I look at every job myself
I come out to look at every job myself, and I'm on site running our crew while the work gets done. I learned this trade on the tools, so the person who sized up your wall is the one making sure it goes back together right.
Masonry contractor in El Cajon, CA - brick, block and stone walls that fit your yard
We're a masonry contractor based in Escondido, CA, and we come down to El Cajon to fix worn brick, repoint crumbling joints and build block, brick and stone walls. Call (760) 546-4075 and tell me what you've got.
(760) 546-4075
What we run into on El Cajon properties
Most El Cajon calls we get are about a few things: block walls along the back fence that have cracked or started to lean, brick planters and front steps with joints crumbling out, and older chimneys that need some attention. Plenty of people just want to know whether something's worth fixing at all, and I'm happy to come tell you straight.
With crumbling joints, the cause is usually simple. Mortar is meant to be softer than the brick, so it wears out first. Replacing it is the easier fix. We rake out the worn mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the old, which the trade calls tuckpointing, before water gets into the brick itself.
Get a written estimate for your El Cajon wall or brickwork
Send us your El Cajon address and what you're planning, and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll come out for a free on-site estimate, walk the job with you and put it in writing, with no obligation to book.
(760) 546-4075Masonry work we do in El Cajon
We handle the whole list here, from tuckpointing worn joints and brick repair to new block walls, retaining walls, driveway pavers and outdoor kitchens. On older single-story homes, a lot of people ask about stone veneer installation, which puts a thin layer of stone over an existing wall or chimney so it reads as solid stone without the weight.
- Foundation repair
- Chimney repair
- Tuckpointing
- Brick repair
- Driveway pavers
- Retaining wall construction
- Masonry restoration
- Fireplace installation
- Stone veneer installation
- Concrete block walls
- Foundation block wall installation
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
- Walkway construction
- Brick wall installation
- Stone masonry
- Brick pointing
Working in El Cajon: permits, licenses and what moves the price
For addresses inside El Cajon's city limits, building permits come from the city's Building Safety division, so whether your wall or steps need one is the city's call, not ours. If a job needs a permit, plan review and inspections set part of the schedule, along with the size of the job and how fast matching brick or stone comes in. Before you hire anyone, you can check two things: a state contractor license and an El Cajon business license.
If your job needs a permit, we handle the application with the city and meet the inspector when the time comes. If your home might be historic, I'll ask you to check with the city before we schedule anything. Price here turns on the same things it does in La Mesa or up in Murrieta: how long and tall the wall is, whether it's brick, block or stone, how much old work has to come out, how easy the yard is to get material into, and how closely new mortar has to match the old. I walk the job with you and put the estimate in writing, so you'll see your own number before anything starts.
Why El Cajon homeowners call us
A straight answer on whether it's worth fixing
Plenty of people call just to ask whether an old wall or chimney is worth saving. I'll tell you plainly, because I'd rather do the fix your wall actually needs than the one that's easiest to sell, even when that's a smaller job.
Licensed, insured and satisfaction guaranteed
We're licensed and insured, and satisfaction guaranteed is how we've worked since we started in 2020. When you're ready, call (760) 546-4075 or send your address and what you have in mind through the form, and I'll set a time to come look.
El Cajon masonry questions we hear
How do I check whether my address is inside the City of El Cajon?
Look it up in the city's online permit portal. If your address doesn't show up there, it likely isn't inside the City of El Cajon. Many addresses in unincorporated San Diego County still have El Cajon on the mail, so the mailing address alone won't tell you whose rules apply. If you're in the county and the job needs a permit, we handle that application with the county instead.
Which El Cajon office handles grading or masonry work near the sidewalk?
Engineering Services does. It helps process encroachment permits, which cover work in the public right-of-way like the sidewalk and street edge, and grading plans for any grading on public or private property. That can come up when a retaining wall means reshaping a slope or a new driveway apron meets the street.
When does a masonry contractor need a California state license?
Under the Contractors State License Board, anyone who builds or alters a building or other structure needs a state license if the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials on one or more contracts. The small-job exemption only covers work with no permit, no employee labor and a combined value under $1,000. Most wall and brick jobs don't fit that exemption, so ask for a state license before you sign.
Does a contractor from outside El Cajon need a city business license to work at my house?
Yes. The city requires a business license and the business license tax from every business working inside the city limits, including companies from outside El Cajon that do work at a customer's home. That covers a crew coming down from Escondido like ours, so it's fair to ask any contractor about it.
How much does masonry work cost in El Cajon?
Your price comes from the job's size, its material and how much old work has to come out, and you'll get your own figure in writing after I walk it with you. Repointing a few planters is a much smaller job than building a new retaining wall. Stone usually takes more labor to lay than block because every piece is fitted by hand, and tight side yards where everything goes in by wheelbarrow add time too.
How do I know if my cracked brick wall is worth repairing?
It usually is, if the brick itself is sound and it's mostly the joints that are crumbling, because new mortar brings the wall back without tearing it down. If bricks are broken through, the wall is leaning or a crack keeps growing, the fix may be bigger, and I'll only know that once I've looked closely. I'll come out, tell you straight which case you've got, and plan the work from there.