Masonry Contractor in Lynden, WA - Brick and Stone Work Planned for Wet Winters
Allied Bellingham Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor serving Lynden, WA. We replace worn mortar on older brick, fix leaky chimneys and build retaining walls, walkways and paver driveways for homes here, working out of Bellingham.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Older brick and newer yards in Lynden
Most of the calls we get in Lynden come from two kinds of houses. Closer to downtown there are older brick homes whose chimneys, front steps and mortar joints have been through a lot of rainy winters. On the edges of town there are newer neighborhoods where people want a walkway, a patio or a wall to finish off the yard. The older houses usually need careful repair with a mortar that suits the brick, while the newer ones are more often about building on ground that was graded not long ago.
It's a lot like what we see in Ferndale and Blaine, with one thing that shapes nearly every job. Much of the land around Lynden is low and flat, and flooding in this part of the county usually comes between October and February, so we plan bases, drainage and the timing of outdoor work around those months instead of hoping the ground dries out.
Permits, paperwork and ground we deal with in Lynden
Permits for work inside Lynden come from the City of Lynden, and if your lot is in a mapped flood hazard area, any development there, fill included, needs a city permit before it starts, with the forms coming from the city's public works director. Nothing can be built in a floodway, the channel that carries a flood's main flow, so anything planned near a creek gets settled with the city before I draw it up. City Hall is closed to the public on Fridays, and the city says that may slow its replies, so we leave room for that in the schedule. Two things you can check on any contractor are their state registration and whether they're covered by the city's business license, and I've answered both in the questions below.
Our masons come up the Guide Meridian from Bellingham, and the low, wet ground here is a lot like what we work on down in Burlington, so the planning is familiar to us. The price mostly moves with the size of the job, how deep the base and drainage have to go, and how easy the spot is to reach, while the schedule turns on the wet months and any permit the city needs. I'll put your own figure in writing after we've walked the job together. We're licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Get a written estimate for your Lynden project
Call (360) 255-7006 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out to your place in Lynden, walk the job with you and leave a written estimate that's free, with no pressure and no obligation.
Call (360) 255-7006Services in Lynden, WA
Tuckpointing
Older brick near downtown Lynden often has joints worn soft by decades of wet winters. We rake them out and repoint with a mortar matched to the brick.
Chimney repair
On older Lynden houses, a leaky chimney usually starts at a cracked crown or open joints. We rebuild the crown and repoint so rain stops getting in.
Retaining wall construction
Lynden yards that need fill to sit level often call for a wall. We plan its base and drainage first, because trapped water usually pushes walls out.
Driveway pavers
Wet winter ground is hard on driveways with a thin base. We lay driveway pavers over a deep, packed base that holds up through the rainy months.
Walkway construction
Walks on older Lynden houses often settle where water sits under them. We dig out, rebuild the base and lay brick or stone that suits the house.
Foundation repair
Wet months push on older foundation walls, and cracks often show after winter. We find where the water comes from before repairing, so it's not just a patch.
How it goes when you call us about a Lynden job
Call or send a request
Call (360) 255-7006 or send the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out to your Lynden house. It helps if you can be there, so we pick a time that works for you.
Walk the job with me
I look at the brick, chimney or yard with you, answer your questions and leave a written estimate of what I'd do and why. This is where you see what's driving your price, so ask anything that's on your mind.
Check permits, then set a start
Once you're ready, we check what the city needs for your address and tell you what it says, and if a permit is needed we help you sort out the application. We set the start with the city's reply time and the wet months in mind.
Our masons do the work
Our masons build or repair it while I check in with them and with you along the way. When they're done, we clean up the site.
Common questions
How do I check that a masonry contractor is registered in Washington?
Ask for their contractor registration number, because Washington law requires it on a contractor's business cards, ads, estimates and bids. Every construction contractor in the state has to register with L&I, the state Department of Labor & Industries, and state law also requires them to be bonded and insured. On a home job of $1,000 or more, L&I tells contractors to give you its disclosure notice to customers, so look for it with your paperwork.
Does a Bellingham contractor need a Lynden business license to work in Lynden?
Yes, the city requires a $50 general business license for every business located in Lynden or doing business inside city limits. The exception is a business based outside the city whose reported gross income from Lynden work is $0 to $4,000 a year, which needs no license. Businesses apply through the Washington Department of Revenue's online licensing system, and it's fair to ask any contractor how they're covered.
When does a building permit expire in Lynden WA?
For residential and fill and grade permits, the city sets an expiration date 180 days from issue, and within that time the work has to be ready for the first inspection and that inspection scheduled. You can ask in writing, before it expires, for one extra 180 days for a fee, but if the first inspection isn't scheduled within 360 days of issue, the city treats the permit as expired and the project as abandoned. You can check a permit's status or schedule an inspection through the city's online permit center, and we plan our start so the first inspection isn't left to the last weeks.
How much does masonry work cost in Lynden?
Your price comes from the written estimate I leave after walking the job, because I won't guess at a number for work I haven't seen. Around Lynden, cost usually goes up with a deeper base or extra drainage on ground that stays wet, with older brick that needs a matched mortar, and with a city permit on a lot in a flood hazard area, whose fees are in the city's fee schedule on that same permit page. Smaller jobs on dry, easy-to-reach ground cost less.
What causes mortar to crumble on older brick houses in Lynden?
Water is usually the cause, soaking into the joints through the long wet season and then freezing, which slowly breaks the mortar down. A mortar that's harder than the brick, often left by an earlier repair, can also make the brick faces flake off. When I look at it, I check which joints are failing and why before deciding how much needs repointing.
How does Lynden's earthquake rating affect a new chimney or masonry wall?
The city's building criteria put all of Lynden in Seismic Design Category D1, an earthquake design rating, and list a basic wind speed of 110 mph for structures. Those values cover the whole city, not your lot in particular. They matter most for something tall and heavy, like a new chimney or a freestanding brick wall, so we plan that kind of work with them in mind before any block goes down.
Book a walk-through of your Lynden project
Call (360) 255-7006 or send the form now, because seeing your yard in the wet months shows where water sits, and that's the best thing to know before planning a wall, walkway or driveway.