Hopewell Borough is a small, self-contained town set within Hopewell Township, with a main street of older storefronts and houses and quiet residential streets around it. Much of the housing dates from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: frame houses with porches, Victorians, and homes on stone or brick foundations with original chimneys. Lots are town-sized and the land is gently rolling. For masonry, the main concern here is respecting old materials while making steps, walks and walls safe and sound.
Repointing old brick and stone
Many Hopewell homes were built with soft lime mortar. When those joints erode, it is tempting to fill them with modern cement mortar, but a hard mix can crack old brick and trap moisture in stone walls. Our historic masonry restoration work matches mortar strength, color and joint style. Stone foundations, brick chimneys and garden walls all benefit from careful repointing.
Front steps and porches
Steps on older porches settle, lose treads and pull away from the house. We rebuild them in brick, stone or concrete on a footing below the frost line, with bluestone treads and railings sized to the porch. When the porch itself needs work, we can handle the framing and roofing too, so the entry is finished as one job.
Walks and garden walls
Bluestone walks and low stone or brick garden walls suit the character of the borough. We reset heaved bluestone, rebuild leaning walls with a proper base, and lay new paths that match the house.
Before starting work in town
- Historic review. Some properties may fall under historic district rules. We check before finalizing a design.
- Separate borough. Hopewell Borough has its own building department, apart from the township.
- Hidden conditions. Old steps and walls sometimes hide earlier construction, which we review with you before going further.
Hopewell Borough is surrounded by Hopewell Township and is near Pennington. We serve all of Mercer County. Request a free estimate for your Hopewell home to talk through your project.
