Loading...
Serving Appleton, WI and surrounding areas. (920) 454-9356
Appleton Concrete & Masonry is your masonry contractor serving Fond du Lac, WI with foundation block wall repair, tuckpointing, and chimney work. We know the older housing stock here and the toll that Lake Winnebago winters take on brick, block, and mortar.
A large share of Fond du Lac homes were built before World War II, and many still have their original concrete block foundations - some dating back to the 1880s and 1890s. When those walls crack, bow, or begin letting water through, the right solution is often a partial or full foundation block wall installation rather than a surface patch. We build and rebuild block foundation walls to current standards, with proper drainage and waterproofing for the clay-heavy soils common throughout Fond du Lac.
Fond du Lac winters are hard on mortar joints. Temperatures swing from well below zero in January to the 80s in summer, and that range opens small gaps in mortar every year. The freeze-thaw cycles starting in late February do the most damage - water trapped in hairline cracks expands and breaks the joint apart. Tuckpointing removes deteriorated mortar and replaces it with fresh material before the damage reaches the brick or block itself, which is always a more expensive repair.
Fond du Lac homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s often have tall, original brick chimneys that have seen 80 to 100 years of Wisconsin weather. Spalled brick, open mortar joints at the crown, and failed flashing are all common on chimneys in the older downtown neighborhoods. Left alone, a deteriorated chimney lets water run inside your walls every time it rains - it is one of the most preventable sources of interior water damage in older homes here.
Fond du Lac has a mix of Victorian, Craftsman, and postwar ranch-style homes, and the brick on many of the older ones is original and irreplaceable by modern equivalents. Spalling bricks - where the face pops off due to freeze-thaw pressure - are common on chimneys and foundation walls that have not been re-sealed in decades. We match existing brick as closely as possible and replace only what needs to go, keeping the character of your home intact.
Properties near the Lake Winnebago shoreline and in neighborhoods with any slope deal with soil erosion and yard drainage every spring when the snowpack melts. A properly built retaining wall holds that soil in place, redirects surface water, and prevents it from pooling against your foundation. We build block and stone retaining walls suited to Fond du Lac's clay soils, where drainage design matters as much as the wall itself.
Fond du Lac driveways that were poured on shallow or poorly compacted bases break apart faster in the freeze-thaw cycles that are a regular part of winters at this latitude. Paver driveways tolerate movement better than poured concrete because individual units flex slightly without cracking, and damaged sections can be pulled and reset rather than replaced in bulk. We install and repair paver driveways throughout Fond du Lac, including on the compact city lots common in older neighborhoods near downtown.
Fond du Lac sits at the southern tip of Lake Winnebago, the largest inland lake in Wisconsin, and that geography shapes the local climate in ways that affect every exterior surface on your home. Lake-effect moisture off Winnebago keeps the air damper than inland Wisconsin communities at the same latitude. Combined with 45 to 50 inches of average annual snowfall and a frost line that penetrates more than four feet deep, the result is a freeze-thaw cycle that is among the most demanding in the state for masonry. Water trapped in mortar joints, brick faces, and foundation block does not stay a small problem - it grows a little larger every single winter.
The housing stock here compounds the challenge. Fond du Lac was settled in the 1830s and grew quickly through the industrial era, which means a significant share of the city's homes were built before World War II. Original stone, brick, and early poured-concrete foundations from that era were built before modern waterproofing methods existed. Many have gone decades without any masonry attention. The clay-heavy glacial soils underlying much of the city hold water longer than sandy soils, and that sustained pressure against old foundation walls is a primary driver of the cracking and bowing we see throughout the older neighborhoods.
Our crew works throughout Fond du Lac regularly, and we understand the local conditions that affect masonry work here. The City of Fond du Lac Building Department handles permit review for structural repairs, and we pull those permits on every job that requires one. Homeowners in this city tend to be long-term residents - many have lived in the same home for decades and take a practical approach to repairs. That means straightforward communication and realistic timelines matter more than sales presentations.
The older neighborhoods near downtown Fond du Lac, along Johnson Street and the surrounding blocks, have some of the most character-rich homes in the area - Victorian-era two-stories and Craftsman bungalows that still have original brick and block. Lakeside Park sits right on the water at the northern edge of the city, and the homes in that stretch face more wind and moisture than those further south. Mercury Marine, headquartered here since 1939, employs a lot of long-term residents who are invested in keeping their homes in good shape. Route 41 runs through the west side of the city, and US Highway 151 connects Fond du Lac northward toward Oshkosh - we travel both regularly on our way to jobs in this area.
Fond du Lac is roughly equidistant between our base in Appleton and the communities we serve to the south and east. We also regularly work in Sheboygan and Oshkosh, both of which share similar older housing stock and the same Wisconsin climate challenges.
Reach us by phone or through the contact form and describe what you are seeing. We reply within one business day to schedule an on-site visit - no charge, no obligation.
We come to your Fond du Lac property, look at the full scope of the problem, and give you a written estimate covering all materials and labor. We will tell you whether a permit is required - you will know the full cost before any work starts.
Once you approve the estimate, we schedule a start date that works for you. Most residential jobs in Fond du Lac are completed within one to three days - larger foundation projects may run longer, and we will tell you exactly what to expect before we start.
When the job is done, we walk the site with you, explain what was done and why, and answer any questions. If anything does not meet your expectations, we address it before we leave.
We serve Fond du Lac and the surrounding area. Tell us what you are seeing and we will come take a look at no cost.
(920) 454-9356Fond du Lac is a city of about 43,000 people at the southern tip of Lake Winnebago in east-central Wisconsin. It was settled in the 1830s and grew into a manufacturing and commercial hub through the late 1800s, which means the city carries a lot of history in its older neighborhoods and building stock. The downtown area and the blocks closest to the lake have Victorian and Craftsman-era homes that are well over a century old - properties that attract long-term owners who value what they have. Lakeside Park on the northern waterfront, with its historic carousel and lighthouse, is a defining landmark for the city. You can learn more about the community through the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce.
The residential mix includes single-family homes across a range of ages - pre-war two-stories near downtown, postwar ranch homes on the south side, and newer subdivisions out toward the edges of the city. About half of the city's housing units are owner-occupied, and homeowners here tend to be practical and rooted - many have lived in the same house for a long time and want a contractor who will be straight with them. We serve the full city and also cover neighboring communities including Oshkosh to the north and Sheboygan to the east along Lake Michigan.
Control erosion and add structure to your landscape with solid retaining walls.
Learn MoreBring aging masonry back to its original condition with skilled restoration.
Learn MoreAdd warmth and character to your home with a custom masonry fireplace.
Learn MoreEnhance your home exterior with beautiful, long-lasting stone veneer.
Learn MoreLay a solid foundation with precision block wall installation services.
Learn MoreCreate the perfect outdoor cooking space with custom masonry craftsmanship.
Learn MoreDesign safe, attractive walkways using brick, stone, or concrete pavers.
Learn MoreAdd privacy and structure with expertly installed brick wall construction.
Learn MoreSpring fills up fast across Fond du Lac. Contact us today for a free estimate and lock in your spot before the season rush.