Masonry contractor in Colton, CA - block, brick and stone work built for shaky ground
Prestige Redlands Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Redlands that works in Colton, repairing brick and chimneys, redoing tired mortar joints and building block walls, retaining walls and stone work on solid footings.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Colton homes, yards and the ground under them
Colton sits between Rialto and Loma Linda, and the houses run from older brick and stucco homes toward the middle of the city to newer tracts with a block wall on every property line. The calls we get here are the same ones we get all over this side of the valley: a back wall starting to lean, a chimney losing its cap, front steps with brick coming loose and a sloped yard that needs something holding it up.
On a lot of these lots the ground decides more about a wall than the brick does, so we start every Colton job by looking at the footing and where the water drains.
Masonry work we do for Colton homes
Foundation repair
When a block or brick foundation cracks or settles, we find the cause first, then fix the footing and the wall instead of just filling the crack.
Chimney repair
Older Colton chimneys often have loose brick and washed-out joints near the top. We fix what's failing and leave sound brick alone, because an invoice isn't a reason for new mortar.
Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing is raking out worn mortar and packing in new lines that match the old. It fits brick houses where the joints crumble but the bricks are still good.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose brick on steps, planters and walls gets cut out and replaced with brick matched in size and color as close as we can find.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit Colton driveways where the old slab has cracked, because a packed base and open joints let one section lift and reset instead of breaking.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped backyards need a retaining wall with a real footing and drainage behind it, or the soil slowly pushes it over. We build them to carry that load.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone homes in Colton can be cleaned, repaired and repointed without losing their character. We keep the sound original work and fix what has failed.
Fireplace installation
We build new masonry fireplaces and surrounds in brick or stone, sized to the room, with the firebox and hearth laid out right from the first course.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer dresses up the stucco fronts, columns and planters common on Colton tract homes. We prep the backing properly so the stone stays on the wall.
Concrete block walls
Most Colton yards are split by block walls. We build new ones on a proper footing with steel and grout, and replace the leaning ones we find.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions, garages and raised floors, we lay the block foundation walls the framing sits on, level and square, because framers hate fixing a crooked base.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the block shell, counters and brick or stone facing for backyard kitchens and barbecue islands, laid out around how you actually cook outside.
Walkway construction
New walkways in brick, pavers or stone replace the cracked concrete path to your front door, laid on a packed base so they sit flat underfoot.
Brick wall installation
Brick garden walls, mailbox columns and low front walls suit Colton's older homes. We build them on a footing sized for the wall, not guessed at.
Stone masonry
We set natural stone for walls, steps, columns and planters, in mortar or dry-stacked where it suits. Good stone work should look like it grew there.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints have gone soft or sandy, pointing just those spots costs less than redoing the whole wall. We'll tell you which one you need.
Get a free estimate for your Colton masonry job
We'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. I walk the job, then send a free written estimate saying what we'd do and what we'd use, with no obligation.
(909) 488-7148- Based in
- Redlands, CA 92373
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Permits, licenses and pricing for Colton jobs
In Colton, building permits come from the city, which also runs the plan check and the inspections, so a wall that needs a permit waits on review before we dig and on an inspection before it's signed off. If your job needs one, I'll tell you at the estimate, but on the rules for your own lot the city has the final word. Before you hire anyone, look up their state license with the Contractors State License Board and ask to see their City of Colton business license. We're licensed and insured.
We work Colton the same way we work San Bernardino next door, and the price moves on the same things: how long and tall the wall is, how deep the footing has to go, whether an old wall comes out and gets hauled away, how easily we can get into the backyard and whether you pick block, brick or stone. Your written estimate spells out what we'd do and what we'd use, so you can see where the money goes.
Why Colton walls and chimneys wear out
The city's own safety plan names earthquake shaking as a particular concern for Colton, and the San Jacinto fault zone runs right through the city. Shaking finds the weak spots first: a brick chimney with no steel in it, a block wall on a footing about as deep as a shoe. When we build here, we put steel and grout in the block, size the footing for the wall and tie new work into what's there instead of just stacking on top of it.
The rest is age. Mortar wears out before brick does, so on older Colton houses we see sandy joints and loose chimney caps, and water does the rest once it gets in. We repoint the joints that have failed and leave the good ones, because some of that old mortar is better than what people slapped on later.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Colton
Here's what happens from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call us or send a message
Call (909) 488-7148 or send the form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out to your Colton property.
I walk the job myself
I look at the wall, what's around it and where the water goes, and you're welcome to walk it with me. Then I send a written estimate that says what we'd do and what we'd use, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
We get the permit and build
If the job needs a permit, we take care of it, and work starts once the city signs off on the plans. Our crew does the work and I'm on site with them, including when the city's inspector comes by.
Walk the finished job together
When it's done, we walk the job together so you can see every part of it. We clean up before we leave, so your yard looks like we were never there, apart from the new wall.
Questions about masonry work in Colton
Do I need a permit to build a block wall or retaining wall in Colton?
Yes. The city's permit handout lists all fences and walls as needing a building permit, and all retaining walls too, whether they're new or being torn down. Setback and height questions go to the city's Planning Division, so we sort those out before we lay out the wall.
How do I find out if my chimney or brick repair needs a permit in Colton?
Ask the city's Building & Safety Division at (909) 370-5079, because its permit handout doesn't name masonry repair either way and says the list isn't complete. The division requires permits for building, remodeling or enlarging a structure and exempts cosmetic work like painting, and I'll tell you at the estimate whether I think your job needs one.
Does a contractor need a Colton business license to work on my house?
Yes. Anyone doing work inside Colton city limits needs a city business license, down to a gardener or housekeeper, and a building permit doesn't get final approval until every contractor on the job holds one. A contractor without one can hold up your sign-off at the very end.
How much can a contractor ask for up front in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. That's the state's rule, and every later payment on a home improvement job has to be written into the contract and tied to work done or materials delivered. Read any masonry contract with that in mind before you sign it.
What causes block walls to crack and lean in Colton?
Usually it's a footing that's too small, a wall built without steel and grout, or water soaking the soil at its base. The ground matters here too, because the city's safety plan maps areas prone to liquefaction, where soil can lose its strength in a strong quake, along both banks of the Santa Ana River and in the Reche Canyon areas. When I look at a cracked wall, I check what's under it before I price what's above it.
Is it cheaper to repoint old brick than replace it on a Colton home?
Usually, yes, because repointing replaces only the worn mortar while the brick stays put, and that's far less labor and material than tearing out and relaying a wall. The price turns on how many joints have failed, how high the work sits and how closely we need to match the old mortar color. If most of your joints are sound, I'll leave them alone instead of billing you to redo them.
Redlands, CA
Tell us about your Colton masonry project
A leaning wall doesn't straighten itself out, and catching it early usually means a repair instead of a rebuild.