Masonry Contractor in Fair Oaks, CA - Walls and Walkways Built on Solid Footings
P&J El Dorado Hills Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in El Dorado Hills that builds retaining walls, block walls, walkways and fireplaces and repairs brick and chimneys for Fair Oaks homeowners.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Masonry work on Fair Oaks lots
Fair Oaks runs along the American River, and the homes we work on here are mostly suburban and semi-rural, from neighborhood streets around the old village to bigger lots with long driveways and plenty of yard. It's close to our jobs in Orangevale and across the river in La Riviera, but Fair Oaks lots usually give us more ground to work with.
That extra ground is most of the story. A yard with some slope needs walls that hold, a long driveway needs edges that don't crumble, and brick steps or planters that have sat outside for decades need a closer look than a quick patch. I'd rather walk the whole property with you at the estimate, because on these lots the crack at your front step often starts with water running off the yard behind it.
Masonry work we do in Fair Oaks
Retaining wall construction
Sloped yards here need walls that hold soil back instead of leaning with it. We dig a real footing and run drainage behind the wall.
Concrete block walls
Wide lots in Fair Oaks often call for privacy and a clear property line. We build block walls on a proper footing, with steel and grout where they belong.
Fireplace installation
Bigger lots here often have room for a real hearth, inside or on the patio. Our fireplace installation starts with a footing sized for the weight.
Chimney repair
Chimneys on older houses around here usually fail at the top, where a cracked cap lets water in. We rebuild the cap and the loose brick under it.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Big Fair Oaks backyards have room for a grill station and seating. We build outdoor kitchens on a solid slab or footing so the counters stay level.
Stone veneer installation
Many ranch homes here have a plain stucco front that could use stone. We hang stone veneer over a drainage layer so water behind it can get out.
What Fair Oaks homes need from masonry
A lot of streets here don't have sidewalks, so people walk the shoulder, and your driveway edge and front walk end up taking foot traffic, bikes and the odd trash can. Edges are where pavers and brick shift first, so we pack the base firm and set an edge restraint, a buried border that keeps pavers from creeping outward, before the first piece goes down. You won't see that part when we're done, and it's the part that decides whether the walk still looks straight years from now.
Plenty of houses in Fair Oaks have brick steps, planters and walls that have been out there a long time. Mortar is supposed to wear out before the brick does, that's its whole job, so when the joints go sandy we cut them out and refill them with a mix that suits the old brick, because mortar harder than the brick around it cracks the brick instead.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Fair Oaks project
Call (916) 260-2151 or send the form, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out to your Fair Oaks property myself, look the job over with you and follow up with a written estimate. It's free, with no pressure and no obligation.
Fair Oaks masonry questions
Here are answers to what Fair Oaks homeowners usually want to know about permits, prices and getting started. If your question isn't here, call or send the form and I'll answer it for your job.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Fair Oaks?
Going by an older Sacramento County handout, only a retaining wall up to 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, with no added load on it, is listed as exempt from a building permit. A wall that holds up something extra, like a driveway or more slope above it, doesn't get that pass. Fair Oaks isn't its own city, so permits here come from Sacramento County's building permits and inspection office, and when your wall needs one, we handle the application and the inspections.
Do I need a permit for a new driveway, walkway or garden wall in Fair Oaks?
That same older county handout lists driveways and sidewalks, along with fences no taller than 7 feet, among work that needs no building permit. Because the handout is older and a masonry wall on a footing is close to the line, we check what applies at your address with the county before we start instead of guessing.
How do I get a permit for a new fireplace in Fair Oaks?
You don't have to chase it yourself, because we find out what your address needs and handle the application and inspections with the county as part of the job. Sacramento County requires a building permit to build, alter or repair a building, and installing or replacing gas systems needs a permit too, so a fireplace built into the house or one with a gas line falls under its rules.
What causes a stop work order on a Fair Oaks project?
In Sacramento County, a stop work order comes when inspectors find work going on that needs a building permit and doesn't have one. Applying isn't enough, since the county says starting before the permit is issued still breaks the state building code, so we wait until the permit is in hand. Big yard jobs carry one more catch, because grading or digging that moves more than 350 cubic yards of soil needs its own grading permit.
How much does masonry work cost in Fair Oaks?
The price comes down to the size of the job, the material, how much digging and base work the ground needs and how easy it is to get our equipment to the spot. On bigger lots here, a long haul from the street to the backyard and the drainage behind a wall often move it most, and matching old brick or stone can add time and cost. The schedule usually turns on whether a permit is needed and how soon the material comes in, and I'll go over both with you when I write up your estimate.
How much can a contractor ask for up front in California?
Under the Contractors State License Board's rules, a down payment on a home improvement job can be no more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. The board licenses and regulates contractors across the state and says the limit covers all home improvement projects, so a wall or walkway counts just like a remodel. We're fully licensed and insured, and if anyone asks you for more than that up front, that's your cue to keep looking.
Examples of masonry work
Other cities we work in
If your city is listed, pick it for a closer look, or call (916) 260-2151, because we work in many cities around El Dorado Hills that don't have their own page.