Loading...
Serving Spokane Valley, WA and surrounding areas. (509) 508-5560
Spokane Valley Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor serving Medical Lake, WA with foundation block wall installation, chimney repair, and foundation repair built for the hard winters and slow-draining soils west of Spokane. We have served eastern Washington since 2016 and understand how Medical Lake's freeze-thaw cycles, clay soils, and heavy snowpack affect the crawl space foundations and aging masonry chimneys common in this area's 1950s-through-1980s housing stock.
Medical Lake's ranch-style homes are largely built on crawl space block foundations from the 1950s through the 1980s - an era when freeze-resistant drainage and footing depth were not always adequate for this climate. Our foundation block wall installation accounts for the local frost depth and slow-draining clay soils so the new section holds for decades, not just a few winters.
Spring snowmelt in Medical Lake pushes a large volume of water against crawl space foundations before the clay soil can absorb it. Homes from the 1960s and 1970s often have cracks that have been growing for years without repair. Catching and sealing those cracks stops the water intrusion before it becomes a structural problem.
Masonry chimneys on Medical Lake's mid-century homes have been through 40 to 70 winters - plenty of time for mortar to erode and brick faces to spall. Crumbling mortar joints let water inside the chimney during freeze cycles, and that water expands and accelerates deterioration each winter. Repair now costs far less than a full rebuild later.
Older homes in Medical Lake with brick chimneys, brick veneer, or brick accent sections show freeze-thaw spalling - brick faces that pop off after water gets behind the face and freezes. Replacing damaged bricks and re-pointing the joints around them stops the cycle before it spreads to adjacent courses.
Properties near the lake and on the outskirts of Medical Lake often sit on uneven terrain where soil erodes or grade transitions occur between the yard and a lower-lying area. A properly built masonry retaining wall with adequate drainage behind it holds that grade in place through freeze-thaw cycles and the annual snowmelt runoff.
Original concrete walkways on Medical Lake homes from the 1960s and 1970s are often heaved, cracked, or settled after decades of hard-freeze winters. A new masonry walkway set on a properly compacted, frost-rated base handles this climate without the annual cracking that plagues older poured-concrete paths.
Medical Lake sits about 12 miles west of downtown Spokane, and its winters are serious - January lows drop into the teens, and the city sees 40 to 50 inches of snow most years. That heavy snowpack matters because of what happens when it melts. The area's soil is a mix of volcanic ash and clay - both materials that hold water rather than letting it drain quickly. When spring thaw hits, that water moves slowly and stays in contact with foundations, block walls, and concrete surfaces for days. Water that sits against a crawl space foundation has time to get into every small crack before the next hard freeze. The freeze-thaw cycle that follows is the main engine of masonry damage in this area.
The other factor is age. A large portion of Medical Lake's housing stock was built between the 1950s and 1980s - largely ranch-style homes on crawl space block foundations. Many of these homes still have their original foundations and, if they have a masonry chimney, that chimney too. After 40 to 70 winters in this climate, original mortar and brick are well past the point where normal maintenance is optional. Military families rotating through due to Fairchild Air Force Base may have deferred some of this maintenance, and long-term owners sometimes do not notice gradual mortar erosion until water starts getting inside. A masonry contractor who knows this housing stock and this climate can tell the difference between surface wear and structural damage - and prioritize accordingly.
Our crew works throughout Medical Lake regularly, and we understand the local conditions that affect masonry contractor work here. The clay and volcanic ash soils west of Spokane drain more slowly than the sandy loess soils in the valley, which changes how we design drainage on every foundation and block wall job. What works fine in Spokane Valley needs to be rethought for Medical Lake.
We work on homes throughout the city - from properties right on Medical Lake itself, where lakeside lots can face additional drainage pressure from the water table, to larger parcels on the outskirts of the city near the county line. We also work regularly with homeowners connected to Fairchild Air Force Base, which sits just a few miles away and is a defining part of the Medical Lake community. Military families who need reliable, on-schedule service before a PCS move are a regular part of the work we do here.
We also serve Cheney to the south and Airway Heights to the east. Both communities share the same plateau climate and many of the same masonry challenges, and we cover the whole corridor.
Describe what you are seeing - a cracked foundation wall, a chimney with loose bricks, a walkway that has heaved and settled. We respond within 1 business day and schedule an on-site visit to your Medical Lake property.
We assess the damage, the drainage conditions, and the soil conditions around the site - all of which affect how we scope the repair. You get a written estimate with cost, materials, and timeline before any work begins. We also confirm whether a City of Medical Lake permit is required. No charge for the assessment visit.
Most Medical Lake masonry jobs take two to five days depending on scope. You can remain in your home throughout the work. We time block and mortar work around overnight temperatures - mortar needs above-freezing conditions to cure correctly, which matters in a climate with Medical Lake's long cold season.
After the job is finished, we clean the site and walk you through what was done. You receive written documentation covering the scope, the materials used, and any maintenance notes - useful for your own records and for any future home sale inspection.
We serve all of Medical Lake and respond within 1 business day. The estimate is free and the quote is written - no pressure to move forward before you are ready.
(509) 508-5560Medical Lake is a small city in western Spokane County with a population of roughly 5,000 to 6,000 residents - a tight-knit community where many homeowners have lived in their properties for years and invest in keeping them up. The city takes its name from the small lake at its center, which has served as a local gathering place for generations. Most of the housing stock is single-family, owner-occupied, and was built between the 1950s and the 1980s - a mix of ranch-style homes on crawl space foundations, some with masonry chimneys, and a smaller number of older two-story houses. Lots closer to the lake tend to be smaller and more tightly spaced, while properties on the outskirts of town toward the county line sit on larger parcels, sometimes with outbuildings or detached garages.
Fairchild Air Force Base sits just a few miles away and is one of the defining institutions in the Medical Lake area, bringing a steady mix of long-term residents and military families who rotate through on assignment. The Medical Lake School District serves the community and is a central institution for local families. We serve Medical Lake homeowners throughout the city, and also cover neighboring Cheney to the south - a community with similar ranch-era housing and the same western plateau climate.
Restore your foundation's strength and protect your home's structural integrity.
Learn MoreControl erosion and reshape your landscape with a solid retaining wall.
Learn MoreAdd warmth and character to your home with a custom masonry fireplace.
Learn MoreTransform any surface with natural or manufactured stone veneer cladding.
Learn MoreBuild strong, long-lasting walls with precision concrete block construction.
Learn MoreLay a solid foundation with expert block wall installation services.
Learn MoreAdd timeless curb appeal and lasting value with brick wall construction.
Learn MoreRepoint deteriorating joints to prevent moisture damage and extend wall life.
Learn MoreWe serve Medical Lake homeowners with free on-site estimates and written quotes. Hard winters are tough on block foundations and chimneys - reach out before the damage spreads another season.