Cicero sits at the north end of Morse Lake, and the work we get called out for there runs from crumbling mortar on older brick houses in Cicero itself to new walls, walks and drives on bigger lots toward its edges. It's a short drive up from our home base in Noblesville, and the same crew of masons that works here also works in cities like Pendleton.
What shapes a job here is mostly the ground. Lots that fall toward the lake carry water across them, and that water is usually what's behind a leaning wall or a joint that let go, so I look for where it goes before I talk about a fix.
What moves the price and the start date
The price on a Cicero job turns on what's behind the trouble more than on the crack itself. A joint that let go because water's getting in is a smaller fix than a wall that's moving because the ground under it settled, and how much has to come apart, the material you pick and how easy it is to get a crew and a mixer to the spot all add to it. The start date mostly hangs on whether the job needs a permit and how busy our crew is. When I come out, I tell you what I think is causing it and put the work in writing.
Retaining walls on lots that slope
Yards that fall toward Morse Lake or a low corner of the lot are where we see the most leaning walls and washed-out steps. Usually it's the water behind a wall, not the block, that pushes it over, so on retaining wall construction we put as much thought into drainage and the base under it as into the face you see. If the work changes where water runs on your lot, the city sends drainage work to the Hamilton County Surveyor's Office. And if a short wall is just tired rather than failing, I'll tell you it can wait.
New drives and walks around Cicero
Where your address sits decides who signs off on a new drive. The city's permit form says every new drive needs a permit, from Cicero Utilities inside Cicero's limits or from the Hamilton County Highway Department outside them. Walks and patios mostly come down to access and prep: how we get material back to the spot, how much has to be dug out, and how firm the ground is once we're down to it. A narrow side yard or a fence in the way can mean more hand work, and I'll point that out when I'm standing there with you.