Foundation repair
We repair cracked and settled masonry foundations on older Santa Ana houses, finding out first why they moved, because patching a crack without fixing the cause usually brings it back.
Masonry contractor in Santa Ana, CA - older brick repaired, new walls built
Optimum Yorba Linda Concrete & Masonry is a licensed and insured masonry contractor from Yorba Linda, CA, working in Santa Ana. We repair brick and chimneys and build block walls, garden walls, walkways and paver driveways.
Masonry work on Santa Ana houses and yards
A good many Santa Ana houses are older, and on them we usually find brick chimneys with worn mortar, front planters and low walls that have shifted, and block walls between yards that have started to lean. On the newer streets the calls run more to paver driveways, walkways and new garden walls. We're based in Yorba Linda and do the same work next door in Garden Grove and over in Tustin, so these houses look familiar to us.
Work on a Santa Ana house runs through the city's Building Safety Division, which issues the permits, reviews the plans and inspects the work. Most building permit applications need Planning Division approval before they reach that counter, so on jobs that need review, the city's timing and our crew's calendar set the start date between them.
The price moves mostly with the size of the job, the material you choose, how easily our crew can reach the work and whether old masonry has to come out first, and matching old brick and mortar takes extra care. Once I've seen the job, I'll put your own figure in the written estimate.
Ask for a city business license
Santa Ana requires a city business license for every business working inside its limits, contractors included, so it's a fair question to put to anyone you're thinking of hiring.
We take care of permits
Before work starts, we check with the city about your job, and when it needs a permit we handle the paperwork and schedule the inspections, so you aren't left sorting it out yourself.
Our own crew, checked by me
The work is done by our own masons and helpers, and I'm on site to check it and to make sure the yard is left clean at the end of each day.
Masonry work we do for Santa Ana homes
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes lose mortar up high first, where weather hits hardest, so we rebuild the cap on top, reset loose brick and repoint the joints below.
Tuckpointing
We fill raked-out joints with mortar tinted to match the brick, then run a thin line of contrasting mortar along each joint, which makes worn brick fronts look crisp and even again.
Brick repair
When single bricks are cracked, flaking or loose, we cut them out and set replacements matched for size and color, often from salvage, so the patch doesn't stand out.
Driveway pavers
We dig out the old driveway, pack a firm gravel base and lay pavers inside a solid edge, because a weak base is what makes paver driveways sink and spread under cars.
Retaining wall construction
We build block and stone retaining walls with a proper footing, gravel and drains behind them, since water trapped behind a wall is what usually pushes it over.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and stone that has weathered, we clean gently, repair and repoint with materials suited to its age, keeping as much of the original work as we can.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces indoors and out, laying the firebox, hearth and surround and finishing the face in brick or stone that suits the room or patio around it.
Stone veneer installation
We set thin stone over block walls, chimneys and house fronts on metal lath and a base coat of mortar, because the backing decides whether the stone stays put for years.
Concrete block walls
Block walls between yards often lean or crack with age, so we rebuild them or build new ones on a solid footing, with steel and grout where needed.
Foundation block wall installation
We lay block foundation walls for additions, garages and raised floors, setting each row true and level on the footing so everything built on top starts square.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build grill islands and outdoor kitchens in block, faced in brick or stone, and size the openings to the grill and doors you've chosen before we lay the first block.
Walkway construction
We build front walks and side paths in brick, pavers, stone or concrete, sloped slightly away from the house so rain runs off instead of pooling by the door.
Brick wall installation
We build brick garden walls, front-yard walls and planters, matching the brick and joint style of an older house so the new wall looks like it belongs there.
Stone masonry
We lay natural stone for walls, steps, planters and columns, fitting each piece by hand and keeping the joints tight, so the finished work looks settled rather than stacked.
Brick pointing
We rake out cracked or crumbling joints and repack them with mortar no harder than the brick, because mortar that's too hard pushes the damage into the brick itself.
Get a written estimate for your masonry job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out myself to look at the job and write your free estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Seen in person, not by photo
I look at the wall, the chimney or the ground in person, because cracks, old mortar and how our crew will reach the work are hard to judge from a photo.
Plain answers while I'm there
Please ask whatever you'd like while I'm there. I'll explain what I'd do and why, and what the finished work will look like, so you can weigh it fairly against other bids.
Our promise on every job
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job. I'm after work that still holds up years after we've packed up, because a mason's name stays on every wall we build.
Santa Ana permit questions about masonry work
Here are the permit questions that usually come up before a wall, chimney or paving job in Santa Ana, answered from the city's own guidance.
Which masonry work needs a permit in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana requires a permit to construct, alter, repair or demolish a building, and its permit FAQ exempts finish work such as painting, tiling and counter tops. Chimney, foundation and other work on the house itself has to be measured against that rule, so I'll check with the city and tell you at the estimate whether your job needs one.
Does a block wall or retaining wall need a permit in Santa Ana?
The city's permit FAQ exempts fences up to seven feet high from a building permit, and retaining walls up to four feet from the bottom of the footing to the top, unless the wall holds up extra load like a slope or driveway. A city handout from 2022 says fences and walls still need Planning Division review, and a front-yard fence needs a Planning permit.
How long is a building permit good for in Santa Ana?
A Santa Ana permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 180 days of being issued, and it lapses if the work stops for 180 days after it starts. That's why we settle the start date with you before the permit goes in, so the clock isn't running while you're still deciding.
Masonry work in our service areas
These are the cities with their own page on our site, though we work in other cities around Yorba Linda as well, so please call or send the form to ask about yours.
Ask about your Santa Ana masonry project
Please call (714) 386-7680 any day until 10 PM, or send the form, and we'll talk through your project and its permit steps.