Masonry contractor in San Marcos, CA - brick and stone work that matches your house

The City of San Marcos says work that adds to or alters a home's structure likely needs a building permit, and its Building Division is the office that issues them. Starting without one can bring fines, work stoppages and extra fees, so if your job needs a permit, we check with the city's Building Division at the start and take care of the permit paperwork with you. The city's guide for small businesses also points to an Exempt Work list for projects that may qualify without one, and you can call the division at 760-744-1050, ext. 3244 to ask about yours.

The city says plan review typically takes about 15 business days for projects that need it. During that time, city staff check the plans and supporting documents against building, fire, zoning and other codes that apply. Once a permit is approved, the city's process is to start construction and schedule the first inspection within 12 months, so we plan the start date around the review.

Yes, the California Contractors State License Board requires a license when the project needs a building permit, uses any extra workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials across one or more contracts. Splitting a bigger job into smaller contracts doesn't get it under that line, because the board counts every cost tied to the project. We're licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask any contractor you're comparing the same question.

Yes, the city requires every business working within its limits to hold a valid business license, and that includes contractors based in other cities who come in to work, even for a short job. It's worth asking about when you're comparing bids from outside San Marcos.

There's no set price, because I write each estimate after I've seen the job. On San Marcos houses the biggest swings usually come from how much old work has to come out, how hard it is to get materials onto a sloped yard and how close a match the repair needs. Call (760) 304-1464 and I'll come out and write yours.

Usually it's age and water, because years of wetting and drying wear mortar down, and small movements in the house open up joints that are already weak. We rake out the worn joints and refill them through tuckpointing, with mortar matched to the old color and strength, since mortar harder than the brick can crack it later. If only a few joints are bad, I'll tell you the rest can wait.