Brick wall installation in Cedar Rapids IA - a wall that drains and holds up
Ready to add brick to your house? We build a wall that looks right and keeps water moving out, not in.
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What goes into a brick wall that lasts on a Cedar Rapids house?
Brick wall installation in Cedar Rapids means laying clay brick, whose fired-in color lasts and stands up to rain when the wall is built properly, and on a house it also means building the drainage behind the brick as carefully as the face you'll see.
Most people who call us about brick are adding it to a house or an addition, and they want it to look right beside what's already there. The price mostly turns on how many square feet of wall you need, the brick you choose, how high the work goes and how many windows and doors need flashing around them, while the schedule depends on the weather, the city or county check we make before starting and where we are with other jobs. The estimate is where you'll get your own figure, along with a written plan of what I'd do and why.
What our brick wall installation includes
A single layer of brick on a house lets some water through, so I build it as a drainage wall from the start and not just a handsome face. We begin by checking the backing wall the brick will tie to, then set the flashing, the waterproof layer that steers water back out, at the base and over windows and doors, with weep openings directly above it so water leaves the wall quickly. I choose good flashing material, because once the brick is up it's very hard and costly to reach. Then we lay the brick and finish each joint with the same care we give mortar work on older homes.
Some walls call for related work. If you'd like stone set in with the brick, our stone masonry can be part of the same job, and if new brick is going beside an older wall with worn joints, brick pointing on the old section helps the two hold up and look alike.
Brick wall installation in Cedar Rapids and what changes the job here
Iowa's contractor agency tells contractors to contact the city or county government on every project to learn what's required locally, so a Cedar Rapids brick job starts with that call. What applies to your wall is the city's or the county's decision and not mine to guess, so before work begins we contact the office, then tell you what we found and who will handle it.
Much of the brick we build beside here is on older homes, and new brick has to sit next to walls that have weathered for decades, so I pay close attention to mortar color and how the joints are finished. We see the same mix of older and newer brick on jobs in Hiawatha and Marion.
- Call (319) 536-8125
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
- Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
What happens when you call R&S Cedar Rapids Concrete & Masonry in Cedar Rapids?
Call or send us a message
Thank you for reaching out. We get back to you and set a time for me to come see where the brick will go.
I visit and write it up
I look the job over, ask what you've noticed about the house and write up what I'd do and why. You'll see the brick, flashing and drainage work spelled out, so you know what the price is paying for.
We build, cover and tidy
Once the city or county check is done, the crew and I lay the wall and cover it at the end of each day to keep moisture out of the fresh work. We leave the site tidy every evening until the wall is finished.
Why Cedar Rapids homeowners call R&S Cedar Rapids Concrete & Masonry for brick walls
I come out, my crew builds
I look at every job myself and write the estimate, and the same small crew I work beside does the building. The person who planned your flashing is on site when it goes in.
Framing experience behind the brick
I framed houses for years before learning masonry beside an experienced mason, and I've run this business since 2023. That matters on a house, because the brick carries only its own weight and passes sideways loads like wind to the wall behind it.
Licensed and insured, easy to check
We're licensed and insured. Iowa registers contractors partly so the public can learn about them, and you're welcome to look up any contractor with Iowa's Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
That's our promise on every wall we build. I'll also be straight with you, and if a question needs a closer look before I can answer it, I'll tell you so.
On a brick wall, the parts you can't see after we leave decide how it ages, so I'd like to talk them through with you at your house. Request an estimate or call (319) 536-8125.
Request an estimateGet a written plan and price for your brick wall
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out, and the on-site estimate is free with no obligation. I'll look at where the wall goes, ask what you've noticed and write up what I'd do and why.
- Licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (319) 536-8125
- Location
- Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Questions about brick wall installation in Cedar Rapids
How much does brick wall installation cost in Cedar Rapids?
Brick and masonry work in Cedar Rapids usually costs about $10 to $30 per square foot. That's the going rate for this kind of work in the area, not a quote, and where a wall lands depends on the brick, the height and how much flashing it needs. I'll give you your own figure once I've seen the wall.
Does brick need to be painted or sealed?
No, clay brick needs no paint or surface treatment to do its job. Paint authorities say painted exterior masonry needs repainting every three to five years, so leaving brick bare keeps you off that cycle. Paint can still make sense if you want the wall to reflect more light or have a decorative look.
What is the best way to build a brick wall in cold weather?
Below 40°F, the usual way is to clear any ice off the brick and heat the sand and water for the mortar, which is what one masonry trade group's requirements call for. If your job falls in the colder months around Cedar Rapids, expect those extra steps on site. We can talk through timing when I come out.
Does a brick contractor need to register with the state of Iowa?
Yes, contractors who earn at least $2,000 a year from construction register with the state, and new work, installations and repairs all count as construction. Registration is there to make sure contractors follow workers' compensation and unemployment insurance laws, so it's a fair question to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring.
Do I need to register with the state to build a brick wall on my own property?
No, people who work only on their own property aren't required to register with the state. Registration is for people doing construction for others. If you'd rather hand the job off, we're glad to come take a look.
How do I keep landscaping from causing problems with my brick wall?
Keep mulch, soil and planting beds below the flashing and weep openings, which sit above the ground so water drains out of the wall above the soil. Foundation waterproofing also continues above ground level so landscaping stays below it. When we build, we set those parts high enough to leave your beds room beneath them.
Other masonry work that pairs with brick
Stone masonry
Natural stone can frame brick, form a sturdy base or add a contrasting band, built as part of the same job so the materials meet cleanly.
Brick pointing
When older brick near your new wall has crumbling or recessed mortar joints, fresh pointing keeps water out and helps both sections age at a similar pace.
Tell us about the brick you're planning
Call (319) 536-8125 or send the form with the wall's rough square footage and whether the brick goes on a house, so I arrive with the right questions about flashing and the wall behind it.
Request an estimateCall (319) 536-8125