Ironstone Fairfield Concrete and MasonryIronstone Fairfield Concrete and Masonry(707) 398-2147
Ironstone Fairfield Concrete and Masonry
(707) 398-2147Get an estimate

Masonry contractor in Concord, CA - brick repair, walls and paving on a solid base

Ironstone Fairfield Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Fairfield that works in Concord, CA. We repair crumbling brick and mortar, fix cracked walls, and build new walls, walkways, paver driveways and stone work.

Get an estimate(707) 398-2147
Curved stone retaining wall encloses a paved patio with a lit fire pit and cushioned seating.

A Fairfield masonry contractor working on Concord homes

We're a masonry contractor based in Fairfield, and Concord is one of the cities we drive out to for the same calls we get at home. Homeowners here reach out about mortar joints going sandy, a garden wall with a crack running through it, a front walk that's started to lift, or a patio project they've been putting off for a few years.

It's the same work I do over in Martinez and Benicia, and I look at every job before we price it. On most houses the real question is what's under the brick, because a footing or base that moved will crack new mortar the same way it cracked the old.

The masonry work we do on Concord homes

We bring every service below to Concord, the same as we do in Fairfield, and most jobs start with a repair. That might be a chimney top, a crumbling joint or a cracked garden wall, and some grow into a new wall, a paver driveway or an outdoor kitchen. I plan each one from the bottom up, looking at the footing, the base and the old mortar before anything else, and if a smaller fix will do, I'll tell you. Each card goes to the full page for that service.

  • Foundation repair

    A dropped corner or a stair-step crack in the brick above usually points to a foundation problem. We find the cause first, then repair the masonry so the wall carries the house again.

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  • Chimney repair

    Brick chimneys catch weather on every side, so the concrete cap and top rows of brick usually fail first. We reset loose brick, repoint the joints and rebuild the cap so it sheds water.

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  • Tuckpointing

    On brick fronts where the look matters, worn joints make the whole wall read tired. We rake out the old mortar, fill with color-matched mortar and finish each joint with a crisp, narrow line.

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  • Brick repair

    Brick with flaking faces, cracks or a loose row on a step usually started with water or a small shift underneath. We cut out the damaged pieces, set matching brick and fix what caused it.

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  • Driveway pavers

    A cracked, tired concrete driveway is often what gets people thinking about pavers. We dig out, pack a proper base and lay the pavers so they stay flat under your cars.

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  • Retaining wall construction

    Sloped yards lean on retaining walls, and one that's bowing usually has a drainage or footing problem. We build new walls on a solid footing with drain rock and a pipe behind them.

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  • Masonry restoration

    Older brick and stone around a house can look beyond saving when it's mostly the joints and a few faces that have gone. We clean, repair and repoint it so it keeps its original look.

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  • Fireplace installation

    Many homeowners want a masonry fireplace in a family room or out on the patio. We build the firebox, hearth and surround in brick or stone on a footing sized for the weight.

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  • Stone veneer installation

    Thin stone veneer gives a plain stucco base, a column or a fireplace wall real texture. We prep the wall with wire mesh and a base coat of mortar so the stone bonds and stays.

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  • Concrete block walls

    Side-yard and property-line block walls usually crack because the footing under them was too small. We set ours on a proper footing, with steel and grout where the height calls for it.

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  • Foundation block wall installation

    Additions and raised floors often sit on a block foundation wall, and every inch of the build above depends on it. We lay it level on the footing, reinforced and grouted to carry the load.

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  • Outdoor kitchen masonry

    A built-in grill island is one of the yard projects homeowners put off longest. We build the block frame on a solid slab and finish it in brick, stone or veneer to match the house.

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  • Walkway construction

    Front walks lift and crack where roots got under them or the base was thin. We dig out, pack a solid base and build the new walk in brick, pavers or stone.

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  • Brick wall installation

    A low brick garden wall or planter ties a front yard to a brick house. We pour the footing first, then lay the brick in a mortar mix picked for that wall.

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  • Stone masonry

    Natural stone in garden walls, steps and columns takes a different hand than brick. We shape and fit each stone, then set it tight so the wall carries its own weight.

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  • Brick pointing

    Sandy joints on brick steps and planters let water into the wall behind them. We cut out just the failed mortar and repack it with a mix softer than the brick.

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Examples of the brick, block and stone work we do

These photos show the kinds of brick, block, paver and stone work we do. They're examples of the trade, not one particular house, so use them to picture a finish and ask me about yours at the estimate.

  • Fresh black asphalt driveway bordered by tan stone pavers beside a house with a low masonry retaining wall.

  • New multicolored stone paver patio beneath an elevated deck, edged with dark blocks beside a house.

  • Circular stone patio with a central fire pit is surrounded by dark wooden chairs and colorful flower beds.

What to know before masonry work on your Concord home

Before we lay a brick in Concord, there's a permit question, a license question and a price question. Here's how each one plays out on a job here and what I do about it.

Permits and licenses on a Concord masonry job

Permits here go through the city's Permit Center, which also lets you look up which permits a project needs before you get bids. The city's older permit list for houses names things like re-roofs and windows, not brick or block, so it doesn't settle a masonry job either way. If yours needs one, the review comes before we start and sets the first date on the calendar.

Two licenses are worth checking on anyone you hire, a state contractor's license and a Concord business license. The city requires that business license to do business in Concord, and it applies to state-licensed contractors and to ones working from an office outside the city, which includes us since we're based in Fairfield.

  • When a job needs a permit, we apply for it and keep you posted.
  • We meet the inspector at your house when the inspection comes due.
  • If it's unclear whether you need one, we check with the city first.

