Masonry Contractor in Escondido - Walls Built for Hillside Lots
Fieldstone Temecula Concrete and Masonry builds block and retaining walls and repairs brick, stone and mortar for homeowners, landlords and property managers in Escondido, CA, fixing what's causing the damage, not just the crack.
- Cause found first We track down the water or settling behind the damage.
- Owner writes the estimate I come out myself, measure, take photos and explain what I see.
- Straight talk on priorities We tell you what needs fixing now and what can wait.
- Lead mason on site Our crew works with me or my lead mason running it.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Masonry work for Escondido homes
Fieldstone Temecula Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Temecula, CA, and we come down to Escondido for walls, steps, chimneys and brick repair. Most of the calls we get here are for block and retaining walls on sloped yards and for mortar repair on older brick.
Working in Escondido: permits, licenses and sloped lots
The city's Building Division issues building permits in Escondido, and when your job needs one, its review has to finish before we can set a start date. Its permit list names roofs, water heaters, HVAC, solar, remodels and trade work, not masonry, so we check with the office about your address before we start. You can also check two things about any contractor: a state license with the state licensing board and an Escondido business license.
The north side of Escondido climbs into the hills, and a lot of the yards we see there are cut into a slope. A retaining wall on a hill usually fails from behind, when water builds up in the soil and has nowhere to go, so drainage behind the block is part of how we build it. Closer to downtown, around the Old Escondido Neighborhood, it's more often older brick with worn mortar. We see the same mix in Vista and San Marcos.
What moves the price here is mostly height, length and access, because a taller wall needs a bigger footing and more steel, and a backyard with no way in for equipment means moving block by hand. On repairs, it's how far the damage goes once we open it up. The schedule turns on whether a permit is needed and on what we find behind the face. Your written estimate lays that out for your job.
What we handle around Escondido
- Retaining walls on sloped hillside yards
- Block walls and fences along property lines
- Mortar repair on older brick homes
- Drainage behind walls that are pushing out
- Checking permit needs with the city first
What we do on Escondido properties
Escondido has hillside lots that need walls holding them up and older brick homes that need their mortar kept sound, so the work below covers both, from new walls to repair.
Foundation repair
Foundation repair on Escondido homes starts with finding out whether water or settling ground is cracking the concrete.
Chimney repair
Older chimneys usually lose mortar at the top first, and chimney repair means rebuilding what's loose before bricks start coming down.
Tuckpointing
On older brick where the joints have gone soft, tuckpointing cuts out the bad mortar and refills it to match the original color and line.
Brick repair
A cracked brick or one whose face is flaking off usually has water behind it, so our brick repair deals with that too.
Driveway pavers
Sloped driveways need a packed base and solid edges, so driveway pavers stay put instead of creeping downhill over time.
Retaining wall construction
For yards that climb into the north Escondido hills, retaining wall construction holds the slope back with drainage built in behind the block.
Masonry restoration
When older brick or stone is worn but still sound, masonry restoration brings it back without tearing out what still works.
Fireplace installation
Adding a hearth to a living room or patio? Fireplace installation gives it a solid footing and a firebox laid up properly.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer installation dresses up a stucco wall or column, with flashing so water drains out of the wall instead of in.
Concrete block walls
Property-line walls are common here, and our concrete block walls go in on a real footing with steel and grouted cores.
Foundation block wall installation
For a house on a slope, foundation block wall installation builds a block stem wall that carries the load down to firm ground.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Big backyards suit outdoor kitchen masonry, with block cores, a brick or stone face and a base ready for the countertop.
Walkway construction
On sloped lots, walkway construction often means steps and landings, so the path drains and nobody's walking down a slick incline.
Brick wall installation
Brick wall installation fits older Escondido homes where a new garden or front wall should match the brick already there.
Stone masonry
Hand-laid walls, steps and planters suit hillside yards, and stone masonry covers fieldstone and cut stone alike.
Brick pointing
If the joints are just starting to wear, brick pointing fills them before the damage reaches the brick, which keeps the repair small.
What happens when you call us about an Escondido job
Here's how a job runs, from your first call or form to the walk-through once our crew is done.
Call or send the form
Call or send the form, and I come out to look at the job myself. I measure, take photos and figure out what's causing the damage.
Get a written estimate
I go over what I see, what needs fixing now and what can wait. You get all of it in a written estimate.
We handle the permit
Once you say go, we pull any permit needed. City review takes about 30 calendar days per round once plans are complete.
Do the work, walk through
Our crew does the work, with me or my lead mason on site, then cleans up and walks the finished job with you.
Why Escondido homeowners call our crew
We fix the cause first
Patch a crack and leave the water behind it, and you'll be calling someone again, so we find the water first.
Walls planned for sloped yards
Hillside lots here push hard on a wall from behind, so we plan the footing and drainage before the first block.
Honest about what can wait
I'd rather tell you what can wait than sell you a bigger job, which matters when you're budgeting a rental.
The estimator runs the job
I write the estimate, and my lead mason or I run the crew, so the plan we agreed on is the one that gets built.
Get a written estimate for your Escondido masonry job
Tell us what you're seeing, where in Escondido it is and any permit questions you have. We'll get back to you within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Examples of masonry work
Look through these examples of block walls, retaining walls, brick and stone work to get a feel for what might suit your yard.
Escondido masonry questions
These are the questions Escondido homeowners and landlords ask most about permits, licenses and cost. If yours isn't here, call or send the form and ask about your own job.
Does a block wall or fence in Escondido need a building permit?
An older city list of permit exemptions puts fences up to 6 feet high among work that needs no building permit, but they still need Planning Division approval. Because that list is older and a block wall can run into other rules, we check with the Building Division for your address before we start.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Escondido?
Under that same older list, a retaining wall up to 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, doesn't need a building permit unless it holds back a surcharge, extra weight like a driveway or a slope above it. Hillside walls here often carry that kind of load, so we confirm the current rule with the Building Division before we build.
Does a contractor from outside Escondido need an Escondido business license?
Yes. The city requires a business license from anyone doing business in Escondido, even when the business is based outside city limits, and it names construction contractors as an example. You can ask any contractor for theirs, us included.
How do I know if a masonry contractor needs a California license?
A contractor needs a license from the state licensing board if the job needs a building permit, uses any extra workers or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials together. A larger job can't be split into smaller pieces to stay under that amount, so most wall, chimney and repair jobs fall under the license rule.
How much does a block or retaining wall cost in Escondido?
The price comes down to the wall's height and length, the footing and steel it needs, and how hard it is to get block into your yard. A stone or brick face, a cap and drainage behind the wall add to it, and a permit adds review time, so I put it all in writing after I've seen the job.
How do I submit plans for a building permit in Escondido?
The Building Division takes plans only in electronic form, and the permit types on its list are filed through its online portal. The building counter is open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm, and when your job needs a permit, we pull it for you.
Other cities we work in
Pick a city below to see how we work there, or call or send the form if yours isn't listed.
Talk to a masonry contractor about your Escondido job
We answer into the evening and on weekends, so call (951) 466-2105 after work or send the form when it suits you.