Masonry contractor in East Palo Alto - repairs that fix the cause
D&R Cupertino Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in East Palo Alto, repairing brick, stone, block and chimneys and building new walls, walkways and paver driveways. I come out to look at every job myself.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry work for East Palo Alto homes
We're a masonry contractor based in Cupertino, CA, and East Palo Alto is one of the cities around it where we work, along with Palo Alto right next door. Most of what we see here is single-family homes, many of them a few decades old, with brick steps, block walls along the lot lines and concrete walks and driveways. Apartments and small shops line the busier streets.
Older houses tend to carry years of patches, and a crack that's been filled three times usually has a cause the patches never touched. So I look past the cracked brick to the footing, the drainage and the backing before we price anything.
Masonry services in East Palo Alto
Foundation repair
Cracks running through brick or stucco on older homes here often start at the footing, so we look there first and repair what's moving.
Learn more about Foundation repairChimney repair
Older brick chimneys here often have a cracked crown and open joints, and we repair both so water isn't working its way inside.
Learn more about Chimney repairTuckpointing
Is the mortar on your house sandy or sunk back from the brick? We grind out the worn joints and pack in new mortar matched to the old.
Learn more about TuckpointingBrick repair
Spalled or cracked bricks on porches, steps and garden walls here get cut out and replaced one at a time with close-matched brick.
Learn more about Brick repairDriveway pavers
Replacing a cracked concrete driveway? Pavers on a packed base can be lifted and reset in one spot instead of breaking out a slab.
Learn more about Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a yard steps down, we build retaining walls with drainage behind them, because trapped water is what pushes most walls over.
Learn more about Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
Older brick and stone here often carries mismatched patches, and we take those back and rebuild the work the way it was laid.
Learn more about Masonry restorationFireplace installation
Adding a fireplace to a living room or a back patio? We build the firebox, hearth and surround in brick or stone.
Learn more about Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer can face a plain stucco front or block wall, and we get the backing and flashing right before stone goes up.
Learn more about Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls along property lines are common here, and we build new ones on a full footing with steel and grout where the wall needs it.
Learn more about Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For additions and garage conversions on older homes, we lay foundation block walls on a footing sized for the load they'll carry.
Learn more about Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
We build outdoor kitchen counters in block, then face them in brick, stone or stucco to match the back of your house.
Learn more about Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks on older houses here have often heaved or sunk. We rebuild them in pavers, brick or concrete on a packed base.
Learn more about Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick garden or front wall should look like it belongs with the house, so we choose brick and mortar color with you first.
Learn more about Brick wall installationStone masonry
We lay natural stone for steps, planters and garden walls, setting each stone on its flat side so the weight carries down, not out.
Learn more about Stone masonryBrick pointing
If only a few joints have cracked on a wall or step, brick pointing fills just those, which costs less than redoing the whole wall.
Learn more about Brick pointing
What East Palo Alto houses ask of masonry
Houses that have stood a few decades wear their masonry in the usual ways, with mortar washing out of the joints, front walks and steps that have settled, and block walls leaning where roots or a cut in the yard pushed on them. What it costs to fix usually depends on how far the damage goes below what you can see, and the schedule mostly turns on whether the city needs to review the work first.
East Palo Alto also checks who's doing the work. When a job runs through a city permit, staff check the contractor's license with the state license board, and if a contractor registered as having no workers turns up with a crew, the city stops the job until a workers' comp certificate is provided. We're licensed and fully insured, and it's worth asking any contractor you're comparing to show you the same.
Get a free written estimate for your East Palo Alto job
Tell us what you're seeing, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come look. The estimate is free, in writing and obligation-free, with what we'd do and why.
East Palo Alto masonry questions
Do I need a permit for masonry work in East Palo Alto?
The city's Building Services Division is the place to ask, because its permit list covers building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, solar, re-roof and demolition work and doesn't name masonry on its own. Grading and work that reaches the sidewalk or street go to the city's Engineering side, and taking out a tree goes through Planning. If you're not sure about your project, ask us and we'll check with the city.
How long does permit review take in East Palo Alto?
City staff get back to applicants with next steps within two business days, and anything that isn't approved over the counter goes through the city's 30-day review. If the plans need changes, each resubmittal gets a two-week recheck. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and plan our start around that review.
What happens if masonry work starts without a permit in East Palo Alto?
The city charges a penalty fee for work started without a building permit, and it reports the contractor to the state license board for investigation. The city also keeps actively looking for unpermitted construction, so skipping a permit isn't worth the gamble on a wall you want to keep. We settle the permit question with you before any work starts.
Does a masonry contractor need a business license in East Palo Alto?
Yes, contractors working here apply for a city business license, and renew it, through the city's online business license portal. It's a fair thing to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring, along with proof of their state license and insurance.
How do I get ready for a city inspection on a masonry job in East Palo Alto?
Keep the job card and any approved plans on site, because the city requires them for inspection and a site without them has to reschedule. On our permitted jobs, we keep those papers at the house for the inspector.
How much does masonry work cost in East Palo Alto?
There's no honest number until I've seen the job, because the price turns on its size, the brick, stone or block you pick, how easy the spot is to reach and how much old work has to come out. On older houses here, the biggest swing is usually what's behind the damage, like a weak footing or water that has to be dealt with first. The written estimate spells out what we'd do and why.
Got a wall or chimney to look at?
I'll come out, look at the job and give you a free written estimate with what we'd do and why.
Other cities we serve
We work in cities across the area beyond East Palo Alto. Choose yours if it's listed, or call (669) 215-2127 or use the form to ask about your street.