This page covers the Town of Boonton, the compact municipality with the historic downtown. Boonton Township is a separate, more rural town with its own building department, and we serve it as well.
Boonton grew up in the 1800s around its ironworks, and much of the town still reflects that era. Houses sit close together along hillside streets, many of them Victorian or early twentieth century frame homes on stone or brick foundations. The ground falls sharply toward the river in places, so plenty of homes have tall front stairs, stacked walls along the sidewalk and backyards that sit well above or below the street.
Tall front steps on a hillside
On a sloped lot the front stair does a lot of work. Five or six risers are common, and the taller the stair, the more any settling shows up as gaps at the house, tipping treads and loose railings. Water from the porch also runs down the steps and sits at the bottom landing. We rebuild concrete steps on new footings and finish them in brick, stone veneer or concrete with bluestone treads. On long runs we add a landing where the layout allows, which makes the climb easier on the knees.
Walls along the street and between yards
Many Boonton properties depend on old dry laid or mortared stone walls to hold the grade. Roots, frost and trapped water slowly push them out of line. Sometimes a section can be relaid; other times the wall needs a full rebuild on a gravel base with drain stone behind it. We build retaining walls in segmental block or natural stone, depending on what suits the house and the block.
Brick and stone on older houses
Foundations and chimneys from this era often have soft mortar that has washed out of the joints. Repointing with a mortar matched to the age of the masonry keeps water out without cracking old brick. Our historic masonry restoration work covers stone foundations, chimneys and brick piers.
Before you schedule
- Town or township. Confirm which Boonton your address is in, since permits go through different offices.
- Historic areas. Older parts of town may fall under historic review, so exterior changes can need extra sign off.
- Sidewalk edges. Steps or walls that meet the public walk may need separate approval.
- Tight access. Steep driveways and narrow streets call for smaller equipment and planned deliveries.
Boonton sits beside Mountain Lakes and Montville, a short way from Parsippany and Denville. You can browse the rest of Morris County for other towns we cover.
When your steps or walls need attention, request a free estimate and we will look at the site with you.
