Masonry contractor in Cupertino, CA - sound repairs for older brick and new walls
Brickworks San Jose Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in San Jose that works in Cupertino, repairing worn mortar, chimneys and older brick and building retaining walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens for homes across the city.
Cupertino mixes older ranch houses with new rebuilds
A lot of the Cupertino homes we work on are single-story ranch houses built in the decades after the war, many with an original brick fireplace, brick planters or a low garden wall. Next door there's often a full rebuild or a large remodel, so one street can hold decades-old mortar and a brand-new paver driveway. Toward the hills on the city's west side the lots start to slope, and that's where calls for retaining wall construction come up most.
On its sloped side Cupertino reminds us of Saratoga, and on its flat older streets it's a lot like Mountain View. Either way, the job here is shaped by the age of the brick and the lie of the land.
Permits, licenses and price on a Cupertino job
In Cupertino, the city's Building Division issues building permits and decides what needs one, so on a new wall, a chimney rebuild or a structural repair I check with it before we schedule anything, because the plan review wait sits at the front of the job. We've been in business since 2013, and when a permit is needed we apply for it as the licensed contractor and meet the inspector on site. Before you hire anyone here, check two things: a California contractor's license from the state licensing board, and a Cupertino business license, which the city requires of contractors working in the city.
Price here turns on how much old mortar or brick has to come out by hand, whether we're matching existing brick or stone, and how easy the site is to reach. A flat lot with a clear path to the backyard, more like most of what we see in Sunnyvale, costs less to work than a hillside yard where every block goes in by wheelbarrow. The schedule turns mostly on the permit review and the weather, and the written estimate breaks the job out area by area so you can see where the cost sits.
Masonry services in Cupertino
- 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
Old mortar and sloped yards shape the work here
Brick from the original build is usually softer than brick made today, and once the joints start crumbling the fix is to rake out the worn mortar and repoint with a mix that's softer than the brick, so the joint wears instead of the brick. A hard modern mortar looks fine for a year or two, then the brick faces around it start to flake and break off, and I'd rather not trade one problem for another.
On the sloped lots, the trouble is water pushing on the back of a wall, so we build retaining walls with drainage behind them and a footing sized to the soil we find once we dig.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Cupertino
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to your Cupertino home myself to look over the job, measure it and take photos. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to book.
What happens when you call us about a Cupertino job
I walk and measure the job
After you call, I come out to your house, look over the whole job, measure it and take photos. Before we talk about a fix, we talk about what's causing the problem.
You get a written estimate
The estimate lists each area of the job and each step we'd take, so you can see what's included. It also notes anything I can't confirm until the wall or joint is opened up.
We sort out the permit
If the city requires a permit, we take care of it before any work starts. The city reports current averages of 20 to 30 business days for the first plan review and 10 to 20 business days for each review after that, so that wait sits at the front of the schedule.
Our masons build, I check
Our own masons do the work, and I check it as it goes up, before anything gets covered or backfilled. It helps to keep cars and pets clear of the work area while we're there.
We walk the finished job
When the work is done, we walk it together and go over each area on the estimate. That's the time to ask about curing, cleaning or anything that doesn't look right to you.
Brick, block and stone work
Cupertino masonry questions homeowners ask
Does a masonry project in Cupertino need a building permit?
Any construction or alteration in Cupertino that isn't on the city's exempt list needs a permit. For a single-family home that list is short and covers things like a small one-story detached shed, so wall, chimney and structural masonry should be checked with the city before it starts. We do that check on every job before we set a schedule.
Does my masonry contractor need a Cupertino business license?
Yes, the city requires a business license from anyone doing business in Cupertino, and that includes contractors. It matters for your job because the city won't schedule a final inspection until the contractor and every subcontractor on the job hold one. Ask to see it before work starts.
How do I check a contractor's license in California?
Look the contractor up with the Contractors State License Board, which licenses anyone who builds or alters a structure in California. A license is required when the job needs a building permit, uses any extra workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials, which covers nearly any masonry job. We're licensed and fully insured.
What happens if masonry work starts without a permit in Cupertino?
The city stops the work until a proper permit is issued, and the permit fees are doubled. On a half-built wall or chimney, that can leave an open job site waiting through plan review on top of the higher fee. It's one reason we settle the permit question before anyone mixes mortar.
How do I get a small masonry permit faster in Cupertino?
Ask for a counter plan review, which the city offers for small projects, and a building permit can be issued the same day if the plans are complete. Larger projects go through regular plan review, so complete drawings at the start help avoid another round of corrections.
How much does masonry work cost in Cupertino?
The cost depends on the size of the job, the materials and how hard the site is to work, so I give you a figure only after I've measured it. On repointing, it's mostly labor and how closely the mortar and brick have to match. On new walls, height, footing depth, drainage and access drive it, and permit fees add to the total when the city requires a permit.
Tell us about your Cupertino masonry project
Call (669) 234-3391 or describe the job on the form, so I know what to look at and measure before I come out.