Empire Paving & Masonry in Baltimore: Concrete and Brickwork for Residential and Commercial Projects
Empire Paving & Masonry operates as a full-service concrete and masonry contractor serving Baltimore's residential and commercial property owners, handling everything from driveway installation and repair to brick restoration and foundation work.
What Empire Paving & Masonry Actually Is
Empire Paving & Masonry is a licensed and insured concrete and masonry company based in the Baltimore area. The business focuses on two primary divisions: paving work (asphalt and concrete driveways, parking lots, and patios) and masonry services (brick restoration, concrete block work, chimney repair, and tuckpointing). The company operates at a mid-market scale, taking on residential jobs for individual homeowners alongside commercial contracts for property managers and developers. Unlike large regional chains, Empire maintains enough local presence to handle urgent repairs while operating with the equipment and crew size needed for medium-scale projects.
Services and Pricing
Empire's concrete division includes new driveway installation, resurfacing, sealing, and repair. A new concrete driveway typically runs between $8 to $14 per square foot installed in the Baltimore area, placing Empire within the regional standard. Asphalt driveways cost less upfront but require resealing every 3 to 5 years; concrete carries higher initial cost but longer lifespan with lower maintenance.
Masonry services span brick and concrete block laying, tuckpointing (repointing mortar joints in existing brickwork), chimney repair, and foundation work. Tuckpointing, common in Baltimore's older rowhouses and commercial buildings, averages $10 to $25 per square foot depending on brick condition and mortar type. New brickwork runs $15 to $25 per square foot. Concrete patios and walkways fall between $8 and $12 per square foot. Estimate costs are typically free for projects within Baltimore proper, though large or complex jobs may require a deposit to schedule an on-site assessment.
Empire does not publish a full rate card online; confirm current pricing and availability before committing, as material costs and labor rates shift seasonally.
How It Compares to Other Baltimore Masonry and Concrete Options
Baltimore's masonry market splits between large regional contractors (operating across Maryland, Virginia, and beyond), small independent masons working solo or with one assistant, and mid-market firms like Empire. Large contractors often require minimum project sizes ($15,000 and up) and may have longer lead times; they suit major commercial work or large residential renovations. Solo masons offer lower hourly rates but may have long backlogs, limited equipment for major pours, and inconsistent availability for emergency repairs.
Empire sits between these poles. It has crews and equipment to handle driveway pours and extensive tuckpointing jobs that solo contractors cannot tackle on schedule, yet maintains lower overhead than regional firms, translating to faster scheduling for typical residential work. For a homeowner needing a driveway resurfaced or brick mortar repointed, Empire is often faster to estimate and schedule than a large firm while more reliable and insured than a solo operator.
If you need emergency chimney stabilization or same-day concrete crack sealing, call the largest available contractor in Baltimore first; they may have roving crews. If you're comparing three bids for a new patio, Empire's mid-market positioning usually yields competitive pricing without the markup of a regional brand.
Who It Suits and Who It Does Not
Empire works well for Baltimore homeowners with 1970s-era concrete driveways needing replacement, owners of rowhouses with deteriorating brick and mortar joints, and small commercial property owners managing parking lots or storefronts. The company is practical for medium-scale projects taking a week or two rather than a single afternoon or a three-month commercial build.
Empire is not the best fit for emergency same-day concrete repair or for homeowners seeking the lowest possible price through a solo operator working nights. It is also not ideal for highly specialized historic restoration work requiring period-appropriate lime mortar and masonry techniques; Baltimore has smaller specialty firms focused exclusively on Federal and Victorian-era properties.
What the First Visit Involves
Contact Empire by phone or through its local listing to describe your project: driveway condition, square footage, or specific masonry work needed. The company will schedule a site visit, typically within 3 to 7 business days depending on current workload. During the visit, a crew member or estimator will assess the area, take measurements, discuss material options (concrete thickness, brick color, mortar type), and answer questions about timeline and weather dependencies. Concrete pours, for example, require temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and cannot proceed immediately after rain.
You will receive a written estimate within a few days. If you accept, Empire will schedule the work and typically request a deposit of 25 to 50 percent, with the balance due upon completion. Work schedules depend on weather and crew availability; spring and fall are peak seasons in Baltimore, so summer or early winter scheduling often yields faster starts.
Hours, Parking, and Logistics
Empire operates Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with limited Saturday availability during peak season. Confirm holiday schedules and winter hours before scheduling urgent work. The company is based in Baltimore County and serves Baltimore City and surrounding areas. On-site parking depends on your property; for rowhouse jobs with limited street parking, discuss access with the crew when scheduling. Material delivery happens separately from labor; concrete trucks require clear driveway access and at least 24 hours' notice.
Empire Paving & Masonry earns its place in Baltimore's home services landscape by combining reliable execution for routine concrete and masonry work with the capacity to move quickly on jobs that solo contractors cannot handle in timeframe. It is neither the cheapest option nor the largest, but it fits the practical middle ground most Baltimore homeowners actually need.
