Best Masonry Contractor in Berkeley CA - Solid Brick and Stone Work for Your House
Ironstone Berkeley Concrete and Masonry repairs worn brick joints, tired chimneys and old stonework in Berkeley and nearby cities like Oakland and Albany. We also build retaining walls for sloped hillside yards and repair foundations under older houses.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Masonry contractor services in Berkeley, CA
Ironstone Berkeley Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor in Berkeley, CA, handling 16 kinds of work, from a few cracked bricks to a new retaining wall. We're best known for careful repair on older brick and stone, and we build new walls, chimneys, fireplaces and paving too. The price mostly turns on how much is really worn, how hard the spot is to reach and whether old brick and mortar have to be matched. The schedule turns on the size of the job and whether the city wants a permit first. I'll give you your own figure at a free estimate at your place.
Cracks in a brick or block foundation, or a corner that's settled? We find what moved and repair the masonry that carries your house.
For chimneys with loose bricks, a cracked cap or open joints above the roofline. We rebuild what's failing and refill worn joints so water has fewer ways in.
What is tuckpointing? It's raking out worn mortar between bricks and packing in fresh mortar, finished with a thin line that makes the joints look crisp again.
We swap out cracked, loose or flaking bricks one at a time and match the old brick as closely as we can, on walls, steps and planters.
We lay paver driveways over a dug-out, packed gravel base, and if one section ever settles, those pavers lift out and go back down.
We build retaining walls in block, stone or concrete to hold back a slope or level off a yard, with drainage behind so water can get out.
Older brick and stone houses take careful work. We clean, repair and refill joints in old masonry with mortar suited to old brick, and leave sound sections alone.
Thinking about a masonry fireplace? We build the firebox where the fire burns, the hearth in front and the surround, in brick or stone that suits the room.
Stone veneer is a thin layer of stone set over an existing wall. We install it on house fronts, chimneys and columns, over a backing that sheds water.
We build concrete block walls for side yards, garden boundaries and garages, with steel and grout in the hollow cores where the wall needs the strength.
When a house or addition needs a new foundation wall, we lay concrete block on a poured footing, reinforced and filled, ready for the framing to sit on.
We build the counter base, grill surround and bar of an outdoor kitchen in block, brick or stone, ready for the grill and countertop you pick.
We build front walks and garden paths in brick, stone or pavers, laid on a packed base with a slight slope so rain runs off the surface.
A new brick wall for a garden, front yard or property line, laid on a footing sized for its height. We can match nearby old brick too.
Who calls for stone masonry? Homeowners who want walls, steps, columns or planters in natural stone fitted by hand, or old stonework rebuilt to match.
If the mortar between your bricks rubs out like sand, pointing is the fix. We grind out the bad joints and refill them, leaving the sound ones alone.
Why homeowners hire us for brick and stone
Masonry done badly gets expensive slowly, so we'd rather do a job once and do it right. Here's what that looks like on your job, from the first look to the last joint.
The estimator is the mason
I come out to look at your job myself, and I work alongside our crew when it's built. What I tell you in your driveway is what goes up, with no salesman in between.
Repair what's worn, leave what's sound
A joint that's still hard doesn't need grinding out. We fix the worn parts and leave sound brick alone, so you pay for repair instead of busywork.
A straight answer, even a short one
I'd rather tell you a wall is fine than sell you work it doesn't need. If the answer is a few bricks and some fresh mortar, that's the answer you get.
Permit questions settled before we start
We work through the permit side with you before any digging or demolition, so the city part of the job doesn't catch anyone off guard. Call (510) 345-1156 and we'll start with a look at your job.
Our process from first call to final walk
You reach out, we reply within one business day, and I come out for a free estimate on site. Here's how it goes from there.
Call or send the form
Call (510) 345-1156 or fill in the estimate form with a few lines about the job and where you are. We get back to you within one business day to set a time to come look. If you can't tell what's wrong, that's fine. Just describe what you see.
I look and give you an estimate
I come out myself, look at the brick, stone or concrete up close and talk it through with you. You get a free estimate that says what we'll do and why, with no obligation. If part of it doesn't need work, I'll say so right there.
We settle permits and do the work
Before we start, we settle any permit questions, and when your job needs one we handle the paperwork with the city's permit office. Then our crew does the work, and I'm on it with them, so the person who wrote your estimate is the one checking the joints.
