Masonry Contractor in Santa Paula, CA - Brick Repair, Walls and Walkways
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry repairs brick, mortar and chimneys and builds block walls, retaining walls, walkways and patios for homeowners in Santa Paula, CA. I look at every job myself, and our crew of experienced masons does the work.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Santa Paula homes, old brick and backyard walls
Santa Paula is a smaller city a short drive inland from Ventura, where we're based, and many of the calls we get here come from older homes in and around downtown. Downtown has old buildings that have been put back to use, like the two renovated historic buildings that hold the Santa Paula Art Museum. The Agriculture Museum is in the historic Mill building there too.
Farther out you'll find newer houses with block walls, pavers and backyard patios. On an older house the job usually starts with finding out why the brick or mortar gave out, and on a newer lot it starts with what a wall or walkway has to carry or hold back.
Masonry services for Santa Paula homes
Foundation repair
When a crack runs up through brick or stucco on an older Santa Paula house, we find out whether the foundation moved before we patch anything.
Chimney repair
Older brick chimneys here often lose mortar at the top first, where they take the most weather, and we rebuild or repoint them before loose brick falls.
Tuckpointing
On older brick fronts where you want the sharp joint lines back, we fill the joints to match the brick, then run a thin line along each one.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose bricks on steps, planters and garden walls get cut out and replaced with brick that matches what's there as closely as we can find.
Driveway pavers
If a cracked concrete driveway is due for replacement, pavers set on a packed base give you a surface that can be lifted and reset in one spot later.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard steps down or a slope crowds the patio, we build retaining walls with gravel and drain pipe behind them so water has a way out.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and stone around downtown and the streets near it, we repair what's failing and keep as much of the original material as is still sound.
Fireplace installation
For a new masonry fireplace in an older house or a newer one, we plan the firebox, hearth and chimney together so the smoke goes up and out.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer dresses up a stucco front, a fireplace wall or a column, and we set it over a proper backing so water doesn't get trapped behind it.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along side yards and back property lines give you privacy for years, and we set them on a footing sized for the wall's height.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition, a raised floor or a garage on a sloped lot, we lay the block foundation walls that carry the framing above them.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
If you want to cook and eat out on the back patio, we build the counter base, grill surround and seating walls in block, brick or stone to match the house.
Walkway construction
When an old concrete path has heaved or split, we replace it with brick, stone or pavers on a packed base so it sits level underfoot.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden wall or front planter can match an older brick house, and we pick the brick and mortar color with you before we order.
Stone masonry
For stone walls, steps and columns on older lots, we fit each stone by hand and either set it in mortar or stack it dry, depending on the spot.
Brick pointing
When mortar joints are crumbling but the bricks themselves are sound, we replace just the worn mortar so water stops working its way in through the joints.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Santa Paula
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, walk the job with you, answer your questions 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
Permits and licenses for masonry work in Santa Paula
Building permits in Santa Paula come from the city's Building and Safety Department, and its permit list names chimney repairs, new or replacement fireplaces and walls over certain heights. When your job needs a permit, nothing starts until it's issued and the work moves at the pace of its inspections, so the permit sets the schedule more than anything else. Before you hire anyone, us included, check that the contractor holds a California contractor's license and a current Santa Paula business license. The city requires that business license every year, even from a business based in another city like ours.
When a job needs a permit, we check with the city, handle the application and set up the inspections, and when it isn't clear whether yours needs one, we ask the department before we start. Past the permit, the price mostly moves with how much wall or brick is involved, the material you choose and how much damage turns up once the old mortar comes out, and your written estimate spells out what we'd do and why. We bring the same crew and the same approach to jobs in Ojai and down on the coast in Port Hueneme.
What wears out on Santa Paula homes and yards
On older houses the mortar usually goes before the brick does, because mortar is meant to be the softer part of the wall, so joints turn sandy and open up while the bricks still look fine. Left alone, water gets into those open joints and starts loosening brick, which is how a chimney top or a garden wall goes from a pointing job to a rebuild. We look at why the joints failed, then repoint with a mortar soft enough for old brick so the repair doesn't crack the brick around it. If the joints are only a little worn, I'll tell you it can wait.
In the yards, most calls are about block walls that lean or crack and walkways that have heaved or split. The cause is usually below the surface, a footing that's too small or water with nowhere to go, so that's what we fix before anything new goes up.
How a masonry job in Santa Paula runs, start to finish
From your first call to the last walk-through, here's what happens on a Santa Paula job and where you come in.
Tell us about the job
Call or use the form and tell us what you're seeing, whether it's crumbling joints, a leaning wall or a project you've been planning. We set a time for me to come out to your house.
Walk the job with me
I look at the job 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 know the scope before you commit to anything.
Line up permits and start
Once you're ready, we line up any permit the job needs and set a start. The city schedules inspections for the next business day on requests made by 4:00 pm, and its offices close every other Friday, so we time our requests around that.
Build it, check it, walk it
Our crew of experienced masons does the work, and I'm on site running it and checking it as it goes. At the end I walk the finished job with you, so plan to be there for that.
Questions about masonry work in Santa Paula
Do I need a permit to build a block wall or retaining wall in Santa Paula?
Under the city's permit guidance, a retaining wall over 3 feet tall, measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall, needs a permit, and so does a block or masonry wall over 42 inches. We measure your planned wall against those heights at the estimate. For a shorter wall, we ask the city before we start rather than guess.
Can I pull my own permit for masonry work on my Santa Paula house?
Yes, the city lets either the property owner or a licensed contractor take out a permit for work at a residence. If you'd rather not deal with it, we handle the application and set up the inspections as part of the job.
How do I know if a masonry contractor needs a California state license?
Under the Contractors State License Board rules, a contractor needs a state license when the project needs a building permit, uses employees, or when one or more contracts on it total $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Most masonry jobs meet at least one of those, so check the contractor's license with the board before you sign. We're fully licensed and insured.
Does chimney repair need a permit in Santa Paula?
Yes, chimney repairs are on the city's permit list, along with new or replacement fireplaces. The examples the city gives of work that needs no permit are things like small storage sheds and fences that aren't concrete or masonry, so for any brick or stone repair we check with the city before we start.
How do I find out if the 2025 flood map change affected my Santa Paula home?
Ask your lender, because if your house moved from Zone A99 to Zone X in the city's flood map revision, which took effect May 15, 2025, the lender may drop the flood insurance purchase requirement. The Santa Paula Creek floodplain had been mapped as A99, a high-risk zone for areas protected by a flood control system still being built, and the new map reflects the flood control work along the creek.
How much does masonry repair cost in Santa Paula?
There's no set price, because a masonry job's cost comes down to how much wall or brick is involved, the material and how much damage turns up once the old mortar comes out. Matching old brick, tight access for a wheelbarrow and hauling off a failed wall all add to it, and a wall tall enough to need a permit adds the permit and inspection steps. Call (805) 507-9163 and I'll come take a look.
Ventura, CA
Ask about your Santa Paula masonry job
If you're not sure whether your wall, chimney or fireplace job needs a city permit, call (805) 507-9163 or send the form and ask, and I'll tell you what I'd check first.