Masonry Contractor in Ventura, CA - Walls, Chimneys and Walkways Done Right
C&D Santa Barbara Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Ventura. We repair brick, block and stone walls and chimneys, and build new walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens, with the owner on every job.
Masonry work on Ventura homes and yards
We're based in Santa Barbara, and Ventura is one of the cities we drive down the coast to, past Carpinteria. Most of the calls we get here come from homeowners whose wall or chimney has started to show its age.
On the older houses, that usually means a brick chimney, a fireplace or a garden wall that's losing mortar from its joints. On newer streets, it's more often a block wall along the property line, a walkway that's heaved, or a retaining wall holding back a sloped yard. Those houses and lots decide how the job goes. An old chimney needs repair that suits the brick it's built from, and a wall on a slope needs a solid footing and drainage behind it before it needs a nice face.
What happens when you call us about a Ventura job
Call or send us a note
Call (805) 456-2871 or use the form and tell us what your wall, chimney or walkway is doing. We'll set a time for me to come out to your place in Ventura.
Walk the job with me
I look the job over with you, so it helps if you're home, and I'll tell you what's driving the price and the schedule, which is mostly the size of the job, the material and how much old work has to come out first. You get the estimate before anything is agreed, and if a repair can wait, I'll say so.
Sort out the city permit
Before work starts we find out which office covers your address, and in Ventura that's the city's Permit Services, where jobs with plans go through plan review. When your job needs a permit, we handle the application and tell you up front how that review fits the schedule.
Do the work, then walk it
I work on the job with our crew, and when an inspection is due we request it by the business day before, as the city requires, and meet the inspector ourselves. When we're done, we walk the finished job with you before we pack up.
Masonry services we offer in Ventura
Around Ventura, most of our work is older brick that needs repointing, chimneys that need repair, and block or retaining walls that have started to lean. We also build new walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens, and do fireplace installation when you want a firebox and hearth built in brick or stone.
- 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 Ventura masonry needs a look?
A lot of the walls and chimneys we see in Ventura have stood for years, so small signs are worth catching before they turn into a bigger repair.
- Mortar crumbling out of the joints
- Cracks stepping through brick or block
- Wall leaning or bulging outward
- White powder on brick faces
- Loose or missing chimney bricks
- Soil washing out under a wall
Should you repair or rebuild a wall in Ventura?
Most walls and chimneys I look at in Ventura need a repair, not a rebuild. If the brick or stone is sound and the wall still stands straight, repointing, where we grind out the worn mortar and pack in new, along with swapping a few broken pieces usually keeps it going for a long time. If a crack is old and hasn't moved, I'll tell you it can wait.
Rebuilding makes sense when a wall leans, bulges or moves when you push on it, or when a retaining wall keeps getting pushed out because nothing drains the water behind it. Patching that kind of wall only hides the problem until it comes back, so I'd rather rebuild that section once and do it right.
Why a local mason makes sense in Ventura
When you call us, I'm the one who comes out, and I'm on the job with our crew when the work starts, so the person who looked at your wall is the one building it. We've been in business since 2017, and we're licensed and fully insured.
A mason from close by has seen the same kinds of walls and chimneys all over the area, and can match the brick and stone already in your yard. If you'd like me to look at yours, call (805) 456-2871 or send us a note through the form.
How we treat your Ventura home
We keep the work area tidy, cover what needs covering and clean up as we go, so your yard stays usable while we're there. Before any work starts, I explain what I found and why we're fixing it the way we are, and I'll tell you plainly if something can wait. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
You'll hear what needs fixing now, what can wait, and why, from the same person who does the work.
Get your Ventura masonry job looked at
Our phone hours run seven days a week until 9 PM, so call (805) 456-2871 while you're home looking at the wall.
Get a free on-site estimate in Ventura
Tell us your Ventura address and what the wall or chimney is doing. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.
Questions we hear in Ventura
Which jobs use the simple permit application in Ventura?
The city's Permit Services issues simple permits for work submitted without plans, such as water heaters, furnace changeouts and re-roofs. Alterations, additions, new construction and adding or removing walls go through a complex permit that needs plan review. Where your wall or chimney job lands is a question for Permit Services, and we check it for your address before any work starts.
How do I apply for a building permit online in Ventura?
You need a Ventura OPS account, the city's Online Permit Services, before you can apply online. If you'd rather go in person, the Permit Services counter at 501 Poli Street, Room 117, takes walk-ins Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 1 PM, sees people from 1 to 3 PM by appointment, and is closed Fridays, and you can reach it at 805-654-7869. When your masonry job needs a permit, we handle the application for you.
How early do I need to request a building inspection in Ventura?
The city's Building and Safety Division needs an inspection request by the business day before you want the inspection. We build that day into the schedule, put the request in ourselves and meet the inspector on site.
What building codes does Ventura enforce for masonry work?
Ventura enforces the California construction codes, with the city's own amendments. If you want to check how a rule applies to your wall or chimney, Permit Services is the place to ask, and we build permitted work to meet what the city requires.
How much does masonry work cost in Ventura?
The price comes down to the size of the job, the material, and how much old work has to come out before new work goes in. Brick and natural stone take more time to lay than block, a tall wall or one on a slope needs more footing and drainage, and a tight side yard means more carrying by hand. A job that needs a permit with plan review adds paperwork and time, and I'll give you a figure for your own job when I come out to look at it.
What causes mortar to crumble on an older brick wall in Ventura?
Mortar is softer than brick on purpose, so after years of water getting into the joints it wears out first. Sprinklers spraying the wall, soil piled against it and gutters spilling over it speed that up. We fix where the water's coming from along with the joints, and we use a mortar soft enough for the old brick, because a hard mortar can crack the brick faces.
Other cities we work in
Pick your city below to see what we do there, and if yours isn't listed, call (805) 456-2871, since we work in other nearby cities too.