also issues permits for repair, remodeling and new construction, so if you're not sure about a wall or other project, call the building permits office at 956-464-6911. When a job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork with the city, and since the Building Official's review takes 2 to 3 business days, we build that wait into the schedule.
Who gets the electrical permit for an outdoor kitchen in Donna?
The electrician doing the wiring gets it, because Donna requires subcontractors to pull their own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, and the only exception the city names is a reconnect for light, which the property owner can get. Texas also requires anyone who does electrical work to be licensed, so the lights, outlets and sink lines go to licensed trades while we build the block, brick or stone around them.
How do I check a contractor's license in Texas?
Use the state's online license search, which shows whether a person or business holds a current license, and for plumbers, the state plumbing board's lookup shows their license details in real time. Donna's building permits page also posts its own contractor application and a business and vendor permit application. We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to show you the paperwork at the estimate.
What causes homes in Donna to flood outside the flood zone?
Storm water that can't drain away fast enough is a common cause, because the ponding around the house can rise until it gets inside. Flooding from sources the flood maps don't show happens often across Hidalgo County, so being outside a mapped zone doesn't mean your lot stays dry. When we build walls and walkways, we look at where water sits after a rain and set the work so it sheds water away from the house instead of holding it against the foundation.
Who finds the property line before a block wall goes up in Donna?
You do, since the city puts locating property lines on the property owner. The city may have a plat, which is a map of the lots, or a plot plan showing your property's dimensions, but hiring a licensed land surveyor is the only way to find the line accurately. We'd rather build on a line you've confirmed than on an old fence, because moving a finished wall costs far more than a survey.
How much does masonry work cost in Donna, TX?
The price comes down to the size of the job, the materials and how much damage turns up once the wall is open. Matching older brick and mortar takes more time than new work, and a new wall needs a footing dug and poured before the first block goes on. The schedule turns on a permit if one's needed, on getting matching brick and on working around summer heat and rain, and you'll get your own figure after I walk the job with you.