Masonry and general contracting

General Contractor and Masonry Contractor in Loveland, Ohio

Retaining walls and steps on Loveland's slopes, careful repointing in the historic district downtown, and remodels run start to finish, in all three counties the city covers.

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A general contractor in Loveland, Ohio for hillside lots and old brick

If you are hiring a general contractor in Loveland, Ohio, start with the ground your house sits on. Downtown Loveland fills a river valley, and many homes around it sit on slopes, so retaining walls, steps and foundations carry a lot of the load. Swiss Masonry is a masonry contractor and general contractor serving Cincinnati and the 50-mile area around it, including Northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana.

Masonry is our specialty. When a project needs more than masonry, we run the job and bring in licensed trade partners where the work needs them. The owner, Adriel Moore, sees every job before he prices it. Swiss Masonry has done masonry in Cincinnati since 1993, is insured (certificate of insurance on request) and gives a one-year workmanship warranty on its work.

One city, three counties and a river through the middle

Loveland lies in Hamilton, Clermont and Warren counties. The Little Miami River runs through town and separates Clermont and Hamilton counties, which is why people once spoke of East and West Loveland. The Little Miami Railroad, built in 1853, drove the town’s early growth, and today the Little Miami Scenic Trail brings walkers and cyclists right through downtown.

Loveland borders Symmes, Miami and Hamilton townships, and the city’s building department notes that a Loveland mailing address does not always mean you live inside the city. Before we price permit work, we confirm which office covers your address.

Hillside lots: retaining walls, steps and water

On a sloped lot, gravity and water work on the masonry every day. These are the problems we look for on Loveland’s hills:

Leaning retaining walls. Water trapped behind a wall pushes it out. A rebuild needs drainage stone, a drain at the base and the right setback, and taller walls need an engineered design. See retaining walls.
Heaved or loose steps. Stone and brick steps on a slope move when the base washes out. We reset them on a compacted base and pitch the treads to shed water. Our patios and outdoor living page covers steps, walks and patios.
Uphill foundation walls. The wall on the high side of the house holds back soil and water. We repair cracked block, repoint stone, parge, and fix the grading and downspouts that feed the problem.
Old stone garden walls. Dry-laid and mortared fieldstone walls loosen over time. We reset fallen stone, repoint with a soft mortar and rebuild sections on a sound footing. See stone work.

Historic downtown Loveland: the district guidelines and your masonry

Loveland has a Historic Preservation and Planning Commission. In the historic district downtown, projects that need a building permit go to the commission for review, while exterior painting, fencing and landscaping do not. The district’s design review guidelines spell out how masonry should be treated:

Repoint failing joints with new mortar matched to the old in strength, composition, color and texture, tooled to the same width and profile.
Clean only when needed, with low-pressure water under 300 psi, and never sandblast.
Do not paint masonry that was never painted, and do not cover masonry with siding or stucco.

Our own practice already fits inside those rules. We wash at 100 psi or less with buffered masonry cleaners, never straight acid on soft brick. On pre-1920 brick we use lime-rich Type N or Type O mortar chosen from a sample panel. More on historic masonry restoration.

Newer Loveland houses and whole-house projects

Most Loveland homes are much newer than downtown. Census estimates put the median Loveland home at about 1985, with nearly a quarter built in the 1990s. Those houses ask for crown and flashing repair on chimneys (chimney repair), brick veneer repair, concrete steps and patios, and updated kitchens and baths (bathroom remodels).

On a remodel we act as the general contractor: we plan the order of work, schedule each trade and keep you updated. Electrical, plumbing and HVAC go to licensed trade partners who pull their own permits. In the city, building permit applications go to the City of Loveland Building and Zoning Department at City Hall. The city contracts electrical permits to the Inspection Bureau, Inc. and plumbing permits to Hamilton County Public Health.

Every job is priced after the owner sees it. Common masonry ranges are on our pricing page. We also work next door in Milford.

What Loveland homeowners ask

Do you work in all three counties that Loveland covers?

Yes. We work in the Hamilton, Clermont and Warren county parts of Loveland, and in Symmes and Miami townships nearby. Call 513-202-3598 if you are not sure we cover your street.

My retaining wall is leaning toward the driveway. What should I do?

Keep cars and people clear of the leaning section and have it looked at soon. A lean usually means water is building up behind the wall. We tell you whether a partial reset with new drainage will hold or whether the wall needs a rebuild.

Does masonry work downtown need historic commission review?

In Loveland’s historic district, projects that need a building permit go to the Historic Preservation and Planning Commission. Painting, fencing and landscaping do not. We help you sort out which applies before the work is scheduled.

Can I paint or seal old brick on a downtown building?

The district guidelines say masonry that was never painted should not be painted, and masonry should not be covered with siding or stucco. Old brick needs to dry out through its face, and a clear sealer can trap water behind it. We repair the joints and stop the source of the water instead.

What mortar do you use on Loveland stone walls?

A soft, lime-rich mortar that is weaker than the stone, so the joints take the wear instead of the stone. We never use masonry cement or portland-rich Type S on soft historic stone or brick.

Close-up of brick wall with mortar joints

Masonry in Cincinnati since 1993.

Insured, with a one-year workmanship warranty. The owner looks at every job and prices it himself.