Masonry Contractor in Oakland, CA - Brick, Chimneys and Walls That Match the House
Bedrock Hayward Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Oakland, CA. We repair old brick and chimneys, replace worn mortar so it suits the wall, and build retaining walls, walkways and paver driveways across the city.
Oakland as we see it from the job site
It's a short drive up from Hayward past San Leandro, and Oakland gives us a bit of everything. There are wood-frame houses with a brick chimney and brick front steps, older brick apartment buildings, corner storefronts with masonry fronts, and houses up the hill where the yard drops away from the street. A lot of what we get called to has been standing for generations, built by crews who mixed their own mortar and set stone by eye.
So most Oakland jobs start with something that's already there, and the new work has to fit the old brick, the old stone and the way the yard already moves water.
Services in Oakland, CA
Chimney repair
Older Oakland roofs carry brick chimneys with cracked crowns, the concrete cap on top, and sandy joints. We climb up, check the whole stack and fix what's failing.
Tuckpointing
On old Oakland brick the mortar usually wears out before the brick does. We rake out the worn joints and refill them with mortar that suits the wall.
Retaining wall construction
Hillside lots here lean on retaining walls, and old ones bow when water builds up behind them. We build new walls with the drainage worked out first.
Driveway pavers
Short driveways on older Oakland lots often crack and lift from tree roots. We replace them with driveway pavers on a packed base that drains.
Masonry restoration
Brick fronts, porch steps and garden walls on older Oakland houses show chipped faces and patchy repairs. We match the brick and mortar so the fix blends in.
Walkway construction
Front walks on sloped Oakland lots crack and tip when the base underneath washes out. We rebuild the base and add steps where the slope needs them.
What we've learned working in Oakland
Building permits here go through the city's Planning & Building department, which takes the applications, so when your job needs one, the city's process sets part of the schedule along with whatever we find once the old work is opened up. We check with the city to find out what your job needs. When there's a permit, we handle the paperwork and the inspections, and if the work calls for a design from an engineer, I tell you at the estimate and we build to that design. Before you hire anyone, ask for their California contractor license and whether they file Oakland business tax, because the state licenses this work and the city requires everyone doing business here to file and pay that tax. Price mostly moves with how much old material has to come out and be matched and how easy your lot is to work on, and the estimate gives you your own figure.
Getting material to the job is half the planning in Oakland. Hillside streets run narrow and parking is tight, so at the estimate I look at where a truck can stop and how far we'll carry brick or block, because that changes the crew and the days we book. We plan jobs the same way in Castro Valley and down in Fremont, and we work across the cities on both sides of the bay.
What older houses and steep lots mean for your job
On a sloped lot, a retaining wall holds back soil and whatever water soaks into it, and when that water has nowhere to go, the wall starts to lean, crack or push out at the bottom. Before we build or rebuild one, I want to know where your water comes from and where it can leave. That way the wall gets drainage behind it that fits your yard, and we sort out any design question at the estimate.
Older houses here also carry brick chimneys that have gone years without anyone climbing up to look. I'll go up, because open joints and a cracked cap let water into the house long before anything shows from the yard.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate for your Oakland home
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Oakland address myself, look the job over and give you the estimate on site. There's no obligation to go ahead.
How it works when you call us about an Oakland job
Call or send the form
Call (510) 264-7015 or use the form and tell us the address. Mention what you've noticed, like loose bricks, a leaning wall or a chimney shedding mortar.
I come out and look
I come to your house myself, look the job over and ask what you've seen change. You get the estimate before I leave.
We sort out the permits
We check with the city to see what your job needs and handle the permit paperwork when there is one. Oakland wants an approved Recycling Plan and Recycling Summary Report before it issues a building permit, so we get that in early.
We prep and build
Like a cook setting up before the rush, we prep first and protect the plants, paths and walls next to the work. Then our crew and I do the job.
Walk the finished job together
We clean up, and then I walk the work with you and check it the way you'd taste a dish before it goes out. You see it before we call it done.
Oakland masonry questions we hear
How do I tell if my retaining wall in Oakland needs a permit?
Some retaining walls can go without one, because the city's list of work that needs no building permit includes retaining walls and fences, but only within limits the city sets on its exemption page. A wall past those limits needs a permit, so we check your wall with the city before we start. When it needs one, we handle the paperwork and inspections.
When does a contractor need a California license for masonry work?
A state license is required when the project needs a building permit, uses any workers besides the contractor, or the labor and materials on the contracts for it add up to $1,000 or more. The Contractors State License Board licenses anyone who builds or alters a structure in California, and its small-job exception only covers work under $1,000 with no permit, no employees and no ads claiming a license. We're fully licensed and insured, so ask anyone you're considering for their license.
How large a down payment can a contractor ask for in California?
On a home improvement job, a contractor can't ask for or take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. That's the state board's rule, and it's worth knowing before you sign with anyone.
Does a contractor from outside Oakland need to pay Oakland business tax?
Yes. The city says a business based outside Oakland that does business in the city has a tax liability there. An undated city FAQ lists an initial $88.00 registration fee for the business tax certificate, so check the city's business taxes and licenses page for current terms.
How much does masonry repair cost in Oakland?
Oakland masonry prices move most with the condition of what's already there, how hard the site is to reach and how closely the new work has to match the old. Salvaging and matching old brick takes more time than laying new, a hillside wall with drainage costs more than a short garden wall on flat ground, and permit or engineering steps add to the total. You get your own figure at the estimate.
What causes mortar to crumble on old brick houses in Oakland?
Usually it's age and water. Old mortar was made softer than today's, and once water gets into the joints from a missing chimney cap, a bad gutter or soil piled against the wall, it washes out over the years. Patches done with hard modern mortar make it worse, because the brick ends up cracking instead of the joint, so we repoint with a mortar that suits your brick.
Tell us about your Oakland masonry job
Call (510) 264-7015 or send the form with what you've noticed and any permit questions, so I can check with the city before I come out.