Masonry contractor in Walnut Creek - repairs that fix the cause, not just the crack
Allied Brentwood Masonry and Concrete is a masonry contractor based in Brentwood that repairs chimneys, mortar and brick in Walnut Creek, and builds retaining walls, block walls and walkways for homes across the city.
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Walnut Creek's hills shape a lot of our work
Walnut Creek runs from a busy downtown of shops, restaurants and offices out into neighborhoods that climb toward Shell Ridge, the open space that stretches up to Mount Diablo. It sits right next to Concord and has the same mix we see across this side of the county. Older homes with brick chimneys and fireplaces sit a few streets from newer houses with stone veneer and paver patios.
That mix decides the job. On the older houses we're mostly repairing mortar and chimneys, and on the lots near the hills the yard slopes, so walls and paths have to be built to hold their ground.
How we handle jobs in Walnut Creek
Permits for homes inside the city limits come from the city's Community Development Department. The city wants a building permit when you add a structure or physically change your property. That's why I check your address with the city before I give you a start date, because a job that needs a permit can't start until it's issued, and that wait is usually what moves a schedule. When one's needed, we pull it and set up the inspections, and we're licensed and fully insured. Price moves with the size of the job, how far we have to carry block or brick to reach your backyard and how much old masonry has to come out first. The written estimate I send after the visit puts your own figure on it.
We come over from Brentwood, and Walnut Creek is on our way down I-680 to jobs in Dublin. On the hillside streets I work out at the estimate where the truck can park and how material gets to the work, since a long hand carry up a set of steps adds labor. Near downtown we plan around tight parking so the crew isn't blocking anyone's driveway.
What do Walnut Creek homes need most from a mason?
A lot of what we see in Walnut Creek is wear on older masonry. Most of it is mortar joints that have gone soft and chimneys that are cracking at the top. Mortar is supposed to wear out before the brick does, so a crumbling joint isn't a disaster. But if it's left open, water gets into the wall and starts doing damage you can't see from the yard. We find where the water's getting in, repair the joints and the brick, and show you what to keep an eye on.
Yards are the other thing. Where a lot slopes, the ground wants to move downhill, and a short wall or a path laid on loose fill will usually lean or crack before long. We build on a real footing with drainage behind the wall, because fixing the cause once beats fixing the same crack twice.
- Call (925) 503-1047
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
- Brentwood, CA 94513
Masonry work we do in Walnut Creek
Tuckpointing
Crumbling mortar joints are the most common thing homeowners call us about. We grind out the worn mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the old.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes usually wear out at the top first. We rebuild the cap and the loose joints, then track down how the water got in.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped backyards often need a wall to hold the ground level. We build retaining walls on a solid footing with drainage behind them.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along side and back yards give lasting privacy. We build concrete block walls with steel reinforcing and check how close to the street they can go.
Walkway construction
Big old trees lift and crack walkways as their roots grow. We rebuild paths on a packed base and route them around the trees worth keeping.
Brick repair
Older brick homes and garden walls get cracked bricks, or spalled ones where the face flakes off. We replace them with matching brick and fix whatever cracked them.
What happens when you call us about a Walnut Creek job
Call or send the form
Call (925) 503-1047 or send the form with your address and what you're seeing, and we'll call back to set a time for me to come out. Most people tell us about a crack, a loose brick or a wall they want built.
I look it over with you
I come out myself, walk the job with you and show you what I'm seeing, including what caused it. Afterward you get a written estimate with photos, so you know the cost before you decide anything.
We pull permits, then build
If you go ahead, we check with the city and pull any permit your job needs, and then our own crew does the work while I set the layout and check it as it goes. We plan the work for weekdays, because the city requires an after-hours permit for construction on Saturdays and city holidays and allows none on national holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
We walk the finished job
When we're done, we walk it together and I show you what to watch for as the years go by. A homeowner who knows the signs is the best inspector a wall can have.
Get a written masonry estimate for your Walnut Creek home
Send the form and we'll reply within 1 business day to set a time for me to come out to your Walnut Creek home. The estimate is free and done on site, and you get it in writing with photos. There's no pressure and no obligation.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Phone
- (925) 503-1047
- Location
- Brentwood, CA 94513
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–10 PM
Questions about masonry work in Walnut Creek
How do I know if my retaining wall in Walnut Creek needs a permit?
Under the city's permit exemptions, a retaining wall needs no building permit if it's 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing, and holds back 3 feet of soil or less. That holds unless the wall carries a surcharge, which is extra load pushing on it from above, such as a driveway or more slope. Past those limits the exemption doesn't cover it, so I measure at the estimate and we check with the city and pull the permit when one is needed.
How do I apply for a building permit in Walnut Creek?
You apply through the city's Online Permit Portal, because the city no longer takes paper or emailed applications. The permit has to be signed by the legal property owner or a California licensed contractor. When your job needs one, we pull it and set up the inspections.
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway or walkway in Walnut Creek?
Not for concrete flatwork on your own property, because the city lists patios, replaced driveways and paths as needing no permit. Replacing the driveway approach or the sidewalk in front of your house is different and needs an Encroachment Permit. So before we break anything out, we sort out where your property ends and the city's begins.
Does a block or brick wall along my property line in Walnut Creek need a permit?
It can, depending on how tall it is and how close it sits to the street. The city requires a minor use permit for a fence taller than 6 feet, or taller than 36 inches within a required front yard setback, which is the strip of front yard the city keeps open. Before we build a wall along a property line, we check with the city on how those limits apply to it.
Can I take out a tree to make room for a new wall or path in Walnut Creek?
Not without approval if it's a protected tree, and the city protects any tree, dead or alive, that measures 9 inches or more at 54 inches above the ground. The City Arborist may approve removing certain trees through a Tree Removal Permit. If a big tree sits where your wall or walkway wants to go, we plan around it at the estimate instead of assuming it can come out.
How much does masonry repair cost in Walnut Creek?
A repair costs what it takes to fix the cause, so the biggest factors are how far the damage goes, whether we can match your old brick and mortar, and how high we have to work. A chimney top needs ladders or scaffolding that a garden wall doesn't, and a wall past the city's exemption limits adds a permit. I put your figure in writing after I've seen the job.
Tell us about your Walnut Creek project
Send your address and what you're planning, and we'll check what the city asks for before I come out, so your estimate covers any permit from the start.
Request an estimateCall (925) 503-1047