Masonry contractor in Moorpark, CA - walls and footings that suit the ground
Blockworks Oxnard Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Oxnard, CA, and we build and repair brick, block and stone walls, pavers, chimneys and footings for homes in Moorpark.
Masonry work in Moorpark, done straight
Moorpark sits in eastern Ventura County, inland from our base in Oxnard and next to Simi Valley. The calls we get from there are the same kinds we get across the area: worn mortar, a leaking chimney, or a wall or driveway someone wants built. The price moves with the size of the job, the material you pick, how much old work has to come out and how easy the spot is to reach. The schedule mostly turns on whether the city needs to see plans first. I come out, look at it and write you a quote that lists what's included.
Permits here come from the city's Building & Safety office, which handles most construction work. The city's list of work that doesn't need a permit includes garden walls and fences up to 6 feet tall. It also includes retaining walls up to 3 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, as long as the wall isn't holding up a slope, a driveway or a building. Exempt work still has to meet the city's zoning code and High Fire Zone rules. Before we start, we check with Building & Safety and tell you what we find, and you can call that office yourself at (805) 517-6276. If a permit is needed, we handle the paperwork and the inspections. When plans need review, the city puts the first review at about 10 working days, counted from when the application is accepted and the fee is paid. Some jobs need sign-off from another agency, such as the Fire Department, before the city will issue a permit. The city has also proposed stricter local standards for foundation design and for expansive soil, which is ground that swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries. That's why the footing under a wall matters here as much as the wall itself.
What we do on Moorpark properties
Foundation repair
When a crack shows up in the block or concrete your house sits on, we find out why the ground moved before we patch anything.
Chimney repair
A chimney that leaks after the first rain usually has a cracked crown, the concrete cap on top, or open joints, and we fix that before anyone talks about a rebuild.
Tuckpointing
Hot, dry summers inland can wear mortar on a wall's sunny face first, so we grind out and refill only the joints that have gone soft.
Brick repair
A few cracked or loose bricks on a planter, step or chimney don't mean it all has to go, so we cut out the bad ones and match the rest.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit a Moorpark driveway because a paver that lifts or sinks can come up and go back down, where a cracked slab has to be cut out.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped back yards often need a wall to hold the hill back, and we build ours with gravel and a drain behind them so water has a way out.
Masonry restoration
On older brick and stone we repair what's worn and leave what's sound, so the finished wall still looks like it belongs to the house.
Fireplace installation
Cool inland evenings make a fireplace worth having here, and we build the firebox, hearth and surround as one job so the pieces fit together.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face set over a wall, dresses up a stucco front or a block wall, and we put the right backing behind it first.
Concrete block walls
Block walls are the usual line between back yards in a lot of Moorpark neighborhoods, and we build new runs and repair the ones that lean or crack.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition, we lay the block foundation wall on a footing built to the plans, with steel and grout where the engineer calls for them.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Long, dry summers mean a lot of cooking happens outside, so we build the block base, the counters and a stone or brick face for a grill island.
Walkway construction
We build walkways in brick, pavers or stone from the driveway to the door or out to the side yard, on a packed base that helps keep them from rocking.
Brick wall installation
A low brick wall across a front yard or around a patio adds warmth to a stucco house, and we start every one on a proper footing.
Stone masonry
Natural stone fits the hills and farm country around Moorpark, and we lay it for walls, steps and columns, fitting each piece by hand.
Brick pointing
If only a few joints are cracked or sandy, we refill just those and match the color, and we'll tell you when the rest of your mortar is fine.
What signs mean your Moorpark masonry needs a look?
Because the ground here can move, a small crack in a wall or step is worth catching while it's still a small repair.
- Stair-step cracks in block walls
- Mortar that crumbles when scratched
- A garden wall leaning out of line
- Pavers sinking or lifting at edges
- Water stains below the chimney
- White, chalky film on brick
If you see one of these, call (805) 342-2830 or send the form, and I'll come out and tell you what it needs and what it doesn't.
Repair the wall or build a new one?
Here, the answer usually comes down to whether the footing is sound, because good brick or block on a moving footing will crack again however well it's patched.
When repair is enough
If the wall stands straight and the cracks are thin and not growing, the footing is usually doing its job. We cut out the damaged brick or block, refill the bad joints and leave the sound mortar alone, because you shouldn't pay to redo work that's holding.
When rebuilding makes sense
If a wall leans, the cracks keep opening, or the footing has broken or settled, patching only buys time. Then I'll tell you straight that your money is better spent taking it down and rebuilding on a new footing, and the written quote will show what that includes.
What Moorpark's ground and walls ask of us
We've been in business since 2013, and what you can count on is a straight answer about what your job needs, put in writing, and finished work that matches the quote.
I write the estimate myself
I come out to your Moorpark property, look at the job and write the quote, so whoever prices it has seen it.
A lead mason on site
Our crew works under a lead mason, and I stop by to check on the work as it goes.
Sound mortar stays put
If your mortar is sound, I'll tell you to leave it alone, even when that means a smaller job for us.
Licensed, insured, quoted in writing
We're fully licensed and insured, and your written quote lists what's included before any work starts.
Your satisfaction, guaranteed
That's our promise, and the written quote is what we hold the finished work up against.
Call about your Moorpark masonry job
We pick up seven days a week, until 11 PM on weekdays and 10 PM on weekends, so you can call (805) 342-2830 after work.
Don't see your city? Call and ask
If your city has its own page, you'll find it here. If it doesn't, call (805) 342-2830 and ask, because we work in many of the cities around Oxnard.