Masonry contractor in Costa Mesa, CA - brick and stone work that fits your house
Elite Laguna Niguel Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Costa Mesa, CA. We repair brick, chimneys and mortar joints and build new walls, walkways and outdoor kitchens, from our base in Laguna Niguel.
What our masonry work in Costa Mesa involves
My dad taught me to lay brick and stone, and after years on his crews I started this masonry business in Laguna Niguel, CA in 2017. Costa Mesa is one of the many Orange County cities we work in, and we do the same work in Irvine, Newport Beach and Fountain Valley.
Price comes down to how much wall, brick or stone there is, whether old work has to be torn out first, the material you pick and how easy it is to get a wheelbarrow to the spot. Timing turns mostly on permits and what comes before them, like an HOA letter or an engineer's plans. I come out and give you a written estimate.
When a job here needs a permit, it comes from the city's Building Safety Division, and we handle the paperwork and line up the inspections. We're fully licensed and insured, and if something has to happen before the permit, I'll tell you early so you can plan for it.
Masonry services for Costa Mesa homes
Every project we take on in Costa Mesa starts with one of these services. Follow the links to see what each job involves.
Foundation repair
If a crack is running through the foundation or a door has started to stick, we find out why the ground moved before we patch anything.
Learn more about Foundation repairChimney repair
Loose bricks near a chimney's top, a cracked cap or stains down the sides usually mean water's getting in, so we repair the masonry to shed it.
Learn more about Chimney repairTuckpointing
We tuckpoint, grinding out worn mortar and packing fresh, color-matched mortar in its place, when the joints on a wall have gone sandy or hollow.
Learn more about TuckpointingBrick repair
Where a few bricks have cracked, flaked or worked loose, we cut them out and set matching brick so the repair blends into the wall.
Learn more about Brick repairDriveway pavers
A paver driveway suits you if you want a surface that can be lifted and relaid in spots. The base under it decides how long it stays flat.
Learn more about Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
When a slope is pushing into your yard or an old wall is leaning, we build a retaining wall with a solid footing and drainage behind it.
Learn more about Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
Older brick and stone often need gentler mortar and slower work than new walls. Restoration brings a tired wall or front back without damaging what's original.
Learn more about Masonry restorationFireplace installation
If you're adding a fireplace indoors or out, we build the firebox and surround in brick or stone, set to the maker's instructions for any insert.
Learn more about Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
We set thin stone veneer over an existing wall, column or fireplace for the look of solid stone, and the prep underneath is what keeps it there.
Learn more about Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
For a property-line wall or a sturdy garden wall, we lay block on a footing, with steel and grout where it's needed, and finish it your way.
Learn more about Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
When an addition or raised floor needs a block foundation, we build it square and level on its footing, because everything above depends on it.
Learn more about Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
That backyard kitchen you've been putting off starts with the masonry. We build the grill island, counters and bar from block, brick or stone.
Learn more about Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
If the path to your door has cracked or heaved, or you've only got stepping stones in grass, we build a walkway in brick, stone or pavers.
Learn more about Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
New brick walls, from a low garden wall to a full privacy wall, get laid by hand and finished so they look like they belong to the house.
Learn more about Brick wall installationStone masonry
Natural stone laid as a wall, steps or a planter takes patience to fit tight, and it's the work my dad taught me on his crews.
Learn more about Stone masonryBrick pointing
Where only the mortar has cracked or shrunk back and the brick is sound, we repoint, refilling the joints so water stays out of the wall.
Learn more about Brick pointing
When an older wall needs more than a patch
Press a house key into a few mortar joints. If sand scratches out in one or two spots, brick repair or brick pointing usually takes care of it, because the wall's still doing its job. If it comes out everywhere you try, the whole wall is due for tuckpointing.
Cracks that run through the bricks instead of around them, a wall that leans or bulges, or brick that crumbles under your thumb usually mean something bigger is going on. That's when masonry restoration or a rebuild makes sense, and I'd rather take the slower fix that protects your house than a patch that lasts a year.
Front yards, backyards and chimneys around Costa Mesa
Out front, the calls we get across the cities we work in are usually about a cracked brick planter, a chimney that's lost a few bricks up top, or a walkway that's lifted where it meets the driveway. Those are often small jobs, if they're caught before water gets behind them.
Out back, it's more often the projects people have put off for years, like a block wall along the property line, a retaining wall for a slope or an outdoor kitchen. If there's a slope, the drainage behind the wall matters as much as the wall, so that's the first thing I ask about.
What to have ready before your Costa Mesa estimate
Photos of the problem over time
If you've watched a crack grow, old photos help me tell whether it's still moving. Take a few new ones too, and jot down when you first noticed it and whether it changes after rain.
Your HOA's rules and approvals
If you're in an HOA, find out whether they sign off on walls, colors or materials before work starts. A letter like that can come before any permit, so it's worth asking early.
A picture of the look you want
Bring a photo of a wall, a brick color or a stone you like, even one from a neighbor's house. It helps me price the right material and tell you whether it'll sit well next to what's already there.
Questions about masonry work in Costa Mesa
Does my masonry project in Costa Mesa need a licensed contractor?
Yes, if it needs a building permit, uses employee labor or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials, because that's when California's Contractors State License Board requires a license. The board also says a bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to stay under $1,000. We're fully licensed and insured.
How do I apply for a building permit in Costa Mesa?
You apply online through the city's permit system, where plans go in and permits come out, and the city ignores paper forms. Incomplete applications get sent back, so the details have to be right the first time. That's the paperwork we take care of on jobs that need it.
Is there an Insta-Permit for masonry work in Costa Mesa?
Masonry isn't on the city's Insta-Permit list, which covers residential HVAC, re-pipes, water heaters, EV chargers, panel upgrades and re-roofs. That list doesn't tell you whether your wall or chimney job needs a regular permit, so call the city's building line at (714) 754-5273, or bring it up when I come out.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Costa Mesa?
Check with the city before you build, because its building staff publish a retaining wall specification handout with their residential forms. A wall holding back a slope is also the kind of job where an engineer's plans might have to come first, and if yours needs them, I'll tell you early.
What are the penalties for unlicensed contracting in California?
A first offense is usually a misdemeanor, with up to six months in jail, a $500 fine or both, according to the state licensing board. An administrative fine of $200 to $15,000 can come with it, so it pays to ask any contractor for their license before you sign.
Will new mortar match the old brick on my Costa Mesa house?
Usually, yes, when we take the time to match it, because the color comes mostly from the sand and the mix. On older, softer brick we also use a softer mortar, since a hard modern mix can crack the brick around it.
Tell us about your Costa Mesa masonry job
Call or use the form to tell us about the wall, chimney or walkway. We'll reply within one business day, then I'll come out for a free written estimate, no obligation.
(949) 312-6076Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM