Royal Oak’s population grew from about 6,000 in 1920 to nearly 23,000 by 1930, and that boom shows on almost every street. The city is full of brick bungalows, Tudor revivals and Colonial Revival homes from the 1920s, followed by waves of post-war brick ranches and Cape Cods. These homes have plenty of character, and after 70 to 100 years their chimneys, porches and mortar joints often need expert care.
Next Level Custom Brick is a family-owned masonry company with more than 15 years of experience restoring and building brickwork across Metro Detroit. In Royal Oak, our focus is helping older homes keep their character: rebuilding chimneys, restoring brick porches and steps, tuckpointing with compatible mortar, and adding new brick and stone that fits the neighborhood.
Masonry Services for Royal Oak’s Older Homes
Older brick needs a different approach than new construction. These are the services Royal Oak homeowners call us for:
Chimney Rebuilds & Repair
Tall, narrow chimneys on 1920s and 1940s homes take a beating. We rebuild deteriorated chimneys above the roofline, replace crowns and caps, and tuckpoint and replace brick to stop leaks and keep the chimney safe.
Tuckpointing with Compatible Mortar
Older brick is softer than modern brick. Repointing it with hard, cement-heavy mortar can trap moisture and crack the brick faces. We match mortar strength and color to your home so the repair protects the original masonry.
Brick Porch, Stoop & Step Restoration
Front porches are part of what makes Royal Oak streets so inviting. We repair cracked caps, rebuild failing brick steps and porch walls, and restore stoops on bungalows and Tudors.
Custom Brickwork & Garden Walls
Brick garden walls, planters, mailboxes, walkway borders and outdoor fireplaces sized for city lots and built in brick that complements your home.
Interior & Exterior Stone Veneer
Refresh a living room fireplace or add stone accents to a newer home or addition with cultured stone or natural thin stone.
Royal Oak Neighborhoods We Serve
Royal Oak’s neighborhoods are compact and walkable, but their housing stock varies more than you might expect.
Downtown & the Main Street / Washington Avenue Area
Homes near downtown, the Royal Oak Farmers Market and the Royal Oak Music Theatre are among the city’s oldest. Their chimneys, porches and foundations often need restoration that respects the original brick.
Vinsetta Boulevard & the Woodward Corridor
Vinsetta Boulevard and the streets along Woodward, home of the Woodward Dream Cruise, are known for Tudor and Colonial Revival homes with decorative brickwork and tall chimneys. These homes call for careful brick matching and skilled chimney work.
North Royal Oak near Beaumont Hospital
North of Thirteen Mile and around Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital are blocks of post-war brick ranches and Cape Cods. Typical projects include porch rebuilds, chimney crowns and tuckpointing.
Near the Detroit Zoo & Memorial Park
Neighborhoods around the Detroit Zoo, the Shrine of the Little Flower and Memorial Park mix 1920s bungalows with mid-century homes. We see many requests for porch and step restoration and new brick garden walls on these streets.
Caring for 70- to 100-Year-Old Brick
Many Royal Oak homes were built with softer clay brick and lime-rich mortar. That combination was designed to flex and breathe. The most common mistake we see is old brick repaired with hard modern mortar. The joints end up stronger than the brick, so moisture and freeze-thaw stress move into the brick faces, which then crack and pop off.
We repoint older homes with mortar that matches the original strength, color and joint profile, and we replace damaged brick with salvaged or closely matched units. On chimneys, we focus on what keeps water out: a sound crown with an overhang, a good cap, and tight flashing at the roof. On porches, we fix the base first, so the new brick doesn’t crack again in a few years.
Before and After: Real Restoration Work
Real photos of Next Level Custom Brick projects, the kind of repairs Royal Oak homes need most.
Why Royal Oak Homeowners Trust Us with Their Brick
- Experience with older homes. We know how to repair historic brick without damaging it.
- Family-owned, 15+ years serving Metro Detroit neighborhoods like yours.
- Licensed & insured with our own Michigan builder’s license.
- Neat work on tight city lots. We protect neighbors’ property, driveways and landscaping.
- Honest, no-pressure estimates that explain what needs fixing now and what can wait.
Royal Oak Masonry FAQs
My Royal Oak chimney is leaning. Is it dangerous?
A leaning chimney should be inspected right away. It usually means the mortar or brick has deteriorated, often from water entering through a failed crown. In most cases the chimney needs to be rebuilt above the roofline. Call us and we’ll take a look.
Can you match the brick on my 1920s bungalow?
In most cases, yes. We look for salvaged or reclaimed brick and close modern matches, then blend mortar color and tooling to match your original joints.
What is the difference between tuckpointing and repointing?
People often use the terms interchangeably. Both mean removing deteriorated mortar from the joints and replacing it with new mortar. Traditional tuckpointing also adds a contrasting fine line of mortar for a crisp look. For most homes, the goal is a clean repoint that matches the original joints.
Do you work on small Royal Oak lots with shared driveways?
Yes. City lots are common across Metro Detroit, and we plan deliveries, scaffolding and cleanup so neighbors stay happy and driveways stay usable.
Restore Your Royal Oak Home’s Brickwork
From chimney rebuilds near Woodward to porch restorations by the Zoo, Next Level Custom Brick is here to help. Call 734-292-5250 or request a free estimate.
Also serving near Royal Oak: Troy, West Bloomfield, St. Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Rochester Hills. View all service areas.
