Commercial Masonry Services in Des Moines Since 1999
Des Moines is Iowa's capital and its largest commercial center—a city defined by government complexes, one of the country's largest concentrations of insurance and financial headquarters, university and healthcare campuses, and a downtown built substantially of brick, block, and stone. That building stock represents an enormous amount of masonry, and all of it needs ongoing maintenance, restoration, and repair. Bi-State Masonry has served the Des Moines commercial market for more than 26 years. We mobilize full crews from our East Moline base to handle the large institutional and commercial projects this market demands, bringing commercial-grade craftsmanship and competitive pricing to building owners, property managers, general contractors, and facility teams throughout the metro.
Commercial Masonry Services in Des Moines
Commercial masonry is the core of our business, and Des Moines is exactly the kind of market we are built for. A dense downtown, an expanding suburban commercial base, and a deep inventory of institutional and public buildings all generate steady demand for skilled restoration and repair. These are rarely small jobs. A parking structure, an insurance-campus facade, a courthouse, or a university building calls for a crew that can show up in force, work to a schedule, and deliver commercial-grade results—and that is what we bring to every Des Moines project.
Our commercial capabilities in Des Moines include:
From routine repointing and sealant work to full facade restoration and structural repairs, we handle the complete range of commercial masonry needs. Explore our full range of commercial masonry services to see everything we offer. Bi-State provides free estimates on all commercial work in Des Moines.
Sectors We Serve in Des Moines
As the seat of Iowa state government and a major institutional center, Des Moines has a building stock unlike anywhere else in the state. We work across the full range of commercial and public sectors that define the metro, and we understand the requirements that come with each—from the security and access needs of a utility site to the summer-window scheduling of a school district.
Des Moines is home to one of the largest insurance and financial sectors in the country, and the masonry on those institutional campuses—along with the government buildings, courthouses, universities, and healthcare facilities across the metro—demands a contractor who can work cleanly and professionally on high-profile properties. As a merit-based, non-union shop, we keep overhead low and pricing competitive, and we regularly perform prevailing-wage work on public and government projects, paying the prevailing wage rate where required.
Why Des Moines Buildings Need Masonry Care
Iowa's four-season climate is hard on commercial masonry, and the scale and age of Des Moines's building stock means small problems can become expensive ones if they are not addressed. Water is the common thread behind most of the masonry issues we see on commercial buildings here.
Freeze-Thaw Damage on Facades and Structures
Central Iowa winters swing repeatedly above and below freezing. When water penetrates failing mortar joints or hairline cracks and then freezes, it expands and widens the gap a little more with each cycle. On a large commercial facade or a parking structure, that freeze-thaw action turns minor mortar wear into spalling masonry, loose units, and open joints—problems that compromise both appearance and structure. Timely tuckpointing and concrete restoration are the most effective ways to stop that cycle before it reaches the structure behind the wall.
Water Infiltration and Facade Failure
On multi-story commercial and institutional buildings, water infiltration is the leading cause of masonry deterioration. Failed sealant joints, deteriorated mortar, and unprotected facades let moisture into the wall system, where it damages masonry, corrodes embedded steel, and stains interior finishes. Our building waterproofing and caulking and sealant services address water at both the facade and the joints, protecting the wall system as a whole.
Aging and Historic Building Stock
Des Moines has a substantial inventory of older downtown and institutional masonry, from early-century commercial blocks to landmark government and civic buildings. These are well-built structures, but century-old mortar was never designed to last forever. Older buildings benefit from careful repointing, brick replacement, and restoration that respects the original materials—work that our crews have completed on award-winning institutional and historic restorations across Iowa, including the McKee Button Company factory in Muscatine and the University of Iowa Chemistry Building in Iowa City.
Why Des Moines Chooses Bi-State Masonry
Distance is routine in commercial masonry. The work Des Moines building owners and facility managers need—facade restoration, concrete repair, structural masonry, waterproofing—is substantial enough to warrant a full crew and a real schedule, and mobilizing our teams for those projects is exactly what we do. Bi-State Masonry has been a commercial masonry contractor since 1999, and we complete hundreds of jobs a year, most of them commercial. When we take on a Des Moines project, we bring the people, equipment, and experience to do it right.
- Commercial specialists — commercial masonry is the core of our business, not a sideline
- 26+ years of experience — restoring and building Iowa and Illinois commercial masonry since 1999
- Full-crew capability — we mobilize the workforce large institutional and commercial projects require
- Competitive pricing — lower overhead as a merit-based, non-union shop, with prevailing-wage compliance on public work
- Free estimates — on all commercial masonry work in Des Moines
Serving Des Moines and the Commercial Corridor
Des Moines anchors the western end of our commercial service area, which runs across Iowa and Illinois from the capital all the way to the Chicago suburbs. We provide commercial masonry throughout this corridor, serving building owners and institutions in cities including:
Our commercial reach extends from Des Moines to the greater Chicago area, with our home base in the Quad Cities. See our full service areas for details on where we work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Bi-State Masonry really work in Des Moines?
Yes. Des Moines is an active part of our commercial service area, which runs from the Quad Cities west to Des Moines and east to the Chicago suburbs. Commercial masonry projects are substantial enough to warrant mobilizing a full crew, and we regularly send our teams to Des Moines to handle facade restoration, concrete repair, tuckpointing, waterproofing, and structural masonry work for commercial and institutional clients.
What types of commercial masonry work do you perform in Des Moines?
We handle the full range of commercial masonry: tuckpointing and repointing, concrete restoration, brick replacement and repair, building waterproofing, caulking and sealants, restoration and preservation, parking ramp and garage repairs, and structural masonry repairs. We serve government, education, healthcare, financial, industrial, and other commercial sectors throughout the metro.
Do you handle prevailing-wage and public projects in Des Moines?
Yes. We regularly perform prevailing-wage work for government, municipal, school, and other public projects, and we pay the prevailing wage rate on those jobs. As Iowa's capital, Des Moines has a large base of public and institutional buildings, and we are experienced with the requirements that come with public masonry work.
Can you take on large institutional and commercial projects?
Yes. Large projects are the core of our business. We complete hundreds of jobs a year, most of them commercial, and we mobilize full crews with the equipment and experience that major facade restoration, concrete work, and structural masonry require. No commercial project is too large for our team.
Are estimates really free?
Yes. Bi-State Masonry offers free estimates on all commercial masonry work in Des Moines and throughout our service area. Call us at (309) 786-8800 or request a quote online.
Request Your Free Des Moines Commercial Masonry Estimate
Whether you manage a downtown office building, an institutional campus, a parking structure, or an industrial facility, Bi-State Masonry has the crews and experience to restore and protect your masonry. As a commercial masonry contractor with more than 26 years of experience, we bring skilled, full-crew craftsmanship and honest, competitive pricing to every project in Des Moines.
Call us today at (309) 786-8800 or request a free estimate online. We look forward to working with you.