Masonry Contractor in La Presa - Careful Repairs and Walls That Fit Your Lot
Artisan San Diego Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in San Diego, CA that repairs brick, mortar, chimneys and block walls in La Presa, and builds new walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens to suit each lot.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry repairs and walls in La Presa
La Presa is unincorporated, so there's no city hall here. The County of San Diego is the local government, and that's who we work with on whatever a job needs. Your mail probably says Spring Valley, since La Presa addresses still use that name, so our Spring Valley page and this one cover the same homes. The same masons do this work nearby in Bonita too.
Most homes in La Presa are lived in by the people who own them, and that shapes the calls I get. Owners who plan to stay want the cracked block wall or the worn chimney fixed properly, not covered up, so I look for what actually failed and price that repair first.
Masonry services we offer in La Presa
Foundation repair
A crack climbing from a foundation corner usually has one cause, so we find what moved and repair that spot first.
Learn more about Foundation repairChimney repair
Cracked mortar at the top of a brick chimney lets water in, so we rebuild the mortar cap and leave the sound brick below alone.
Learn more about Chimney repairTuckpointing
When brick joints have gone sandy, we grind out the loose mortar and pack fresh mortar in, matched to the color on the house.
Learn more about TuckpointingBrick repair
Bricks with flaking faces or cracks get cut out and swapped one at a time, so a planter or wall still looks like itself.
Learn more about Brick repairDriveway pavers
A cracked concrete driveway can come out for pavers on a packed base, which you can lift and reset if one section ever sinks.
Learn more about Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a yard steps down to the next lot, we size the wall, its drainage and its footing to the ground it holds back.
Learn more about Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
On a house patched by several owners, we sort sound masonry from failed spots and match the repairs so the patches stop showing.
Learn more about Masonry restorationFireplace installation
A new fireplace in La Presa starts with what the County asks for, then a firebox and chimney laid out to suit your room.
Learn more about Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
We set stone veneer over stucco fronts and columns with a water barrier behind it, so the stone sheds water instead of trapping it.
Learn more about Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls on property lines often crack or lean along one stretch, so we fix that run or rebuild it with steel and grout.
Learn more about Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
Additions and raised floors need a block foundation wall on a footing, which we lay and fill with steel and grout to the plans.
Learn more about Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
A backyard kitchen gets a block or stone base built around where the gas, water and power come in, so hookups go cleanly.
Learn more about Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Walks to the front door or side gate go down in brick, stone or pavers on a packed base, so they stay level underfoot.
Learn more about Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
New brick garden walls are laid in brick picked to go with your house where we can find it, so the wall looks like it belongs.
Learn more about Brick wall installationStone masonry
For stone planters, steps and walls in La Presa yards, we set each stone by hand on a solid base, with joints sized to the stone you choose.
Learn more about Stone masonryBrick pointing
When only a few joints are open, we fill just those with matched mortar, which keeps water out without redoing the whole wall.
Learn more about Brick pointing
What La Presa homes ask of masonry work
A lot of San Diego County sits in high fire zones, and the County asks for special features on projects in high-risk areas. The state has also put out revised fire hazard maps, so for some properties the zone may have changed since you last looked. That matters most for a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen or a chimney rebuild, so before we plan one I find out what the County wants for your lot and we build to it.
The price here turns on how much has actually failed, the material you pick, how easily we can get block or stone into the yard, and whether the County needs a permit and inspections. The schedule mostly turns on that permit step and on what we find once old mortar or a footing is opened up. I'll walk the job with you at the estimate and tell you what I'd repair and what I'd leave alone.
Get a free estimate for your La Presa project
Tell us what you're seeing, a cracked wall, loose bricks or a project you're planning, and your address. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free on-site estimate with no obligation.
La Presa masonry questions
How do I get a building permit for masonry work in La Presa?
You get it from the County of San Diego, not a city, because La Presa is unincorporated and the County's Building Services Division issues building permits there. The County reviews plans against state building standards and its own grading, zoning and fire rules. Before we start, we check what your job needs, and when a permit is required we take care of the paperwork and the inspections.
Which small projects don't need a building permit in La Presa?
The County's list of work that needs no building permit includes painting, sheds up to 120 square feet, and fences up to 6 feet high other than pool barriers. Walks and driveways no more than 30 inches above the ground beside them are on it too, as long as there's no basement or room under them and they aren't part of a wheelchair-accessible path. Electrical, plumbing or mechanical permits can still apply, and the County expects whoever does the work and whoever hires them to ask before work begins, so I check before we dig.
How do I know if my masonry contractor needs a California license?
A contractor needs a license from the Contractors State License Board when the job needs a building permit, uses employees, or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials, and they have to hold it before they bid. The County doesn't require a business license in unincorporated areas like La Presa, so the state license is the one to ask about. We're licensed and fully insured.
Can I get a San Diego County building permit online?
Yes, for some work, since the County offers online minor residential permits and Instant Permits for jobs like window, water heater and HVAC replacement. For help in person, the County has a Permit Center in Kearny Mesa. When a masonry job of ours needs a permit, we handle the application and inspections, so you usually won't need to go yourself.
How much does masonry work cost in La Presa?
There's no flat price, because I price each job from what I see on site. The biggest swing is usually repair versus rebuild, since pointing a few runs of joints costs far less than tearing out a wall, and I'll tell you when the smaller fix will hold. If the County wants a permit or fire-zone features, those add to the job, and I'll point them out at the estimate.
Do I have to follow County rules if my project doesn't need a permit?
Yes, every project in unincorporated San Diego County still has to meet the County's Zoning Ordinance and public health and safety codes, permit or not. For a garden wall or a walkway, that can affect where it goes and how it's built, so I check the County's rules before we lay anything out.
Planning masonry work in La Presa?
Call (619) 220-2261 or use the form, and I'll come out, look at the job and give you a free estimate.
Other areas we serve
We work across San Diego and the cities around it, in city limits and county areas alike. If yours isn't listed, give us a call and ask.