Reasons to Avoid DIY Block Wall Repairs 

If your block walls or other masonry material is beginning to deteriorate, it is time for you to hire a masonry or block wall contractor. These professionals can help rebuild or fix your damaged masonry so that it will look new.  

You might be tempted to do the block wall repair on your own in hopes to save some money. However, it is vital to hire a professional contractor for your block wall and other masonry needs.  

Today, we are going to share with you some reasons why you should avoid DIY block wall repairs and hire a block wall contractor Tempe instead. 

It Is Sometimes More Affordable to Hire a Professional 

You may think that it is always more affordable to do your own masonry job because you do not have to pay for the cost of labor. Well, unfortunately, that is not always the case. You’ve got to think about more than just the cost of the materials in your calculations.  

You will probably require unique tools to finish the task. This includes wire brush, chisel, masonry hammer, and trowel. Also, your time is valuable. You’ll probably use the time that you would spend on your hobbies, household responsibilities, job, and family if you spend several hours on your block wall repair.  

A Block Wall Contractor Can Find Any Hidden Problems 

It is often not obvious why your fireplace or block wall is beginning to crumble. There might still be a hidden problem that contributed to the damage, even if you successfully repaired the damaged block wall. Almost every person is not going to be able to find underlying issues that are affecting their block wall. 

Luckily, a professional block wall contractor has the eye for detail and the experience to look for and find these underlying problems. They may know that poor drainage or uneven ground can sometimes cause a block wall to deteriorate and crumble. Also, the contractor might figure out that foundation problems have caused bricks to shift as time passes by. This will lead to cracks eventually.  

It Is Safer to Let a Professional Handle the Task 

It can be risky for you to attempt to fix the issue on your own. This depends on the location of your damaged block wall. You will have to utilize a ladder to access the cracked or crumbling brick if your chimney has damaged at the very top. In addition to that, you will also have to carry all of the materials to finish the repair.  

Even if the damaged block wall is low to the ground, you still have to transport and load the tools and bricks to finish the repair. You should always keep in mind that masonry repair is a physical task that can worsen any existing pains and aches that you have.  

If you think that you’ll save money fixing your damaged block wall on your own, you’re wrong. This is particularly true if you do not have the tools, knowledge, and skills required to properly finish the job.  

How Can You Benefit from a Brick Exterior? 

Brick is one of the most popular building materials that provide timeless beauty, along with longevity, durability, and low-maintenance for buildings, homes that can also be used for your property’s block wall Tempe. Nowadays, modern bricks are molded through setting, cutting, extrusion, and then fired to make uniform, aesthetically pleasing, durable, and strong shapes. The modern homes mostly feature metal frames or wood, with bricks as the attractive, durable, brick exterior 

Brick design, color, and cost 

Brick is usually a more expensive option when it comes to professional installation and materials costs if compared to other exterior siding and options. Even so, brick provides several benefits such as extensive designs, textures, and color range available. Brick can come in virtually all colors like brown, rust, red, orange, tan, gray, white, black, and multicolored options that match one another. Apart from that, you can consider painting your brick for a customized and unique look. The exterior brick surface provides different types of textures and mortar colors that let you customize it even more.  

Advantages of Having Brick Exterior 

Not only brick exterior can make a home beautiful, but also provide several other perks. Brick exteriors can help boost your property value and can be one of the selling points that can help you sell your house easily should this time comes. Apart from that, bricks are known as an eco-friendly construction material since they are made from an abundant natural resource known as clay. Also, bricks are not affected by moisture since it naturally absorbs and releases water. Bricks are also well-loved because they are resistant to termite, weather, and fire, which can entirely work together to minimize the insurance rates of the property owners.  

Provided its durability and strength, brick exteriors will less likely to break or dent similar to other siding types. Aside from that, brick is a good insulator, which helps keep temperatures consistently cooler during the hotter months and warmer in cool temperatures. As an insulator, brick helps alleviate sound transmission, reduces outdoor noises from construction, traffic, or noisy neighbors.  

If you get a brick house, rest assured that it only needs easy maintenance, which only involves occasional washing in the first few years. With bricks, you don’t have to repaint it and it will not develop any signs of decay. However, you’ll only need brick repair if you have chipped or lose bricks.  

More Facts About Brick Exteriors 

Face bricks or modular bricks refer to the bricks utilized for residential properties. They also feature the same size. Unlike pavers, bricks aren’t solid but they have vertical openings that enable the bricks to get stronger once filled with mortar.  

As previously mentioned, brick is a long-lasting and low-maintenance material. However, there are steps you can do to make sure that it’s in good condition. All you need to do is to clean your brick exterior by using a garden hose to spray it with water. Do not use pressure washers as they can damage your mortar and brick. Once the mortar or bricks show indicators of repair, contact the masonry experts ASAP. 

