Foundation repair
When a crack runs through the brick above a door or a corner has settled, we find what moved under the footing before we patch anything on top.
Masonry contractor in Old Fig Garden, CA - brick repair and solid walls
Mastercraft Fresno Concrete and Masonry is a Fresno-based masonry contractor. In Old Fig Garden we repair mortar and brick on older houses, fix tired chimneys, and build garden walls, walkways and stone work on solid footings.
What masonry work looks like in Old Fig Garden
Most calls we get in Old Fig Garden are about brick that's been standing a long time: joints gone soft and sandy, a chimney dropping mortar, or a garden wall or walk that roots have pushed out of line. What moves the price is how much has to come apart, whether the footing under it needs work and how closely new brick has to match the old, and you'll have your own figure once I've seen the job. The schedule turns on whether a permit is needed and how long matching brick takes to come in. If you're on North Van Ness Boulevard, December counts too, since the street runs one way for the holiday lights from Shields to Shaw until Christmas Day, so we plan deliveries around it.
We're based in Fresno and do the same work across the cities around it, Selma included. What sets Old Fig Garden apart is the ground. Much of it was hardpan, a hard layer that dried out in summer and flooded in winter, and developers blasted it with dynamite in the early 1900s so trees could take root. Many of the big cedars, oaks and eucalyptus along Van Ness are aging or gone now, so before we set a footing near one, I want to know what its roots have done to the soil.
The prep you won't see
I care most about what's hidden once we leave: the footing, the drainage and the mortar mix, because years running commercial crews taught me that's where a job is won or lost.
Our own crew on your job
Since 2013 our own crew has done the work, with a lead mason running it on site, so the person you talk to mid-job knows exactly how your wall went in.
A small fix if that's enough
If redoing the mortar in a few rows will hold your chimney or wall, I'll tell you that and leave sound brick alone, because tearing it out costs you money and buys nothing.
Masonry work we do in Old Fig Garden
Chimney repair
Older chimneys here often lose mortar near the top first, so we redo the joints or rebuild the rows above the roofline and leave sound brick below alone.
Tuckpointing
We grind out worn joints and refill them with mortar matched to the age of your brick, since mortar harder than old brick can crack the brick itself.
Brick repair
Bricks that are cracked or flaking at the face get cut out and replaced with the closest match we can find in size and color for your house.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit driveways under big trees because a section lifted by roots can be taken up, the base fixed and the same pavers laid back down.
Retaining wall construction
Most garden retaining walls stand or fall on the footing and the drainage behind them, so we dig out, pack the base and give water a way out.
Masonry restoration
For brick that's been standing a long time, we clean it, repair it and redo the joints to keep the original look, and replace only what can't be saved.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces from the footing up, laying the firebox, hearth and surround so they sit plumb and finish cleanly against your wall and floor.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone goes over a wire mesh and a base coat of mortar, and that backing, not the stone, decides whether it stays put on your wall.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along a property line get a poured footing, steel in the cells and grout where it's called for, so they're built to stay straight as they age.
Foundation block wall installation
For additions and raised floors, we lay block foundation walls on a footing set to the plan, checking level on each row so the framing sits true.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the block or brick base for grills, counters and pizza ovens, with openings sized to your appliances before the first row goes down.
Walkway construction
Brick, stone or paver walks get a dug-out, packed base and a slight slope for water, and we route them away from big roots where the yard allows.
Brick wall installation
New brick garden walls and planters go on a footing below the soft topsoil, with brick and mortar picked to sit right beside an older house.
Stone masonry
We lay natural stone for walls, steps, columns and borders, fitting each piece by hand so the joints stay tight and the weight sits on the stone below.
Brick pointing
When only the face of the joints has worn, a fresh layer of mortar pressed in and shaped to match the old joints is often all your brick needs.
Get a written price for your masonry job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time for a free estimate at your house. There's no obligation to go ahead.
I come out myself
I look at the job and write the estimate myself, so the person pricing your wall or chimney is the one who knows what the footing and mortar will take.
Free and at your house
The estimate costs nothing and happens on site, because I can't judge loose mortar or a settled footing from a photo the way I can standing in front of it.
Your price in writing
You get the price on paper, so you can compare it with other bids, ask me questions and decide on your own time before anything starts.
Questions about masonry work in Old Fig Garden
Here are straight answers to what homeowners here ask about permits, contractor licenses and payment before we start a wall or repair.
Do I need a permit to build a block or brick wall along my property line in Old Fig Garden?
Usually not if it's a fence wall 7 feet high or less, because the County of Fresno exempts fences not over 7 feet from permits. The county does require permits for most other building and repair work on structures. When your job needs one, we file it with the county and handle the paperwork.
Does a retaining wall need a permit in Old Fig Garden?
Not if it's 4 feet or less from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless it holds up extra weight, like a driveway or sloping ground above it. Taller walls and loaded walls need a permit. If your home is a designated historic property, tell me at the estimate so we can plan for that too.
When does a masonry contractor need a California license?
Whenever the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or the labor and materials together come to $1,000 or more, under the rules of the California Contractors State License Board. That takes in most masonry jobs you'd hire out. We're licensed and insured.
How much can a contractor ask for up front on a home improvement job in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. The state contractors board sets that limit for all home improvement projects, so it applies to a chimney, wall or walkway job in Old Fig Garden the same as anywhere else in California.
Cities we serve for masonry work
These are the cities with their own page on our site, not the only places we work. If yours isn't listed, call (559) 319-0148 and ask.
Call about your brick or wall
Call (559) 319-0148 or send the form, because loose joints caught early are usually a small repair instead of a rebuild.