Brick wall installation in El Dorado Hills CA - straight, solid and built to shed rain
Want a brick fence or garden wall that won't lean or need repainting? We build it straight, solid and planned around where water goes.
Plan your brick wall before you dig
Call (916) 260-2151 before anything's dug, because how the wall sheds water gets settled on paper first, and that's the cheapest place to change your mind.
What does it take to build a brick wall in El Dorado Hills?
Brick wall installation in El Dorado Hills means building a brick wall for a fence, a garden or part of a building, set on a solid footing and planned so rain runs off it instead of soaking in. Built right, clay brick keeps its color for good and holds up to the weather.
Most folks who call us already have the spot picked out and a picture of the wall in their head, and they want to know what it'll take to get there. The price mostly turns on how long and how tall the wall is, whether it stands on its own as a fence or is part of a building, how much digging the footing needs, which brick you pick and how easy it is to get the crew and materials to the spot. The schedule turns on whether your wall needs a permit and on the weather. Your own figure comes in the written estimate after I've seen the site.
Why El Dorado Hills homeowners call P&J El Dorado Hills Concrete & Masonry for a brick wall
Trained where walls get inspected
I learned masonry on a city public works crew where every wall had to pass inspection, and I started this business here in 2013. We still build the hidden footing like an inspector's watching.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured. That matters on a wall because a crew is digging, pouring and stacking a lot of weight on your property, and that risk shouldn't land on you.
Your CC&Rs checked up front
Some lots here carry CC&Rs, property rules that the community services district alone enforces in its area. Bring yours to the estimate so we plan the wall around them from the start.
On a brick wall, the footing and where the water goes decide how it holds up, and that's what I'll walk you through first. Send us your project details or call (916) 260-2151 to set up a visit.
How our brick wall installation works, start to finish
Before we lay a single brick, we talk through how the wall will shed water, because a brick wall only keeps rain out when it's designed, detailed and built for it, and the crew's work matters as much as the brick. Then we mark the line, dig and pour the footing, and our crew lays the brick course by course in a mortar matched to the wall. We set a cap that throws water off the top, tool the joints tight and clean up the site before we leave. I usually suggest leaving the brick bare, since clay brick holds its color on its own and you won't be stuck repainting it down the road.
Plenty of brick walls end up with stone pillars or a stone cap, and our stone masonry work covers that if you like the two together. Years from now, the mortar joints are what wear first, and brick pointing refills them so the wall stays tight against water.
Garden and seat walls
Low walls that edge a patio, frame a planter or give you a place to sit suit most backyards. They're the easiest way to bring brick into the yard without a big project.
Brick fence and privacy walls
A freestanding brick wall along a property line suits owners tired of patching wood fences. It won't rot, and the color is in the brick itself, so there's nothing to repaint.
Walls that are part of a building
When the wall carries weight or ties into a house, garage or addition, it takes more planning up front. We check permit needs with the right office before anyone starts digging.
How do you know it's time for a brick wall?
Wood fence keeps rotting
You're swapping out soft posts and warped boards every few years. Wood sitting in the dirt usually rots from the bottom up, and every year you wait is another round of repairs.
Old wall leaning over
A garden wall that leans or has a crack running down it usually means the footing gave out. Patching rarely holds, and a leaning wall only gets harder and riskier to deal with.
Paint peeling off brick
Flaking paint on an old brick wall usually means water got trapped behind it. Left alone, the wall stays damp and the brick face can start breaking down underneath.
Mortar crumbling from joints
Sandy mortar falling out of an otherwise straight wall usually means the joints are worn, not the wall. That may only need pointing, which costs far less than a new wall if you catch it early.
What happens after you call about a brick wall in El Dorado Hills?
Call and I'll come out
You call or send a message, and I come out myself to look at the spot and talk through where the water will go. Then you get a written estimate.
We get approvals and build
If your wall needs a permit, we take care of it before we start. Our lead mason and crew build the wall, and I stop by to check on the work.
Walk the finished wall together
Once the last brick is set and the site's cleaned up, we walk the wall together. You'll see the cap, the joints and how the water runs off.
Brick wall questions we hear
Here are straight answers to what El Dorado Hills homeowners ask most about building a brick wall. If your yard or plans raise a different question, call and ask me.
How much does it cost to build a brick wall in El Dorado Hills?
There's no fair single number for a brick wall, so your real figure comes in the written estimate I put together after seeing your site. A short, straight run on flat ground with easy access keeps it down, while a sloped yard, a taller wall, pillars or a fancy cap push it up.
Does a brick wall need painting?
No, clay brick needs no paint or surface treatment and keeps its color on its own. Painted brick outdoors needs repainting every three to five years, so leaving it bare saves you that repeat job for as long as the wall stands.
Who is licensed to build a brick wall in California?
In California, building masonry walls for structures or fences, with or without mortar and whether they carry weight or not, falls under the state's masonry contractor license class. When you're comparing masons, ask whether they hold that license.
Where do I apply for a building permit in El Dorado Hills?
You apply with El Dorado County's Building Division, which handles building permits in El Dorado Hills and takes basic permit applications online through its e-TRAKiT system, though not every permit type is offered there. There's a proposal to move El Dorado Hills under a future city government, which would change who you deal with if it goes ahead. When your wall needs a permit, we find out which office covers your address and handle the application and inspections.
What is the best time of year to build a brick wall?
The best time is a stretch without extreme heat or cold, because very hot and very cold weather can harm brick masonry materials and how they perform while the wall goes up. Ask any mason how their crew handles those days, and we'll talk timing through with you at the estimate.
How do I choose the right mortar for a brick wall?
The right mortar is usually the lowest-strength mix that still meets the wall's needs, which is what a national brick trade group advises. Stronger isn't automatically better, so ask your mason why they chose yours, and I'll explain the mix we pick for your wall.
Get a free estimate for your brick wall
Tell us where the wall goes, its rough size and whether it's a fence or part of a building. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free look at your property with no obligation.
Examples of brick wall work
Work that goes with a brick wall
Stone masonry
Adding stone pillars, a stone cap or a matching planter beside your new brick wall, so the two materials tie together across one yard.
Learn moreBrick pointing
When mortar joints on an older brick wall start crumbling or washing out, fresh pointing seals them again before water works its way inside.
Learn more