Masonry contractor in Salinas, CA - brick repair and new walls built on solid footings
Blockworks Salinas Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Salinas. We repoint worn mortar joints, fix chimneys and older brick, and build walls, walkways and patios across the city, with me checking every stage.
How Salinas houses shape the masonry work
Salinas gives us a bit of everything we do. Close to downtown, a lot of the houses are older, with brick chimneys, brick steps and garden walls that have been patched more than once over the years. Farther out you get ranch houses and newer neighborhoods, where block walls run along the back of the lots and the walkways and patios sit on whatever base the builder left behind.
We also work in the cities around it, like Prunedale just up the road. Here at home, the older houses mean a lot of repair to brick and mortar that someone has already touched, and the newer lots mean walls and walks that only hold up if the footing and base under them are right.
What to know before masonry work starts in Salinas
If your job needs a permit, it goes through the city's Community Development office, which takes applications, keeps the permit records and books inspections on its online permit site. On a permitted job, that review and those inspections usually set the schedule more than our crew does, so we handle the application and inspections and keep you posted on where it stands. Before you hire anyone, check that they hold a California contractor's license from the Contractors State License Board, which licenses and regulates construction work in the state, and you can search contractors on the city's site too. We're fully licensed and insured.
The price comes down to how much brick or block there is, how worn it is, how hard it is to reach and what has to happen underneath it, and I'll put the figure for your own job in a written estimate after I've seen it. The schedule turns on the permit if there is one, on finding brick that matches, and on giving mortar and footings time to set before the next stage goes on. Jobs in Gonzales or Marina go through the office that covers that property instead.
What we run into on Salinas houses and yards
On older houses here, the call we get most is mortar joints that have gone soft and sandy, often right next to a patch someone did years ago with mortar harder than the brick around it. That hard patch holds while the brick beside it cracks and flakes, so we rake the joints back to sound mortar and repoint with a mix chosen to suit the old brick, not just whatever's in the truck.
On newer lots, it's block walls, walkways and patios that crack or lean because the base or footing under them wasn't built for the load. When a crack runs from the brick down into the house itself, I want to know what the foundation is doing before we touch anything above it, which is where foundation repair comes in.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Salinas
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit to your Salinas property. I'll come out, look the work over, measure and take photos, then write a free estimate of what we'd do and why, with no obligation to go ahead.
(831) 243-7031How it goes when you call us about masonry in Salinas
Call or send the form
Tell us what you're seeing, whether it's crumbling joints, a cracked chimney or a wall you want built. A few photos from your phone help me know what to look for.
I look the work over
I come out myself to look at the brick, block or stone, measure it and take photos. If something needs a closer look, like what's under a cracked walk, I'll tell you so.
Get your written estimate
The estimate says what we'll do, what we won't and why, with the materials and the reason for each. That way you can compare it fairly with other bids.
Handle the permit if needed
If the job needs a permit, we apply through the city's Community Development office and book the inspections, and I keep you posted on where it stands. The city's review and inspection dates set the pace for this part.
Build it, checking each stage
Our crew does the work with me on site checking it as it goes. I check each stage before the next one starts, so nothing gets covered up that shouldn't be.
Brick, block and stone work
Salinas masonry questions we hear often
Where do I apply for a building permit in Salinas?
You apply through the City of Salinas Community Development office on its online permit site, where you create a public account before paying any fees and then use Apply for Permits. If you're not sure your masonry job needs a permit, that office is the place to ask. When we take on a job that needs one, we handle the application for you.
How do I schedule a permit inspection in Salinas?
Inspections are booked on the same city site you apply on, which also lets you look up the permit records for your property. On our jobs we book the inspections and let you know when they're coming up, and I make sure the work is ready to be seen before the inspector gets there.
Can an unlicensed handyman do small brick repairs in Salinas?
Only on small jobs, because the state's minor work exemption has a limit of $1,000, raised from $500, and it applies only when the job needs no permit and the person doing it employs no one on the project. Past that line, or on any job that needs a permit, the work calls for a licensed contractor.
Who can haul away brick and concrete debris from a project in Salinas?
Under the city's rules, only the city's exclusive franchised hauler may collect or transport construction debris, and anyone generating it has to contract with that hauler unless an exception applies. One exception covers debris a licensed contractor takes away as an ordinary part of its job, though it doesn't cover debris boxes taken off a vehicle. On covered projects the city also expects brick, block and concrete to be kept out of the landfill along with most of the rest, and the owner shares that responsibility with the contractor.
How do I know if my Salinas chimney needs repair or a rebuild?
Most chimneys need repointing and a few new bricks long before they need rebuilding, so look for loose mortar near the top, cracked or shifting brick, and a cracked crown, the concrete cap on top. I'll get up and look at it, since the top is the part you can't judge from the ground, and if a smaller repair will do the job, I'll tell you that.
How much does masonry work cost in Salinas?
There's no set price, so I give you a number only after I've seen the work, because the cost follows how much material is involved and what shape it's in underneath. Matching old brick and mortar, digging out and pouring a new footing, and hauling debris under the city's rules all add to a job, while the brick, block or stone you pick for new work can move it either way. Call (831) 243-7031 and I'll come take a look.
Plan your Salinas masonry project with us
Call (831) 243-7031 any day between 7 AM and 10 PM or send the form, and we'll set up a time to look at your brick, block or stone.