Masonry Contractor in Berkeley, CA - Brick and Stone That Stays Put
Liberty San Leandro Concrete & Masonry repairs and builds brick, block and stone work in Berkeley, from old chimneys and front steps to retaining walls on sloped lots.
Brick and stone masonry in Berkeley
We're a masonry contractor in San Leandro, a short drive down from Berkeley, and most of what we do up there is on older houses. In the hills around the Rose Garden and Northbrae, the lots slope, so steps and retaining walls hold back dirt as well as carry feet. Down in the flats it's more brick chimneys, porches and foundation walls wearing a few generations of patches.
Price here mostly turns on how hard the spot is to reach, how much old work has to come out first and what we find behind it. The schedule turns on permits and on dry weather for mortar. At the estimate I measure, take photos and write it up so you can see what each part of the job covers. We do the same work in Oakland and down through Ashland, but Berkeley jobs usually start with older brick and steeper ground, and both change how we build.
What we do on Berkeley properties
Foundation repair
Older Berkeley houses often sit on brick or early concrete foundations, and we track down the water or settling behind a crack before we patch it.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older houses here lose mortar from the top down. We rebuild loose crowns and cracked stacks above the roofline before the water gets inside.
Tuckpointing
When the joints on an old brick wall go sandy, we grind out the worn mortar and pack in a mix soft enough for old brick.
Brick repair
If the faces are flaking off a few bricks on a porch or garden wall, we can usually cut them out one at a time and swap in a close match.
Driveway pavers
Short, steep driveways are common up in the hills, and pavers on a well-packed base give tires grip and lift out for repair if a section sinks.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped yards here lean hard on a wall. We dig a proper footing and build in drainage behind it, because trapped water is what pushes most walls over.
Masonry restoration
On brick and stone houses with decades of patches, a few of them in caulk, we take the bad repairs off and redo them in materials that suit the wall.
Fireplace installation
A lot of older homes here have a brick fireplace past its best. We rebuild fireboxes and surrounds, or lay up a new masonry fireplace.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer gives a stucco foundation wall or chimney a stone face without the weight, if the water barrier and wire mesh behind it go on right.
Concrete block walls
Block walls work well for property lines and tight side yards in the flats, and we fill the cores with grout and steel so they hold together.
Foundation block wall installation
Where an old foundation wall under a hillside house is too far gone to repair, we lay a new block wall on a fresh footing, reinforced with steel.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Flat ground is scarce on hillside lots, so outdoor kitchens here often sit on a terrace. We build the block base, counters and stone facing to fit.
Walkway construction
Front walks up in the hills often need steps built in. We lay brick, stone or paver walks pitched so water runs off instead of sitting.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden or front-yard wall on an older street should look like it's always been there, so we match the brick size, color and joint style to the house.
Stone masonry
Plenty of hillside yards here have rock in them. We build stone walls, steps and planters, stacked dry or set in mortar, depending on the slope.
Brick pointing
If a few joints on an old brick wall have cracked or fallen out, we repoint just those and match the old mortar so the fix doesn't look like toothpaste.
What signs mean your Berkeley masonry needs a look?
Berkeley sits close to major earthquake faults, so on older brick and hillside walls even small movement usually shows up first as cracks and loose mortar.
- Stair-step cracks in brick joints
- Mortar that crumbles to sand
- Retaining wall leaning or bulging
- Loose bricks at the chimney top
- White powder on brick or block
- Steps pulling away from the house
If you spot one of these, call or send the form, and I'll come take a look and tell you what's causing it.
Fix the old brick or build new?
On Berkeley's older houses, I start by finding out why the brick or wall failed, because if the cause is water or a bad footing, new mortar on top won't last.
When a repair is enough
If the brick itself is sound and the wall still stands straight, a repair is usually the right call. We cut out the bad joints or the few broken bricks and match what's there, which keeps the old house looking like itself.
When rebuilding makes sense
When a wall leans, the top rows of a chimney lift off by hand or a footing has settled out of level, patching just buys time. We take it down to solid work and rebuild it on a footing and drainage that can carry the load.
What Berkeley's hills and old brick need
I come out to look at the job myself and stay on site with our crew while the work gets done, so the person who priced it is the one checking it. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Cause found before the patch
I look for the water or movement behind a crack first, because new mortar over an old leak just fails again.
Mortar matched to old brick
Older brick usually wants a softer mortar, so we mix to suit the wall instead of grabbing whatever's on the truck.
Permits handled with the city
If your job needs a permit, we take it to Berkeley's Permit Service Center and don't start until it's issued.
Licensed in California, insured
We're licensed and insured, in business since 2021, and you're welcome to check our license with the state board before you sign.
Straight answers on what can wait
If a crack is old and not moving, I'll tell you it can wait rather than sell you a job.
Call about your Berkeley masonry job
Tell us what you're seeing and ask about permits when you call (510) 264-7154, because knowing the wall's height and where it sits on the lot helps me bring the right questions to the estimate.
Other cities we serve, or just call
Pick your city from the list, and if you don't see it, call (510) 264-7154, because we work in plenty of places in between.