Brick wall installation in Newport News VA - a wall that stands straight and sheds rain
Want a garden or boundary wall that won't lean or stain? We build brick walls with a sound cap and joints that shed rain.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What goes into building a brick wall in Newport News?
Brick wall installation in Newport News means building a garden or boundary wall from brick laid in mortar and topped with a cap that keeps rain out, so you end up with a sturdy wall that stays upright and dry.
Most people who call me about a new wall want to mark a property line, close in a garden or replace a fence that's given up, so I start by asking how long, how tall and where on the lot. Those answers drive most of the price, along with the brick and cap you pick and whether a thin design needs piers to stay up. The schedule turns on whether the city needs to review the job first, which is more likely near tidal water, and on the weather, since fresh mortar wants dry days above freezing. If you've already got an old wall that's cracked rather than missing, brick repair may serve you better, and I'll tell you which once I see it. Either way, your own figure comes from the estimate, after I've walked the spot with you.
When does a new brick wall make sense for your yard?
A wood fence that keeps rotting
Soft posts and boards that need replacing every few years usually mean that spot gets wet and stays wet. Waiting means paying for another fence, while a capped brick wall handles the same weather far better.
An old wall starting to lean
A garden wall that tips or cracks near the base was often built too thin for its height, with nothing bracing it. Left alone it can come down in a storm, and a wall is better rebuilt on purpose than picked up afterward.
Stains and flaking under the cap
White powder, green growth or brick that flakes near the top usually means water is getting in from above because the cap is missing or failing. Every wet winter loosens a little more, so rebuilding with a proper cap often beats patching.
What our brick wall installation covers
We start at the spot with you and mark the wall's line, then dig out and set a solid footing so the first course sits level. I pick a brick for how exposed that spot is, since brick trade guidance says durability for the site and the protection the cap gives are the two things to weigh. As we lay it, we tool each joint to a concave or V shape, which the trade favors because it sheds water instead of holding it, and that counts most on a wall one brick thick. The cap goes on last, sloped and overhanging so rain runs off instead of soaking down into the brick. If you want a thin wall, I'll show you how piers or a staggered line, laid out below, help keep it standing.
Plenty of walls connect to other work on the lot. Some owners want a stone base or stone piers to suit the house, and our stone masonry work covers that. If the house or an older wall nearby has worn joints, brick pointing on that old brick keeps it from looking tired beside the new wall.
One brick thick, with piers
This suits a low garden wall where you want a lighter look and a lower cost. Brick piers at intervals brace it, because trade guidance notes a thin wall can only be so slender before sideways push starts to win.
Two bricks thick
This suits a taller boundary wall or one that takes a lot of weather, since the extra thickness helps it stand on its own. It costs more in brick and labor, but it's the sturdier pick when height matters.
Staggered or zigzag line
This suits a long wall one brick thick where piers would look busy, because each bend braces the run next to it. It takes more room on the lot, so it works best where you've got space to spare.
Get a free on-site estimate for your brick wall
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a visit. I'll come out, walk the spot with you and write up a free estimate with no obligation.
(757) 782-8614- Based in
- Newport News, VA 23606
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call about a brick wall in Newport News?
Here's how a wall goes from your first call to the walk-through at the end, and what you'll have in hand before we lay a brick.
Call or send the form
Tell us about the spot and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. Have the wall's length, height and place on the lot handy, plus any creek, marsh or shoreline nearby.
Walk the site with me
I look at the spot with you, point out what I see and explain the brick, cap and thickness I'd use before writing anything up. You get a written estimate with the price, so you know the cost before you decide anything.
We sort out permits and review
Once you say go, we check with the permit office for your address and handle the permit paperwork when the job calls for it. If you're near the water, that review comes first, and it can set the start date.
We build it and walk it
Our masons lay the wall with me working right alongside them, then we clean up. At the end we walk it together and I show you the cap and joints so you know what to watch for later.
Why homeowners here call K&R Newport News Concrete & Masonry for brick walls
The owner looks at every wall
I come out to every job myself and write the estimate, and on the job I'm laying brick with our masons. The person who planned your wall is the one making sure it gets built that way.
