Masonry contractor in Dublin, CA - walls, pavers and stone for hillside yards
C&M Castro Valley Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Dublin, CA. We repair brick, mortar and chimneys, and we build retaining walls, paver driveways, walkways and stone work for homes across the city.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Dublin homes from the hillsides to the flats
Dublin is just over the hill from us in Castro Valley, and a lot of our calls here come from homes with a slope to deal with, a backyard that climbs toward the open ridge of Dougherty Hills or a front yard that steps down to the street. The flatter neighborhoods keep us busy too, with paver driveways, block walls along the side yards and brick fireplaces that have been around a while. Much of it looks like what we see over in Pleasanton, so the houses here feel familiar.
On a slope, the ground decides most of the job before any brick does. A wall or walkway on a grade needs a firm base and somewhere for water to go, so I look at the drainage before we talk about stone or color.
Masonry services we bring to Dublin homes
Foundation repair
When a crack shows in a foundation on a sloped Dublin lot, we find out why the ground moved before we patch it, so the repair holds.
Chimney repair
On Dublin homes with a brick fireplace, a cracked cap or loose top bricks let water in, so we rebuild what's failing and close it up.
Tuckpointing
For brick that needs to look crisp again, we rake out tired joints, fill them to match the brick and run a thin contrasting line down each one.
Brick repair
A brick with its face flaking off usually means water got in, so we cut out the bad ones, set brick to match and deal with the water.
Driveway pavers
Pavers work well on a sloped driveway because they flex a little instead of cracking, as long as we dig out and pack the base underneath properly.
Retaining wall construction
Hillside yards here often need a wall to hold soil and gain flat ground, and we set drainage behind it so water doesn't build up against the wall.
Masonry restoration
When an older home's brick or stone has years of cracks, stains and patchwork, we restore the whole thing rather than chasing one problem at a time.
Fireplace installation
Adding a masonry fireplace or surround to a family room is work we plan with you from the hearth up, so it draws well and fits the room.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone veneer can dress up a plain stucco front, a column or a fireplace wall, and we set it over a proper backing that sheds water.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along a side yard or back fence line give homes privacy and a solid edge, and we set them on a footing sized for the ground.
Foundation block wall installation
Where a house or addition steps down a slope, a block foundation wall carries the load and holds back the dirt, so we build in drainage and steel.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build backyard kitchens in block, brick or stone, with counters and a grill station laid out around how you cook and where your guests sit.
Walkway construction
On a sloped lot, a walkway to the front door often needs steps or a gentler grade, which we build in brick, stone or pavers.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden wall or planter looks best when it matches the house, so we pick the brick and mortar color together before we start.
Stone masonry
Natural stone fits homes that back up to the hills, and we lay it for steps, walls and borders with joints that shed water instead of holding it.
Brick pointing
When a few mortar joints have cracked or washed out, refilling them now keeps water out of the wall before it turns into a bigger repair.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Dublin masonry work
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out to look at the work with you, then follow up with a written estimate, and there's no obligation.
(510) 264-7156- hello@castrovalleyconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Castro Valley, CA 94546
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
What we know about working in Dublin
Dublin is its own city, so permits come from the City of Dublin's Building and Safety Division rather than the county, and its list covers most construction and repair, including patios and garden and retaining walls. Whether your job needs a permit, and whether that permit needs plans reviewed, is what sets how soon we can start. The city also requires a current Dublin business license from anyone doing business inside city limits, contractors based elsewhere and their subcontractors included, so it's a fair thing to ask any mason you're thinking of hiring.
We're fully licensed and insured, and when your job needs a permit we take care of the paperwork and the inspections with the city, the same as we do up the road in San Ramon. The price here mostly follows the ground, how tall a wall has to be, how much digging and drainage the slope calls for and how hard it is to get material to the spot, while the schedule turns on the permit and how much prep the site needs. You'll see your own figure in the written estimate after I've looked at the work.
Slopes and older brick drive most Dublin calls
Slopes are the big one. Plenty of Dublin homes sit on lots that climb toward the hills on either side of town, so yards get terraced with retaining walls, driveways run steep and steps lead up to the front door. Soil on a slope keeps pushing downhill, and water soaking in behind a wall adds to that push, so when a wall leans or a walkway cracks I look at the drainage and the footing first, and we fix those along with the masonry.
Age is the other. Older brick here, a chimney or a fireplace wall, has had a long time for its mortar to wear soft, while newer homes lean on veneer, pavers and block walls that need a sound base more than anything, and catching a loose brick or a sinking paver early keeps it a small repair.
What to expect when you hire a mason in Dublin
Here's how a Dublin job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, and where the city's permit review fits in.
Call or send a message
You reach us at (510) 264-7156 or through the form, and I set a time to come out. It helps if you can be there, because I'd rather look at the work with you than leave a note.
Walk the job together
I look at the work with you, explain what I think caused the problem and talk through your choices. Then you get a written estimate that spells out the work and the materials, so you know the price before anything starts.
Sort the permit, set dates
Once you say go, we sort out any permit your job needs and get it on the calendar. A permit that needs plan review usually takes the city about two to three weeks to process, while most minor permits are handed over right at the counter.
Build it, then walk it
My crew does the work and I check in as it goes. At the end we walk the finished job together so you can see it up close and ask anything.
Questions about masonry work in Dublin
Does a retaining wall need a permit in Dublin, CA?
A retaining wall more than three feet tall needs a permit from the city, and a shorter wall loses its exemption if it supports an added load or a ground slope of five percent. On a sloped Dublin yard that slope condition catches a lot of short walls, so I check the grade above the wall against the city's permit rules before we plan anything, and if a permit is needed we take care of it.
Do I need a permit for a block wall or fence in Dublin?
Fences below eight feet tall need no building permit in Dublin, but the city says to contact its Planning Division for plan approval before you build. Garden walls are on the city's permit list, so a block or brick wall can fall on either side depending on what it is and what it holds back, and we settle that with the city before we start.
Do I need a permit to install a fireplace in Dublin?
Yes, the city requires a mechanical permit for a fireplace or an insert, and in most cases it can be issued at the counter. If you want to burn wood, the city only allows EPA-certified wood-burning units, so we pick the unit with you before we build the masonry around it.
How much does masonry work cost in Dublin?
Masonry work in Dublin is priced by the job, and I give you your figure in a written estimate after I've looked at the work with you. Repairs like refilling joints or swapping a few bricks run smaller than new walls, natural stone usually costs more than block or pavers, and a steep driveway with tight access adds labor because material gets carried in by hand.
What causes a retaining wall to lean on a sloped lot in Dublin?
Most leaning walls are losing to water and soil pressure, because water trapped behind the wall makes the dirt heavier and pushes harder than the wall was built for. A shallow footing or missing weep holes, the small openings that let water out, make it worse, so I dig enough to see which it is before we rebuild, since a new wall with the same drainage just leans again.
How do I get a building permit for masonry work in Dublin?
You can get it yourself, because Dublin lets property owners obtain permits for any work, or a licensed contractor can get it for the work their license covers. Either way it goes through the city's building office on the review times in our steps above, and when you hire us we handle the paperwork and inspections for you.
Castro Valley, CA
Tell us about your Dublin masonry project
Describe the wall, chimney or paver job on the phone or in the form, and I'll tell you which permit questions to sort out before you plan around a date.