Masonry Contractor in Oak View, CA - Steady Walls and Sound Brick on Valley Lots
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Ventura, CA. In Oak View we repair brick and mortar, build retaining and block walls, and lay walkways, steps and patios for homes in the valley.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Oak View homes in a narrow river valley
Oak View sits in a narrow valley along the Ventura River, with Mira Monte just to the north. On estimates here I mostly see houses on their own lots, with yards that rise or drop away from the road, and older walls, steps and chimneys that have been patched more than once.
Because the valley is tight, the lot shapes the job before we lay a single block. It decides where the mixer can sit, how far we carry stone and block by hand, and how a new wall has to meet the brick or stone that's already there.
Masonry services we do for Oak View homes
Foundation repair
When cracks in a foundation wall or a sticking door point to settling, we find the cause first, since sloped lots can shift soil under a footing.
Chimney repair
Older brick chimneys usually lose mortar near the top first, so we repair the crown and relay loose courses before bricks start working free.
Tuckpointing
If the joints on your brick house have gone soft and sandy, we cut them back to sound mortar and refill them so the wall stays tight.
Brick repair
Bricks that are cracked or flaking at the face on a wall, step or planter get cut out and replaced with brick matched as closely as we can.
Driveway pavers
On a driveway that climbs from the road, pavers over a packed base handle the grade and let us swap single pieces later instead of patching concrete.
Retaining wall construction
Plenty of yards in this narrow valley slope, so we build retaining walls on real footings with drainage behind them to hold the ground and gain usable space.
Masonry restoration
For an older brick or stone house patched over the years, we keep what's sound, fix what isn't and repoint so it reads as one wall again.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces indoors and out, laying out the firebox, hearth and surround around your room or patio and how you plan to use it.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face set over block or concrete, gives a wall, foundation skirt or fireplace a natural look without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls make a solid property line or backing for a slope, and we set them on proper footings with steel and grout where the wall needs it.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition, garage or raised floor on a sloped lot, we lay block foundation walls that step down with the grade and carry the framing above.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the block or brick base, counters and grill surround for an outdoor kitchen, finished in stone, brick or stucco to suit your house and yard.
Walkway construction
Paths here often climb from the street to the door, so we build walkways and steps on a firm base with even risers that stay put underfoot.
Brick wall installation
A brick garden or entry wall can tie a yard to an older house, and we build it on a footing sized to its height and the ground under it.
Stone masonry
Stone walls, columns and planters suit a lot of yards in this valley, and we lay them dry or mortared depending on their height and what they hold back.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints have cracked or dropped out, pointing just those spots stops water getting in for far less work than repointing the whole wall.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Oak View home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, walk the job with you and write up what I'd do and why, 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 Oak View: the county, licenses and price
Oak View is an unincorporated community, so there's no city hall here and the County of Ventura serves it. When a job needs a permit, we check with the county office that covers your address, handle the application and set up the inspections. If it isn't clear whether one's needed, we ask that office before we start, which can add a little time up front but beats finding out after the wall is built. Before you hire anyone, you can look them up with the Contractors State License Board, the state board that licenses contractors working on homes here, and we're fully licensed and insured.
Here, the price moves mostly with the ground. A taller wall on a slope means more digging and a deeper footing, and matching old brick or stone takes longer than building new. We see the same thing on jobs in Ojai. Once I've walked your yard, the written estimate spells out what I'd do and why.
Slopes and aging mortar on Oak View properties
Slopes are the big one. Soil keeps pushing on whatever holds it, so we see garden walls leaning out, block walls cracked at the corners and steps that have dropped on one side. Before we rebuild anything, I want to know why it moved, because a new wall built the same way as the old one will usually fail the same way.
Then there's age. Brick and stone that have stood a few decades lose mortar at the joints first, and patches done with mortar that's too hard can trap water and crack the brick around them. We cut out the bad joints and repoint them, and I'll tell you when a wall only needs that and not a rebuild.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Oak View
Here's how it goes from your first call to the last walk-through, so you know what we're doing and why before any work starts.
Call or send the form
Tell us what you're seeing, whether it's crumbling joints, a leaning wall or a project you've been planning. We'll set a time for me to come out to your place.
Walk the job with me
I look at it with you and answer your questions before I write anything up. It helps if you're home for this part, so you can show me what's been bothering you.
Get it in writing
You get a written estimate that says what we'd do and why, so you can see what you're paying for before you agree to anything. Once you're ready, we line up any permits and set a start.
Build it, then walk through
Our crew of experienced masons does the work while I run the job on site and check it as it goes. At the end I walk it with you, and you can point at anything you want explained.
Questions about masonry work in Oak View
How much does masonry work cost in Oak View, CA?
The cost comes down to how much wall or brick is involved, what it's built from and how much ground has to be dealt with. Natural stone usually costs more to lay than block, and repointing a few bad joints costs far less than tearing down and rebuilding a wall. I'll write up exactly what I'd do at your house so you can see the work behind the number.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment on a home improvement job in Oak View?
The state contractor board says a down payment can be no more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. Any other payments have to be clearly listed in the contract and based on work already done or materials already delivered to your home. The board applies this to all home improvement projects, so it covers masonry work at an Oak View house too.
What is the best way to build a retaining wall on a sloped yard in Oak View?
The best way is a wall on a solid footing that gives water a way out from behind it, because trapped water is usually what pushes a wall over. On a sloped lot like many here, we size the wall and footing to how much ground it holds and what sits above it, like a driveway or the house. Sometimes two shorter terraced walls make more sense than one tall one, and I'll tell you if that's the case.
What causes mortar to crumble between the bricks on an older Oak View house?
Usually it's water and age, because mortar is meant to wear out before the brick does, and after years of wetting and drying the joints turn soft and sandy. We rake the loose joints back to sound mortar and refill them with a mix that suits the brick, which is called tuckpointing. If some bricks themselves have cracked, we replace those at the same time.
How long does a masonry job in Oak View take from first call to finish?
Small repairs like repointing a section of wall usually move faster than new walls, because a new retaining wall needs digging and a footing, and sometimes a permit, before the first block goes up. The written estimate lays out the work, and we set a start once any permits are in hand and you're ready.
Do you also do masonry work in Mira Monte and Ojai?
Yes, we're based in Ventura and work in the cities around it, including Mira Monte and Ojai, and from Oxnard and Thousand Oaks to Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. If your city isn't named on the site, call (805) 507-9163 and ask.
Ventura, CA
Book your Oak View masonry estimate
If a wall has started to lean or the joints are getting sandy, catching it early usually means a repair instead of a rebuild.