New Masonry Builds in Ann Arbor, MI

Start With Walls That Never Need Second-Guessing

Michigan code requires exterior footings and foundations to reach 42 inches below grade, and that depth is what keeps a new wall from lifting when saturated soil freezes. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration handles new masonry builds in Ann Arbor, MI from the footing upward: block foundation stems, brick veneer over a drained cavity, anchored stone facing, home additions, and commercial shells. Layout, flashing, anchor spacing and weep placement all get settled before the first delivery arrives.


Planning a build well means the dull decisions get made early, so we walk the site, price the work, help pick brick and block from local suppliers, and set a sequence that fits around framing, roofing and the finish trades. Residential and commercial jobs both run through the same hands here, with 40 years of new masonry behind the scheduling. Start a conversation on our contact page and we will arrange a consultation and a project estimate.

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Discover How We Build From the Ground Up

  • Ground-Up Brick Construction

    Brick veneer needs at least 1 inch of air space behind it, and no more than 4.5 inches without designed anchors. We place one anchor per 2.67 square feet, no wider than 32 inches horizontally, 24 inches vertically, and keep the cavity clean.

  • Block Construction for New Builds

    Concrete block carries foundation stems, garage walls and commercial shells. A nominal 8x8x16 unit is 3/8 inch smaller each way, because the mortar joint counts within the nominal size, so we lay to 3/8 inch joints with Type M mortar below grade.

  • Stone Construction and Facing

    Anchored stone veneer over framing is limited to the first story and 5 inches thick under IRC R703.8. We size supports so deflection stays within 1/600 of the span, and never run veneer above 12 feet 8 inches over a steel angle.

  • Home Additions

    Tying an addition into an existing house means matching footing depth at 42 inches, picking brick close in size and color, and deciding where new work meets old. We detail that joint deliberately, so movement shows along one planned line.

  • Commercial New Builds

    Storefronts, multi-unit buildings and industrial shells ask for block backup, brick or stone facing, and lintels bearing at least 4 inches on the brickwork each side. We stage deliveries and set realistic dates so masonry does not stall a wider schedule.

  • Design and Material Selection

    Choosing materials early keeps a build predictable. We bring samples, compare ASTM C216 Grade SW facing brick against softer alternatives, review bond patterns and joint profiles, and look at color in daylight, so what you approve on paper is what gets built.

Why Choose Us for New Builds

Details Settled Before the First Delivery

Decisions about bond pattern, joint profile, anchor layout and lintel bearing get made while changes cost nothing. You approve the look and the specifics before material lands, which means fewer stoppages, fewer surprise invoices, and a finished wall matching what you pictured.

Flashing and Weeps Done Properly

Water that gets into a wall cavity has to leave it. Base flashing runs at least 8 inches up the backing, the weather barrier laps 4 inches over the top, and open head-joint weeps sit no more than 24 inches apart.

New Masonry Tied Into What Exists

Additions fail visually when the new section reads as a patch. You get brick sized and colored against the original, joints struck the same way, and a deliberate transition line, so visitors see one building rather than an obvious before and after.

A Wall Cavity That Drains

Nothing behind your veneer stays wet for long. Mortar droppings get kept off the flashing, weeps stay open, and the air space stays clear, which protects sheathing and framing you will never see and spares you rot repairs later.

Realistic Sequencing With Your Other Trades

Framers, roofers and finish carpenters all wait on masonry at some point. You get honest dates, early warning when cold weather will slow mortar, and staging that keeps a site usable, so a whole schedule holds together instead of collapsing around one trade.

A Build You Will Not Revisit

Spending properly on footing depth, anchors and flashing is invisible the day work ends and obvious many winters later. You end up owning a structure that needs washing and very little else, rather than a maintenance item that comes back every spring.

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Break Ground With the Right Crew Behind You

A new wall is one of the few things on a property that gets built once and then judged for the rest of its life. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration builds ground-up brick, block and stone across Ann Arbor, MI, from footings set below the frost line to the flashing and weeps nobody ever sees. We are a small family shop, locally owned, buying material from yards nearby, and we stay on a project from the first consultation through the last struck joint. If you are weighing a build, an addition or a commercial shell, send the details through our contact page and we will talk it through before anything gets ordered.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the minimum frost footing requirement in Michigan?

    Exterior footings and foundations must reach 42 inches below finished grade. That depth puts the bearing surface under the frost line, so soil freezing above cannot lift a wall, which is a common source of stair-step cracking in newer masonry.

  • What is the recommended spacing for brick veneer ties?

    Plan on one veneer anchor for every 2.67 square feet of wall, with no more than 32 inches between anchors horizontally and 24 inches vertically. Openings and wall edges want extra anchors, because those are the places veneer tends to move first.

  • Do you need weep holes in brick veneer?

    Always. Water gets behind every veneer wall eventually, and weeps are the only exit. Open head-joint weeps go a maximum of 24 inches on center, while wick or tube weeps go no more than 16 inches apart at 3/16 inch minimum diameter.

  • What is the minimum air space required behind a brick veneer wall?

    A clear 1 inch air space is the minimum, though 2 inches is recommended over block backing because mortar droppings are harder to control there. Past 4.5 inches between brick and sheathing, anchors have to be specifically designed for the distance.

  • What is through wall flashing in masonry?

    Through-wall flashing is a barrier that catches water inside the cavity and directs it back outside through the weeps. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration runs base flashing at least 8 inches up the backing on new work throughout Ann Arbor, MI.

  • What is the recommended spacing between brick control joints?

    Control joint spacing depends on wall length, opening locations and corner conditions rather than one universal figure, so a layout gets drawn for each elevation. Joints belong where movement concentrates: beside openings, near corners, and at changes in wall height or thickness.

  • Can you add on to an existing foundation?

    Yes, provided the new footing reaches the same 42 inch depth and the connection is detailed rather than improvised. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration builds addition foundations and the masonry above across Ann Arbor, MI after a visual assessment of existing conditions.

  • What goes behind brick veneer?

    Sheathing, a water-resistive barrier, base flashing and a clear air space, in that order, with anchors crossing the cavity into structural backing. The barrier laps at least 4 inches over the top of the flashing so water cannot travel behind it.