Masonry Contractor in Riverside, CA - Brick, Block and Stone Built on a Solid Base
Prestige Redlands Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Redlands, CA, doing brick, block and stone work in Riverside, from chimney and mortar repair on older homes to new walls, pavers and walkways.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Riverside homes, from older brick to sloped yards
Riverside is a big city, and the calls we get from it run the whole range. There are older brick homes with chimneys that have seen better days, newer tract houses with block walls along the back line, and yards on a slope that need a wall to hold them. It's the same mix we work on in Colton, just more of it, spread over a lot more streets.
On the older houses the job is mostly matching what's already there, the brick, the mortar color and the way the joints were finished. On sloped lots the job starts below ground with a footing and a way for water to get out, because a wall is only as good as what it sits on.
Masonry services we offer in Riverside
Foundation repair
When a crack runs up a brick wall or a door starts sticking, we find what moved underneath, so the fix goes after the cause, not the crack.
Chimney repair
Older chimneys usually go first at the crown, the concrete cap on top. We rebuild the loose brick and crown so water runs off instead of in.
Tuckpointing
On older brick houses here, we grind out the joints that have gone sandy and pack in new mortar that suits the old brick.
Brick repair
When a few bricks crack or their faces start flaking off, we cut those out and set in matched brick, so the wall reads as one wall again.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit driveways that need a fresh face without a new slab, and we dig out and pack the base so they sit flat under your car.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped lots often need a wall to hold the yard. We build ours on a real footing with drainage behind, because trapped water pushes walls over.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and stone homes that have had years of patch jobs, we take off the bad repairs and bring the walls back with materials that match.
Fireplace installation
We build fireplaces indoors and out on the patio, with a firebox, surround and hearth laid up in brick or stone to match the rest of the house.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face set over a wall, dresses up a plain stucco or block wall on newer homes without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along back and side property lines are common here. We build new ones and fix leaning or cracked runs, starting with the footing.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions, garages or crawlspace walls, we lay the foundation block on a footing that's level and square, so everything built on top starts right.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the masonry for outdoor kitchens, the block base, the brick or stone face and the grill surround, sized to your patio and the appliances you pick.
Walkway construction
We lay walkways in brick, stone or pavers to the front door or along the side yard, on a packed base and pitched so water runs off.
Brick wall installation
We build brick garden and yard walls that match an older brick house or freshen a newer one, on a footing sized for the wall.
Stone masonry
We set natural stone by hand for walls, steps, planters and columns, with joints that suit the stone instead of mortar smeared over the face.
Brick pointing
For a few open joints on a step or planter, we repoint just those spots with mortar matched to the old color so the patch blends in.
Get a written masonry estimate for your Riverside home
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate on site is free, it comes in writing, and there's no obligation.
(909) 488-7148- Based in
- Redlands, CA 92373
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Working in Riverside: permits, licenses and what sets the price
Building permits here come from the City of Riverside, and the city requires one for most construction, including building, altering or repairing a structure, so on a lot of masonry jobs the city's review comes before our crew does. If your job needs one, I'll tell you at the estimate and we'll handle the application, though for questions about the rules on your own lot the city has the final word. You can also check who you're hiring, because any business working inside the city needs a valid City Business License, and an older city finance page says companies based outside the city limits may need one too, so the Business License Division is the place to ask about the current rule.
We drive over from Redlands for Riverside work, the same as for our Moreno Valley jobs, and the price moves on the same few things: how long and tall the wall is, how much old mortar or brick has to come out, what the footing and drainage need, the brick, block or stone you pick and how hard it is to get to the work. The schedule turns mostly on whether the city has to review plans first and on getting matched materials in, and your written estimate spells out what we'd do and what we'd use, so you know your own number before you decide.
What wears out on Riverside houses and yards
Older brick has usually been patched before we get there, often with a smear of hard cement that was never going to move with the brick around it, so the crack just shows up again next door. Good mortar is supposed to be the weak link. Bad mortar didn't get the memo. We find out why the wall cracked, whether it's a footing that moved, water getting in or the wrong mix, and fix that, and if the old joints beside it are still sound, I leave them alone.
Out back, it's block walls. Tract lots often have them along the property lines, and when one leans or cracks, it's usually a skimpy footing or water sitting against it. We dig to firm ground, pour a footing sized for the wall and give the water somewhere to go before the first block goes on.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Riverside
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who comes out, what you get in writing and what happens before the crew starts.
Call or send a message
Call (909) 488-7148 or use the form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out. I look at the job myself, so the person pricing it is the person who'll be on site.
I look at the job
I look at the wall, what's around it and where the water goes, because that's usually where the real problem is. Then you get a written estimate that says what we'd do and what we'd use, so you see the price before anything starts.
We get the permit, then build
If the job needs a city permit, we handle the application, and most Riverside applications clear the Planning Division before Building & Safety checks the plans, so that review sets our start date. Once it's approved, our crew does the work and I'm on site with them.
We walk it together
When it's done, we walk the job together so you can look at every joint and ask about anything. We clean up as we go, because I want your yard looking like we were never there, minus the mess.
Questions about masonry work in Riverside
How do I get a building permit in Riverside, CA for a masonry project?
You apply to the city's building official, and you can do it at the Permit Services counter in the One Stop Shop. Many types of permits can go to the property owner, the owner's authorized agent or an appropriately licensed contractor, and the city's permits page lists what's exempt. When we take a job that needs one, we file it for you.
Do I need a permit for a block wall or fence in Riverside?
Riverside's exempt list covers fences not over seven feet high. The catch is the front yard, because the Planning Division may require approval for a fence in the front yard setback, the strip between your house and the street. Whether your wall counts as a fence is something I'll sort out at the estimate, and the city has the last word.
How tall can a retaining wall be in Riverside without a permit?
Riverside's exempt list covers retaining walls not over 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, not from the dirt you see. The exemption ends if the wall carries extra load, called a surcharge, such as a driveway or a slope above it, or if it holds back certain stored liquids the city lists. Since the footing sits below ground, a wall that shows about 3 feet can measure over 4, so we measure before anyone assumes.
How long does a Riverside building permit stay valid?
A permit for a residential structure in Riverside becomes invalid unless the work on site starts within 12 months after it's issued. That matters if you want the permit now and the wall next year, so we'd rather apply when the start date is close.
How much does masonry work cost in Riverside, CA?
Your price comes from the size of the job, the material and what has to happen under it, so the real number is the one in your written estimate after I've seen the work. A wall on a slope that needs a deep footing and drainage costs more than the same wall on flat ground, and repointing a whole house costs more than a few bad joints. Picking block over natural stone, or repairing what's there instead of rebuilding, usually brings it down.
What causes mortar joints to crumble on older brick houses in Riverside?
Mostly age and water, because old mortar is meant to be softer than the brick and wears first, and once a joint opens up, water gets in and speeds things along. Left alone, a joint problem turns into a loose-brick problem. We cut out the failed joints and repoint them with mortar suited to old brick.
Redlands, CA
Ask about your Riverside masonry project
Call (909) 488-7148 or send the form while the crack is still small, because a joint fixed early usually costs less than the brick it would take down with it.