We walk it with you
When the work is done, I walk it with you and point out what we repaired and what we left alone. Ask about anything you like. We clean up the mortar dust and leftover material before we go.
Tell us about the masonry job you have in mind
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out, look at the job myself and give you a free estimate on site, with no obligation.
(510) 345-1156- Based in
- Berkeley, CA 94703
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Brick, stone and concrete work
Examples of masonry like the work we take on, from repointed brick walls and chimneys to stone steps, paver driveways and fireplaces. Tap any photo to see it larger.
About Ironstone, a Berkeley masonry crew since 2021
I started Ironstone Berkeley Concrete and Masonry in Berkeley in 2021, after learning the trade under a boss who made me redo a joint until it was right. We're licensed and fully insured, and our crew handles 16 masonry services, from tuckpointing old brick to building new retaining walls. We work in the 12 cities listed on this site and across the East Bay cities around Berkeley. You can read more about us and how we work.
- services
- 16
- service areas
- 12
- founded
- 2021
- 5 years in business
Masonry work around Berkeley and its hills
Berkeley runs from the bay shoreline up into the hills, and you can see both ends of it in a day. Down by the water, the Park at the Berkeley Waterfront has open fields and a loop that's part of the Bay Trail. Up in the hills, the Berkeley Rose Garden is a terraced amphitheater looking out at the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, and Cragmont Rock Park in the Northbrae area is where beginners learn to climb.
Just past the city, Tilden Regional Park sits off Grizzly Peak Boulevard, with a carousel, swimming at Lake Anza and a Botanic Garden. In the lower parts of town we see a lot of older brick that needs its joints redone, and up the slopes the calls lean toward retaining walls and steps. We're based in Berkeley and do the same work in the East Bay cities around it.
Service areas across Berkeley and the East Bay
Ironstone Berkeley Concrete and Masonry is based in Berkeley, CA, and works across the East Bay cities around it, including Oakland and Albany. These are the 12 cities with their own page on this site. If yours isn't listed, call and ask.
Questions about masonry in Berkeley, CA
How much does brick or stone repair cost in Berkeley?
It depends on how much of the masonry is actually worn, so we price each job after seeing it at a free estimate on site. A few loose bricks and a long run of failed joints are very different jobs, and matching old brick or working high on a chimney adds labor. The estimate comes with no obligation.
Is it cheaper to repair an old brick wall or replace it?
Repair usually costs less when most of the brick is sound, because we only take out and redo the worn parts. Replacement starts to make sense when the brick itself is cracking apart or the wall has moved, and I'll tell you which one your wall is at the estimate.
How long does it take to get a masonry job started in Berkeley?
It mostly turns on the size of the job and whether it needs a permit, because permit work waits on the city before we start. Small repairs with no permit question can usually get on the calendar sooner. We reply within one business day to set up your estimate.
Does a masonry contractor in California need a state license?
Yes, a contractor needs a state license when the job needs a building permit, uses any extra workers or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The California Contractors State License Board issues those licenses, and contractors are licensed before they bid. Ironstone Berkeley Concrete and Masonry is licensed and fully insured.
Do I need a permit for masonry work in Berkeley?
Usually yes, since the city's Permit Service Center issues building permits for all construction work and most repairs unless the work is specifically exempted. Some low walls and fences are on the city's list of exempt work, though exempt work can still need a zoning permit, so the Permit Service Center is the place to check yours. We go through it with you before we start.
Do you guarantee your masonry work?
Yes, our work is satisfaction guaranteed. We also tell you up front what we're repairing and what we're leaving alone, so you know exactly what the work covers before we start.
What kind of mortar should be used on old brick?
Old brick needs a mortar soft enough to suit it, because mortar harder than the brick pushes the damage into the brick instead of the joint. Hard modern mortar on soft old brick is the most common bad repair we see, and the brick always loses that argument.
Should I worry about an old brick chimney in Berkeley because of earthquakes?
It's worth having a loose or cracked chimney looked at, because Berkeley sits close to major earthquake faults and loose brick up high is the part that worries me most. I'll tell you whether the joints need refilling, the top needs rebuilding or it's fine as it is.
Berkeley, CA
Got masonry work in Berkeley that needs a straight answer?
Worn joints let in a little more water every wet season, so it pays to have them looked at early. The estimate is free, on site and comes with no obligation.