Masonry Contractor in Irvine - Walls and Pavers That Fit Your Neighborhood
Custom Aliso Viejo Masonry & Concrete is a masonry contractor based in Aliso Viejo, CA, and we work across Irvine repairing and building block walls, retaining walls, brickwork, stone and paver driveways for homeowners.
Masonry work on Irvine homes
Irvine is a planned city that has always tried to balance building with keeping open land, so a lot of the homes we work on sit in planned neighborhoods with matching walls along the street and open space past the back fence. Most of our calls here are about the block wall between yards, the retaining wall at the back of the lot, or a front walk or driveway that's started to crack. We get the same calls next door in Laguna Hills and Lake Forest.
The price moves with the length and height of the wall, how easy it is to get into your backyard, how much old work has to come out and how closely the new work has to match. The schedule turns mostly on what the city and your association need before we start, and I'll go over both at your property and leave you an estimate for your own job. On streets where every wall was built to look like the next one, matching is usually the real work, because a new block, cap or patch has to sit beside the old one without standing out.
What happens when you call us about an Irvine job
Call or send us a message
Reach us at (949) 619-8220 or through the form and tell us what you're looking at, even if you don't know what's causing it yet. We get back to you and set up a time to come out.
I come out and look
I walk the wall or path with you, show you what I think is causing the damage, tell you what I can't know until it's opened up and answer whatever you want to ask. You get an estimate that spells out what we'd do and what it covers, and nothing is booked until you decide.
We handle city and association steps
Before we start, I check with the city's building office about your job, and if a permit is needed we handle the application and the inspections. If your association has to approve the work, we help you put the request together.
We build, clean up, walk through
I work the job alongside our masons and helpers, and we clean up as we go so your yard stays usable. When it's done, we walk the finished work together so you can look it over and ask about anything.
What we do for Irvine homes
Most Irvine calls are for the block walls between yards, retaining walls at the back of the lot, front walks, and driveway pavers that have sunk or cracked. Backyards here also bring us fireplace, outdoor kitchen and stone veneer work. Here's everything we do for homes in Irvine.
- Foundation repair
- Chimney repair
- Tuckpointing
- Brick repair
- Driveway pavers
- Retaining wall construction
- Masonry restoration
- Fireplace installation
- Stone veneer installation
- Concrete block walls
- Foundation block wall installation
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
- Walkway construction
- Brick wall installation
- Stone masonry
- Brick pointing
What signs mean your Irvine wall needs a look?
Most Irvine walls were built to match their neighbors, so small damage shows, and a crack is usually easier to fix early than after it spreads down the wall.
- Cracks running through block or mortar
- Wall leaning out of line
- Loose or missing cap blocks
- Crumbling or missing mortar joints
- White powdery stains on the wall
- Pavers that have sunk or lifted
Should you repair or replace a wall in Irvine?
Most of the time a cracked or worn wall can be repaired, and that's where I start, because a wall that's sound underneath only needs the bad joints, blocks or caps redone. Repair here usually means matching, so I'll tell you up front how close we can get to your existing block or brick and where a patch might still show.
Replacement makes sense when the wall is leaning, the footing has failed or the cracks keep coming back after repairs. A leaning retaining wall can need an engineer before anyone rebuilds it, and if yours does, I'll tell you so instead of guessing.
Hiring a local mason in Irvine
The city requires anyone doing business in Irvine to hold a city business license before they start, on top of their state contractor license, so it's fair to ask whoever you hire whether they have both. A crew that works nearby already knows the city's building office and how associations here look at walls, which usually means fewer surprises between the estimate and the finished job.
We're based in Aliso Viejo, a short drive south, and I come out to every job and work it with our masons, so the person who wrote your estimate is on site when the wall goes up. We're licensed and insured, and every job comes with satisfaction guaranteed.
Straight answers for Irvine homeowners
I'd rather take extra time at your wall explaining what's going on than have you pay for work you don't need. While we work, we keep the site tidy, look after your plants and driveway, and clean up as we go. Since I'm on the job myself, you've got one person to ask whenever something comes up.
You'll understand what's wrong with your wall, what we plan to do about it and why, before you pay for any of it.
Call about your Irvine wall today
We answer the phone seven days a week, from early morning into the evening, so call (949) 619-8220 whenever it suits you.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Irvine project
Tell us where you are in Irvine and what you're seeing. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no pressure to book.
Irvine masonry questions
Does my masonry project in Irvine need a permit?
Most construction and repair work the building code covers needs a permit from the city's Community Development Department, and you can ask about your own job by calling (949) 724-6313. Even work on the city's list of exceptions still has to meet code. We check with the city about your job before we start, as in our steps above.
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Irvine?
A retaining wall 4 feet or shorter, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, is on the city's exemption list unless it holds back extra weight above it, like a slope, a driveway or a building, or holds back flammable liquids. A taller wall, or one carrying that kind of load, isn't exempt, and an exempt wall still has to be built to code. I measure with the footing in mind, because the 4 feet includes the part that's underground.
Does a masonry contractor need a California license to work in Irvine?
Yes, whenever the job needs a building permit, uses employees, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials, the state licensing board requires the contractor to hold a license. The state also limits the down payment on a home improvement job to $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, so a contractor asking for more up front is breaking that rule.
How much does masonry work cost in Irvine?
It's priced job by job, and I can't give you a fair number until I've seen the wall, because the same crack can be a small repair or a sign the footing has to come out. Beyond the work itself, the things that add to a job here are usually permit fees and inspections when the city requires them, an engineer's design when a wall needs one, and extra trips if your association asks for changes. You'll see the full number in the estimate before anything is booked.
How do I get HOA approval for a new block wall in Irvine?
Start with your association's design guidelines and request form, since most want a drawing, the materials and colors, and where the wall will sit before they'll approve it. We help you put that request together using the measurements and materials from your estimate, and we wait for their sign-off before we start.
How do I apply for a building permit in Irvine?
New online permit applications in Irvine go through PermitsDIRECT!, the city's system powered by Symbium, which you can reach from the city's permits page. Once it's issued, a permit for work at a house is good for 18 months unless the Building Official extends it in writing. When we're doing your job, we take care of the application and inspections ourselves.
Not in Irvine? Call us too
Pick your city below to see its own page, or call (949) 619-8220 if you don't see yours, since we work in cities across Orange County from Aliso Viejo.