A license worth asking about
We're licensed and fully insured. Virginia's Board for Contractors licenses businesses that build on property owned by others, and a license's class and specialty set how large a job and what kind of work it covers, so ask any mason you're weighing about both.
Six years on lived-in homes
I started this business in 2020, after years laying block and brick on new houses, to work on homes people already live in. That's why a new wall from us is planned to suit your house and the brick already on your lot.
If there's a spot on your lot that needs a wall, send us the form or call (757) 782-8614 and I'll come take a look.
Building brick walls on Newport News lots
The first thing I check on a Newport News job is where the wall sits on the lot, because that decides who needs to look at it. The city's Codes Compliance office says whether a project needs a building permit, and whether your wall needs one depends on what they say for your address, so we ask before we start rather than guess. If the job disturbs 2,500 square feet of ground or more, Planning Development Services requires a land disturbance permit too. Near the water, the bigger question is the city's Resource Protection Area, which covers tidal wetlands, tidal shores and the wetlands connected to them, plus a 100 foot vegetated buffer on the land side and along any stream that runs year-round. A wall that reaches into that area goes to the city's Environmental Services Division for review, so we flag it early and handle the permit paperwork when the job calls for it.
Away from the shoreline, most of what we see here is older brick houses, where a new wall has to sit next to brick that's been weathering for decades, so we match size, color and mortar instead of grabbing whatever's on the pallet. Walls closer to the water take more wind-driven rain, which is where the brick and cap choices above earn their keep. We see the same mix on jobs in Hampton and Poquoson.
Questions about brick walls in Newport News
How much does a brick wall cost in Newport News?
Brick and masonry work in nearby Hampton usually runs about $10 to $25 per square foot, a general figure for the trade there and not our price. Your wall's own figure comes from the estimate, once I've seen the spot and we've settled the size, thickness and brick.
Who do I ask about a permit for a brick wall in Newport News?
Ask the city's Codes Compliance office, which decides whether a project needs a building permit and takes applications in person at City Hall. We check with them for your address before work starts, so you're not left guessing.
What if my lot is near a wetland or tidal shore in Newport News?
If your wall reaches into the city's Resource Protection Area, any amount of disturbance there needs a Water Quality Impact Assessment that the Environmental Services Division approves. That review comes before we dig, so tell us about any marsh, shoreline or year-round stream when you call and we'll plan around it.
How do I keep a brick wall from soaking up water?
Slope any paving next to the wall away from it, or leave a drainage strip along its base, because trade guidance says that keeps the bottom courses from soaking up extra water. That works alongside the cap and joint shape covered above, which keep water out from the top and the face.
Should I put a sealer on a new brick wall?
Skip film-forming and acrylic sealers, which brick trade guidance advises against. A penetrating water repellent can raise a one-brick-thick wall's resistance to moisture, but it has to be reapplied from time to time, so it's a choice to make with that upkeep in mind.
How long does it take to build a brick wall in Newport News?
It depends mostly on the wall's length and height and on whether the city needs to review it first. Near tidal water, that environmental review comes before any digging, so it's often the longest wait, and rain or cold can push back laying days since fresh mortar needs fair weather. I'll talk through the schedule with you at the estimate.
Work that often goes with a new brick wall
Stone masonry
If you'd like a natural stone base, stone piers or a whole wall in stone to suit your house, our stone masonry work builds it.
Brick pointing
When older brickwork near your new wall has crumbling joints, fresh pointing firms it up and helps the old and new brick look like they belong together.
Brick repair
If an existing garden wall has cracked or loose brick but still stands true, repair can save it, and it's worth weighing before you tear anything down.
Where we build brick walls around Newport News
K&R Newport News Concrete & Masonry is based in Newport News, Virginia, and builds brick walls in the cities around it, including Hampton and Williamsburg. The 9 cities below have their own pages, and if you don't see yours, call and ask.
Newport News, VA
Get your brick wall planned and priced
Calling before you buy brick or pull out the old fence lets us plan the wall, the cap and any city review together.