Masonry Contractor in Ben Lomond, CA - Stone and Brick Work for Hillside Lots
J&L Santa Cruz Concrete & Masonry repairs and builds brick, stone and block in Ben Lomond, from repointing old chimneys and foundations to retaining walls that hold back wet hillside ground.
Masonry for Ben Lomond homeson wet, sloping ground
Most of what we do in Ben Lomond is older houses on sloped lots. We see chimneys losing mortar, foundation walls that stay damp and retaining walls holding back a hill that would rather sit in your driveway.
We're a masonry contractor based in Santa Cruz, and we work from Scotts Valley over the hill to Santa Clara. Price on these jobs usually turns on access to the lot and how much old work comes out, and the schedule turns on rain and any permit.
Call (831) 201-6259 or use the form below, and tell me what your wall or chimney is doing.
What we do in Ben Lomondfrom chimney tops to footings
We offer every service here, though older houses and steep lots mostly call for repointing, chimney work and retaining walls.
- Foundation repair Older foundations on sloped lots take water from uphill, so we find where it's getting in before we patch anything.
- Chimney repair Tall old chimneys take the worst of the wind and wet winters, and loose top courses and cracked crowns are the usual call.
- Tuckpointing Older brick homes here often have joints worn back from the face, and we rake them out and refill them by hand.
- Brick repair Spalled faces and cracked units on old chimneys and steps, replaced with brick that matches the size and color.
- Driveway pavers Steep driveways need a firm base and solid edges, or the pavers start walking downhill after a few rains.
- Retaining wall construction One of the things we're known for, and steep Ben Lomond lots give plenty of reasons to build one.
- Masonry restoration Older brick and stone put back in order, using materials that work with the original instead of fighting it.
- Fireplace installation A brick or stone fireplace built for the cool, damp evenings under the trees.
- Stone veneer installation Thin stone over block or framed walls, set with a drainage gap so wet seasons don't trap water behind it.
- Concrete block walls Reinforced block for garden walls, terraces and property lines where a slope needs something solid.
- Foundation block wall installation New block stem walls under additions or rebuilt sections, tied into what's there so old and new move together.
- Outdoor kitchen masonry Stone and block grill surrounds need a level pad, which on a sloped yard usually means building one first.
- Walkway construction Stone or brick paths and steps down a slope, laid to shed water and give good footing when it's wet.
- Brick wall installation Garden and boundary walls in new or reclaimed brick, matched to the house they sit beside.
- Stone masonry Dry-laid and mortared stone walls, steps and planters that fit the wooded hillside lots here.
- Brick pointing Small pointing jobs on steps, planters and chimney faces, done before a few loose joints turn into a rebuild.
Why Ben Lomond hires usfor older brick and stone
I come out to look at every job myself, and I'll tell you plainly what the wall needs and what it doesn't, even when the honest answer is to leave it alone.
I look at every job myself
Every job starts with me on site, not a salesperson. My crew does the work with me there, so the person who looked at it sees it through.
Repairs that don't cause the next problem
Old masonry lasts if you don't fight it. We match mortar and materials to what's there, so the repair doesn't crack the brick around it.
Straight answers on what's worth fixing
If a job isn't worth doing, I'll say so. I'd rather lose the work than sell you a repair your wall doesn't need.
In business since 2013
We've done masonry since 2013, mostly repointing and repairing older brick and stone, plus the retaining walls we're known for.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and insured on every job we take, and the one promise we make is satisfaction guaranteed.
How a job goesfrom your call to the walkthrough
You deal with me from the first look to the last walkthrough, and nothing gets started until you've read in writing what we'll do and why.
You call or write
Call (831) 201-6259 or send the form, and tell me what you're seeing, whether it's a leaning wall, loose brick or a crumbling chimney.
I come out and look
I come to the property and look at the job myself, then give you a written estimate that says what we'll do and why.
Permit, then the work
If the job needs a permit, we pull it from the County of Santa Cruz's Unified Permit Center and line up inspections. Then my crew and I do the work.
We walk it together
When the work's done, I walk it with you before we call it finished, so anything you'd change gets said while we're still there.
What Ben Lomond does to masonryrain, slope and shade
Three things are behind most of our calls here, and each one changes how we build or repair.
Heavy rain in El Niño winters
The County warns El Niño winters can bring heavy rain, flooding and fallen trees, so we build drainage into the walls we put up.
Wet ground pushing on walls
Soaked hillside soil gets heavy and leans on retaining walls, so we check drainage behind a leaning wall before we say repair or rebuild.
Damp walls under the trees
Walls in heavy shade stay wet for months and the mortar goes soft, so we repoint with a mix that lets the old brick dry.
Your Ben Lomond estimatefrom the person who'll do it
Tell us what the wall or chimney is doing and where the house is, and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll come out for a free estimate at your property, with no pressure to book.
Our work in Ben Lomonda short drive from Santa Cruz
Ben Lomond jobs are mostly the work we've built the business on: repointing old brick and stone, fixing chimneys and building retaining walls. On creekside yards and wooded lots, I'd rather keep an old wall standing and fix what's failing than sell you a new one.
Outside these cities? Call us
See your city's page if it's listed. If not, call (831) 201-6259, because the cities here aren't the only places we work.