Masonry Contractor in San Luis Obispo - Brick and Stone Repairs That Fix the Cause
Keystone Santa Maria Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in San Luis Obispo. We repair crumbling brick joints and tired chimneys, and we build retaining walls, block walls, paver driveways and walkways on a solid base.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What masonry work looks like in San Luis Obispo
We're based in Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo is one of the cities we come up to for brick, block and stone work. Some calls come from older houses near downtown, where brick chimneys, front steps and garden walls are losing their mortar. Others come from homes on the slopes toward the hills, where a yard needs a retaining wall or a path that holds its grade. We do the same work in Arroyo Grande and down in Lompoc.
The price here turns on how big the job is, how far we carry block and brick from the street, and what we find once old mortar or an old footing is opened up. The schedule turns on that too, and on whether the city wants a permit and inspection first. After I've looked at your job, you get it laid out in writing. On a sloped lot, the ground under a wall decides more of the job than the wall does.
What we build and fix in San Luis Obispo
Foundation repair
When a crack opens in the block under your house, we find what moved it, usually water or soil, before we patch anything.
Explore Foundation repairChimney repair
Older San Luis Obispo houses often have a brick chimney with loose joints or a cracked crown, and we rebuild what's failing from the top down.
Explore Chimney repairTuckpointing
Joints that crumble under your thumb get ground out and refilled with mortar matched to the brick, so the wall sheds water again.
Explore TuckpointingBrick repair
Bricks with cracked or flaking faces on steps, planters and garden walls get cut out and replaced one at a time.
Explore Brick repairDriveway pavers
On a sloped drive, pavers hold up when the base under them is dug out, packed in layers and edged so nothing creeps downhill.
Explore Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Yards cut into a slope often need a wall to hold them level, and we build it with drainage behind it from the start.
Explore Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
On older brick and stone, we repair what's worn and match the color and texture, so old and new read as one wall.
Explore Masonry restorationFireplace installation
A new masonry fireplace starts with a footing sized for its weight, and then the firebox, smoke chamber and chimney go up course by course.
Explore Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face set over an existing wall, only holds as well as the backing, so we prep that first.
Explore Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls along property lines and side yards go on a poured footing, with steel and grout where the design calls for it.
Explore Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For additions and garages, we lay the block foundation wall on a level footing and build to the plans the city approves.
Explore Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
Backyard kitchens get a block frame on a solid slab, faced in brick or stone to match the house and opened for your grill.
Explore Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks and side-yard paths on a grade need steps and a base that drains, so they don't settle or turn slick.
Explore Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick garden or entry wall can match the older brick on your house, laid on a footing suited to the soil.
Explore Brick wall installationStone masonry
Stone walls, steps and columns are laid by hand, and we pick and fit each stone so the weight sits where it should.
Explore Stone masonryBrick pointing
When only a few joints have gaps, pointing fills them before water gets in, and I'll tell you if that's all you need.
Explore Brick pointing
What San Luis Obispo's slopes ask of masonry
I grew up on a family farm, where a quick patch rarely held. So when I look at a wall in San Luis Obispo, I look for why it failed first, and I'll tell you plainly if it can wait.
I see your job through
I look at every job myself before we price it, and I'm on site with our crew while the work gets done, so the person who quoted it sees it built.
We fix the cause first
Crumbling joints and a leaning wall usually trace back to water or a weak base, so we find that and fix it before we lay new brick.
A straight answer on what can wait
If your chimney or wall can wait, I'll say so and tell you what to watch for, rather than sell you work you don't need yet.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in San Luis Obispo
Tell us your address and what you're seeing, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out to look for free, and you get a written outline of the work with no obligation.
Masonry questions from San Luis Obispo
Do I need a permit to alter my home in San Luis Obispo?
Yes, when the work builds or alters a building, the property owner has to get a permit from the city's Building & Safety Division before work starts. For a garden wall, a retaining wall or a paver drive, call the division at (805) 781-7180 and ask before you plan the job. When a job needs a permit, we handle it with the city and build to the approved plans, and if you're not sure, we'll check with them before we start.
How far ahead do I book a building inspection in San Luis Obispo?
You need to call at least 24 hours ahead to book a building permit inspection with the city. Fire and demolition inspections are booked by phone at (805) 781-7180. We plan our work around those visits, so a footing or a wall isn't covered up before the inspector has seen it.
When is the San Luis Obispo Community Development counter open?
The Community Development counter at 919 Palm Street takes walk-ins Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon. Phone calls and appointments run Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at (805) 781-7170. If your job needs a permit, we deal with the city for you, so you don't have to make the trip unless you want to.
How much does masonry work cost in San Luis Obispo?
The cost comes down to the size of the job, how easy the site is to reach and what we find under the old work, so I price each job after I've seen it. A tall retaining wall on a slope, block carried up steps or old brick that has to be matched all add to it, while repointing a few joints on sound brick costs far less than a rebuild. Call (805) 268-7499 or use the form, and I'll come take a look.
What causes mortar joints to crumble on older brick houses?
Usually it's water and time, because mortar is meant to wear before the brick does, and joints that stay wet break down faster. A past repair done with mortar harder than the brick can also crack the brick faces next to it. We match new mortar to the old brick so the joint stays the part that wears.
What is the best way to build a retaining wall on a sloped lot?
Start with the footing and the drainage, because a wall that leans or cracks usually fails from soil and water pushing behind it, not from the block itself. We dig the footing into firm ground, set drain rock and a drain pipe behind the wall and backfill in layers. If the wall needs a permit, we sort that out with the city before we dig.
Find your city or give us a call
Pick your city below to see what we run into there. If yours isn't listed, call (805) 268-7499, since these pages are only some of the places we go.