What sets the price and the schedule

Price mostly comes down to how much is failing and what's under it. Repointing a few rows on a sound wall is a small job, while a wall sitting on a cracked or undersized footing has to come apart and be rebuilt from the ground up. Material matters too, since natural stone takes longer to set than block, and so does how far we have to wheel everything from the street.

The schedule turns on the permit review if there is one, on our calendar, and on cure time, since fresh mortar and concrete need to set before anything leans on them or drives over them. I come out myself, look at the wall and what's under it, and give you the estimate so your number fits your job and not an average.

  • Footing or base condition is the biggest swing in most masonry prices.
  • Matching old brick or mortar color can mean extra time finding material.
  • Hauling away old brick, block and concrete is part of most jobs.

Get a free on-site estimate for masonry work in Concord

Tell us what's going on with the wall, walk or chimney at your Concord house, and ask which permits might apply. We get back to you within one business day, then I come out myself to look and give you the estimate, free and with no obligation. If you'd rather talk, call (707) 398-2147.

(707) 398-2147

What we look for on Concord houses and yards

Most masonry problems we're called out for start with something you can't see from the street. These are the things I look for first on houses and yards around Concord.

  • Joints wear out before brick

    On a lot of older brick, the mortar goes sandy long before the brick itself fails. If you can scrape a joint out with a key, water is getting in behind it, and catching that early usually means repointing instead of rebuilding, which is a much smaller job.

  • Garden walls on thin footings

    Many block and brick garden walls were built on a footing barely wider than the wall. When that happens, the wall leans or cracks in a stair-step line, and patching the crack won't hold until whatever is going on underneath gets fixed.

  • Tree roots under walks and drives

    Mature street and yard trees push up front walks and driveway edges as their roots grow. We look at where the roots run before we choose a base and a material, so the new surface has a better chance of staying flat.

  • Where old masonry meets new

    On a lot of houses, a patio, planter or room got added over the years, often by different builders. Where new masonry meets old, the mortar, the brick size and the footing don't always match, so we check both sides before we tie anything in.

  • Driveways carry the most weight

    A driveway takes the weight of every car, every day, and the base under it decides whether pavers or concrete stay level. Most sunken spots and cracked slabs we're asked to look at come down to a thin or poorly packed base, not the surface you can see.

How I run a masonry job from start to finish

We're a small business I started in Fairfield in 2023, after summers spent on masonry crews. Here's how a job with us goes, from the estimate to the walk-through at the end.

We build from the footing up

I care most about the parts you won't see once we're done, like the footing under a wall, the base under a walk and the mortar in every joint. A footing works like the soles of your boots. Wear thin sandals across a muddy yard with a heavy load and you sink, and a wall does the same thing on a footing that's too small for it.

Mortar works the other way around, since it should be a little softer than the brick it holds. When a wall moves, a soft joint takes the strain and can be repointed later, but a mix that's too hard on old brick makes the brick crack instead. So I pick the mix for your brick, not whatever happens to be on the truck.

  • The owner at every job

    I come out to look at every job and give the estimate myself, and I'm on site working alongside our small crew while it's built. The person who priced your wall is the same person checking the footing before the first block goes down.

  • Told straight when less will do

    Most calls start with crumbling joints or a cracked wall, and plenty of those need a repair, not a rebuild. If repointing a few rows or resetting a step will fix it, I'll say so before we talk about anything bigger.

  • Licensed and insured, ask anytime

    We're fully licensed and insured, which matters on anything heavy like a retaining wall or a chimney on your roof. Ask about it at the estimate, and ask the same of anyone else bidding, since you'll want a clear answer from all of them.

  • A walk-through before we pack up

    Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee, and before we pack up I walk the finished work with you and explain what we did. When you're ready to talk through your own project, call (707) 398-2147 or use the form above.

Questions about masonry work in Concord

These are the questions Concord homeowners tend to ask before a masonry job, about permits, licenses, cost and the ground under the house. If yours isn't here, ask me at the estimate.

How do I find out if my masonry project in Concord needs a permit?

Start with the city's Permit Center, which can tell you which permits your project needs, and know that any job moving soil or working in the public strip along the street needs separate grading or encroachment permits from the city's Engineering Division. A retaining wall cut into a slope or a new walk that meets the sidewalk can land in that second group, so it's worth sorting out early. When I come out, I'll point out which parts of your job might touch either one.

When does a contractor need a California license for a masonry job?

A contractor needs a state license to build or alter a structure in California when the project needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or when the labor and materials on one or more contracts for it add up to $1,000 or more. That takes in most masonry jobs of any size, so it's fair to ask anyone who bids, us included.

How much does masonry repair cost in Concord, CA?

There's no set price for masonry work in Concord, because the cost follows the job, mainly how much needs rebuilding versus repairing and what shape the footing or base is in. The cheapest fix is usually the one caught early, since repointing joints before water gets behind them costs far less than taking a wall down to its footing. I'll give you your own figure at the estimate.

How do I check if my Concord house is in an earthquake hazard zone?

Type your address into EQ Zapp, the California Geological Survey's statewide map tool, and it will show whether your property lies in any of its mapped earthquake hazard zones. If you've looked it up before a chimney or wall project, bring what you found to the estimate and we'll talk it through with the rest of the job.

Service areas

We're based in Fairfield and work across the cities around it, from Winters and Vacaville to Napa, Vallejo and Concord. If your city isn't listed here, call (707) 398-2147 or send the form and just ask.

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(707) 398-2147Get an estimate