Masonry contractor in Greenfield, CA - block walls, brick and walks built right
Blockworks Salinas Concrete and Masonry builds and repairs block walls, brick, stone, walks and patios for homeowners in Greenfield, CA, from worn mortar joints and cracked walls to new outdoor kitchens and retaining walls.
Greenfield as we see it on our jobs
Greenfield is a farm town in the southern Salinas Valley. Most of the calls we get here come from families in single-story homes with a block wall around the back yard, a concrete walk to the front door and a patio out back. Some of the older houses near the middle of town have brick steps, planters or a chimney that's due for fresh mortar, while the newer neighborhoods lean toward block and stone veneer. We do the same kind of work up the road in Soledad and Gonzales, so the houses here look familiar to us.
What shapes most jobs here is what sits under the masonry. A wall or walk is only as steady as the footing and base below it, so that's where I look first.
What to know about permits, licenses and price in Greenfield
When a job needs a building permit, it comes from the City of Greenfield Building Division, and the city issues it only after its review and approval. Nobody can rush that review, and work can't start until the fees are paid and the required paperwork is signed, so it sets the early part of your schedule. On your side, make sure whoever you hire holds a license from the California Contractors State License Board, and the questions below cover when the state requires one.
We're fully licensed and insured, and when your job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections with the city and keep you posted on where it stands. We're based in Salinas and drive down the valley for Greenfield work. The price turns on the size of the job, the material you pick, how much digging and base work the footing needs and whether we're repairing what's there or tearing it out. The schedule turns mostly on the permit review and on each stage getting checked before the next one starts. My written estimate lists the work, the materials and the reason for each, so you can lay it next to other bids and compare them fairly.
What Greenfield houses and yards usually need
On the older houses here, the brick usually outlasts the mortar between it, so worn, sandy joints on a chimney, porch or planter are a common call. The fix is to rake out the bad mortar and repoint with a mix that's softer than the brick, because mortar that's harder than the brick around it can crack the brick instead of the joint. If only a few joints need it, I'll tell you that instead of quoting the whole wall.
The other steady call is the back yard, where people want a patio, a walk or an outdoor kitchen for cooking with family and friends. Those hold up when the base is packed well and the slab under the counters and grill is sized for their weight, so that's where we spend the time, even though you won't see it once the stone is on.
Get a written masonry estimate for your Greenfield home
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day, by phone or email, to set a time for me to come out to your Greenfield property. I look the job over myself and write a free on-site estimate, and there's no obligation to go ahead with it.
(831) 243-7031How a Greenfield masonry job goes once you call
Call us or send the form
Call (831) 243-7031 or fill out the form with a few lines about the wall, walk or brick you're looking at. Photos help if you have them.
I come out and measure
I come out to Greenfield myself to look the work over, measure it and take photos. If there's a crack or a lean, I check the footing and the ground around it, because that tells me whether it's a repair or a rebuild.
Read your written estimate
The estimate spells out what we'll do, what we won't and why, along with the materials. Take your time with it and compare it with other bids.
We handle the permit step
If the job needs a permit, we put in the application with the city's Building Division and follow it through review and approval. Work starts only once the fees are paid and the required paperwork is signed.
Our crew builds, I check
Our crew does the work, and I'm on site checking each stage before the next one starts, so nothing gets covered that shouldn't be. Before we arrive, move cars and anything stored along the wall or walk.
Brick, block and stone work
Greenfield masonry questions we hear
When does a masonry contractor in California need a CSLB license?
A contractor needs a state license when the project needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and they need it before they submit a bid. The exception is narrow. A job that needs no permit, uses no employee labor and costs less than $1,000 combined doesn't need one, as long as the person doesn't advertise as a licensed contractor, and a larger project can't be broken into smaller amounts to get under that line.
How long does a building permit application last in Greenfield?
A Greenfield building permit application expires within 180 days from the date of application if a permit isn't obtained in that time. The application itself isn't a permit and doesn't authorize any work, so nothing gets built until the permit is issued. Questions about an application go to the Building Division at (831) 304-0333.
How much does a block wall or masonry repair cost in Greenfield?
The cost of a Greenfield masonry job comes down mostly to what's under it and how much has to come out, more than its size alone. Repointing a few worn joints or resetting a section of walk costs far less than rebuilding a wall that's lost its footing, and brick or natural stone usually runs more than block. Hauling off old material, tight access to a back yard and any permit fees add to it, which is why I measure on site and price it in writing.
How do I find out if my Greenfield property is in a fire hazard zone?
Start with the State Fire Marshal's fire hazard severity zone maps, and for a property in a Local Responsibility Area, the state office sends you to your local jurisdiction, which inside city limits is the City of Greenfield. It's worth checking before you plan an outdoor kitchen or fireplace, and if the answer affects the job, we'll talk it through before anything is built.
What causes a block wall to crack or lean?
Most block walls crack or lean because the footing under them is too small, too shallow or sitting on ground that has settled, and water and tree roots at the base usually make it worse. On a cracked wall I dig at the footing first, because if it's sound, rebuilding the damaged courses may be all you need, and if it isn't, patching the face won't hold for long.
Will a masonry contractor from Salinas, CA come out to Greenfield?
Yes. Greenfield is one of the cities we work in from our base in Salinas, and our crew does the same work in the cities around it. If your city isn't on our list, call and ask.
Call about your Greenfield masonry work
We answer seven days a week from 7 AM to 10 PM, so you can call (831) 243-7031 after work or send the form tonight.