Masonry Contractor in Mill Valley - Hillside Walls, Chimneys and Old Brick
Optimum Novato Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Mill Valley, CA. We repoint old brick and chimneys, build retaining walls on sloped lots, and lay paver driveways, walkways and stone walls.
Our masonry work in Mill Valley
Mill Valley is mostly older houses on hillsides, set close together on narrow streets that weren't laid out with a delivery truck in mind. The calls we get here fit those houses. It's a chimney with crumbling joints, a garden wall leaning off a slope, brick steps pushed out of line by tree roots, or a driveway too steep for the pavers somebody laid on a thin base. We're a masonry contractor based in Novato, CA, and we work across Marin, from Larkspur up through Petaluma to Rohnert Park and the cities around them.
Price here mostly comes down to access, how far the damage runs once we open it up, and how closely new brick or stone has to match the old. The schedule turns on whether the city wants a permit, and I'll go over both when I come out. On a hillside lot most walls are holding back dirt, so the base and drainage behind them matter more than the face you see.
Masonry services in Mill Valley
Foundation repair
Older Mill Valley houses often sit on brick or block foundations stepped into a slope. We find what's moving first, then repair the masonry so the fix holds.
Chimney repair
Many chimneys here are original brick with soft joints. We rebuild the cap and the worst top courses so water stops getting in.
Tuckpointing
When old mortar has worn back from the face of the brick, we cut out the joints and refill them with mortar matched to the old work.
Brick repair
Old brick steps and planters here often have cracked or flaking bricks. We replace the bad ones with a match so the patch doesn't stand out.
Driveway pavers
Steep driveways here are hard on pavers. We pack a solid base first, because a weak base on a slope shows up as loose pavers.
Retaining wall construction
Most lots in the hills here need a wall somewhere. We build them with drainage behind, since water trapped behind a wall is usually what pushes it over.
Masonry restoration
Mill Valley has plenty of old brick and stone worth keeping. We clean it, fix what's failed and leave alone what's still sound.
Fireplace installation
Adding a masonry fireplace to an older house here means working around what's already there. We check what it will sit on before we lay a brick.
Stone veneer installation
Plenty of plain foundations and chimneys here look better under stone veneer, a thin stone facing. We leave a drainage gap behind it so water gets out.
Concrete block walls
Where a yard steps down a hill, a concrete block wall gives you strength in a narrow footprint. We reinforce it where the load calls for it.
Foundation block wall installation
When an old foundation under a hillside house has to be replaced in sections, we build new block walls on sound footings and tie them into what stays.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Flat yard space is scarce on the hills here, so an outdoor kitchen often goes on a small terrace. We build the frame and stone face to fit.
Walkway construction
Paths from the street up to the door are often steep here. We build walkways and steps on a firm base, pitched so water runs off.
Brick wall installation
A brick garden wall suits the older houses here. We pour a proper footing first, since a wall only stays straight if what's under it does.
Stone masonry
Stacked and mortared stone walls are part of the look on many older properties here. We rebuild fallen sections and build new ones with stone that matches.
Brick pointing
Plenty of old walls here have mortar you can scratch out with a key. Pointing puts fresh mortar back in the joints before the brick starts to move.
Tell us about your masonry job
Call (628) 209-1088 or use the form with your address and what you're seeing, and I'll come out and look at it.
Why Mill Valley homeowners call us
When you call, I come out to look at the job myself, tell you what's wrong and what it'll take, and my crew of masons does the work with me.
The parts nobody sees
We spend the time on the base, the drainage and the mortar mix, because that's where masonry usually fails years later.
Mortar that suits old brick
Old brick here needs a softer mortar than a bag of modern mix, so the joints give before the brick does.
Room to work on hill streets
We plan deliveries, parking and where materials sit before we start, because narrow hill streets leave little room.
Permits pulled for you
If your job needs a permit, we pull it and deal with the city, and I'll tell you what I know at the first visit.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
We're fully licensed and insured, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job. Call (628) 209-1088 to set up a visit.
Mill Valley masonry questions
Who issues masonry permits in Mill Valley?
The City of Mill Valley's Building Division issues permits, reviews plans and inspects work for addresses inside city limits. The city also requires a business license for any business working inside city limits, and a contractor can only apply for a permit once that license is paid for the year, so it's a fair thing to ask anyone you hire. If your job needs a permit, we pull it and deal with the city for you.
Is my Mill Valley address inside city limits?
Not always, because some Mill Valley addresses, including those in Strawberry, Tam Valley, Homestead, Almonte and Alto, sit in unincorporated Marin County, outside the city's jurisdiction. That means the city's permit office doesn't handle your job. We work in Strawberry and Tamalpais-Homestead Valley too, and I'll sort out which office handles yours before we start.
How do I know if my retaining wall needs a permit in Mill Valley?
The city's permit handout says a retaining wall no more than 4 feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, doesn't need a building permit unless it carries extra load from behind, like a driveway or a slope above it. The footing counts, so a wall that looks 3 feet tall from the yard may not qualify. The Planning Department or Public Works can still put conditions on exempt work, so I'll measure it with you and we'll check with the city before we dig.
Does a brick garden wall need a permit in Mill Valley?
It might not, since the city's handout says fences less than 7 feet high need no building permit, but whether a masonry wall counts as a fence is the city's call. If the wall also holds back soil, it's a retaining wall, and the 4-foot rule above applies instead. Either way, I'll tell you what I know when I come out, and if it needs a permit, we pull it.
What does masonry work cost in Mill Valley?
It comes down to the size of the job, how hard your lot is to work on, and what we find once old mortar or a failed base is opened up. Carrying block and brick up a steep path by hand takes more labor than backing a truck up to a flat yard, and matching old brick costs more than laying new. That's why I come out and look before anyone talks numbers.
How long does a masonry project take in Mill Valley?
It depends mostly on whether your job needs a permit, because work can't start until the city issues it. The city says many construction projects also need a construction management plan covering parking, truck routes, schedules, road closures and where materials are stored, and the Building Official has to approve it before the permit is issued. If yours needs one, we handle it with the city along with the permit, and the masonry itself is rarely the slow part.
Somewhere else nearby? Give us a call
Pick your city if it's listed, or call (628) 209-1088 if it isn't, because we work in more cities than we've given a page.
Get a masonry estimate in Mill Valley
Soft mortar and a leaning wall don't fix themselves, and catching them early usually means less to tear out. Call (628) 209-1088 or use the form.