Masonry Contractor in San Martin, CA - Walls, Pavers and Brick Repair for Country Lots
Quality Gilroy Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Gilroy, CA. In San Martin we build retaining walls, block walls, paver driveways and outdoor kitchens, and we repoint and repair the brick and stone already there.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
San Martin homes sit on bigger, open lots
San Martin feels different from the cities on either side of it. Come down from Morgan Hill and the lots open up. You see ranch houses set back on acreage, newer custom homes on big parcels, barns and shops out back, and vineyards along the eastern foothills. Most of what we're asked to do here is at someone's home, and a lot of it is outside the house itself, like a wall along the drive, a patio with an outdoor kitchen, or a chimney on an older place.
All that land shapes the job. Long drives and paths mean more square footage and more base work, and lots that slope toward the hills often need a retaining wall before anything flat can go in. On a rural parcel I also plan where the truck with the block and stone can get close.
Masonry services we handle on San Martin properties
Foundation repair
When an older ranch house shows cracks in its foundation, we find where the water or movement comes from and fix that, not just the crack.
Chimney repair
Chimneys on the older homes out here often have loose brick or a cracked cap on top, and we rebuild what's failing before water works down inside.
Tuckpointing
If the mortar between your bricks is sandy or sunk back from the face, we grind out the worn joints and refill them so the wall sheds water again.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose brick on a porch, planter or house wall gets cut out and replaced with brick matched to the old as closely as we can.
Driveway pavers
Long country driveways cover a lot of ground, so we build a firm base and lay pavers that can be lifted and reset if a section settles.
Retaining wall construction
Lots that slope toward the foothills often need a retaining wall to hold back soil, and we build drainage behind it so water doesn't push it over.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone homes and outbuildings here can be brought back by repairing joints, replacing broken pieces and fixing the water problem that caused the damage.
Fireplace installation
A new masonry fireplace, inside the house or out on a big patio, gets laid up in brick or stone that suits the house and the setting.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer gives a newer custom home or a plain block wall a stone face, and we build in drainage so water that gets behind it can get out.
Concrete block walls
Block walls work well for property lines, privacy along a road and screening a shop or equipment yard, and we reinforce them with steel and grout.
Foundation block wall installation
For a new barn, shop, addition or second home on your parcel, we lay the block foundation walls the framing sits on, level and square.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Big yards and patios here are made for cooking outside, and we build the counters, grill islands and pizza oven bases in block, brick or stone.
Walkway construction
Paths from a long drive to the front door, the barn or the garden get a packed base and brick, stone or pavers laid to stay even underfoot.
Brick wall installation
A brick garden wall or a pair of columns at the end of the drive gives a country property a finished edge, and we set it on a footing.
Stone masonry
Natural stone fits the open, rural look of San Martin lots, and we use it for walls, steps, planters and fire pit surrounds.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints have cracked or dropped out, pointing those spots now keeps water out of the wall and can save a bigger repair later.
Get a written masonry estimate for your San Martin property
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, walk the job with you and give you a free written estimate, 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 San Martin: licenses, permits and what sets the price
The first thing I'd tell anyone hiring for masonry out here is to check the contractor's license with the state licensing board, because California requires one whenever a job needs a building permit, uses any hired help, or adds up to $1,000 or more in labor and materials. We're licensed and fully insured. Permits depend on the job, so if yours needs one from the city or county, we check with the office that issues it and handle the application and the inspections for you.
Price mostly comes down to the size of the job, the material, how much digging and base work the ground needs, and how easy it is to get materials close on your lot. The schedule turns on that same prep, and on the permit if there is one. We're based in Gilroy, a short drive away, and once I've walked your property I'll put your own figure in a written estimate.
San Martin lots and what they ask of masonry
Slopes are the first thing I look at on a San Martin lot. Soil sitting against a bank or a cut in the yard pushes harder when it's wet, so we build retaining walls with gravel and a drain pipe behind them. Most leaning walls I see failed because water got trapped behind them, not because the block gave out.
Long driveways and walkways are the other thing we see a lot of, and over a long run any weak spot in the base shows up as a dip or a rocking paver. We dig out the soft soil, compact the base in layers and set an edge to hold the pavers in place.
How a masonry job runs when you call us from San Martin
Here's how it goes from your first call to the final walk-through, so you know who you'll talk to and what you'll have in hand at each point.
Call us or send the form
Call (669) 205-6449 or send the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time that works. Tell us a little about the job, and send a photo if you have one.
I walk the property with you
I come out myself, look at the job with you, and point at what I'm seeing before I talk about fixes. You get the estimate in writing, so you know the scope and the number before you decide anything.
Our crew does the work
Our lead mason runs the crew on your job, and I check in while it's going. You don't need to be home every day, as long as we can get to the work.
We walk the finished job
When it's done, I walk it with you and show you what to keep an eye on, like the joints at the top of a wall or the edges of a paver drive. That way you can spot trouble early, whoever you call next time.
Masonry contractor questions in San Martin
(669) 205-6449Your price comes from the size of the job, the material and how hard the site is to work, and I'll give you that figure in writing after I see the property. Natural stone and brick usually cost more than block or pavers, and a wall that needs digging, drainage and a footing costs more than one on flat, firm ground. Tearing out old work, matching old brick and getting materials down a long or narrow drive all add to it.
Yes, but only on very small jobs that need no building permit, use no employees, and total less than $1,000 in labor and materials across all contracts, and only if the person doesn't advertise as a licensed contractor. Splitting a bigger job into several pieces under $1,000 doesn't get around it, because the license rule still covers that work. If any one of those doesn't hold, ask for a state license before you sign.
The state licensing board caps a contractor's down payment at $1,000, and the cap is lower on smaller contracts because it's tied to a share of the total price. After that, every other payment has to be spelled out in the contract and match work that's already done or materials already delivered to your house. The board says these rules apply to all home improvement projects.
Yes, a bill summarized in the state licensing board's law book lets the buyer cancel a home improvement contract by email. The same bill requires the contract to include the contractor's email address, so look for it in the contract itself before you sign.
Most crumbling mortar comes from water working into the joints over the years, and on older houses it's often made worse by earlier repairs done with mortar harder than the brick. When the mortar is harder, the brick takes the stress and starts to crack or flake around the joint. We grind out the bad joints, repoint with a mortar suited to the brick, and find where the water is getting in so the problem doesn't come right back.
For most walls on a country lot, I'd build in reinforced block and face it with brick or stone where people will see it, because block is strong and goes up faster. Solid natural stone looks right out here and lasts, but it costs more and takes longer to lay, so I'd save it for a wall that's the centerpiece of the yard. Tell me how you use the space, and I'll show you what fits at the estimate.
Gilroy, CA
Get your San Martin masonry estimate scheduled
If you're comparing contractors, I'll walk you through what's going on with your wall, chimney or drive so you can weigh every bid on the same terms.