Masonry contractor in Chula Vista - block walls and brick repair done right

A freestanding masonry wall up to 48 inches above the highest ground beside it, or a retaining wall up to three feet from the top of its footing to the top of the wall, doesn't need a building permit under Chula Vista's permit rules. The retaining wall limit doesn't apply when the wall holds up extra load, like a driveway or more slope above it, and any wall or gate across a fire truck access road needs a permit from the Chula Vista Fire Department. Past those limits the city's Building Official issues the permit, and it comes before the work starts. Even an exempt wall still has to meet the building codes, so we check with the city at the start and take care of any permit paperwork with you.

The city doesn't require a building permit for maintenance repairs that only replace parts of the existing work with similar materials. Plain repointing and brick swaps are often that kind of repair, but it stops counting once the work changes the construction, such as adding height or length, or touches electrical, plumbing or mechanical work. When I look at your wall I'll tell you which side of that line it's on, and if there's any doubt we check with the city before we start.

It can, because the city requires separate plumbing, electrical and mechanical permits even for work that's exempt from a building permit, unless the code exempts those too. A gas line to a grill or fireplace, or an outlet in a counter, is the kind of work those permits usually cover. Like the wall permits above, we sort out which ones your job needs at the start.

Start with the city's general contact, which the City of Chula Vista lists as 276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910, and (619) 409-5811. Its official website is chulavistaca.gov. If we're doing your job, you won't have to make that call alone, since checking with the city is part of how we start.

I can't give a fair number until I've seen the job, because beyond the size, material and tear-out I mentioned above, the price moves with things that only show up on site. Those include how far the crew has to carry block or stone from the street, how deep the footing needs to go, and on repairs, how much work it takes to match the old mortar. A wall past the city's permit limits also adds the permit to the job. Call (760) 304-1464 and I'll come out and write it up.

Usually it's years of water and wear working on the joints, and sometimes an old patch done with mortar harder than the brick. Mortar is meant to be the softer part of the wall so it wears first and can be replaced, and a hard patch pushes that stress into the brick, which is when the faces start cracking off. That's why we match the new mortar to the brick instead of reaching for the strongest mix.