Masonry Contractor in Hollister, CA - Brick and Block Work Built for Fault Country
Blockworks Salinas Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Salinas that builds and repairs brick, block and stone for homeowners in Hollister, from worn mortar joints and tired chimneys to new walls, walks and patios.
Hollister houses and lots as we find them
Hollister is farm country with a working downtown, and you can see that mix in the masonry. Near downtown there are older houses with brick chimneys, brick steps and garden walls that several owners have patched over the years, some well and some not. Toward the edges of the city, the newer neighborhoods and ranch parcels need block walls, walkways and patios built from scratch.
I spent close to twenty years keeping farm equipment running, so this kind of ground feels familiar, much like our jobs down the Salinas Valley in Greenfield. On the older houses the job is mostly about matching new mortar to old brick, and on the newer lots it's about what goes under the wall.
Working in Hollister: permits, licenses and what sets the price
The City of Hollister issues building permits, and when your job needs one, the work waits until the permit is issued, so on those jobs the city's approval sets the start date more than our calendar does. California licenses contractors through the Contractors State License Board, so ask anyone you're thinking of hiring for their state license and check it with the board. We're fully licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. When a permit is needed, we handle the application and the inspections with the city and keep you posted on where it stands.
The price here mostly follows what's under and behind the work: how long and tall a wall runs, how deep its footing goes, how much old mortar has to come out and whether we can find brick that matches an older house. Hauling old material away adds to it, and so does a narrow side yard where everything goes in by wheelbarrow. The schedule turns on the permit and the weather, because fresh mortar and concrete don't do well in a heavy rain. We do the same work just north in Gilroy, and once I've seen your job, my estimate spells out the work, the materials and the reason for each, so you can compare it fairly with other bids.
What shaking ground and wet winters do to Hollister masonry
Fault mapping shows two main faults coming together just north of Hollister, so the ground under your house gets shaken now and then. In masonry that usually shows up as stair-step cracks through the mortar of a block wall, joints that have opened on older brick, and chimneys that have worked loose up near the roofline. On older brick we rake out the failed mortar and repoint it, packing fresh mortar into the cleaned joints, with a mix that suits the brick so it doesn't crack the faces. On a new wall I start with the part nobody sees later, the footing and the steel in it, which is where our foundation block wall installation work begins.
Long dry summers and winter rain are hard on old joints, because water gets into any crack, washes mortar out and softens the ground under a wall. If you see sand at the base of a wall or gaps you could slip a coin into, it's usually cheaper to fix before the rains than after.
Get a written masonry estimate for your Hollister home
We reply within one business day, by phone or through this form, to set up a visit to your Hollister property. I come out myself to look the job over, measure and take photos, then write up a free on-site estimate. There's no obligation to go ahead.
(831) 243-7031How it goes when you call us about a Hollister job
Call us or send the form
Call (831) 243-7031 or fill out the form and tell us what you're seeing, whether that's cracked joints, a leaning wall or a project you have in mind. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I come out and measure
I come to Hollister myself, look the work over, measure it and take photos. It helps if you clear a path to the wall or chimney and remember roughly when you first noticed the problem.
Read the written estimate
I write down what we'll do, what we won't and why, along with the materials. If a smaller repair will hold, that's what I'll recommend.
Wait on the permit, if needed
When the job needs a permit, nothing starts until the city issues it, and I'll let you know how it's moving. While we wait, we line up materials and pick a start day with you.
Our crew builds, I check
Once you say go, our crew does the work and I check each stage before the next one starts, so nothing gets covered up that shouldn't be. At the end we clean up and haul off the old material.
Brick, block and stone work
Hollister masonry questions we hear
What does Hollister need before it will issue a building permit for masonry work?
The city has to approve a plan for handling the job's construction or demolition waste before it issues a building or demolition permit. Whoever holds the permit then has to keep a required share of that waste out of the landfill. On permitted jobs we put that together with the rest of the application.
How much can a masonry contractor in California ask for up front?
Under state rules, the down payment on a home improvement job can't be more than $1,000, and on a smaller contract the limit is lower because it's also capped at a share of the contract price. After that, the Contractors State License Board says each payment has to be listed in the contract and tied to work finished or materials delivered.
What happens if masonry work starts in Hollister before the permit is issued?
The city charges more than its usual fee for the permits the job needed. That's one reason we wait for the permit before we dig a footing or tear out old brick.
How do I find out if my Hollister home is in an earthquake hazard zone?
Type your address into the state's EQ Zapp map, which shows whether the property sits in one of the state's mapped earthquake hazard zones. It also tells you when the state hasn't evaluated the hazards in that area yet, which is worth knowing before you build a new wall or rebuild a chimney. Bring the result to the estimate and I'll go over it with you.
How much does masonry repair cost in Hollister?
There's no single figure, because a repair can be a few feet of repointed joints or a chimney rebuilt from the roofline up, and the price follows the size of the job. The biggest savings usually come from catching worn joints early, since repointing costs far less than taking brick down and relaying it. I'll tell you if a smaller repair will do and put the price in writing after I've seen the work.
How do I know which building code my Hollister masonry project has to meet?
Hollister adopts the California building codes in full, so they apply just as if the city had printed them in its own ordinance. The city's building code is the only rulebook for new construction and for alterations, repairs and rebuilding, and the adopted codes are on file at City Hall for anyone to look at. We build to them, and on permitted jobs the city's inspections check the work.
Tell us about your Hollister masonry project
We answer the phone from 7 AM to 10 PM seven days a week, so call (831) 243-7031 after work or send the form with a few lines about what you're seeing.