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Serving Bloomington, IL and surrounding areas. (309) 239-1541
Bloomington Concrete & Masonry serves Lexington with stone masonry, foundation repair, and brick work suited to this Route 66 village's century-old homes and McLean County clay. We have been serving this area since 2017, responding within one business day and providing free on-site estimates with no obligation.
Lexington was platted in the 1830s, and some of the older properties in the village have original stone foundation elements, stone chimneys, or decorative stonework that was common in 19th-century construction. Properly done stone masonry for these homes requires matching the original material type and setting it in mortar that is compatible with historic construction - not just whatever is available at the supply house - so the repair does not accelerate deterioration of the surrounding original stone.
Many homes in Lexington were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s on foundations that predate modern drainage and waterproofing standards. McLean County's heavy clay soil holds water against these older foundations after every rain, and frost depths of 30 to 40 inches push on foundation walls from the outside every winter. Cracks and moisture seepage that appear minor on the surface are often a sign of a longer-term process that gets worse each season without intervention.
Lexington homes built before World War II used lime-based mortars that perform differently than modern Portland cement mixes - they are softer, more water-absorbent, and more vulnerable to freeze-thaw cycling. When mortar joints on a 100-year-old Lexington home start to look open or recessed, they are likely allowing water behind the brick face with every rain, and the damage is already deeper than it looks.
Lexington's flat prairie landscape means retaining walls are typically needed around low-lying areas, landscaping features, or properties with grade changes near the house. On McLean County clay soils, a retaining wall that is not properly drained and backfilled will bow or fail after a few wet seasons. We build walls designed for the soil and drainage conditions specific to this part of central Illinois.
Chimneys on older Lexington homes have been through well over a century of central Illinois winters, and many have original crowns, caps, and flashing that have long since reached the end of their service life. A failed chimney crown allows water to run down the inside of the flue during every rain, leading to firebox damage and interior moisture problems that cost far more to fix than maintaining the crown in the first place.
Wood-frame homes are the norm in Lexington, but brick chimneys, porch piers, and brick-accented facades are common on homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. When those bricks spall or crack, matching the replacement unit to the original requires sourcing brick that is close in color, texture, and size to what was used when the home was built - work that takes more care than a standard repair but produces a result that does not stand out.
Lexington was platted in the 1830s and grew steadily through the 19th and early 20th centuries along what would become Historic Route 66. That history means a meaningful share of the village's housing stock is well over 100 years old, built with materials and methods that were standard for their era but not designed for modern drainage requirements or the kind of frost-depth protection that central Illinois winters now demand. The heavy clay soils throughout McLean County expand and contract with every wet and dry cycle, putting persistent lateral pressure on foundation walls, concrete flatwork, and anything else that sits on or in the ground. Frost penetration of 30 to 40 inches in a cold winter means every water-filled crack or joint in a masonry structure is under real stress from November through March.
What this means in practice is that masonry problems on Lexington's older homes tend to have been developing quietly for a long time before they become visible. Deferred maintenance is common in small communities with modest home values, and it is not unusual for a homeowner to call about what looks like a surface issue and find that moisture has been working behind the wall for years. A contractor who works in Lexington regularly understands the building stock and knows how to assess damage on homes this age honestly, so the repair scope reflects what is actually needed rather than a guess made from the driveway.
Our crew works throughout Lexington regularly, and we understand the local conditions that affect masonry work here. Lexington sits along I-55 and Historic Route 66, about 20 miles north of Bloomington-Normal, and we serve this village as a regular part of our territory. We are familiar with the older homes on the streets near the Route 66 corridor through downtown - homes that often have original masonry features not found on newer construction - and with the more recently built streets on the south and east edges of the village. When a project in Lexington requires a permit, we handle coordination with the Village of Lexington and McLean County directly.
Lexington's flat prairie setting means drainage is slow after heavy rain, and that shows up in the work we do here. Water that pools against a foundation or under flatwork in spring does not move quickly on these lots, which is why we pay close attention to base preparation and grading around any concrete or masonry work we install. The spring snowmelt and rain season from March through May brings more calls about wet basements and saturated flatwork than any other time of year.
We also serve the surrounding area. If you are in El Paso or other communities along this corridor, we cover those areas as part of our regular service territory. Response time to Lexington and the surrounding McLean County communities is the same as to any other area we serve.
Call us or fill out the contact form and describe what you are seeing. We respond within one business day to confirm your inquiry and schedule the free estimate visit.
We visit the property and assess the actual condition of the masonry - not just what is visible from outside. You receive a written estimate with a clear scope and price before we ask you to commit to anything, with no obligation.
Once you approve the estimate, we confirm a start date and tell you how long the project will take. You do not need to be present for most masonry work, but we will communicate clearly if any stage requires access you need to arrange.
When the work is finished, we walk through the completed job with you, explain what was done and why, and confirm you are satisfied before we leave. We clean up the work area and take our materials with us.
We serve Lexington and the surrounding McLean County communities with no-obligation on-site estimates. Call or send a request and we will be in touch within one business day.
(309) 239-1541Lexington is a village of about 2,000 residents in McLean County, Illinois, situated along I-55 and the original alignment of Historic Route 66. The village was platted in the 1830s and grew steadily through the railroad era, which means its oldest neighborhoods have homes and commercial buildings that go back well into the 19th century. Lexington is served by Lexington Community Unit School District 7, and the school is a central anchor for families throughout the village. The Route 66 Memory Lane Park near downtown is a well-known local landmark that draws visitors and reflects the community's pride in its place along the historic highway.
The housing stock in Lexington is almost entirely single-family, owner-occupied homes on individual lots - the typical pattern for a small Illinois village of this age. Home values are modest compared to nearby Bloomington-Normal, and many residents have owned their homes for years, which means deferred maintenance on older masonry is common. We are familiar with the older streets near the downtown Route 66 corridor and with the newer residential streets on the edges of the village. Neighboring communities like Chenoa to the north are also part of our regular service territory, and we understand the property conditions across this part of McLean County.
Build strong retaining walls that control erosion and define your landscape.
Learn MoreEnhance any surface with beautiful, professionally installed stone veneer.
Learn MoreConstruct solid concrete block walls for lasting structural performance.
Learn MoreInstall a stable block wall foundation your home can rely on.
Learn MoreInstall handcrafted brick walls that combine beauty with durability.
Learn MoreCall us or submit a request today - we respond within one business day and provide free on-site estimates throughout Lexington and McLean County.