Masonry contractor in Mountain View, CA - repairs that fix the cause
D&R Cupertino Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor that repairs brick, stone and chimneys and builds walls, walkways and paver driveways for homeowners in Mountain View, CA.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry work on Mountain View homes
We're a masonry contractor based in Cupertino, CA, a short drive from Mountain View, and our crew works here much the way we do in Santa Clara and Sunnyvale next door. The calls cover the whole trade. Near downtown it's mostly older brick, porch steps and chimneys that have been patched more than once. Out in the newer neighborhoods it's block walls, paver driveways and front walks that have settled or cracked.
Lots here are often tight, with neighbors close on every side, so before we start I work out where the pallets go and how we'll get a wheelbarrow to the back yard. The age of the house usually decides the job, because an old wall needs mortar and brick matched to what's already there, while a newer one mostly needs a solid base under it.
What we build and repair in Mountain View
Foundation repair
When a crack runs through the foundation or a door starts sticking, I look for the water or soil behind it before we repair anything.
Learn more about Foundation repairChimney repair
Older brick chimneys here lose mortar at the top first, so we rebuild loose courses and repair the concrete cap that sheds rain.
Learn more about Chimney repairTuckpointing
We grind out worn joints and pack in fresh mortar, which is how an older brick wall gets tight again without tearing out brick.
Learn more about TuckpointingBrick repair
A few flaking or cracked bricks on a porch or garden wall can be cut out and replaced with brick that matches the house.
Learn more about Brick repairDriveway pavers
When pavers sink or roots lift a section, we pull them up and rebuild the base. We lay new paver driveways too.
Learn more about Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Grade changes between yards and raised planters need a wall with a solid footing and drainage behind it, or wet soil leans it out.
Learn more about Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
On older houses we restore worn brick and stone with materials matched to the original, so the repair ages with the house.
Learn more about Masonry restorationFireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces and surrounds for family rooms and patios, and we plan the firebox and chimney together so it draws well.
Learn more about Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer gives a plain stucco front or an entry column the look of stone, set over a backing that keeps water out.
Learn more about Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls along property lines give privacy between close neighbors, and we set them on a proper footing so they stay straight.
Learn more about Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For additions and rebuilt crawlspaces, we lay reinforced block foundation walls to the engineer's plans, filled with grout where the drawings call for it.
Learn more about Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
Back yards here are often small, so we size grill islands and counters in block, brick or stone to fit the space.
Learn more about Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Heaved front walks are a trip hazard, so we replace them in pavers, brick, stone or concrete on a base that drains.
Learn more about Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
We build brick garden and front-yard walls that match the brick on older houses or set a cleaner look for newer ones.
Learn more about Brick wall installationStone masonry
We lay stone steps, planters and garden walls by hand, fitting each piece so the work sheds water and sits solid.
Learn more about Stone masonryBrick pointing
When only a few joints have cracked or gone sandy, pointing those spots fixes the leak path without redoing the whole wall.
Learn more about Brick pointing
What Mountain View houses ask of masonry
The neighborhoods on either side of Castro Street were mostly built between the late 1800s and World War II, so a lot of the brick we work on there is old and was laid in mortar softer than what's sold today. When those joints wear, water gets in behind the face of the brick and starts breaking it down. I'd rather find where the water's coming from and stop it than smear new mortar over the top, and we match the old mortar closely, because a hard patch on soft brick pushes the damage into the brick itself.
Away from downtown, most of what we're called for is newer work that's moved: a paver driveway that sank, a block wall that's started to lean, a walk lifted by tree roots. Those usually come back to the base or the drainage, so we dig down to firm ground and give water somewhere to go before we build back up.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Mountain View project
Tell us what you're seeing and where in Mountain View, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out myself and write you a free estimate with no obligation, saying what we'd do and why.
Mountain View masonry questions
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Mountain View?
At a single-family home or duplex, a retaining wall 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, is on the City of Mountain View's list of projects that don't need a permit. That changes if the wall holds back extra weight above it, like a driveway or another slope, and a wall that skips the permit still has to meet city code. For a taller wall, we handle the application with the city's building department and plan our start around its review.
How long does it take to get a building permit in Mountain View?
For minor projects at single-family homes and duplexes, the city offers a Same-Day Permit that needs no building plans. Larger jobs go through the city's plan check, so we set our start date around that review instead of guessing at it. If you're not sure whether your project needs a permit, ask and we'll check with the city.
Does a masonry contractor need a California license to work on my house?
Yes, in most cases, because the state's contractor licensing board requires a license whenever the job needs a building permit, uses any workers beyond the contractor, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials across one or more contracts. Nearly every real masonry job crosses one of those lines. We're licensed and fully insured, and it's worth asking any contractor you talk to for their license before you sign.
Does a contractor need a Mountain View business license?
Yes, the city requires a business license for anyone doing work in Mountain View, construction included. A company has to complete the city's business license application before it starts working there, so it's fair to ask about along with the state license.
How much does masonry work cost in Mountain View?
It comes down to the size of the job, the material you pick, how much old work has to come out first and how easy it is for us to get to, so I give you a figure only after I've seen it. Matching old brick or stone, digging out soft soil or working high on a chimney all add to it. The schedule turns on whether the city needs to review a permit, how fast the material comes in and how much tear-out comes first, and your written estimate spells out what we'd do and why.
What causes brick to crumble on older houses in Mountain View?
Usually it's water, getting in through worn joints, a cracked chimney cap, a leaky gutter or soil piled up against the wall. On the older houses near downtown, an old patch done in hard mortar is another common cause. I look for the water first, since new brick over a leak just fails again.
Want me to come take a look?
I'll come out to your property, look at the job and give you a written estimate of what we'd do and why.
Other cities we work in
Cities with their own page are listed below. If yours isn't, call (669) 215-2127 or use the form, and we'll tell you whether we can take the job.