Stonecraft Edinburg Concrete and MasonryStonecraft Edinburg Concrete and Masonry

Masonry contractor in San Juan, TX - brick, block and pavers built to drain

Stonecraft Edinburg Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Edinburg, working on homes in San Juan, TX. We repoint worn mortar, fix cracked brick and build block walls, pavers, walkways and stone around the house.

Request a quote(956) 450-7417
A circular stone fire pit burns in a paved patio beside a block retaining wall, steps, and two small fountains.
  • Licensed and insured.
  • Free on-site estimates.
  • We respond within 1 business day.

About San Juan, TX

San Juan sits right up against Pharr along the expressway, a short drive south of us in Edinburg, and on a job you often can't tell where one city ends and the other starts. It's mostly homes, with shops and offices along the main roads, older brick houses closer to the middle of town and newer subdivisions filled in around them. On one street we might repoint a house that's stood for decades, and on the next we're building a block wall for one that's a few years old.

Nearly all of it sits on flat ground that's slow to drain after a hard rain, so before we set a footing, a paver or a new course of brick, we look at where the water goes on that lot.

Services in San Juan, TX

  • Retaining wall construction

    On flat lots here, a raised bed or terrace keeps rain off the patio. Our retaining wall construction starts with drain rock behind the block so water can't push it over.

  • Tuckpointing

    Sun and hard rain wear the mortar on older brick houses here until the joints go sandy. We grind out the loose joints and pack in new mortar matched to the old.

  • Brick repair

    Cracked brick here usually traces back to settling or water sitting at the base of the wall. We find that cause first, then swap in brick that matches.

  • Concrete block walls

    Property-line block walls are common here, and the ones that lean usually sat on a shallow footing. We pour a full footing and set steel and grout in the hollow cells.

  • Driveway pavers

    Flat slab driveways here tend to hold puddles. We set pavers on a packed, sloped base so water runs off, and a sunken patch can be lifted and reset.

  • Outdoor kitchen masonry

    Patios here see use most of the year, so grill islands are a common call. We build the base in block and face it in brick or stone that matches the house.

Working in San Juan: permits, city lines and what sets your price

On a San Juan job that needs a permit, the city's Building Department approves construction and renovation inside city limits, and the work waits until that approval comes through. We apply for the permit and request the inspections as the contractor on the job, so you don't have to chase it, though the start date still waits on the city. I learned this trade on a city public works crew where nothing was finished until an inspector signed off, so we plan the work around those inspections from day one. Before you hire anyone, it's fair to ask whether they've registered with the city's Planning & Zoning office, which takes subcontractor registrations for free. We're licensed and insured.

Along the edges, San Juan runs into Pharr on one side and Alamo on the other, and some homes nearby sit outside any city's limits, so we confirm which side of the line a lot is on before we plan around a permit. The price here mostly comes down to the size of the wall, walk or patio, the brick or stone you pick, how much worn mortar or damaged brick has to come out, and how much base and drainage the ground needs. Rain and the permit, when there is one, move the schedule more than anything else. I'll give you your own figure in a written estimate after I've seen the job.

San Juan, TX properties and local conditions

Rain that can't get away fast enough is the biggest thing we deal with on San Juan houses. Flooding that doesn't show up on the flood maps is possible and happens often in Hidalgo County, and many homes take water when storm water ponds faster than the drains can carry it off. For masonry, that means water sitting against the bottom rows of brick, soaking into the mortar and softening the ground under walls and walks. When we build or repair near the house, we pitch the work away from the slab, keep the weep holes clear, those small gaps along the bottom of a brick wall that let trapped water out, and back walls with drain rock so the water has somewhere to go.

Many of the older brick ranch houses near the middle of town still have their original mortar, and years of sun and wet-dry cycles leave the joints open. We repoint them with mortar matched to the old color and hardness, because mortar harder than the brick makes the brick crack instead of the joint.

Get a free estimate for your San Juan masonry job

Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time to come out to your San Juan home. I look at the job myself and tell you what I'd do, then a written estimate follows, free and with no pressure to book.

What happens after you call us about a San Juan job

  1. Call us or send the form

    Call (956) 450-7417 or send the form with what you're seeing and where the house is, and we'll get back to you to set a time. A photo or two helps me come ready.

  2. I come out and look

    I check the brick, the mortar and where the water runs, and tell you right there what I'd do and what can wait. A written estimate follows so you can think it over at home.

  3. We permit, build and clean up

    If the job needs a permit, we apply for it and set up the inspections, so you're not the one chasing the city. I work on site with our masons and helpers until the work is done and the site is cleaned up.

Frequently asked questions

How do I find out if my masonry project needs a permit in San Juan, TX?

The quickest way is to call the city's Planning & Zoning Department at (956)223-2200, which tells applicants how to submit the forms posted on the city's permits and forms page. Tell them what you're building and where on the lot. If you hire us, we make that call and file the application ourselves.

Do I need a permit to dig footings for a wall in San Juan, TX?

Ask before anyone digs, because the city has an Excavation Permit Application and says it matters to anyone planning to excavate or do significant digging inside city limits. A footing for a block wall or retaining wall means real digging, so we raise it with the city when we apply for the rest of the job.

Do I need a San Juan permit if my house is outside city limits?

Start by checking which side of the line you're on, because the city's building permits cover work inside city limits. The city's Planning & Zoning page lets you look up city limits and zoning, and shows whether a property outside them falls under Hidalgo County Precinct 1 or 2. For homes outside city limits, we check with the county office before we start.

How do I check a contractor's license in Texas?

Use the state's online licensing search, which shows whether a person or business holds a current license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. It only covers licenses that department issues, such as electrical contractors, so it matters most when an outdoor kitchen gets lights or outlets. We're licensed and insured, and you're welcome to ask for proof when I come out.

How much does masonry work cost in San Juan, TX?

Your price comes from the size, material and ground prep covered above, and you get your own number in a written estimate after I've seen the job. When a city permit is needed, its fees add to that. Building permit fees are figured from a per-square-foot value of the improvement that's updated every year, subcontractor permits start at $35, and a re-inspection starts at $50.00, which is one more reason to build it right the first time.

Can I get flood insurance on a house in San Juan, TX?

Yes. Hidalgo County and the incorporated cities in it take part in the National Flood Insurance Program, so anyone living here can buy a policy. Insurance helps after the water gets in, and on the masonry side we can pitch walks, beds and pavers away from the house so less of it sits against your brick.

Service areas

Explore the services

Edinburg, TX

Tell us about your San Juan project

Call (956) 450-7417 or use the form, and I'll find what's really causing the crack or the puddle before we put new work on top of it, even if that means telling you the job can wait.

Request a quote(956) 450-7417
(956) 450-7417Request a quote