Masonry Contractor in National City, CA - Brick Repair and Walls That Stay Put
Advanced Encinitas Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in National City, CA. We repair crumbling brick, leaking chimneys and old stone, and build block, brick and retaining walls on homes across the city.
Our masonry work in National City
Most people here know Brick Row in Heritage Square, which is on the National Register of Historic Places and kept true to its Victorian surroundings by its owners. Careful work on older brick and stone is what we're best known for, along with block and retaining walls.
The city has been urging residents to get ready for El Niño and winter storms, and heavy rain is usually when an open joint or a leaning wall shows itself. We come down from Encinitas for these jobs, just as we head up to San Clemente or on to Chula Vista.
Masonry services in National City
We take on everything from repointing a chimney to building a new retaining wall, and most jobs start with finding out why the brick, block or stone failed.
Foundation repair
When a crack runs through the foundation or a corner has dropped, we find out why it moved, then repair the masonry so the fix holds.
View Service Foundation repair
Chimney repair
A chimney that leaks into the attic or sheds brick usually has failing joints or a cracked crown. We rebuild what's loose and seal it against water.
View Service Chimney repair
Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing is grinding out worn mortar and packing in fresh mortar matched to your brick. Call about it when the joints look sandy or sit back from the brick face.
View Service Tuckpointing
Brick repair
Spalled faces, cracked units and loose bricks get cut out and replaced with brick that matches, and we look for the water or movement that broke them.
View Service Brick repair
Driveway pavers
We dig out, compact a solid base and lay interlocking pavers, so the driveway carries a car's weight and single pavers can be lifted and reset later.
View Service Driveway pavers
Retaining wall construction
If a slope is creeping into your yard or an old wall has started to lean, we build a new one with the footing, drainage and backfill done properly.
View Service Retaining wall construction
Masonry restoration
For older brick and stone that's worn but worth keeping, we clean, repoint and repair it with materials that suit the original instead of covering it up.
View Service Masonry restoration
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces in brick or stone, from the firebox and hearth to the surround, laid out to fit the room and the chimney above it.
View Service Fireplace installation
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer is thin natural or manufactured stone set over a wall. We prep the backing and flash it right so water doesn't get trapped behind it.
View Service Stone veneer installation
Concrete block walls
Block walls make solid property and privacy walls. We set them on a proper footing, add steel and grout where the wall needs it, then cap them.
View Service Concrete block walls
Foundation block wall installation
When a house needs a new or rebuilt block foundation wall, under an addition or around a crawlspace, we lay it on a sound footing to carry the load.
View Service Foundation block wall installation
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the masonry for outdoor kitchens and grill islands, from the block base to the stone or brick facing and countertop support, ready for your appliances.
View Service Outdoor kitchen masonry
Walkway construction
A walkway that's sunk or heaved usually has a base problem. We build new paths in pavers, brick, stone or concrete over a base that's packed firm.
View Service Walkway construction
Brick wall installation
New brick garden, screen and boundary walls go on a real footing with the joints tooled tight, so the wall looks right and sheds water.
View Service Brick wall installation
Stone masonry
From dry-stacked garden walls to mortared stone steps and columns, we work in natural stone and fit each piece by hand, which takes longer but sits tighter.
View Service Stone masonry
Brick pointing
Pointing fills gaps and touches up joints where most of the mortar is still sound. It's the lighter fix when only some joints have cracked or washed out.
View Service Brick pointing
Tell us about your project
Send a few lines about the job, or call (760) 230-9799. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
(760) 230-9799Why National City calls us
Here's what you can count on when you call us about a wall, a chimney or old brick in National City.
- I come out myself. I look at every job before we price it, and our own crew does the work with me running the site.
- The cause, not the symptom. If a wall leans or a chimney leaks, we find out why first, because patching only the visible part brings the problem back.
- Straight answers before we start. I tell you plainly what I see, what it'll take and why, so you know what we're doing before we do it.
- Licensed, insured, guaranteed. We're fully licensed and insured, and the work comes with our promise of satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Where else we work
Advanced Encinitas Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor in Encinitas, CA, and we also work in El Cajon, Santee and many other cities. If yours isn't listed, give us a call.
From call to walk-through
I want you to know what we're doing and why before we start, so you hear from me at the visit, before work begins and at the final walk-through.
Visit
I come out and look at the job myself, whether it's a cracked wall, loose joints or a leaking chimney. I'll ask what you've noticed and tell you straight what I think is causing it.
Estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out what we'll do and why. Once you say go, we check with the city's building office and handle the permit application ourselves when the job needs one.
Work
Our own crew does the work with me running the site. City inspections need 24 hours' notice and happen Monday through Thursday, never Fridays, so we schedule around them. Then I walk the finished job with you.
National City masonry questions
Does my masonry project need a permit in National City?
Most likely, since the city says most building projects and improvements need a building permit of some kind, though there are exceptions. Applications go through the Building Department, and retaining walls, grading and driveway work also go through the city's engineering permits office. We sort out which ones your job needs before work starts.
When does a fence or wall need a permit in National City?
Any fence or wall taller than 72 inches, or six feet, needs a building permit. The city's Planning Department reviews plans for all walls and fences, and six feet is generally the limit for a residential wall, depending on where it sits on the lot. That's worth knowing before you settle on a height.
How long does a building permit last in National City?
A permit becomes void if work doesn't start within a year of when it's issued, or if work stops for a year after it starts. A written request to the building office before it expires can extend it up to 180 days, or as the building official decides. We plan the start so it doesn't come to that.
How do I find my property lines in National City?
A survey by a licensed surveyor shows exactly where your lines are. The city has plans showing lot dimensions, but the exact line comes from the survey. When a wall is going on or near the line, I'll ask you to get one first, because a wall built in the wrong place has to come down.
Do masonry contractors need a business license in National City?
Yes, the city requires a valid business license before a contractor does business there, and the final inspection checks the license of every contractor who worked on the job. Building permits go to licensed contractors the owner authorizes, or to owners of one- and two-family homes who live there or plan to and do the work with family or people they hire.
How much does a masonry contractor cost in National City?
The price depends on the job's size, the material, how much failed brick or mortar has to come out and how easy the site is to reach. Fixing the cause, like drainage behind a wall, costs more up front than a patch that fails again. Timing turns mostly on whether a permit is needed, and you get your own figure in a written estimate after I look.
Plan your National City masonry work
Call (760) 230-9799 or use the form to tell us what you're seeing, and we'll set a time to come look before it spreads.