We're a masonry contractor based in Escondido, CA, and we come down to La Mesa to repoint worn brick, fix cracked and leaning walls, and build block, brick and stone walls that suit a yard on a hill.
(760) 546-4075
A lot of La Mesa yards step up or down from the street, so many of our calls here are about retaining walls, garden walls and steps that have started to lean or crack. When a wall holding back dirt starts to tip, it's usually water piling up behind it with nowhere to go, so I look at the drainage before I look at the block.
The older houses bring us the rest of our work here. That means brick chimneys, planters and front steps where the mortar, the paste between the bricks, has gone sandy and loose. Plenty of people just want to know whether it's worth fixing at all, and I'll give you a straight answer on that before we ever talk about an estimate.
Tell us about the wall, chimney or brickwork you're looking at, and ask about permits while you're at it. We'll get back to you within one business day. Then I come out to La Mesa myself, walk the job with you and put the estimate in writing, with no pressure to book.
(760) 546-4075Most of our La Mesa work falls into a few groups. On sloped lots we build retaining walls, concrete block walls and stone walls, and we fix the ones that have started to lean. On older homes we do tuckpointing, where we rake out tired mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the old, along with brick repair, chimney repair and full masonry restoration. Out in the yard we lay paver driveways and walkways, and we build outdoor kitchen masonry like counters and grill surrounds in block, brick or stone that goes with the house.
When a job here needs a permit, it goes through the city's Building Division, which handles plan review, permit processing and inspections for every house in La Mesa. That review and the inspection stops usually set the schedule more than the bricklaying does, so I check early whether your job needs a permit. If it does, we handle the application and meet the inspector when the time comes.
We're based in Escondido and work down through East County, including El Cajon right next door, so La Mesa streets and yards are familiar ground. Price here mostly turns on the lot. A tall wall on a steep side yard with no room for a delivery means carrying block by hand and more digging, while a flat front yard we can back up to costs less and moves along quicker. Wall height, the material you choose and any old work that has to come out first move it too.
I come out to look at every job myself, and I'm on site running our crew while the work gets done. I spent years as another mason's right hand, learning to read an old wall and match its mortar, before starting out on my own in 2020.
Plenty of calls start with "is this even worth fixing?" I'll tell you honestly, and I'll quote the repair your wall actually needs, not the bigger job that's easier to sell. Sometimes that's a few joints repointed. Sometimes it's rebuilding a section properly.
We're licensed and insured. Satisfaction guaranteed. I put every estimate in writing after walking the job with you, so you know what's included before you decide anything. Call (760) 546-4075 or fill out the form, and we'll set up a time to come look.
Usually yes, because the city's permit FAQ lists garden and retaining walls among the work that needs a permit. The city also says fences six feet high or lower that don't enclose a pool need no permit, and a short masonry garden wall can land between those two lines. When it does, call the Building Division at 619.667.1176 before we set a start date, and if a permit is needed we'll handle the application.
Usually not, since the city's permit guide for homeowners says walks 30 inches high or less above the ground, or not over a basement, don't need a construction permit, though other agencies may still want to review them. If the work may reach into the sidewalk or street, that's public right-of-way. The city's forms and handouts page lists an encroachment permit application and its standard conditions as the place to start.
Your price comes from the written estimate I put together after walking the job with you, because two walls the same length can cost very different amounts. Height, the material, how much digging and drainage a sloped yard needs, how easy it is to get block and mortar to the spot, and whether old work comes out first all move the number. If a permit is needed, the city's fees and inspections are part of the picture, and I'll point that out up front.
It starts with me walking the job with you, then a written estimate, then a check on whether the city wants a permit. If your house might be historic, I'll ask you to look at the city's list of designated historic landmarks and check with the city before we schedule anything, though the list covers named properties and most houses aren't on it. Once a permit is issued, the city holds you, the owner, responsible for getting inspections called at the right stages even when we make the call, so I'll tell you what's coming and meet the inspector on site.
A La Mesa building permit expires if work hasn't started, or the first city progress inspection hasn't happened, within one calendar year of the permit date. Once work starts, it also expires after six months with no inspections, or if the work runs past three calendar years from the day it was issued. We call for inspections as each stage is ready so a permit doesn't lapse halfway through a wall.
You set up an account with the city, and from there you can apply for a permit, submit plans, get permit invoices, schedule inspections and check permit status online. Homeowners can pull permits themselves, or you can leave the application to us when we're doing the work. If you'd rather talk it through, the city points people to the Building Division by phone or the permit counter at City Hall.