Benefits and Drawbacks of Block Walls 

There are a couple of forms of retaining walls. However, the most popular and common one is the block wall. There are a couple of reasons why block walls are popular, from durability to design.  

Are you wondering if you should install a retaining block wall for your property? Well, don’t worry because we are here to help. Today, we are going to share with you some of the most popular benefits and drawbacks of block walls. If you do find it interesting, make sure you hire a professional block wall Mesa, AZ contractor for help. 

Pro: Different Block Shapes 

There are a couple of variations in the molds utilized to produce the blocks for retaining walls. With this, you’ve got several options when you hire a professional contractor to install a block wall. Unfortunately, you might have to cut down a couple of blocks since it will be odd for your landscaping to fit perfectly the proportions of the wall.  

Con: Difficult to Handle by Yourself 

One of the biggest drawbacks of retaining block walls is that it requires a lot of labor. So, if you’re planning a DIY block wall installation, you might have a hard time. These concrete blocks are extremely heavy, even if they’re hollow. Because of this, they can be a bit tiring to work with.  

Aside from that, it can be difficult to shape your retaining block wall if you are not used to building them. This is especially true if you encounter curves and shapes.  

Con: Standard Colors and Sizes Make the Wall Less Unique 

Though there are a couple of color and size options, these blocks are generally uniform. That is why they’re affordable. Because of this, your block wall might not be unique. This is particularly true if your neighbors also installed block walls.  

Pro: Various Available Colors 

Block retaining walls are often pale red, tan, or grey shade. However, you can find retaining block walls in a range of colors if you’re searching for a bit more variety. This includes a blend of berry colors, earthy sage, and more. 

You might not find these things at your nearest home improvement shop. However, a professional masonry contractor can help source the colored blocks you want for your block walls.  

Con: Not Decorative Compared to Other Options 

Block walls can appear a bit less appealing. This is particularly true if you compared them to other retaining wall options, such as natural stone walls, wooden retaining walls, and much more. Luckily, if you hire a professional masonry contractor, he can sculpt the support of the retaining wall for elegant landscaping.  

Pro: Extremely Cheap 

One of the biggest benefits of a retaining block wall is that the materials are extremely affordable. These blocks are created from poured concrete. It is perhaps one of the most widely available and cheapest materials in the world. Block walls are poured into set molds for mass production since they’re extremely cheap to manufacture. Because of this, they are very affordable.  

 

Importance of Hiring the Right Mason 

Whenever you’re planning some construction work on your property, one of the things you want to avoid is to face issues that can ruin your project. This usually happens if you don’t properly do your research. Aside from that, it can also result in a disaster if you don’t plan properly.  

One of the most common projects homeowners take is masonry. You can choose to do the project on your own. However, people recommend that you hire a professional mason to do the job. This is particularly true if you’re doing something complicated, such as Phoenix block wall. 

So, if you’re planning to hire a mason, you need to find the right one. Here are several things to consider: 

The Price of the Service 

You should always be cautious of masonry contractors who offer estimates that are extremely low compared to the others. You should ask the reason why the price is extremely cheap. You should not choose a masonry contractor base on price alone. There are other vital factors to consider, such as insurance and licensing.  

Finding a Reliable Masonry Contractor 

Nowadays, you can find almost everything online. Thus, you should try looking at the websites of several masonry contractors. It’s also ideal to look at their social media pages. An unsatisfied client will often post their experience on the social media platform of the contractor. That is why it’s well worth spending some time checking their Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. You can also visit their website and read testimonials.  

One of the best things you can do is to ask for recommendations from other people. You can try looking around your neighborhood and ask the homeowner who did the masonry work. You should also ask if they’re satisfied with the result of the project.  

Once you’ve got several potential masonry contractors, the next thing you have to do is to search them on the website of the BBB (Better Business Bureau). This will help you see if they’ve got negative reviews.  

After you narrowed down your options, schedule an interview with each masonry contractor. This will help you evaluate their work ethic and personality. It is a huge red flag if the masonry contractor doesn’t want to answer any questions you ask. You should also ask the mason for references and contact the references.  

Qualities of a Reliable Mason 

Formal education can be crucial whenever you’re hiring a masonry contractor. However, it isn’t as important as someone who has a lot of experience in the industry. An apprenticeship and years of experience are a lot better compared to a degree. A masonry contractor should be knowledgeable in building codes, has a strong mathematics foundation for precise measurement, and knows how to read blueprints.  

Aside from that, a masonry contractor should have excellent color vision, a work ethic to finish the job on time, stamina to do a repetitive task, dexterity to carefully install block walls, and physical strength to lift heavy items. You need to ensure you do your research to hire the correct masonry contractor for your block wall project.