Alexandria Township is one of the most rural corners of Hunterdon County. Fields, hedgerows and wooded stream valleys fill most of the map, and homes are spread out along country roads instead of grouped into neighborhoods. Many properties are working or former farms, with an older farmhouse near the road, a barn or two, and a long drive. Newer homes on several acres fill in between them.
That setting changes what a masonry job looks like. Distances between the house, the barn and the parking area are long, the ground is rarely flat, and nearly every property runs on its own well and septic system.
Old farmhouse foundations
Plenty of Alexandria farmhouses sit on fieldstone or rubble foundations laid with lime mortar. Over the decades that mortar washes out, stones loosen, and a damp cellar becomes a wet one. We repoint open joints, reset or replace failed stones and rebuild sections that have pushed inward. Our foundation repair work also covers new footings for porches, mudrooms and additions that tie into the old house.
Walkways that connect a spread-out property
On a rural lot the most useful hardscape is often a path. A walkway from the drive to the kitchen door, from the house to the garden, or across a muddy stretch to the barn gets used every day. Bluestone suits older farmhouses, and pavers make sense near newer homes. We build patios and walkways on a deep gravel base, because Hunterdon clay holds water and heaves when it freezes.
Patios, fire pits and outdoor rooms
Big lots leave room for a real outdoor space: a bluestone or paver patio off the back of the house, a stone fire pit with a view across the fields, or a seating wall at the edge of the lawn. Wind can be a factor on open ground, so we often tuck a patio into the lee of the house or a hedgerow.
Rural site checklist
- Well and septic. We locate the well, tank and field first and keep machines and digging away from them.
- Long lanes. Delivery routes and turnaround space get planned at the estimate.
- Drainage. Runoff from fields and roofs is routed away from new work.
- Matching stone. We try to match new stone to what is already on the house or in old field walls.
Alexandria borders Holland Township and Kingwood, and we cover the rest of Hunterdon County as well. When you are ready to talk about a foundation, walkway or patio, request a free estimate and we will walk the property with you.
