Lafayette is farm country. The township sits in a broad, fairly open valley in the middle of Sussex County, with fields and pastures on both sides of the main roads and homes set back on generous lots. The housing mixes old farmhouses and outbuildings with mid-century ranches and newer colonials. Compared with the steep lake towns to the east, the ground is gentler, which means our work here has less to do with retaining walls and more to do with entries, walks and the masonry on older buildings.
Porches and front entries
Ranch houses and farmhouses alike lean on a front porch, and after decades of weather the steps, slab and supports often fail together. We rebuild the concrete steps and porch floor on footings below frost depth and, when the roof or framing needs work as well, rebuild those parts too. Stone-clad columns or a stone base on the porch suit the rural setting.
Walkways across open yards
With houses set back from the road, the front walk can be long. We build walkways in plain or stamped concrete, pavers or bluestone, and we lay them out to connect the driveway, front door and side yard in one sweep. On open ground wind-blown snow drifts across walks, so we keep the surface slightly raised and well pitched to shed meltwater.
Barns, garages and older stonework
Farm buildings often have block or stone walls that have been neglected for years. Common fixes include repointing stone, rebuilding cracked block corners and replacing broken concrete floors and aprons. On houses and garages, stone veneer can freshen a plain block wall or gable end.
Getting ready for an estimate
- Walk the property and note anything that moves or rocks underfoot.
- Mark the well, septic system and any buried electric to outbuildings.
- Think about how farm or delivery vehicles reach the house.
- Gather any old survey or plot plan you have.
Lafayette is close to Frankford and Sparta, and our crews work across Sussex County. If the porch or walk needs replacing, book a free estimate and we will come take a look.
