Dependable Masonry Contractor in Oakland CA - Old Brick and Mortar Back in Good Shape
Anchorstone Oakland Concrete and Masonry repairs brick, mortar joints and chimneys in Oakland and the East Bay, including Berkeley and Alameda. We also tuckpoint crumbling joints on older houses and rebuild retaining walls that have started to lean.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Start with an urgent repair or a plan
Loose brick or water getting in
Call (510) 216-0213 or send the form and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come out, look at it and tell you what needs doing now.
Planning a new wall or walkway
Send a few lines through our contact page. We reply within one business day and set a time for a free estimate at your property, with no obligation.
Masonry contractor services in Oakland, CA
Anchorstone Oakland Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor in Oakland, CA, and most of our calls are about brick that's wearing out on an older house. We cover 16 kinds of masonry and concrete work, from tired joints and old chimneys to new walls, walkways and pavers. Price mostly turns on how much brick or stone is involved, how far the damage runs behind what you can see, how hard the spot is to reach and the material you pick. The schedule turns on whether the job needs a permit and on what we find once it's opened up. The free estimate gives you a written figure for your job.
Foundation repair
Cracks in a brick or block foundation, or a corner that's dropped? We find what moved it, then repair the masonry so the house sits on something sound.
Chimney repair
For chimneys with loose brick, open joints or water showing up inside. We rebuild the failed brick and redo the cap on top to keep rain out.
Tuckpointing
We grind out soft, worn mortar and pack the joints with fresh mortar tooled to match. It suits brick that's still sound but has tired joints.
Brick repair
Cracked, loose or flaking bricks don't mean you need a new wall. We cut out the bad ones and set closely matched brick in their place.
Driveway pavers
We build paver driveways on a dug-out, packed base. They suit homeowners who want a drive that can be fixed one paver at a time.
Retaining wall construction
We build retaining walls to hold back a slope, with drainage behind them so water gets out instead of pushing on the wall.
Masonry restoration
What does restoration cover? Bringing an older brick or stone front back into shape, with cleaning, new joints and replaced brick, while keeping its original look.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces in brick or stone, from the firebox to the hearth. It's for homeowners adding a fireplace or replacing one that's past saving.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone set over an existing wall gives the look of stone without the weight. We set it over a water barrier to protect the wall behind.
Concrete block walls
We build concrete block walls for property lines, yards and outbuildings, with steel and grout in the hollow cores where the wall needs strength.
Foundation block wall installation
Need a new foundation or crawlspace wall in block? We lay it on a footing, reinforce it and leave it ready for framing to go on top.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build the masonry for outdoor kitchens, including block or stone counters, grill surrounds and the base under them. It's for a yard you want to cook in.
Walkway construction
We build walkways in brick, stone, pavers or concrete, set on a packed base for a flat, even step. They suit front paths and side yards.
Brick wall installation
Want a brick wall that looks like it came with the house? We lay new ones, from garden height to full property walls, matched to your brick.
Stone masonry
Stone masonry is walls, steps and edging in natural stone, cut and fitted by hand. It's for homeowners who want real stone, solid all the way through.
Brick pointing
Small patches of open or cracked joints? Pointing fills just those spots with fresh mortar, which can hold off a full tuckpointing job.
Why homeowners call us for brick and mortar
Most of our calls come from owners of older homes with crumbling joints, loose brick or water getting in. Here's how I handle those jobs and why it matters for your house.
The owner comes out to every job
I look at every job myself, write the estimate and work on site with the crew. You get a clear call on what the job needs, so you can decide quickly.
We fix the cause, not just the crack
Before we touch a joint, we look at why it failed, like water running down the wall or mortar too hard for the brick. Fixing that first means the new work isn't up against the same problem.
Licensed, insured and permits handled
We're licensed and fully insured. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and inspections with the city or county that covers your address, so the paperwork doesn't land on your desk.
A tidy site while you live there
You're still living in the house while we work, so we keep the site tidy as we go. Materials stay stacked out of your way, and we keep walkways clear and sweep up as we work.
How a masonry job runs with us
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the final walkthrough, so you know where things stand at each step and what comes next.
Call or send the form
Call (510) 216-0213 or send the form with a few lines about what you're seeing, like crumbling joints, a loose brick or a damp spot inside. We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out to your property.
I look at the job with you
I come out myself and walk the job with you, looking for why it failed as well as what failed. You get a free written estimate with no obligation, plus my honest take on what needs doing now and what can wait.
We handle the city side and build
Once you say go, we take care of any permit and inspections the job needs. Then we do the work, with me on site alongside the crew, so there's always someone to ask on the spot about how it's going.
Walk the finished job together
When the work's done, we walk it with you so you can look over every joint and wall we touched. We clean up before we leave, and you'll know what was done and why. Ask anything you want about it.
About Anchorstone, a masonry business in Oakland
I started Anchorstone Oakland Concrete and Masonry in Oakland in 2023, after learning the trade under a mason who'd been laying brick for decades. We're licensed and fully insured, and we take on 16 kinds of masonry and concrete work, with repairs on older brick homes at the center of it. You can read more about how I came to the trade and how we work.
Masonry work up close
A look at the kinds of brick, stone and block work this trade covers, from freshly pointed joints and rebuilt chimneys to new walls and walkways.
Service areas around Oakland
Anchorstone Oakland Concrete and Masonry is based in Oakland, CA. The 12 cities below each have their own page, Berkeley and Alameda among them, and we also work in the cities around them. Wherever you are, we reply within one business day.
Questions homeowners ask about masonry in Oakland
How much does masonry repair cost in Oakland?
It depends mostly on how much brick or mortar has failed and why. A few loose bricks or soft joints in one spot cost far less than rebuilding a chimney or a wall, and fixing the cause, like water getting behind the brick, can add work. The free estimate gives you a written figure for your job.
Is it cheaper to repair old brick or replace it?
Repair usually costs less when the brick itself is still sound and only the mortar or a few bricks have failed. Replacement makes sense when bricks are crumbling through or a wall is leaning from a problem below it. I'll tell you which one you're looking at and what can wait.
How long does a masonry job take in Oakland?
It depends on the size of the job and whether it needs a building permit, because permit work can't start until the city issues one. Oakland wants an approved recycling plan before it issues a building permit, so we get that step done early. What we find once a wall is opened up can also change the schedule.
Does a masonry contractor in California need a license?
Yes, for most jobs. The state licensing board requires a contractor's license when the project needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials across its contracts. We're licensed and fully insured.
Will I know what's going on while my masonry job is underway?
Yes, because I'm on site with the crew, so you can ask me directly. If opening up a wall or chimney shows something we didn't expect, you hear it from me before the plan changes.
Do you guarantee your masonry work?
Yes. Your satisfaction, guaranteed. That's our promise on every job, and the walkthrough at the end is your chance to look over the finished work with me and raise anything you're not happy with.
What kind of mortar should be used to repair old brick?
Mortar that suits the old brick, which usually means softer than the brick, so the joints give before the brick does. Hard modern mortar on older, softer brick can make the brick faces crack and flake. I check the existing brick and mortar before we pick a mix.
Who handles building permits for masonry work in Oakland?
The city's Planning & Building department takes building permit applications in Oakland. The city keeps a list of work that doesn't need a permit, including some retaining walls and fences, but each item has limits, so I check your job against it. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections.
Tell us about your brick or stone job
We reply within one business day. Then I come out, look at the job with you and give you a free written estimate with no obligation, and you can ask about permit steps too.
(510) 216-0213