# Do You Need a Masonry Contractor or a Concrete Contractor? > Masonry contractor vs concrete contractor: brick, block and stone vs poured concrete, the gray areas and what this business does not do. Then describe your job. URL: https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/masonry-vs-concrete-contractor/ You need a masonry contractor when the job is built from individual units, such as brick, concrete block or stone, set in mortar, and a concrete contractor when it is poured into forms, such as a driveway, patio, sidewalk, slab or poured foundation. The question of masonry contractor vs concrete contractor turns on how the thing is built, not on what material it looks like. [True Course Masonry Newark](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/) repairs and builds brick, block and stone masonry across Newark and Essex County, with the work carried out by licensed and insured contractors, and takes jobs of every size, including small repairs. It does not pour concrete flatwork. This guide explains where the line between the two trades falls and what to do when a job sits on both sides of it. The [masonry repair services](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/masonry-repair/) page lists the work that is offered. **Key takeaways** - Masonry is units laid in mortar: brick, concrete block (CMU) and natural or cut stone. - Concrete work is poured and finished in place: slabs, driveways, patios, walks, poured steps and poured foundations. - Concrete block is masonry even though it is made of concrete. - Many jobs touch both, such as a brick stoop on a concrete base. The scope should say who handles each part. - This business does masonry. Concrete flatwork, retaining walls, structural foundation repair and basement waterproofing are not offered. ## Units vs pours: the basic difference A masonry wall is assembled. Each brick, block or stone is a finished unit, set by hand on a bed of mortar, with the joints filled and tooled. The skill is in laying units plumb, level and in bond, choosing a mortar compatible with the units, and in repairs, cutting out and replacing units and joints without disturbing the sound work around them. Mortar and grout are different materials here: mortar bonds the units, while grout fills cells and cavities in reinforced block. Concrete is cast. A concrete contractor builds forms, places reinforcement, pours a mix of cement, sand, stone and water, then finishes and cures the surface in one continuous operation. The skill is in subgrade preparation, form work, placement, finishing, control joints and curing a large area. The two trades use some of the same materials, and both deal with cement, but the work, tools and repair methods are different. A concrete driveway is not repaired by a mason, and a brick wall is not repointed by a concrete finisher. ## What a masonry contractor handles Masonry work, and what this business offers, includes: - **Brick walls and facades:** repointing worn joints and replacing damaged brick, covered on the [brick pointing service](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/brick-pointing/) and [brick repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/brick-repair/) pages. - **Concrete block (CMU) walls:** repairing cracked, displaced or deteriorated block walls and their joints, covered under [block wall repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/block-wall-repair/). - **Stone and brownstone:** fronts, sills, trim, stone foundations and garden walls. - **Chimneys:** repointing, brick replacement, crowns and rebuilding the masonry stack. - **Brick and stone stoops and steps:** treads, risers, joints and rebuilding failed masonry stoops. - **Lintels and openings:** replacing rusted steel lintels and rebuilding the brick above them, as on the [lintel replacement](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/lintel-replacement/) page. - **Parapets and copings,** and **new brick and block walls.** ## What a concrete contractor handles Concrete work belongs with a concrete contractor and is not offered here: - Driveways, patios, walkways and sidewalks - Garage floors, basement slabs and other slabs on grade - Poured concrete steps and stoops with no masonry facing - Poured concrete foundation walls and footings for new buildings - Stamped or decorative concrete and concrete resurfacing Other specialties that sit near masonry but are separate, and also not offered here, include retaining walls, structural foundation repair, basement waterproofing, and chimney sweeping and flue liners. ## The gray areas ### Block foundations and basement walls A concrete block foundation is masonry, and repointing its joints or replacing a broken block is masonry work. A block foundation wall that is bowing inward, has a long horizontal crack or shows ongoing movement raises a structural question that a structural engineer and a foundation repair specialist answer first. A stair-step crack in block or brick does not by itself mean the foundation is failing, but it is a reason to look at what moved; the [stair-step cracks guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/stair-step-cracks-in-brick/) explains how. ### Stoops with brick and concrete Many front stoops combine a poured concrete core or slab with brick or stone facing, treads or caps. The masonry layer is a mason's job and the concrete core is concrete work. When the brick has cracked because the concrete underneath settled, the two have to be handled together, or the masonry will crack again. The [stoop and brick step repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/stoop-repair/) page covers the masonry side, and the [stoop repair cost guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/stoop-repair-cost/) covers what moves the price. ### Footings for new masonry A new brick or block wall sits on a concrete footing. Footing design depends on the wall's height and purpose, and the scope for a new wall should state who places the footing and when masonry begins on it. The [brick wall construction](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/brick-wall-construction/) page explains how a new wall is scoped. ### Parging and coatings Parging is a cement-based coat troweled over block or stone foundation walls. It is applied to masonry and is part of masonry work, but it is a surface finish, not a fix for water or movement problems in the wall behind it. ## How to describe your job The fastest way to the right trade is to describe what the thing is made of and how it was built. Brick, block or stone with mortar joints you can see is masonry. A continuous gray surface with cut or tooled control joints every few feet is poured concrete. Mixed construction should be described as mixed so both parts can be scoped. The [guide to hiring a masonry contractor in NJ](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/hiring-a-masonry-contractor-nj/) explains what a written estimate should include, from New Jersey's contractor registration rules to contracts over $500, and the [masonry repair cost guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/masonry-repair-cost-newark/) covers budgeting. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is a concrete block wall a masonry job or a concrete job? Masonry. Concrete block, also called CMU or cinder block, is made of concrete, but it is laid one unit at a time in mortar, so building and repairing block walls is mason's work. What can make a block wall someone else's job is its purpose: a block wall holding back soil is a retaining wall, and a block foundation that is moving is a structural foundation question, and both of those are separate specialties. ### Who repairs a poured concrete stoop that has brick on its sides? Often both trades have a part. The brick facing, its mortar joints and any brick or stone treads are masonry. The poured concrete slab, steps or footing underneath are concrete work. If the brick has cracked because the concrete core has settled or broken, fixing the brick alone will not last, so the scope should say what is happening underneath and who repairs it. ### Does a new brick wall need a concrete footing, and who places it? A freestanding brick or block wall normally sits on a concrete footing set below the frost line, because the wall is only as stable as what it stands on. Footing size and depth depend on the wall and the site. The written scope for a new wall should say who digs and places the footing and when the masonry starts on it, so the two steps are not left to assumption.