Masonry Contractor in Ventura, CA - Straight Answers on Walls, Chimneys and Brick
Blockworks Oxnard Concrete and Masonry repairs chimneys, repoints worn brick and builds retaining walls, block walls and paver driveways for homeowners in Ventura, from older houses near downtown to hillside lots.
Brick, block and stone work in Ventura
We're a masonry contractor based in Oxnard, CA, and Ventura is just up the coast, so many of our calls come from there. The houses change from street to street. Older homes near downtown tend to have brick chimneys, fireplaces and garden walls with tired mortar, hillside streets have yards held up by retaining walls, and newer neighborhoods run on block walls and concrete driveways. We do the same work down the coast in Port Hueneme and inland in Camarillo.
What moves the price on a Ventura job is how much old material has to come out, how hard it is to get brick and block to the spot, and whether new work has to match what's already there, and the written quote from your estimate shows your own number. The schedule mostly turns on whether your job needs a permit. Alterations, additions, new construction and adding or removing walls go to the city's Permit Services as complex permits, and those need plan review before anything gets built. We check your job with them before work starts and tell you what we find, and if a permit's needed, we handle the paperwork and the inspections. On a hillside lot, the footing and drainage under a wall usually take as much of the job as the wall you see.
Masonry services we offer in Ventura
Foundation repair
Older Ventura houses often sit on brick or block foundations that have cracked or crumbled, and we'll tell you if it's a patch or a rebuild.
Chimney repair
Chimney leaks in Ventura's older houses usually start at a cracked crown, the cap on top, or open mortar joints, and that's what we fix.
Tuckpointing
When mortar on a Ventura brick house has gone sandy or sunk back, we grind out the worn joints and refill them, and we leave the sound ones alone.
Brick repair
On Ventura's older brick homes and garden walls, we cut out cracked or flaking bricks one by one and set in replacements matched as closely as we can.
Driveway pavers
Replacing a cracked concrete driveway in one of Ventura's older neighborhoods with pavers? We dig out and pack the base first, because that's what keeps them flat.
Retaining wall construction
Hillside lots in Ventura often need a retaining wall to hold a yard level. We build them with drainage behind, since trapped water is what usually pushes walls out.
Masonry restoration
For older Ventura brick and stone that's worn but worth keeping, restoration covers cleaning, repointing and rebuilding damaged sections so the new work blends with the original.
Fireplace installation
For a Ventura remodel or family room addition, we build the firebox, hearth and surround in brick or stone, sized to the room and the chimney above it.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone set over an existing wall, dresses up the stucco fronts and plain block walls in Ventura's newer neighborhoods without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Block walls run along the property lines of many Ventura tract homes. We build new ones on a proper footing and fix runs that lean or crack.
Foundation block wall installation
When a Ventura addition or rebuild needs a block foundation wall, we lay and grout it to the plans so the framing above sits on something solid.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Ventura backyards get a lot of use, so we build counters and grill islands in block, brick or stone that hold up to sun and weather.
Walkway construction
On sloped Ventura lots, a walkway often needs a step or two. We lay brick, stone or pavers on a packed base, with steps that sit even underfoot.
Brick wall installation
A brick garden or front wall fits Ventura's older streets. We build on a poured footing and match the brick and joint style to your house.
Stone masonry
Natural stone walls, steps and planters suit Ventura's hillside yards, where the stone can follow the slope. We set each piece by hand on a solid footing.
Brick pointing
Brick pointing fills a few open spots in otherwise sound joints on a Ventura chimney or wall, a smaller fix than full tuckpointing when that's all it needs.
What signs say your Ventura masonry needs a look?
Much of what we fix in Ventura started small, a worn joint or a hairline crack, and older brick and hillside walls tend to show it first.
- Sandy or missing mortar joints
- Water stains inside by the chimney
- Cracked or flaking brick faces
- Retaining wall leaning or bulging
- Stair-step cracks in block walls
- Pavers sinking or rocking underfoot
If you see one of these, call or send the form, and I'll come look and tell you what it needs and what it doesn't.
Should you repair your masonry or replace it?
On a Ventura house, I make that call on site from how much is damaged, why it failed and whether the cause can be fixed, not from which makes the bigger quote.
When a repair is enough
If the damage is in spots and the wall or chimney is still standing straight and solid, a repair is the right call. We cut out bad brick or repoint the worn joints and leave sound mortar alone, because redoing good work only costs you money.
When to rebuild instead
If a wall is leaning, the footing under it has moved or the brick is failing across most of the face, patching just buys time. Rebuilding that section on a proper base costs more up front but usually ends the cycle of paying for the same repair.
What Ventura's hills and older homes need
I've been doing this since 2013, and what you can count on is a straight answer about what your masonry needs and finished work that matches the written quote.
I write your estimate
I come out to your Ventura property myself to look at the job and write the estimate.
Quote and work match
Your written quote lists what's included, and the finished job should match it line for line.
Sound mortar left alone
If your joints are still solid, I'll tell you to leave them rather than sell you a bigger job.
A lead mason on site
Our crew works under a lead mason, and I stop by to check on your job as it goes.
Licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and every Ventura job comes with one promise, your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Call about your Ventura masonry job
We answer (805) 342-2830 until 11 PM on weekdays and 10 PM on weekends, so you can call after work.
Other cities we serve, and yours
Pick your city below to see what we do there. If yours isn't listed, call (805) 342-2830 and ask, because we work in many cities around Oxnard.