Masonry Contractor in Oak Park, CA - Walls and Repairs Built for Hillside Lots
G&R Camarillo Concrete and Masonry repairs and builds brick, block and stone work for homeowners and landlords in Oak Park, CA, from retaining walls on sloped yards to chimneys, fireplaces, walkways and cracked block fences.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Masonry work on Oak Park's hillside streets
Oak Park sits in the valleys of the Simi Hills, an unincorporated corner of Ventura County. Thousand Oaks borders it on the west, and Agoura Hills and Westlake Village sit just across the Los Angeles County line to the south. It's mostly houses, with apartments and condos mixed in, and it went up in phases over several decades, so a block wall from one of the first tracts can stand a few streets from one that's much newer. I get calls here from homeowners and from landlords and managers with rentals, and we do the same work over in Calabasas and the cities around it.
A lot of yards here climb or drop away from the house, so retaining walls, steps and block fences do real work. What moves the price is how much actually needs fixing, how hard it is to get material and a crew to the spot, and how closely new brick or block has to match the old. The schedule mostly turns on whether the county wants a permit, and I'll give you your own figure in writing after I've seen the job.
- Why it failed, before we fix it
- New brick and block matched to yours
- A written estimate before work starts
- Work I check before we finish
Masonry services we do in Oak Park
Here's the masonry work we do on Oak Park houses, rentals and yards, from small brick repairs to new walls and outdoor kitchens.
Foundation repair
When cracks show up along the foundation of a house on a sloped lot, I find out what's moving first, and then we repair the cause.
Explore Foundation repairChimney repair
Loose bricks, cracked caps and worn mortar on older Oak Park chimneys get fixed at the source, so water isn't left working into the brick below.
Explore Chimney repairTuckpointing
On brick houses and walls from the early tracts, we rake out the tired mortar and refill the joints with mortar matched to the old color.
Explore TuckpointingBrick repair
A few cracked or flaking bricks don't usually mean a whole wall. We cut out the bad ones and set new brick matched to what you have.
Explore Brick repairDriveway pavers
Where a driveway climbs to the garage, we build the base and edging for that grade, so the pavers are set to hold instead of creeping downhill.
Explore Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Yards cut into the Simi Hills lean on retaining walls, so we build them on a proper footing with a way for water to get out from behind.
Explore Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
Older brick and stone that's been patched over and over needs sorting out first. We keep what's sound, replace what's failing and match the rest.
Explore Masonry restorationFireplace installation
Adding a fireplace to a family room or rebuilding a worn one? We build the firebox and surround in brick or stone to suit the room.
Explore Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer on a stucco front or a block wall needs proper backing and a way for water to drain behind it, which we set before any stone goes on.
Explore Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls between Oak Park yards crack and lean as they age. I'll tell you whether yours needs a repair or a rebuild before we touch it.
Explore Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For additions and hillside garages that sit on block foundation walls, we lay the block, set the steel and fill it to the approved plans.
Explore Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
Plenty of Oak Park backyards have room for an outdoor kitchen, and we build the grill island and counters in block, brick or stone on a solid footing.
Explore Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks and side-yard paths here usually deal with some slope, so we plan steps where the grade calls for them and keep the surface even underfoot.
Explore Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick wall along a front yard or patio gets a proper footing and caps, so it looks like it belongs with the house.
Explore Brick wall installationStone masonry
We lay natural stone for planters, columns, steps and garden walls, picking stone that sits well with the house and the hillside around it.
Explore Stone masonryBrick pointing
When the mortar joints are sandy or cracked but the bricks are fine, pointing them is the fix, and it's usually a smaller job than people expect.
Explore Brick pointing
Ask for your Oak Park estimate
Tell us your address and what you're seeing at the wall or chimney. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, no obligation.
What Oak Park homes ask of masonry
Hillside yards, block and brick from different decades, and a lot of rental property shape most of the masonry calls we get from Oak Park.
Walls holding back slopes
When a wall holds back part of a hillside yard, I check its footing and drainage before I quote, because that's usually where the trouble starts.
Patched-over rental walls
On apartments and rental homes I often find walls patched over and over. We fix what's causing it, so you're not paying for a second trip.
Old brick next to new
Repairs and additions here meet brick and block from different decades, so we match the size, color and mortar before we set anything new.
Don't see your city? Give us a call
We're based in Camarillo and work in cities across Ventura County and over the line into Los Angeles County. Pick your city below to see what we do there.
If your city isn't on the list, call (805) 233-6281 or send the form and ask, because the list is only the cities with their own page, not the only places we go.
From your call to a finished job
I keep the estimate simple. I come out myself, tell you what the job needs and what can wait, and put the estimate in writing so you can decide.
You get in touch
Call (805) 233-6281 or send the form with your address and what you're seeing, and we'll get back to you to set up a visit.
I look it over
I come out myself and look over the whole job, not just the crack you called about, so I can tell you why it failed.
Estimate in writing
I tell you what needs doing now and what can wait, and you get the estimate in writing to think over.
Work and final check
Once you say go, we handle any county permit and inspection, our crew does the work, and I check it before we finish.
Oak Park masonry questions
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall or block wall in Oak Park, CA?
Probably, because Ventura County's general rule is that all buildings and structures need a building permit before construction starts. Only some small projects are exempt, such as small storage sheds, flooring and most finish work inside a house. Whether your wall needs one is the county's call, so we check with them before we start.
How do I get a building permit for masonry work in Oak Park?
You get it from the county's Building and Safety Division, since Oak Park is an unincorporated community and has no city building department. The division reviews plans, issues the permit and inspects the work while it's going on. On our jobs we file it and meet the inspector, and if you have questions you can call its Ventura office at 805-654-2771 or its Thousand Oaks office at 805-582-8064.
When does a contractor need a California license for masonry work?
A contractor needs a license from the California Contractors State License Board when the project needs a building permit or uses any additional workers. It's also required when labor and materials on one or more contracts for the project add up to $1,000 or more. We're licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask anyone you're comparing to show you theirs.
Which building code applies to a masonry project in Oak Park?
The Ventura County Building Code applies, because Oak Park is unincorporated county land, even though Agoura Hills and Westlake Village just south of you are cities in Los Angeles County. The county updates its code to follow the latest state building standards, and we build to the version that's current for your permit.
What causes block walls in Oak Park to crack and lean?
Most cracked block walls we see come from a footing that's settling or too small, sprinklers or runoff soaking the base, or tree roots pushing underneath. On older walls, layers of patching often hide the crack while whatever opened it keeps working. I look at the footing and which way the wall is moving before I tell you whether it's a repair or a rebuild.
How much does masonry work cost in Oak Park, CA?
There's no fair number until I've seen the job, because the price turns on whether it's a repair or a rebuild, how big it is, and the brick, block or stone you pick. Work that needs new footings or drainage behind a wall costs more than surface repair, and a job that needs a county permit takes longer to get started. I'll put a figure in writing after the visit and tell you if part of it can wait.
Call G&R about your Oak Park job
Caught early, a crack is usually a smaller repair, so call (805) 233-6281 or send the form and I'll come out and look.