Masonry Contractor in Cupertino, CA - Brick Repair, Walls and Pavers for Older Homes
Quality Gilroy Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Gilroy, CA, and in Cupertino we repair brick, chimneys and foundations and build retaining walls, block walls, paver driveways and walkways.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Cupertino homes, from valley ranch houses to foothill lots
Cupertino is mostly homes, with shops and office campuses along the main roads and quiet residential streets tucked behind them. On the flatter blocks running toward Santa Clara, a lot of what we work on are single-story ranch houses from the postwar decades, the kind with a brick chimney, a brick planter out front and the original concrete driveway. Many have been remodeled and some lots have been rebuilt as bigger two-story houses, so one street can have a tired old chimney a few doors down from brand-new stone veneer.
Toward the west side the ground starts to climb into the foothills, and yards get sloped and stepped. That changes the job, because brick there has usually been moving with the ground for years, and any new wall on a slope needs its footing and drainage worked out before we lay the first block.
Masonry services we do for Cupertino homes
Foundation repair
When a foundation crack or a sticking door shows up on an older Cupertino ranch house, we find what's moving before we patch anything.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes here usually fail at the top first, so we rebuild the cracked cap and loose brick before water works down inside.
Tuckpointing
When mortar on brick fronts and planters here turns sandy, we cut out the old joints and pack in fresh mortar so water stops getting into the wall.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose brick on steps, porches and garden walls usually means water or movement, so we fix the cause first and then match the new brick.
Driveway pavers
Plenty of driveways here are cracked original concrete, and pavers on a packed base can be lifted and reset in spots instead of torn out.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped yards toward the western foothills often need a retaining wall, and we build them with drainage behind the wall so water pressure doesn't push it over.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and stone patched with the wrong mortar over the years, we take out the bad repairs and redo them with mortar that suits the wall.
Fireplace installation
When you're remodeling a family room or adding a fireplace to the patio, we build the firebox and surround in brick or stone to fit the room.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone set over the stucco fronts and porch columns common here needs a drainage layer behind it, so we build that in before any stone goes up.
Concrete block walls
Block works well for side-yard and back-fence walls on Cupertino's tighter lots, and we fill and reinforce the cores so it acts as one solid wall.
Foundation block wall installation
Additions on older ranch houses here often need a block foundation wall, and we lay and reinforce it to the plans so the framing sits level.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
For backyards where the family cooks and eats outside, we build grill islands, counters and oven bases in block faced with brick or stone, set on a footing.
Walkway construction
Front walks on older homes here are often cracked concrete lifted by tree roots, and we replace them with brick, stone or pavers on a base that drains.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden wall or planter can match the brick already on your house, and we set it on a poured footing instead of loose soil.
Stone masonry
For hillside homes and landscaped yards closer to the foothills, we build natural stone walls, steps and columns that fit the slope and the look of the house.
Brick pointing
When only some joints are cracked or missing, we fill just those with matched mortar, a smaller job than full tuckpointing that catches water early.
Get a free written estimate for your Cupertino masonry job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at the job with you and give you a written estimate, free and with no obligation.
(669) 205-6449- Based in
- Gilroy, CA 95020
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Working in Cupertino: permits, licenses and your price
Permits for masonry work here come from the City of Cupertino's Building Division, and the city's rule is that any construction or alteration not on its exempt list needs one, so most new walls, foundation work and chimney rebuilds go through the city first. On those jobs the city's review, not our crew, usually sets the start date, and we check with the Building Division and handle the application and the inspections for you. Before you hire anyone, us included, check two licenses. A license from the state licensing board is required when a job needs a building permit, uses extra workers or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and the city requires contractors working in Cupertino to carry a city business license. We're licensed and fully insured, and I'd tell you to ask any contractor to show you theirs.
