Masonry contractor in San Rafael, CA - repairs that fit older brick and stone
Stonework Richmond Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Richmond, CA. In San Rafael we repoint old brick, fix chimneys and foundations, and build retaining walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
San Rafael homes, from downtown to the hills
San Rafael is the busiest working city in Marin, with a downtown of shops and offices and older neighborhoods climbing the hills around it.
On our jobs here we meet a lot of brick chimneys, stone garden walls and front steps that have been standing a long time, alongside newer homes where people want a patio, an outdoor kitchen or a new walkway. The older brick calls for the same patient work we do on older houses in Alameda, where we match the mortar and brick instead of covering things up. The ground shapes the rest, because many lots here slope, and that turns a simple garden wall or walkway into a job with footings, steps and real thought about where the soil and water go.
Masonry services we do on San Rafael homes
Foundation repair
Older San Rafael houses often sit on brick or early concrete foundations, so when cracks show up we find the cause before we fix anything.
Chimney repair
A brick chimney on an older house takes the weather from every side, so loose bricks and open joints at the top are the first things we check.
Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing fills worn joints with mortar tinted to the brick, then adds a thin contrasting line down each joint, the crisp look some older brick fronts had.
Brick repair
On older San Rafael brick, we cut out cracked or spalled bricks, the ones with faces flaking off, and replace them with brick matched in size and color.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit the short, sloped driveways we see on many San Rafael lots, because a well-packed base holds them and single pavers lift out for repair.
Retaining wall construction
Hillside yards here often need a retaining wall to hold back soil, and we build each one with drainage behind it so water doesn't push it over.
Masonry restoration
For older San Rafael brick and stone that's worn but sound, restoration means cleaning, repointing and repairing it so the house keeps the look it was built with.
Fireplace installation
If you're adding a masonry fireplace or rebuilding an old one, we lay out the firebox, hearth and surround to fit the room and the chimney above it.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer gives a plain foundation wall, column or entry the look of solid stone, and we set it over a proper backing so moisture can drain.
Concrete block walls
Block walls make sturdy property-line and yard walls on San Rafael lots, and we fill and reinforce the cores where the wall's height and load call for it.
Foundation block wall installation
When an older house needs a new foundation wall or a crawlspace wall rebuilt, we lay block on a footing sized for the house it carries.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Many San Rafael yards have room for a patio grill station, and we build the counters and base in block, brick or stone to match your house.
Walkway construction
A walkway up a sloped San Rafael yard needs a firm base and steps set at an easy rise, and we build it in brick, stone or pavers.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden wall can match the older brick on your house, and we pick the brick, bond pattern and mortar color so it fits in.
Stone masonry
Old stone walls and steps turn up around many San Rafael homes, and we rebuild or extend them with stone laid the way the original was set.
Brick pointing
On older San Rafael brick, pointing fills worn joints before water gets in behind the brick, and we match the new mortar's color to what's already there.
Get a free written estimate for your San Rafael masonry job
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I'll come out, look the job over with you and send a free written estimate, with no obligation.
(510) 369-4799- Based in
- Richmond, CA 94804
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Working in San Rafael: permits, licenses and pricing
Permits in San Rafael come from the city's Building Safety Division, which covers work that builds, alters or repairs a building, and when your job needs one, I pull it as the licensed contractor and set up the inspections. That puts part of the schedule in the city's hands, since we can't start until the permit's issued or wrap up until the inspector signs off. The city also requires a business license from anyone working inside city limits, even a contractor based outside them like us, so it's fair to ask for it, though the city is plain that the license is a tax and not proof anyone knows the trade.
Our crew comes across the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge from Richmond, and the drive is easy enough that I can come out to walk your job and be on site while we work. What moves the price here is usually the size of the job and how we get material to it, because a downtown block with tight parking or a hillside lot with a steep driveway can mean carrying brick and mortar in by hand. I put all of that into a written estimate for your job.
San Rafael's older brick and sloped yards
A lot of the houses we see in San Rafael have brick chimneys, front steps or foundations that have been standing for decades, and the mortar between the bricks is meant to wear out before the brick does. When joints go sandy or open up, water gets in behind the face, so we look at whether pointing the worn joints will do the job before we talk about rebuilding anything, because usually it will.
On sloped lots, retaining walls and stone steps hold the yard up, and a wall that leans or bulges usually has water trapped behind it. We find out where that water is going before we rebuild, and if the wall is sound, I'll tell you so.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in San Rafael
Here's how it goes from your first call to a cleaned-up site, with me there to walk the job and our own crew doing the work.
Call or send the form
Call (510) 369-4799 or send the form with a few lines about the job. We get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
Walk the job together
I look it over with you, because I want to see the brick, the ground and how we'd get material in, so it helps if you're home. You get a written estimate, and if a smaller repair will do, that's what I'll recommend.
Handle permits and scheduling
If the job needs a permit, we pull it and book the city inspections, and the city's review is usually what decides the start date. If we're not sure what San Rafael wants, we ask the city before we start instead of guessing.
Build, clean up, walk through
Our own crew does the work with me on site to run it, and we clean up before we call it done. Then we walk it with you so you can see the finished joints, wall or walkway.
Questions about masonry work in San Rafael
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in San Rafael?
Not always, because the city's older permit handout exempts retaining walls up to 4 feet from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, unless the wall holds up extra weight above it, like a driveway or more slope, or holds back flammable liquids. Planning, Fire Prevention or Public Works can still set conditions on work that needs no building permit. Since the handout is older, we check with the city before we build.
Does a brick or block fence need a building permit in San Rafael?
The city's older handout exempts fences up to 7 feet tall from a building permit, though a fence may still need Planning review or approval. Whether a masonry garden wall counts as a fence under that rule is something we confirm with the city before we start.
How long does a building permit stay valid in San Rafael?
Building permits the city issued after January 1, 2023 are good for 2 years, and minor permits for 180 days. If the work hasn't passed its final inspection by then, the city charges a renewal fee, which is why we book inspections as the work reaches each stage.
What is the best way to repoint old brick on a San Rafael house?
The best way is to rake out the worn joints by hand to an even depth and refill them with a mortar softer than the brick, so the joint wears over the years instead of the brick. Older brick is usually softer than modern brick, and a hard cement mortar can make its faces crack and flake. I match the mix and color to what your house was built with.
Which building code applies to my San Rafael masonry project?
The code in effect when a complete permit application goes in applies to your project for its whole run, and since January 1, 2026 that's the newest edition of the California building code. If you have a code question of your own, the city's Building Division takes them at building@cityofsanrafael.org.
How much does masonry work cost in San Rafael?
The cost of a San Rafael masonry job comes down mostly to its size, the brick or stone you choose, how hard the site is to work on and what the old work hides until it's opened. Matching old brick and soft mortar takes more time than new work, a permit and inspections add to it, and a steep lot where we carry material by hand costs more than a flat driveway. Call (510) 369-4799 and I'll come out and put your number in writing.
Richmond, CA
Tell us about your San Rafael masonry project
A quick call or a note through the form lets me look at worn brick or a leaning wall before a small repair turns into a rebuild.