Masonry contractor in Ojai, CA - brick repair, stone walls and walkways
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Ojai, CA. We repair brick, mortar and chimneys on older homes and build stone walls, retaining walls, walkways and patios around the yard.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Ojai houses and yards as we find them
Most of our Ojai calls come from houses rather than shops. Downtown has its offices and storefronts, but our work is mostly on the residential streets around it and in nearby Mira Monte and Oak View. A lot of the homes there are older, with brick chimneys, stone garden walls and front walks that have been in place a long time.
So much of what we do here is repair that has to match what's already on the house, plus new walls and walkways that need to look like they belong beside it.
Masonry work we do for Ojai homes
Foundation repair
When a crack shows up in the foundation of an older Ojai house, we find out what's moving underneath before we patch anything, so the fix holds.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes usually lose mortar near the top first, where they're most exposed, so we repoint or rebuild that section before loose brick comes down.
Tuckpointing
If the joints on your brick house are sandy or sunk back, we grind out the worn mortar and tuckpoint new mortar in, matched so the repair blends.
Brick repair
A few cracked or flaking bricks don't mean the whole wall has to go, so we cut out the bad ones and set matching brick in their place.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit Ojai driveways beside older houses, and because each paver lifts out on its own, a sunken spot gets fixed without breaking up a slab.
Retaining wall construction
Where an Ojai yard steps up a slope, a retaining wall turns it into level ground for a patio, lawn or garden bed you can use.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone around Ojai often needs careful cleaning, repointing and a few new pieces rather than a rebuild, and we'll tell you which it is.
Fireplace installation
A new brick or stone fireplace should suit the room and draw well, so we plan the firebox, hearth and surround with you before laying a brick.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone facing, gives a block wall, column or chimney a natural stone look, and we prep the surface so it stays put.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along property lines and driveways give you a solid, low-upkeep boundary, and we can cap them or face them to suit an older house.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition or a failing section under an older house, we lay a block foundation wall on a solid footing so the frame above sits level.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
If you've been planning an outdoor kitchen, we build the grill island and counters in block, then face them in brick or stone to match your house.
Walkway construction
A brick, stone or paver walkway can replace a cracked path to an older front porch, and we set it on a packed base so it stays even.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden wall can pick up the brick already on your house, and we lay it on a proper footing so it doesn't lean.
Stone masonry
Stone walls, steps and columns fit a lot of Ojai yards, and we set each stone by hand so the joints stay tight and the weight sits right.
Brick pointing
When only some joints have worn thin, brick pointing refills them with fresh mortar, which keeps water out before the bricks themselves start to fail.
Get a free masonry estimate at your Ojai home
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out to your Ojai property for a free estimate, 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 Ojai with permits, licenses and the price
Building permits and plan checks in Ojai go through the city's Building and Safety Division, which also inspects the work. So on a permitted job, the start date and the pace depend partly on that office. Before you hire anyone, check that they hold a California contractor license, and because the city issues business licenses as well, it's fair to ask about that too. We're fully licensed and insured. When a job needs a permit, we check with the office that covers your address, handle the application and set up the inspections, and we ask that office first if it isn't clear. The price moves with how much is actually damaged and how hard the old brick or stone is to match. The schedule moves with the permit and the size of the job. Your written estimate lays out what we'd do on your job and why.
We're based in Ventura, so Ojai is a regular drive up Highway 33 for our crew. On the narrower streets near downtown, we plan where the brick pallets and the mixer go so we aren't blocking your neighbors. We do the same brick, block and stone work across the county, from Ventura out to Thousand Oaks, and if your city isn't named on the site, call and ask.
Why older Ojai brick and yard walls wear out
Mortar is meant to wear out before the brick does, and on many older Ojai houses it has, so the joints turn sandy, water gets in and bricks start to loosen at chimney tops and wall caps. Caught at that stage, it's usually a repointing job rather than a rebuild.
A lot of yards here step up or down, and the low walls holding that ground often went in without any drain behind them. Water collects in the soil and the pressure builds, so over the years the wall leans, bows or cracks along its length. Patching the crack won't stop that. When one needs rebuilding, we dig a footing sized for the wall and set gravel and a drain behind it to give the water a way out.
How a masonry job in Ojai runs once you call us
Here's what happens from your first call to the last walk around the yard, and when you'll see me on site.
Call or send us the form
Call (805) 507-9163 or send the form, and tell us what you're seeing or what you've been planning. We set a time for me to come out, and it helps if you can be home for it.
Walk the job together
I look at the wall, chimney or yard with you and answer your questions before I write anything up. You get a written estimate that says what we'd do and why, so you can see where the money goes before you decide.
Line up permits and start
Once you're ready, we line up any permits and set a start. The city holds inspections Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 5 pm, with none on Fridays, so we plan any stage that needs an inspector around those days.
Build, check and walk through
Our crew of experienced masons does the work while I run the job on site and check it as it goes. You don't need to be home every day, but at the end I walk the finished work with you.
Questions about masonry work in Ojai
Does masonry work in Ojai need a building permit?
It can, depending on the work, and we won't guess on yours. If it isn't clear, we ask the city's building office before we start, and if a permit is needed, we take care of it as part of the job.
Does a masonry contractor need a state license in California?
Yes, for most jobs. The Contractors State License Board says anyone who builds or alters a structure needs its license if the project requires a building permit, uses any additional workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Ask any contractor for their license before you sign.
Can I split a masonry project into smaller jobs to avoid hiring a licensed contractor in California?
No. The state doesn't allow a larger project to be broken into pieces under $1,000 to get around the license rule. The exemption only covers work that needs no permit, uses no employees, comes in under $1,000 in all and is done by someone who doesn't advertise as a licensed contractor, so most permitted home projects call for a licensed contractor.
How much does masonry repair cost in Ojai, CA?
The cost comes down to how much needs work and what it's made of, and your written estimate gives you the figure for your job after I've seen it. Repointing worn joints costs less than rebuilding a wall, and block or veneer over block usually costs less than solid brick or natural stone. Hard access and drainage behind a retaining wall add to it.
What is the best way to repair crumbling mortar on an older brick house in Ojai?
The best way is to grind out only the worn mortar to sound material and repoint with a mortar that matches the old one in color and is no harder than the brick. Hard modern mortar on soft old brick forces water out through the brick instead of the joints, and that can crack the brick itself. That's why we look at your mortar before we mix anything.
How do I know if my old brick chimney in Ojai is worth repairing?
It's usually worth repairing if the brick is sound and only the mortar and the top few courses have gone. If bricks are cracked through, the chimney leans or much of the top is loose, rebuilding from the roofline up is often the better use of your money. I'll tell you plainly which one yours is, including when it can wait.
Ventura, CA
Tell us about your Ojai masonry project
Send a photo or two with the form, or call (805) 507-9163, so I get a first look at what's going on before I come out.