Masonry Contractor in Palo Alto - Brick, Stone and Chimneys Fixed at the Source
D&R Cupertino Concrete and Masonry repairs brick, stone and chimneys and builds new walls, walkways and paving for Palo Alto homeowners. We're a masonry contractor based in Cupertino, and the work is done by me and our crew of masons.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry work on Palo Alto homes
Palo Alto is a short drive up from our base in Cupertino, and most of our calls here come from houses with some years on them, from the older streets of Old Palo Alto to the ranch houses that came after. We see brick chimneys with worn mortar, front steps that have dropped, and garden walls and walkways that tree roots have pushed out of line. We do the same kind of work next door in East Palo Alto and over in Milpitas, but the mix here leans toward older brick and stone that people want kept, not torn out.
That changes how we work. On an older house the new mortar has to match the old in color and in strength, because a joint that's harder than the brick around it can crack the brick instead of itself.
What we build and repair in Palo Alto
Foundation repair
On Palo Alto's older houses, a foundation crack that keeps coming back usually has water or settling behind it, and we fix that first.
Learn more about Foundation repairChimney repair
Older brick chimneys here often lose mortar and bricks near the top first. We rebuild the failing section and the cap that sheds water.
Learn more about Chimney repairTuckpointing
Tuckpointing means grinding out worn mortar and packing in new. On older brick here, we match the original's color and softness.
Learn more about TuckpointingBrick repair
A cracked or spalled brick, one whose face has flaked off, gets cut out and swapped for brick that matches your older house.
Learn more about Brick repairDriveway pavers
Pavers suit the narrower driveways here, and a single cracked piece can be swapped out instead of breaking out a whole slab.
Learn more about Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a backyard steps down, we build the wall with drainage behind it, since trapped water is what pushes most walls over.
Learn more about Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
For older Palo Alto houses worth keeping as built, we clean, repair and repoint brick and stone so the work blends with what's there.
Learn more about Masonry restorationFireplace installation
Adding a masonry fireplace to a remodel or an addition? We build the firebox and surround to fit the room and the house.
Learn more about Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone over a backing wall, can dress up a ranch-house front if the flashing behind it is done right.
Learn more about Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
For side-yard and property-line walls, block is a sturdy choice, and we reinforce and fill the cores rather than leave them hollow.
Learn more about Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
When an addition or crawlspace needs a block foundation wall, we set it on a proper footing, because the house sits on it.
Learn more about Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
We build outdoor kitchens in brick, stone or block on a solid base, because a counter is only as level as what's under it.
Learn more about Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks lifted by street trees are a common call here. We rebuild them in brick, stone or pavers with a base that drains.
Learn more about Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick garden wall should look like it belongs with the house, so we pick brick, laying pattern and mortar color to suit.
Learn more about Brick wall installationStone masonry
Stone steps and garden walls suit the older yards here, and we lay each stone to rest on the ones below, not the mortar.
Learn more about Stone masonryBrick pointing
When joints on brick walls or steps are starting to open, pointing fills them before water gets behind the brick and the job grows.
Learn more about Brick pointing
What Palo Alto houses ask of masonry
Much of the masonry we work on here is older than the rest of the house around it, because the kitchens and baths got remodeled while the chimney, the steps and the garden walls stayed as built. The trouble usually starts where water gets in, at a cracked chimney cap, an open joint or a wall with no drainage behind it, and it shows up as crumbling mortar, white staining or bricks that work loose. I spent years framing houses before I switched to masonry, so I look past the brick to whatever's feeding the problem and fix that, or the new work fails the same way the old work did.
Palo Alto's code also has its own chapter on flood hazards next to the residential code, so before we plan the footing for a new wall or foundation work, we check with the city whether it touches your property. That check, and the permit review when a job needs one, usually sets our start date more than the masonry does.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Palo Alto masonry
Tell us what you're seeing, the address and a good time to reach you, and we'll reply within one business day. I come out myself to look and write the estimate, which is free, in writing and obligation-free.
Palo Alto masonry questions
Do I need a permit for a masonry job in Palo Alto?
Whether your masonry job needs a permit is the city's call, and the place to ask is its Development Services office, which issues building permits in Palo Alto. Its list of work that needs a permit names remodels, re-roofs, new houses and ADUs and doesn't call out a wall or chimney job by name, so we check with the city rather than guess. We're licensed and fully insured, and when a job needs a permit, we handle the application for you.
Which building codes apply to my project in Palo Alto?
Projects submitted to the city after January 1, 2026 have to meet the 2025 California Building Codes along with Palo Alto's own amendments. The city's plan review checks drawings against those rules, so we build to the Palo Alto version, not just what passed in another city.
How do I send permit plans to the City of Palo Alto?
Plans go to the city as digital files, because Palo Alto takes every submittal in digital format and not on paper. When we handle your permit, we put the drawings together and submit them, then plan our start around the city's review.
How long does it take to get a masonry permit in Palo Alto?
Small jobs can sometimes move quickly, because the city offers an instant building permit for some minor projects, while bigger work goes through plan review first. We set our start date around that review instead of promising one up front. If you're not sure your project needs a permit at all, ask and we'll check with the city.
What affects the cost of masonry repair in Palo Alto?
The price turns on the size of the job, the material, how easy the spot is to reach and what we find behind the damage you can see. Matching brick or stone to an older house, rebuilding a chimney top instead of repointing it, or adding drainage behind a wall all add work, and drawings for a permit add time. I come out and give you a written estimate with what we'll do and why, so you're comparing real work, not a guess.
Is an emailed PDF invoice from the City of Palo Alto real?
Treat it as coming from outside the city if it asks you to reply to get a payment link, because the city says its staff don't send invoices that way. If one shows up while your permit is in review, don't reply or pay it, and let us know so we can check the permit with the city.
Want me to come take a look?
I come out to your house, look at the job and write you a free estimate with what we'll do and why.
Other cities we work in
If your city has its own page, you'll find it here. If not, call (669) 215-2127 or use our contact form and ask.