Masonry contractor in Orangevale, CA - walls and brick that stay solid
P&J El Dorado Hills Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Orangevale, CA. We repair old brick and chimneys and build retaining walls, block walls, pavers and outdoor kitchens on the bigger lots here.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Brick, block and stone work in Orangevale
We're a masonry contractor based in El Dorado Hills, and Orangevale is an easy drive for us. It has a feel of its own. Many of the houses are ranch homes on wide lots, with a brick chimney, brick planters out front and a long driveway, and newer houses have gone up between the older ones. It sits right next to Fair Oaks, and our crew works as far up the hill as Placerville, but the lots here tend to run bigger and the houses older than on a lot of our jobs.
That mix shapes the work. On an older house we're usually matching brick and mortar that's been there a long time, and on a big lot we're often building longer walls and walks, sometimes on ground that drops off toward the back fence.
Masonry work we do in Orangevale
Retaining wall construction
Plenty of Orangevale yards change grade, and a retaining wall holds it. We build the footing and the drain behind it first, since that's what keeps walls standing.
Brick repair
On older Orangevale houses we see brick flaking or cracking near downspouts and planters. We cut out the bad ones and set in brick that matches.
Chimney repair
Many ranch houses here keep their original brick chimney, where the cap and top rows wear out first. We rebuild what's cracked or loose before water gets in.
Driveway pavers
Long driveways on bigger Orangevale lots end up patched like a quilt. We dig out, pack a firm base and lay pavers you can lift and reset later.
Concrete block walls
On wide Orangevale lots, a block wall gives privacy and keeps animals in. We pour a real footing and run steel through it so it stays straight.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Big Orangevale backyards have room for an outdoor kitchen around a patio. We build a block base faced in stone or brick, with space planned for the grill.
What Orangevale properties need from a mason
Age is the big one. Mortar is meant to wear out before the brick does, so on a house that's stood for decades the joints usually go first, and that's when water starts working into the wall. We rake out the worn joints and repoint with a mortar that's softer than the brick, because mortar that's too hard pushes the damage into the brick itself, and that's a much bigger bill. If a chimney or a planter wall is too far gone, I'll tell you straight that rebuilding beats patching.
Orangevale isn't its own city. It's an unincorporated part of Sacramento County, so the county issues building permits here, and when your job needs one, we handle the application and the inspections as part of the work. The price mostly turns on the size of the job, what it's built from and how much old work has to come out, while the schedule turns on getting materials, especially brick that matches, and on the permit if you need one. I'll look it over with you and follow up with a written estimate for your job.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Orangevale project
We reply to calls and messages within one business day. I'll come out to your Orangevale property, look the job over with you and follow up with a written estimate, free and with no obligation. Call (916) 260-2151 or send the form to set a time.
Orangevale masonry questions
Here's what homeowners ask about masonry in Orangevale, from county permits to what drives the price. If your job raises a question that isn't here, call or send the form and ask.
How do I get a building permit for masonry work in Orangevale?
You apply to Sacramento County's Building Permits and Inspection Division, since Orangevale is county ground, and it covers work that builds, adds onto, alters, repairs, moves or tears down a building. When your job needs one, we find out what's required and handle the application and inspections. The county only counts a permit once it's issued, not while it's in review, and inspectors can stop a job that starts early, so we wait until the permit is in hand.
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Orangevale?
Not always, because the county's list of work exempt from a permit includes retaining walls no more than 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. That doesn't cover a wall holding back a surcharge, which is extra weight on the soil behind it like a driveway, a slope or a building. The 4 feet includes the buried footing, so if your wall falls outside that list, we plan on a permit and take care of it.
What masonry and concrete work doesn't need a permit in Sacramento County?
The county's general guide to exempt work lists sidewalks, driveways and finish work like tiling and counter tops, along with fences no more than 7 feet high. Work on the house itself falls under the permit rules covered above, so for a chimney, a fireplace or anything tied to the foundation, we check with the county before we start. We'll also check how a brick or block wall along your property line fits the fence rule.
When does a contractor need a California license to do masonry work?
In California, a contractor needs a Contractors State License Board license when the project needs a building permit, uses employees, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Splitting a bigger job into smaller bills under $1,000 doesn't get around that rule. We're fully licensed and insured, and our own crew does the work, led by a lead mason, with me checking in on site.
How much does masonry work cost in Orangevale?
Your cost comes down to what we're building or fixing and how much prep it takes, and you get the figure in writing after I've seen the job. On older Orangevale houses, matching weathered brick and mortar color takes more time than new work, and on bigger lots a long carry from the truck, a long wall run or a slope adds labor. Footings, drainage behind a wall and a permit when one's needed are part of the price too, and they're the last place I'd cut corners.
What is the best way to fix a cracked brick wall on an older Orangevale house?
The best way is to find out why it cracked before fixing anything, because a crack that steps along the mortar joints usually means something moved underneath, and new mortar won't hold if the cause is still there. We look at the footing, the drainage and any roots nearby, then repoint, replace bad brick or rebuild the section, whichever the wall actually needs. If it's only a few loose joints, I'll tell you that too, since not every crack is a big job.
Brick, block and stone examples
Other places we work
Looking at a different city? Check the list here, or give us a call, because we work in many of the cities around El Dorado Hills.