Cupertino is part of the South Bay run we make from Gilroy, along with neighbors like Saratoga, so we plan visits and crew days around the drive up Highway 85. On the job, the price moves with things you can see from the street: how big and how tall the wall or paved area is, whether old concrete or brick has to be broken out and hauled off first, whether the material is block, brick or natural stone, and how hard the backyard is to reach, because a narrow side yard means hand-carrying every block. Matching old brick and drawing up permit plans add to both the cost and the wait, and your written estimate puts the figure for your own job on paper.
Cupertino's aging brick and sloped yards need attention
Most of the brick in Cupertino went up with the houses decades ago, and the mortar between the bricks is meant to wear out before the brick does. When the joints go sandy or start to sink back, water gets into the wall every time it rains, and that's when you see loose brick on a chimney top, white powder on a planter or cracks that follow the mortar lines. I'd rather catch it at the pointing stage, when it's a joint repair, than wait until bricks have to come out. When I look at your house, I'll show you which joints are fine and which ones are letting water in.
The other driver is the ground. A lot of the soil around here is clay that swells when wet and shrinks as it dries, so walls, walks and drives built without enough base crack and tip as it moves, and the slopes on the west side push hard on any wall holding them back. We dig to firm soil, build a packed base or footing and put drainage behind retaining walls, because that's the part that decides how the work holds up.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Cupertino
From your first call to the final walk-through, here's how a job goes with us, including where the city's plan review fits if your project needs a permit.
Tell us about your project
Call (669) 205-6449 or send the form with a few lines about what you're seeing, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps if you can be home for the visit so you can show me what's bothering you.
I walk the job with you
I look at the job with you, explain what's causing the problem and ask how you use the space, because a wall the kids sit on or a drive that takes a truck gets built differently. Then you get a written estimate with the work and materials spelled out, so you know the number before anything starts.
Get the permit lined up
If the job needs a permit, we start once the city issues it. The city currently reports averages of 20 to 30 business days for the first plan review and 10 to 20 business days for each review after that, so we plan your start date around it.
We build, then walk it together
Our lead mason runs the crew on your job, and I check in while the work is going. When it's done, I walk the finished job with you and point out what to keep an eye on.
Questions about masonry work in Cupertino
(669) 205-6449Usually yes, because the city requires a permit for any construction or alteration that isn't on its exempt list. For a house, that list covers things like a one-story detached shed of up to 120 square feet set clear of drains, utility easements and property-line setbacks, and you can read it on the Building Division's FAQ page. If work starts without a permit, the city stops it until one is issued and doubles the permit fees, so we sort it out before we dig.
Yes, the city requires anyone doing business in Cupertino, contractors included, to hold a city business license unless they fall under one of its exemptions. It matters to you because the city won't schedule the final inspection until the contractor and every subcontractor on the job has one. Ask for it along with the state license before you sign.
On a job that needs a permit, getting through the city's plan review usually decides the start date more than the building does. For small projects the city also does counter plan review, and a permit can be issued the same day when the plans are complete. Time on site depends on the size of the job, how much old material comes out and how easy your yard is to reach.
On a home improvement job in California, the state licensing board says a contractor can't ask for or accept a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. If someone asks for more than that before work starts, treat it as a warning sign.
It's priced job by job, and the size of the work, the material, the prep and how easy your yard is to reach move the number most. Repointing a chimney costs much less than rebuilding one, block usually costs less than natural stone, and a permitted wall carries plans and city fees a small repair doesn't. I'll come out and put a figure for your job in writing.
Most cracks on older brick here come from water getting into worn mortar or from the ground moving under the footing. A crack that steps up along the mortar lines usually means movement, while crumbling joints and flaking brick usually mean water. I'll figure out which one you have before suggesting a fix, because patching a crack without fixing its cause tends to bring it back.
Gilroy, CA
Tell us about your Cupertino masonry project
Call (669) 205-6449 or send the form, and ask about the permit steps for your job while you're at it, so you know what the city needs before you plan around a start date.