Masonry contractor in Gonzales, CA - brick and block work built on a solid base
Blockworks Salinas Concrete and Masonry builds and repairs masonry in Gonzales, CA, including brick and block walls, chimneys, walkways, pavers and the mortar joints on older brick. I come out to look at every job myself.
Gonzales as we see it on our jobs
Gonzales is a small city in the Salinas Valley, about 17 miles down the road from Salinas, where we're based. On the older blocks near downtown we find brick chimneys, front steps and low garden walls. In the newer neighborhoods it's block walls between yards, paver drives and walkways that have started to shift.
We see that same mix down the valley in Soledad. It shapes every job, because old brick needs a gentle hand with the mortar, while a new block wall depends on its footing.
Permits, licenses and pricing for a Gonzales job
If your job needs a building permit, the City of Gonzales issues it through its Building and Planning Divisions, and the plan review comes before any work starts, so I count it in when we talk about a start date. The city's list of permit projects names additions, remodels, ADUs and garage conversions, not walls or chimneys, so I ask the city's building office about your job instead of guessing. When a permit is needed, we handle the application and the inspections and keep you posted. Before you hire anyone, us included, check two things: a California contractor license and a current city business license, because the city wants that business license in place before any work begins. We're fully licensed and insured.
The price depends on how big the job is, what it's built from, how much old work has to come out first and what goes underneath, like a footing or a packed base. Getting material to the spot matters too. The schedule depends on whether a permit is needed and how much prep the old work takes before new work goes on. We figure jobs the same way up in Gilroy as we do here, and your estimate puts your own figure in writing.
What Gonzales houses and ground mean for the job
The older houses here bring us brick chimneys, steps and garden walls that have been patched over the years, often by different people using different mortar. Part of our job is working out which repairs held and which ones are causing trouble. That's where careful masonry restoration pays off, and it's the work we're best known for. If only one section is bad, I'll tell you a repair there will do rather than sell you a whole new wall.
Low ground near the slough is the other thing to watch. The city's park along it floods every few years before the water drains off, so on lots near there I take a closer look at how water moves before we dig a footing or pack a base. Behind a retaining wall, that also means giving the water a way out.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Gonzales
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit to your Gonzales property. I'll come out, look the work over and write a free estimate that lists the work, the materials and the reasons for each, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
(831) 243-7031How a masonry job in Gonzales goes, start to finish
Call or send the form
Call (831) 243-7031 or use the form, and tell us what you're seeing, like loose bricks, worn joints or where you want a new wall. Photos help if you have them handy.
I look the job over
I come out to your house myself to look the work over, measure it and take photos. It helps if you can show me where water runs off the yard and point out any old repairs you know about.
You get a written estimate
The estimate says what we'll do, what we won't and why. That way you can set it beside other bids and compare them fairly.
We handle the permit if needed
When the job needs a permit, we file it and keep you posted while the city reviews the plans, which can take up to 30 days depending on how complete the documents are. The permit card and the city-stamped plans stay on site for the whole job.
We build and check each stage
Our crew does the work with me on site, and I check each stage, like the footing or the base, before the next one covers it up. City inspections happen Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 1 to 4, unless we set up another time with the building inspector ahead of time.
Brick, block and stone work
Gonzales masonry questions, answered
When does a masonry job in Gonzales need a licensed contractor?
In California, a job needs a state-licensed contractor when it needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined. The state doesn't allow a bigger job to be split into smaller pieces to get under that amount. You can check any contractor's license with the state licensing board.
Does a masonry contractor from outside Gonzales need a city business license?
Yes. Gonzales requires a local business license to do business in the city, including for contractors based outside city limits. Contractors and subcontractors both need that license current and active before any work starts, and the city's business license page explains the requirement.
How much does masonry work cost in Gonzales, CA?
It comes down to your particular job, so I give you a written figure after I've seen it rather than a number over the phone. Repointing worn joints costs much less than rebuilding a wall, new block usually runs less than matching old brick or setting stone, and a wall that holds back soil needs a footing and drainage that a garden wall doesn't. If a smaller repair will do, I'll tell you.
How do I apply for a building permit in Gonzales?
You can file applications online through the city's permit portal. The building office is also open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM if you'd rather ask in person. When your masonry job needs a permit, we put the application together and handle the inspections, so you don't have to file it yourself.
How do I get permission to work on the sidewalk or curb in front of my house in Gonzales?
Call the city's Public Works Department at (831) 675-5000. It handles encroachment permits, which are the city's OK to work in the public right-of-way. This comes up when a new driveway or walkway meets the sidewalk, so I work out where your property ends before we plan the job.
What causes mortar joints to crumble on older brick houses?
Usually it's age and water. Mortar is meant to wear before the brick does, and once joints open up, water gets in and speeds things along. Old patches done in hard cement mortar make it worse, because they push the wear into the brick faces. We cut out the worn joints and do tuckpointing with a mortar matched to the brick.
Call about your Gonzales masonry project
We answer (831) 243-7031 seven days a week from 7 AM to 10 PM, or you can send the form, so you can get a visit on the calendar before a loose joint turns into a bigger repair.