Masonry Contractor in Oxnard, CA - Repaired Brick and Solid Yard Walls
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry repairs brick and mortar on Oxnard homes and builds block walls, retaining walls, walkways and paver driveways around the yard, working from our base in Ventura, a short drive up the coast.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Oxnard homes and yards as we see them
Oxnard is a big city with a lot of different houses in it, from the original homes around Heritage Square in Historic Downtown Oxnard to newer neighborhoods and the streets out toward Channel Islands Harbor. The calls we get here sound a lot like the ones from Port Hueneme and El Rio: mortar going soft between old bricks, a block wall cracked along the back fence line, or a front walk someone's been meaning to redo for years.
Older brick houses need careful repair, because their mortar is usually softer than what's sold today and a hard modern mix can crack the brick around it. On newer lots the work leans toward new walls, walkways and paving, and there the ground decides how deep we dig the footing and how much packed base goes under it.
Masonry work we do for Oxnard homes
Foundation repair
When a crack runs through the foundation or a corner has settled, we find out why before we patch it, so the repair isn't just covering the crack.
Chimney repair
Older Oxnard houses often have a brick chimney with loose bricks or a cracked crown, the concrete cap on top. We fix it before water works down inside.
Tuckpointing
On older brick homes downtown, we grind out worn joints, refill them with matched mortar and add a fine line so the joints look crisp.
Brick repair
When bricks have cracked or flaked on a wall, step or planter, we cut out the bad ones and set matches, so you aren't rebuilding everything.
Driveway pavers
Paver driveways suit Oxnard lots where a cracked slab keeps breaking up, because one damaged paver lifts out and gets replaced without tearing up the rest.
Retaining wall construction
Where soil is sliding onto a patio or walk, we build a retaining wall with drainage behind it so water doesn't push it over.
Masonry restoration
For Oxnard's older houses, we bring tired brick back by repairing and cleaning it gently and keeping every original brick that's still sound.
Fireplace installation
If you want a fireplace in the living room or out on the patio, we build it in brick or stone to match the rest of the house.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer is thin stone set over an existing wall, and it dresses up a plain stucco front or block wall without the weight of solid stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls are the usual choice for side yards and back property lines here, and we set them on a proper footing with steel and grout inside.
Foundation block wall installation
When an addition, garage or raised floor needs a block foundation, we lay it level and true, because everything built on top depends on it.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
For Oxnard backyards built around cooking and company, we build the grill island, counters and seating walls in block, brick or stone.
Walkway construction
A front walk that's heaved or cracked is easy to trip on, so we rebuild it in brick, stone or pavers on a well-packed base.
Brick wall installation
A brick garden wall or low front-yard wall suits the older houses here, and we build it on a real footing so it has solid ground under it.
Stone masonry
For a planter, wall or steps in natural stone, we pick and fit each piece by hand, so the joints stay tight and the work sits solid.
Brick pointing
When joints are just starting to crumble, pointing fills them with fresh mortar before water gets behind the brick, which costs far less than a rebuild later.
Get a written estimate for your Oxnard masonry job
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your property, look at 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
What we know about working in Oxnard
Oxnard has its own city government, and its City Council passes the local ordinances that building work here answers to. Contractor licensing is a state matter, handled by the Contractors State License Board, and its guidance decides when a job needs a licensed contractor, which I go through in the questions below. We're fully licensed and insured, and when a job needs a permit we check with the office that covers your address, handle the application and set up the inspections, or ask that office first if it isn't clear.
What moves the price here is mostly the size of the job, the material you choose, how easily we can get block and mortar to the spot, and what turns up once old mortar or concrete comes out. Narrow side yards on older lots often mean material goes in by wheelbarrow, which adds time. The schedule turns on whether permits and inspections are part of it, and your written estimate spells out what we'd do and why so you can plan around it. We do the same work in Camarillo and the other cities around Ventura, so Oxnard is close to home for our crew.
Why Oxnard brick and block walls wear out
Mortar on an older house wears back a little every year, and once a joint opens up, water gets behind the brick and starts loosening it from the inside. We repoint those joints with a mix that's softer than the brick, so if anything has to give later it's the mortar, which is the easier part to fix.
Yard walls take a lot of sprinkler water, and a footing that stays wet or has roots pushing on it is usually why a block wall starts to lean. We look at what's under and behind the wall before we repair it, because patching the crack alone won't hold.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Oxnard
Here's how it goes from your first call or message to the walk-through at the end, so you know who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send us a message
Call (805) 507-9163 or send the form with a few lines about the job, and we'll set a time for me to come out. You don't need measurements or a plan yet, just a rough idea of what's bothering you.
Look over the job together
I come out myself, look at the job with you and answer your questions before I write anything up, so it helps if you're home. You get a written estimate that says what we'd do and why, so you're not signing off on work you don't understand.
We schedule and do the work
Once you're ready, we line up any permits the job needs and set a start. Our crew of experienced masons does the work while I'm on site running it and checking it as it goes.
Walk the finished job together
When the work is done, I walk it with you, go over what we did and answer anything you want to ask. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Questions about masonry work in Oxnard
How do I know if my masonry project in Oxnard needs a licensed contractor?
Under the state board's guidance, you need a licensed contractor if the project needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or the labor and materials on one or more contracts total $1,000 or more. That covers most of the wall, chimney and foundation work on this page. The board lists a few other exemptions separately and has the current wording if you want to read it yourself.
Can a contractor split a big masonry job into smaller contracts under $1,000?
No, the board's guidance says work on a larger project can't be broken into amounts under $1,000 to get around the license requirement. If someone offers to write your wall up as several small jobs, treat that as a warning sign.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
Under the state board's guidance, a down payment on a home improvement project can't be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. After that, each payment is listed in the contract and should match work already done or materials already delivered to your home.
What does a high flood risk mean for my house and yard walls in Oxnard?
FEMA calls a place high risk when it has a 1% or higher chance of flooding in any year, which works out to at least a one-in-four chance of a flood over a 30-year mortgage. If your lot carries that rating, we talk through drainage and footings for any wall or patio before we write anything up, because standing water is hard on masonry.
How much does masonry work cost in Oxnard?
There's no single price, because the cost comes down to the size of the job, the material and what we find once old mortar or concrete comes out. Brick and natural stone usually cost more than block, and a tall wall or one holding back soil needs a bigger footing and more steel than a low garden wall. I'll write up an estimate after I've seen it, so you're working from your job and not a guess.
Does Oxnard have its own building rules on top of the state code?
Yes, the city has filed a local building standards ordinance with the state, so Oxnard's rules aren't always the state code word for word. When a wall or foundation job might fall under them, we ask the city before we start rather than guess.
Ventura, CA
Get your Oxnard masonry estimate on the calendar
We answer into the evening on weekdays and through the weekend, so you can call (805) 507-9163 or send the form after work and still reach us.