Masonry contractor in Camarillo, CA - sturdy walls, walkways and brick repairs
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Ventura that builds block walls, retaining walls, walkways and paver driveways in Camarillo, and repairs crumbling brick and mortar on the homes here.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Camarillo homes, yards and the masonry they need
Camarillo sits between Oxnard and Thousand Oaks. On our jobs here we mostly see neighborhoods of stucco ranch and two-story homes, with block walls between the yards and brick or stone planters out front. Houses closer to Old Town are often older and have more brick to look after. Newer streets lean more on block and stone veneer.
The ground changes across the city, from flat lots on the plain to backyards that climb toward the hills. A wall that sits fine on a flat lot needs a deeper footing and a way to drain once a slope is pushing on it.
Masonry services we offer around Camarillo
Foundation repair
When the foundation under your house shows cracks or doors start sticking, we find what's moving underneath before we patch what you can see.
Chimney repair
Older chimneys here lose mortar at the top first, where sun and winter rain hit hardest, so we rebuild loose brick before it falls onto your roof.
Tuckpointing
If the mortar between your bricks has gone sandy, we grind out the worn joints and pack in new mortar shaped to match the rest of the wall.
Brick repair
Bricks with flaking faces or cracks show up on planters, steps and house fronts here, and we cut them out and set replacements that match.
Driveway pavers
Pavers make a good driveway on lots with roots or shifting ground, because a sunken section can be lifted and reset instead of torn out.
Retaining wall construction
Where a Camarillo backyard climbs a slope, a retaining wall holds the soil back, and we build in drainage so winter rain doesn't push it over.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and stone that's worn all over, we clean it, redo the mortar and replace what's failed, keeping the look that drew you to the house.
Fireplace installation
Mild winters here mean a fireplace gets used for evenings more than heat, so we talk through indoor and outdoor builds and the hearth with you first.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone facing, dresses up the stucco walls and columns common here, and we set it over a backing that lets water drain out.
Concrete block walls
Block walls line the property edges of a lot of Camarillo neighborhoods, and we build new ones or rebuild leaning sections on footings sized for their height.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition or a garage, we lay foundation block walls on a poured footing, with steel and grout in the cells so it carries the load.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
With dry summers and so many evenings outside, an outdoor kitchen gets real use here, and we build the block base, counters and stone facing around your grill.
Walkway construction
A walkway in brick, pavers or stone replaces the cracked concrete paths we see along side yards, sloped so water runs away from the house.
Brick wall installation
A brick garden wall or planter fits the ranch-style homes here, and we start it on a solid footing because that's what keeps a brick wall straight.
Stone masonry
Natural stone walls, steps and borders sit well with the hills around Camarillo, and we fit each piece by hand so the joints stay tight.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints have cracked or dropped out, brick pointing fills just those, which is often all a wall here needs for now.
Get a free masonry estimate at your Camarillo home
We reply to every call and message within one business day. I come out to your Camarillo property myself, walk the job with you and write up what I'd do and why, free and with no obligation.
(805) 507-9163- Based in
- Ventura, CA 93001
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
Working in Camarillo: permits, licenses and what sets the price
When a wall, walkway or patio means moving dirt, the grading permit comes from the City of Camarillo, and because the city issues one for any grading, our start date waits until that permit is in hand. Before you hire anyone, you can check two things: that the contractor holds a California state license, and that they've paid the city's yearly business tax. Every business working in Camarillo owes that tax, even one licensed in another city, and that includes a Ventura business like ours.
When a job needs a permit, we check with the city, handle the application and set up the inspections, and if it isn't clear whether one is needed, we ask the city before we start. The price here mostly turns on how much dirt comes out, how long and tall the wall runs, the material you pick, how easy your backyard is to reach and how much old work has to be torn out. The schedule turns on the permit and on winter rain. Your written estimate spells out what I'd do and why, the same way we run jobs up the coast in Carpinteria.
Why Camarillo walls and mortar joints wear out
Camarillo gets only about 12 inches of rain a year, and nearly all of it falls in winter. January and February bring close to 3 inches each, and August averages none. That pattern is hard on masonry, because the long dry months open hairline cracks in mortar and the first big storms drive water into them and behind walls. So we look for where water sits and give it a way out with drain rock, weep holes and the right slope.
A lot of neighborhoods here have block property walls and brick planters that have been up for decades, and most calls we get are about leaning sections, crumbling joints and loose caps. I'd rather find out why a wall is leaning, whether it's roots, water or a footing that was too small, than rebuild the top and watch it lean again.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Camarillo
Here's how a Camarillo job goes from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll see and what you'll have in hand at each step.
Call or send us the form
Call (805) 507-9163 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps if you can be home so we can look at it together.
Walk the job with me
I look at the wall or yard with you, find what's actually causing the problem and answer your questions before I write anything up. You then get a written estimate that says what we'd do and why, so you know the price before any work starts.
Line up permits and start
Once you're ready, we handle any permit the job needs and set a start date. That date depends on the permit and on the weather, since we don't lay mortar into a winter storm.
We build, I check, we walk it
Our crew of experienced masons does the work while I run the site and check it as it goes. At the end I walk the finished job with you and answer anything that's still on your mind.
Questions about masonry work in Camarillo
Do I need a permit to grade my yard in Camarillo?
Yes, the city issues a grading permit for any grading, with a separate permit for each site. One permit can cover both digging out and filling, and the application lists how much of each you expect. Grading over 1,000 cubic yards needs a plan from a civil engineer and a bond of $3.00 for each cubic yard, while smaller jobs need no bond, and most backyard walls and walkways are far below that size.
How do I file plans for a permit in Camarillo, and can I still use paper?
You file them online, because beginning July 1, 2025 the city stopped accepting paper plans and every plan submission now goes through its online permitting and licensing system. When your job needs a permit, we put the application together and submit it there for you.
Does a masonry contractor in Camarillo need a California license?
In most cases yes, because the Contractors State License Board requires a license when a job needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A home improvement contractor has to hold that license before bidding on your job, and the board lists a few exemptions. We're fully licensed and insured, and you should ask any contractor for their license before they bid.
Who handles the fire hazard maps for Camarillo?
The Ventura County Fire Protection District does, because it provides fire protection for the city and led the local review of the state fire marshal's recommended hazard zone maps. The district proposed no changes to the state's maps, and a local agency can't lower a zone the state has designated. Stone, brick and block don't burn, which is one reason some homeowners near the hills pick them for walls and planters.
How much does masonry work cost in Camarillo?
Your price comes from a written estimate after I've seen the job, because size, material and access change it more than anything else. A longer or taller wall, natural stone instead of block, a backyard the crew can only reach by wheelbarrow, old work that has to come out and any grading all add to it, and permit jobs carry the city's fees, which come with surcharges on many permits. Pointing a few joints costs far less than rebuilding a wall, and I'll tell you when that's all you need.
What causes Camarillo to require a soil study before grading?
The City Engineer may require a soil study that looks at liquefaction when three things show up together: ground water 50 feet down or less, loose sandy soil laid down by water, and seismic design category D or E. Liquefaction is when wet, sandy ground loses its strength in an earthquake, which is why the city looks harder at those lots. If your lot falls under that rule, the study comes before any digging, so we plan the schedule around it from the start.
Ventura, CA
Ask about your Camarillo masonry project
Call (805) 507-9163 or send the form, and I'll come take a look before a few cracked joints turn into a wall that has to be rebuilt.