Masonry Contractor in Costa Mesa, CA - Block Walls, Brick and Stone That Hold Up
Caliber Lakewood Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lakewood that builds and repairs block walls, brick, stone and chimneys for Costa Mesa homeowners, from cracked property-line walls to new walkways and outdoor kitchens.
- I look first I come out and look at your job myself.
- Straight answers on repairs If your wall is fine, I'll tell you so.
- Work that isn't rushed Careful brick and block work, built to hold for years.
- Permits sorted for you If your job needs a permit, we get it first.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Brick, block and stone work in Costa Mesa
Caliber Lakewood Concrete and Masonry comes out from Lakewood for brick, block and stone work in Costa Mesa, at the far edge of the cities we cover. Most calls here are for cracked or leaning block walls along property lines, and for worn brick planters and chimneys on older single-story houses.
Working in Costa Mesa: what to know before we start
In Costa Mesa, building permits come from the city's Building Safety Division, and if your job needs one, the city's review sits between your estimate and the day we start digging. Before you hire anyone for masonry here, check that their license is active with the California Contractors State License Board, the state board that licenses anyone who builds or alters a structure. A contractor has to hold that license before bidding, so ask for it with the estimate.
We handle the permit side. I find out which office covers your address, and if the job needs a permit, we get it before work starts. On jobs here we mostly see ranch houses from a few decades back, with block walls between the yards, brick planters out front and a chimney on the roof. Block walls don't fall over overnight. They lean a little more every year until somebody notices, and a lot of the time the trouble is the footing or a cracked cap, not the whole wall.
Price moves with the length and height of the work, whether it's block, brick or stone, how much old masonry has to come out first, and how easily we can get material through a narrow side yard. The schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and on our calendar. I give you the figure for your own job on site. We do the same work in Garden Grove and as far north as East Los Angeles.
Common jobs around Costa Mesa
- Cracked or leaning property-line block walls
- Worn mortar on brick planters and garden walls
- Chimney repair on older single-story houses
- Paver drives replacing cracked original concrete
- Permits handled when your job needs one
What we build and repair in Costa Mesa
Most Costa Mesa jobs start with a wall, a chimney or a yard project that's been waiting its turn, and these are the services we bring to those houses.
Foundation repair
Foundation repair on older Costa Mesa houses starts with finding why a stem wall cracked before we patch anything.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older ranch houses usually loosen at the top courses first, so that's where chimney repair begins.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar on a brick planter turns sandy, tuckpointing replaces the worn joints before the bricks start to shift.
Brick repair
Cracked or knocked-out bricks on porches, steps and planters get cut out and replaced through brick repair, matched to the old color.
Driveway pavers
Many front yards here still have the original cracked concrete drive, which driveway pavers replace with units you can lift and reset.
Retaining wall construction
Where a backyard steps up or down, retaining wall construction holds the soil back with drainage built in behind it.
Masonry restoration
Brick fronts and fireplaces that have been patched a dozen ways over the years come back together with masonry restoration.
Fireplace installation
We build indoor and patio fireplaces through fireplace installation, sized to the room or yard you actually have.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer installation dresses up a plain stucco front, planter or column without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Plenty of property lines here are fenced in block, and concrete block walls covers new walls and replacing ones that have leaned.
Foundation block wall installation
Garages and additions that need a solid block base on a proper footing get it through foundation block wall installation.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
If the backyard is where you cook, outdoor kitchen masonry builds the block or stone counters and grill surround.
Walkway construction
A side-yard path or front entry walk in brick, stone or pavers comes through walkway construction, set on a packed base.
Brick wall installation
For a garden wall, a low front-yard wall or a mailbox column, brick wall installation means solid brick laid course by course.
Stone masonry
Stone masonry covers natural stone walls, steps and borders for homeowners who want something heavier than block.
Brick pointing
On brick walls where only a few joints have opened up, brick pointing fills them so water stops getting behind the face.
How a masonry job goes when you call us in Costa Mesa
From your first call to the last walk around the finished work, here's how a job with us runs in Costa Mesa.
Call or send the form
Call (562) 249-2437 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out and look at the job myself.
Get your estimate on site
I ask what you want, check the wall, footing and access, and give you a free estimate right there.
Permit first, then the work
If your job needs a permit, we get it from the city first, and its office closes alternating Fridays. Then our small crew and I do the work.
Walk the finished job
When we're done, we clean up and I walk the finished work with you, so you can see what we built and ask anything.
Why Costa Mesa homeowners call our crew
Licensed in California, fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured, which is the first thing to check about anyone you let work on your house.
We know the block walls here
Many Costa Mesa yards are fenced with block that cracks at the cap and footing first, so that's where I look.
Learned under older masons
I learned the trade under older masons and have run this business since 2017, so walls get built the slow, right way.
No work you don't need
If a wall only needs a few joints pointed, I'll say so instead of selling you a new one.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Costa Mesa job
Tell us about the wall, chimney or yard project and give us your Costa Mesa address, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out for a free estimate on site, with no obligation.
Brick, block and stone examples
Look through these examples of brick, block and stone work to get a feel for finishes and styles before we talk about your own project.
Questions about masonry in Costa Mesa
These are the questions Costa Mesa homeowners ask most about masonry work, permits and licenses. If yours isn't here, call and ask about your own job.
Does my masonry project in Costa Mesa need a licensed contractor?
Usually, yes. The state's Contractors State License Board requires a license when a project needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A license isn't needed only when the job needs no permit, uses no employees, stays under $1,000 combined and the person doesn't advertise as licensed, and a bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to get under that line.
How do I apply for a building permit for masonry work in Costa Mesa?
You apply through TESSA, the city's online permit system, where all the application information goes in directly. Paper forms are ignored and incomplete applications get sent back, and if you're planning a retaining wall, Building Safety posts a retaining wall specification handout with its residential forms. When you hire us, we find out what your address needs and take care of any permit before work starts.
Which jobs in Costa Mesa can get an Insta-Permit?
The city lists Insta-Permits for residential HVAC, re-pipe, water heater, EV charger, panel upgrade and re-roof work, each in one version for licensed contractors and another for owner-builders. They're meant for simple jobs with a limited scope. For a wall, chimney or other masonry job, ask the Building Safety Division which permit applies, or let us find out when I come out.
What are the penalties for unlicensed contractor work in California?
A first offense for contracting without a license is usually a misdemeanor, with up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both. An administrative fine of $200 to $15,000 can come on top of that. The penalty lands on the contractor, but a half-finished wall stays in your yard, so check the license before you sign.
How much does masonry work cost in Costa Mesa?
There's no single price, because each job here is priced by its size, its material and what has to come out before we build. Block usually runs less than brick and brick less than natural stone, a weak footing adds work, and a permit adds a step. Repairing a few joints costs far less than rebuilding a wall, which is why I look at it in person before giving you a number.
What causes block walls to crack in Costa Mesa yards?
Most cracked block walls we see come from a footing that's too small or has settled, roots pushing from one side, or sprinklers soaking the base for years. A stair-step crack through the mortar usually means movement underneath, while a cracked cap on its own is often just the top. I'll tell you which one you've got before anyone talks about tearing it down.
Other cities we work in
Pick a city from the list to read about our work there, or get in touch about a masonry job anywhere in the cities around Lakewood.
Talk to a masonry contractor about your Costa Mesa job
Call (562) 249-2437 until 9 PM any day of the week, or send the form and tell us what's going on with the wall.