Masonry contractor in Fillmore, CA - sound walls, chimneys and driveways
Blockworks Oxnard Concrete and Masonry repairs and builds brick, block and stone in Fillmore, from tired chimneys and worn mortar to garden walls, retaining walls and paver driveways.
Our masonry work in Fillmore
Fillmore is a small city, and our work here can be a brick chimney on an older house near downtown one week and a block wall on a newer street the next. The older homes usually have brick and stone that's still sound, with worn mortar and a few mismatched patches from past repairs. Out toward the orchards and the edges of the city, the lots get bigger and the calls turn to retaining walls, property-line walls, long walkways and paver driveways.
We're a masonry contractor based in Oxnard, and we work in Fillmore much as we do in nearby Santa Paula and Moorpark. The price mostly turns on how much brick, block or stone is involved, how easy it is to reach and whether old work has to come out first, and my written quote lists what's included. The schedule turns on matching materials and on the city, since Fillmore's Building & Safety staff are the first stop before construction work. The city's code lets a fence 6 feet or under go without a permit, but we check with them about your wall and tell you what we find before work starts, and if a permit is needed we handle the paperwork and the inspections. The city also asks businesses from outside city limits, us included, to carry a City Business License. Under all of it is the ground, because a wall or a driveway only holds up as well as the base we dig out and pack beneath it.
What we build and fix in Fillmore
Foundation repair
Older Fillmore houses on raised foundations sometimes show cracked or crumbling block or brick at the base, and we repair what's failing without tearing out what's still sound.
Chimney repair
Leaking or loose chimneys on older Fillmore homes usually need the crown and the top few rows of brick rebuilt, not the whole stack. We'll tell you which.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar joints on a Fillmore brick home turn sandy or sink back, we grind out the loose mortar and refill with a mix that matches the old joints.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose bricks on older porches, steps and garden walls around Fillmore get cut out and replaced with brick close enough that the patch blends in.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit the longer driveways on Fillmore's bigger lots, and since one cracked paver can be lifted out and replaced, a repair doesn't mean breaking up the whole drive.
Retaining wall construction
Where a Fillmore yard steps down to a neighbor's lot, we build retaining walls with drainage behind them, because trapped water is what pushes walls over.
Masonry restoration
On Fillmore's older brick and stone homes, restoration means cleaning, repointing and rebuilding damaged sections with mortar soft enough that it won't harm the original brick.
Fireplace installation
We build brick and stone fireplaces for living rooms and back patios, and on Fillmore's roomier lots an outdoor fireplace often becomes where everyone sits.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone set over an existing wall, dresses up the plain stucco fronts and block walls on Fillmore's newer streets without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along Fillmore property lines take a beating from sprinklers, roots and age. We repair cracked or leaning runs or build new ones on a proper footing.
Foundation block wall installation
When an older Fillmore house needs a new block foundation wall, we set steel and grout in the block's hollow cells, because this is earthquake country.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Fillmore backyards with room to spare are a natural fit for a block and stone outdoor kitchen, built on a real footing so the counters stay level.
Walkway construction
Brick, paver or flagstone walkways from the drive to the door or across a long Fillmore lot, laid on a packed base so they stay flat.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden or front wall that suits an older Fillmore home takes careful brick and mortar matching, and that's the part we spend time on up front.
Stone masonry
River rock and fieldstone show up on older Fillmore homes in chimneys, porch columns and low walls. We rebuild loose stonework and lay new stone to match.
Brick pointing
If just a few joints on a Fillmore wall or chimney have worn out, we refill those, and I'd rather do that than sell you the whole wall.
What should Fillmore homeowners watch for in their masonry?
A lot of Fillmore's brick, block and stone has been through decades of use and some real earthquakes, so small cracks and loose mortar are worth catching early.
- Sandy mortar falling from joints
- Stair-step cracks in brick or block
- Loose or missing chimney bricks
- Garden wall leaning or bowing
- Water stains near the chimney
- Sunken or uneven pavers
If you spot one of these, call or send the form and I'll come out, take a look and tell you plainly whether it needs work yet.
Should you repair your masonry or rebuild it?
On Fillmore homes it comes down to whether the brick, block or stone itself is sound. Worn mortar is a repair, and a failing structure underneath usually isn't.
When a repair is enough
If the bricks or blocks are solid and the trouble is worn joints, a few cracked units or a leaky chimney crown, we fix that and leave the rest alone. Older masonry usually has plenty of life left once the mortar is put right.
When rebuilding makes sense
If a wall is leaning, its footing has moved or the bricks crumble when you press on them, patching only buys a little time. Rebuilding from a new footing costs more up front, but you stop paying for the same repair over and over.
What Fillmore homes need from a mason
I started this business in 2013 after watching jobs I'd quoted for a supplier get built badly. Here's what that means on a Fillmore job.
A written quote from me
I come out, look at the job myself and write a quote listing what's included, and I hold the finished work to it.
Only the work you need
Plenty of older mortar in Fillmore is still sound, and when yours is, I'll tell you to leave it alone.
Licensed and insured in California
We're licensed and insured, and the state requires that license once a job needs a permit or hits $1,000 in labor and materials.
A lead mason running the crew
Our crew works under a lead mason, and I come back to check on the job as it goes.
Your satisfaction, guaranteed
That's our promise, so call (805) 342-2830 or send the form and I'll come out to look at your job.
Call us about your Fillmore masonry
Call (805) 342-2830 any day of the week, and late into the evening on weekdays, so you can ask about your wall or chimney after work.
Other cities we serve, or call us
Your city may have its own page here. If it doesn't, call (805) 342-2830 and ask, because we work in many cities around Oxnard.