Masonry contractor in Ventura, CA - Repairs that find the cause first
G&R Camarillo Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Ventura, CA. We repair cracked block walls, worn brick, chimneys and retaining walls, and we build new brick and block walls, pavers and outdoor kitchens.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Masonry work for Ventura homes
I got to know Ventura doing upkeep on rental homes around Ventura County before we opened G&R. The older parts of the city have brick chimneys, brick steps and block walls that have often been patched more than once, and the streets climbing into the hills lean hard on their retaining walls. Plenty of our calls here come from landlords and property managers as well as homeowners, and we do the same work down the coast in Oxnard and Port Hueneme.
What moves the price here is how much brick or block is involved, what has to come out first and how easy the spot is to reach, and the schedule mostly turns on whether a permit is needed. Your written estimate gives you your own figure. On an older house or a sloped lot, the trouble usually starts under the surface, so I check the footing and the drainage before I talk about the face.
- The cause found before the fix
- A straight answer on what can wait
- Walls built on a sound footing
- Your site cleaned up after
What we do in Ventura
Here's what we do for Ventura homes and rentals, with every repair starting from a look at why the old work failed.
Foundation repair
When a crack climbs the brick on an older Ventura house, I check the footing first, since a foundation that moved will crack any patch.
Explore Foundation repairChimney repair
Older brick chimneys here often have loose caps and crumbling joints near the top. We rebuild what's failing and tell you plainly if the rest has years left.
Explore Chimney repairTuckpointing
Tuckpointing means grinding out worn mortar and packing in fresh, and on brick fronts and garden walls around Ventura it's often all the wall needs.
Explore TuckpointingBrick repair
Spalled bricks, the ones with flaking faces, can come out one at a time, so a mostly sound Ventura wall doesn't get torn down.
Explore Brick repairDriveway pavers
Pavers suit driveways on Ventura's hillside and older lots because a section can be lifted and relaid if the ground shifts, instead of cutting out cracked concrete.
Explore Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
On sloped Ventura yards, a retaining wall lives or dies by what's behind it, so we build in drainage and a real footing.
Explore Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
For older homes here with brick or stone worth keeping, we clean, repoint and repair what's there rather than cover it, and I'll say when it's past saving.
Explore Masonry restorationFireplace installation
A new masonry fireplace, in the living room or out on a Ventura patio, starts with the footing and the firebox, since everything above sits on them.
Explore Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face over an existing wall, does well on stucco houses and block walls here when the backing behind it is done right.
Explore Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls along Ventura property lines are among our most common calls, from a cracked, leaning run to repair to a new wall built from the footing up.
Explore Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
When an addition or a raised floor on a Ventura house needs a block foundation wall, we build it to the plans, footing, steel and grout included.
Explore Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
Ventura backyards see a lot of use, so we build outdoor kitchens in block, brick or stone on a base that holds the counters level.
Explore Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks on older lots here often get heaved by tree roots, so we deal with the roots and set brick, stone or pavers on a packed base.
Explore Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick front wall should look like it belongs with the house, so we pick brick and joints to suit what's already on your Ventura property.
Explore Brick wall installationStone masonry
Stone walls, steps and planters fit the older and hillside homes around Ventura. We set each stone for how it bears, not just how it looks.
Explore Stone masonryBrick pointing
Brick pointing fills joints where mortar has dropped out in spots, a small fix for a sound wall or rental that keeps water from getting behind the brick.
Explore Brick pointing
Get your Ventura estimate
Tell us where the house is and what you're seeing. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
What Ventura houses ask of masonry
Most of what we fix in Ventura is older brick, block walls that have been patched before and walls holding back a slope, and each one fails for its own reason.
Brick losing its mortar
On older houses here, chimney tops and brick fronts lose mortar first. We repoint the joints that are open and leave the sound ones alone.
Walls holding back a slope
Hillside yards put steady pressure on retaining walls, and water trapped behind them is usually what tips them. We fix the drainage before we rebuild the face.
Rentals patched too often
Landlords and property managers here call about walls patched over and over. I find why it keeps cracking, because patching over the cause just means another trip.
Outside Ventura? Give us a call
We're a masonry contractor based in Camarillo, and we do the same work in the other cities listed here, so pick yours to see what we run into there.
If your city isn't on the list, call (805) 233-6281 or send the form anyway. The list shows the cities with their own page, not every place we work, so ask before you assume we don't come out.
How a Ventura job goes, start to finish
We keep it simple because you should know what you're paying for before you agree to anything. The estimate is free, done on site and in writing.
Call or write
Call (805) 233-6281 or send the form with what you're seeing, and we get back to you to set up a time for me to come out.
I come look
I come out myself and look over the whole job, not just the crack you called about, because the cause is often somewhere else.
Estimate in writing
I tell you what needs doing now and what can wait, and put a free estimate in writing so you can decide on your own time.
Permit, work, check
We file any permit and wait out the city's plan review if it needs one, then our crew does the work and I check it before we finish.
Ventura masonry questions
Do I need a permit for a block wall or masonry work in Ventura?
You might, and the city's Permit Services office makes that call. Its simple permits cover work like water heaters and re-roofs submitted without plans, while alterations, additions, new construction and adding or removing walls take a complex permit with plan review. Masonry isn't spelled out on either list, so we check with Permit Services before we start and file whatever it needs.
How do I apply for a building permit online in Ventura?
You need a Ventura OPS account, the city's Online Permit Services, before you can apply online. If you'd rather go in person, the Permit Services counter takes walk-ins Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 1 PM, sees people by appointment from 1 to 3 PM and is closed Fridays. On our jobs we handle the filing, so you usually don't have to do either.
How do I schedule a building inspection in Ventura?
Get your request to the city's Building and Safety division by the business day before you need the inspection. A same-day request is too late, so we put ours in ahead and meet the inspector on site when it's time.
What building codes does Ventura enforce for masonry walls?
The city's Building and Safety division enforces the California construction codes, with the changes Ventura made when it adopted them. If you want to know how a rule applies to your wall, Permit Services is the place to ask, and I check the same thing before I give you a price.
How much does masonry repair cost in Ventura?
Most of the price comes from what's wrong underneath and how much of the wall has to be rebuilt instead of repaired. Matching older brick, digging a new footing, hauling block off a hillside lot and a permit all add to it, while repointing a sound wall costs far less than rebuilding one. I'll give you your own number in writing after I've seen the job.
What is the best way to fix a leaning block wall in Ventura?
The best way is to find out why it's leaning, then rebuild the bad section on a sound footing instead of bracing it or patching the cracks. Water behind the wall, tree roots and a footing that was too small are the usual causes. If only one run is leaning, we rebuild that run and leave the rest, and I'll tell you if it can wait.
Get a Ventura estimate from G&R
We take calls seven days a week, 7 AM to 11 PM, so call (805) 233-6281 or send the form when it suits you.