Masonry contractor in Sunnyvale, CA - older brick repaired and new walls built right
Brickworks San Jose Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in San Jose and working in Sunnyvale, CA. We repair worn mortar, cracked brick and tired chimneys, and build new walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens.
Flat lots and older brick across Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale is mostly flat ground running toward the bay, with single-family streets, apartment blocks and big office campuses sitting close together. Many of the houses we're called to are older single-story homes with a brick fireplace and chimney, a brick planter out front or a set of brick steps. The newer ones tend to bring us patios, walkways and garden walls instead. It's much the same mix we see in Campbell and the other cities around San Jose.
That mix decides most of the work. On the older homes the job is usually matching what's already there, and on the flat lots it's usually getting water away from whatever we build.
How a masonry job runs in Sunnyvale
Permits here go through the city's One-Stop Permit Center at City Hall, where Building, Planning, Fire and Public Works Engineering review plans in one place. Whether your job needs a permit is the city's call, so we check with the Permit Center first and apply as the licensed contractor when one is needed, and the start date usually waits on that answer. Before you hire anyone, check that they hold a state contractor license with the Contractors State License Board and a City of Sunnyvale business license, which every business working in the city needs.
The price on most jobs here turns on a few things: how big the job is, how much old brick or mortar has to come out, whether we can get a truck close or have to wheel everything through a side gate, and whether you pick brick, block or stone. Some of it I can't know until the old work is open, and I'll tell you that at the estimate rather than guess. The schedule mostly turns on the permit, if there is one, and on the weather, since we hold off laying mortar in hard rain. We do the same work in Santa Clara and Mountain View, so a second property next door isn't a problem.
Masonry services in Sunnyvale
- 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
Older brick and flat yards need different care
Brick on an older house usually outlasts the mortar holding it, so what we see first is joints gone sandy or sunk back on chimneys, planters and steps. I look over the whole wall, not just the worst spot, and when it's time for tuckpointing we use a mortar that suits the old brick, because a hard modern mix can end up cracking and flaking the brick itself.
Water doesn't run off a flat lot on its own, so it sits against walls, walkways and slabs through the wet months. When we build something new, we give that water a way out with a solid base and a slope away from the house.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Sunnyvale
Tell us what you're seeing or planning, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Sunnyvale home myself, measure the job, take photos and give you a written estimate, with no pressure to book.
What happens when you call us about a Sunnyvale job
Call or send the form
Call (669) 234-3391 or use the form and tell us what's going on with your brick, stone or block. Photos help if you have them.
I walk the whole job
I come out myself, look over the whole job, measure it and take photos. We talk about what's causing the problem before we talk about the fix.
You get a written estimate
It lists each area and each step, so you can see what's included and where the cost sits. If something can't be known until the old work is open, the estimate says so.
Permits come before the work
If the city needs a permit for your job, we sort that out with the Permit Center before anyone starts. The start date waits on the city's answer, and we'll keep you posted on where it stands.
Our masons build, I check
Our own masons do the work, and I check it as it goes up. When it's done, we walk the finished job together.
Examples of brick and stone work
Sunnyvale masonry questions we hear
Do I need a permit for a new brick wall or walkway in Sunnyvale?
A new wall or walkway may well need one, because the city requires a Planning permit, its review of how a project looks and fits its site, for exterior changes to a home. Any part of the work in the public right-of-way, the strip that holds the street and sidewalk, also needs an Encroachment Permit. The city's permits page lists its requirements, and we confirm yours before work is scheduled.
When does a masonry contractor need a California state license?
A contractor needs a state license when the job needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials across one or more contracts. The state board treats a small job as possibly exempt only when no permit is needed, no employees work on it and everything together comes to less than $1,000. We're licensed and fully insured, so that question doesn't come up with us.
Is my Sunnyvale home in a flood hazard area?
Some parts of Sunnyvale are, and you can check your address on the city's flood zones page. FEMA has marked certain areas as Special Flood Hazard Areas, considered high risk for flooding, and new construction or remodeling there has special requirements. The city notes its current flood maps are dated 2009, so if your lot sits near a zone edge, it's worth asking the city before we plan new work.
How much does masonry work cost in Sunnyvale?
The price depends on your job, and you get your own figure in a written estimate after I've measured it. Repairs on older brick usually turn on how much mortar or brick has to come out and whether we can match the old materials. New walls and outdoor kitchens turn more on size, the footing and the brick or stone you choose.
What causes cracks in a brick chimney or garden wall?
Most cracks come from water getting into worn joints and from the ground or the structure moving over the years. On older brick, a past repair with mortar harder than the brick can also push the cracking into the brick itself. I look for the cause before I quote a fix, because patching a crack without stopping what made it usually means seeing it again.
How do I find out which building codes apply to my Sunnyvale project?
Start with the city's building codes page, which lists the California Building Code and Residential Code it uses along with design data for building work. The city says to check with it for anything more specific, and the Permit Center is where to ask about your project. On jobs that need a permit, we build to those codes and meet the inspector on site.
Tell us about your Sunnyvale masonry project today
Call (669) 234-3391 or send the form, because worn joints let water in, and fixing them early usually means less brick comes out later.