Artisan San Diego Concrete & Masonry
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Masonry Contractor in La Mesa - Repairs and Walls Built for the Lot

Artisan San Diego Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in San Diego. In La Mesa we repair brick, mortar, chimneys and foundations, and we build retaining walls, block walls, walkways and paver driveways.

Request an estimate(619) 220-2261
A raised backyard deck with black railings and stairs stands behind a paved patio bordered by low brick retaining walls.
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Masonry work for La Mesa homes

La Mesa sits in the hills just east of San Diego. It's mostly homes, with shops and offices along the main roads. The houses run from older brick and stucco places on streets that climb and bend to newer homes set into hillsides, and many have a chimney, a block wall or a front walk that's seen decades of use. The city keeps a list of designated historic landmarks, but it names particular properties, so most houses here aren't on it.

We do the same kind of work next door in El Cajon and up the road in Santee, and here the ground shapes most jobs. A yard that steps down a slope needs walls that hold the soil back and let water drain, and an older house needs repairs that match what's already there.

What we do for La Mesa homes

What La Mesa homes ask of masonry

Older masonry here usually gives out in the same places first. Mortar goes soft in the joints, chimney caps crack, and walls on sloped yards start to lean when water builds up behind them with nowhere to go. I'd rather fix the part that failed than tear out a wall that's still sound, so we find the cause, repair that, and match the brick, stone and mortar to the house.

The City of La Mesa's Building Division handles plan review, permits and inspections for homes in the city, and the city says all new construction needs a permit, as does a lot of repair work. We're licensed and fully insured, and before we start we check with the city on what your job needs. When a permit is required, we take care of the paperwork and the inspections. That review is often what sets the schedule, along with how much digging and drainage a sloped yard calls for. Price turns on the size and height of the work, the material, how much old masonry has to come out and how easy the spot is to reach, and I'll give you your own figure on site.

Get a free on-site estimate for your La Mesa project

Tell us what you're seeing and where the house is, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out, look it over and give you a free estimate on site, with no obligation.

(619) 220-2261

La Mesa masonry questions

Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in La Mesa?

Yes. The city's permit FAQ lists garden and retaining walls among the work that needs a permit, and it says the list isn't necessarily complete. We check your project with the city first and handle the permit and inspections when one's required.

Does a new front walkway need a permit in La Mesa?

The city says a walk 30 inches high or less above the ground, and not over a basement, doesn't need a construction permit, though other agencies may still want to review it. If the work reaches into the public right-of-way, the strip along the street the city controls, the city has an encroachment permit application for that. We check your plan with the city before we dig.

How do I apply for a building permit and schedule inspections in La Mesa?

You can do both online with an account on the city's site, where you can also submit plans, get permit invoices and check your permit's status. You can also call the Building Division at 619.667.1176 or stop by the permit counter at City Hall. State-licensed contractors and homeowners can both pull permits, and on our jobs we do it, though the city holds you, the owner, responsible for making sure inspections get called at the right stages, even when we're the ones calling.

How long does a building permit last in La Mesa?

A permit expires if work hasn't started, or the first city progress inspection hasn't happened, within one calendar year of its date. Once work starts, it also expires if six months go by with no inspection, or when the work runs past three calendar years from the day it was issued. We line up inspections as the job moves so it doesn't stall.

How much does a masonry contractor cost in La Mesa?

The price comes down to the size and height of the work, the material, how much old masonry or soil has to come out and how easy the spot is to reach. On a sloped lot, extra digging and drainage behind a wall add to it, and a small repair costs far less than a rebuild, so I'll tell you when a small fix will do. I'll give you a figure on site once I've seen it.

What causes mortar joints to crumble on older La Mesa houses?

Mostly age and water. Mortar is meant to wear out before the brick does, and once a joint cracks, water gets in and speeds things along, while hard cement patches from past repairs can push that wear into the brick itself. We rake out and refill only the joints that have failed, the way we describe on our tuckpointing page.

Have a wall or chimney in mind?

Tell us about the job, and I'll come out, look it over and give you an estimate on site.

Request an estimate

Other cities we work in

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