Masonry Contractor in Ventura, CA - Repairs That Fix the Cause and Walls Built to Stand
A&B Ventura Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Ventura, CA. We repair brick, mortar, chimneys and foundations on Ventura homes, and we build block and brick walls, retaining walls, walkways, paver driveways and outdoor kitchens.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Ventura homes, yards and the masonry they need
Ventura is our home base, and most calls here come from homeowners who've noticed mortar crumbling out of a brick wall, a crack running through a block wall, or a project they've been putting off for a while, like a new walkway or a wall along the back of the yard. The city mixes older houses near downtown with newer neighborhoods spreading east, and we work on both, the same way we do next door in Oxnard and up the valley in Ojai.
Older houses here often still have their first mortar, which is usually softer than what's sold today, so we mix repairs to suit the old brick instead of sealing it in with something harder. Narrow side yards are common too, and how we get block, stone and debris in and out shapes the plan from the first visit.
Masonry services we do for Ventura homes
Foundation repair
When a crack opens in the block or brick foundation of an older house, we find out why it moved before we patch it.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes usually lose mortar near the top first, where weather hits hardest, so we rebuild what's loose and refill worn joints below.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar between bricks has gone soft or sandy, we rake it out and pack in fresh mortar tinted to match the old.
Brick repair
We cut out cracked, chipped or loose bricks in steps, planters and house walls and set in replacements matched to the old brick.
Driveway pavers
Pavers can be lifted and reset where a driveway settles, which a cracked slab can't, and the packed base under them decides how well they stay flat.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped Ventura yards often need a wall to hold the hill back, and we build drainage in behind it so water doesn't build up and push on it.
Masonry restoration
When old brick or stone is tired everywhere, we clean it, fix damaged pieces and redo the joints so the house keeps its original look.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces indoors and out, and on a Ventura patio an outdoor fireplace often gets more use than the one in the living room.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer is thin stone fixed to an existing wall, a good way to dress up a stucco front or a block wall without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls are the usual choice along side and back property lines here, and we set them on a footing sized for the wall, which is what keeps one from leaning later.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions, garages and raised floors, we lay the block foundation walls the building sits on, filled and reinforced where the plans call for it.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Under the counter, an outdoor kitchen is a block or brick base, and we build it and finish it in stone, brick or stucco to suit the yard.
Walkway construction
Walkways that heave or hold puddles usually sit on a weak base, so we dig out, pack a firm base and slope the surface to shed water.
Brick wall installation
A new brick wall around a front yard or patio can match an older brick house, and we pick the brick and mortar color with you before we start.
Stone masonry
For garden walls, steps and planters in natural stone, we fit each piece by hand so the joints stay tight and the stone carries its own weight.
Brick pointing
If only a few joints are cracked or missing, pointing fills just those, which costs less than redoing the wall and is often all an older wall needs.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Ventura masonry job
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at 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 Ventura: permits, schedules and price
Inside the city limits, permits go through the City of Ventura's Permit Services, and whether your job needs one is the city's call, not ours. Additions, alterations, new construction and adding or removing walls go in as complex permits that need plan review, so on that kind of job the city's review sets the start date more than our calendar does. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and set up the inspections, and when it isn't clear, we ask the city before we start. We're fully licensed and insured.
What moves the price is mostly what you can't see yet: how much old mortar or brick has to come out, how deep a footing has to go, whether a slope needs drainage, and which material you pick. The written estimate lays out what we'd do for your job and why. Past the city line, in Camarillo or Santa Paula, we work the same way, though your permit may come from a different office, so we check that by your address.
Why Ventura houses and yards need masonry work
Most of what we get called for here is mortar giving out before the brick does. Mortar is meant to be the softer part of the wall, and on older Ventura houses it's often been getting soaked by sprinklers and drying out again for decades, until it turns sandy and starts falling out of the joints. Once water gets in behind the face, bricks can crack and chimney tops can loosen, so we'd rather fix the joints while that's still the main problem, and I'll tell you if a wall only needs a few joints filled for now.
The other thing we see is ground that wants to move. Plenty of yards here sit on a slope or were leveled by cutting into one, and a wall or walkway with no way for water to get out from behind or under it gets pushed until it cracks, so we plan the drainage and the footing before we plan the face.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Ventura
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, with me on the job from the first look to the last check.
Call us or send the form
Tell us what you're seeing or what you'd like built, and send a photo if you have one. We set a time for me to come out that works for you.
Walk the job together
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 what you're paying for before you decide.
Line up permits and start
Once you're ready, we handle any permit the city requires and set a start date that follows its approval. The Permit Services counter is closed on Fridays, so we plan paperwork around that.
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. At the end, I walk the finished work with you.
Questions about masonry work in Ventura
Which jobs get a simple permit in Ventura, CA?
The city's simple permits cover work like water heaters, furnace changeouts and re-roofs that are submitted without plans. Masonry isn't named on that list, so don't assume a wall or foundation job is simple, or that it needs nothing. We check with the city before we start.
How do I apply for a building permit online in Ventura?
You need a Ventura OPS account, the city's Online Permit Services, before you can apply online. If you'd rather go in person, the counter takes walk-ins Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 1 PM. When we're doing the work, we handle the application for you.
How early do I need to request an inspection in Ventura?
The city's Building and Safety Division needs inspection requests by the business day before the inspection. We book each one as that stage of the job gets close, so a footing or wall isn't left sitting open waiting on an inspector.
Which building codes does the City of Ventura enforce?
The city enforces the California construction codes, along with changes the city made when it adopted them. If you have a question about how a code applies to your project, Permit Services is the place to ask, and we check anything unclear with the city before we build.
How much does masonry work cost in Ventura, CA?
Your price comes from the written estimate I put together after seeing the job, because two walls that look alike can have very different problems underneath. Filling worn joints where the brick is still sound costs far less than rebuilding a section, while natural stone over block, or a brick finish over plain stucco, raises the price. I'll tell you plainly if something can wait.
What is the best way to stop a block wall from cracking in Ventura?
Build it on a footing sized for the wall and fill the hollow cores with concrete and steel where the wall needs it, because most cracked block walls we see settled on a footing that was too small. On an existing wall, I look at the footing and what's pushing on it before we patch anything, since a crack filled without fixing the cause usually comes back.
Ventura, CA
Get your Ventura masonry estimate scheduled
Call (805) 507-9163 or send the form, because mortar that's just starting to go is a smaller fix now than after water gets behind the brick.