It’s important to understand that in the construction industry, there several different types of contractors. General contractors oversee projects and often hire subcontractors to handle specific building aspects. Masons are those who work primarily in brick, stone and often concrete.
A masonry contractor can handle such things as brick or block construction, pour cement basement floors and driveways, erect chimneys and build stone walls. When you hire a professional masonry contractor to work on your home or commercial building, they handle some of the strongest and most valuable building materials. Here are just some of the benefits to brick and mortar.
- Water Resistant: While we generally have an expectation that home siding will be waterproof, shingles get old and gaps will eventually allow penetration. Although products such as aluminum siding are less likely to crack with age, they can be damaged and torn in extreme weather. Block and brick construction is dense and does not allow moisture penetration when properly installed and maintained.
- Energy Efficiency: Brick and block buildings allow for less heat and cold loss, which makes climate control less costly.
- Fireproof: It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that brick and mortar does not burn. That provides a level of fire safety not found in timber-built homes and businesses.
- Maintenance: Masonry construction ranks among the easiest types of construction to maintain. It can take decades before mortar needs repointing. Cement driveways last equally as long without touch-ups. The opposite is true of tar drives that require yearly sealing and coating.
- Resale Value: Although brick costs more to build with, it raises property values in the area of 6 percent. Masonry contractors have the ability to add “brick veneer” to the exteriors. These thinner, real bricks are designed for beautification. Because homebuyers tend to gravitate to the curb appeal of brick homes, it helps resale values.
- Lower Insurance Rates: The “Three Little Pigs” story tells you all that you need to know about the strength of brick homes. That same idea factors into homeowners policies. One of the key factors in determining a premium is the potential for loss due to fire and storm damage. Masonry built homes check “no” in those boxes.
Hiring a professional masonry contractor means heading down a path using high quality and durable construction materials. Masonry work also tends cost more because it’s more labor intensive than timber. At the end of the day, brick and mortar construction tends to deliver more benefits and value.
If you're interested in custom stone patios, contact a masonry contractor at Top Hat Masonry Repair today.