Premier Masonry Contractor in Merced CA - Repairs That Blend With Your Old Brick
Optimum Merced Concrete and Masonry handles brick repair, tuckpointing and chimney repair in Merced and the cities around it, including Atwater and Turlock. We also build block walls for a property line and pavers for a worn driveway.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Brick and stone repair in Merced
Optimum Merced Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor in Merced. I learned the trade on a crew when I was young, came back to it after years in other work and started this business here in 2023. We're best known for careful brick and stone repair, where new mortar has to blend with the old, and we're fully licensed and insured across our 16 masonry and concrete services. You can read how I came back to the trade and how I still work on our about page.
Why Merced homeowners hire our masonry crew
A good mason should tell you what's wrong with your wall before talking about what to replace, and should leave a repair looking like it was always there. Here's how we work.
Owner from start to finish
I look at your wall, write the estimate and work on site with our crew, so the person who scoped your job is the one checking it.
Only what has failed
We fix the brick and mortar that's actually failed and leave sound joints alone, so you aren't paying to redo work that's still holding.
Mortar matched to yours
We match new mortar and stone to what's on your wall, so a repair blends in and doesn't wear down the older masonry around it.
Bids you can compare
Your written estimate says what we'll fix and how we'll do it, so you can put it next to another bid line by line.
Want me to take a look? Send a request through our contact page or call (209) 308-1015.
Masonry contractor services in Merced, CA
Optimum Merced Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor in Merced, CA, and our 16 services run from fixing a few worn joints to building a new wall, walkway or paver driveway. What moves the price is usually how much has actually failed, how hard the work is to reach, the brick, stone or block you choose and how much old mortar has to come out first. The schedule turns on the size of the job, the weather and whether your address needs a permit before we start. Your free estimate puts what we'll fix and how in writing, so you know your own number.
Foundation repair
Seeing cracks or loose block along the base of your house? We look at the masonry foundation closely, find what has moved or failed and repair that section.
Learn moreChimney repair
We repair a chimney's loose bricks, cracked joints and worn crown on top, starting with the part that's failing and matching mortar to the brick already there.
Learn moreTuckpointing
What is tuckpointing? We grind out worn mortar joints and fill them with fresh mortar and a thin colored line, so an old brick wall reads crisp again.
Learn moreBrick repair
We cut out cracked, flaking or loose bricks and set new ones in matching brick and mortar, so the patch doesn't stand out.
Learn moreDriveway pavers
We build paver driveways on a packed base, setting each paver and locking the joints so the surface stays even under your car.
Learn moreRetaining wall construction
Have a slope you want to level out? We build block or stone retaining walls with drainage behind them, so water doesn't push them over.
Learn moreMasonry restoration
When an older brick or stone wall is tired all over, we restore it in sections, repairing joints and replacing damaged pieces in materials that match the original.
Learn moreFireplace installation
Want a brick or stone fireplace? We lay it up to the plans for your room, with the firebox, hearth and chimney built as one job.
Learn moreStone veneer installation
Stone veneer is a thin layer of natural or manufactured stone, and we set it on house fronts, columns and fireplaces over a backing that holds it to the wall.
Learn moreConcrete block walls
Concrete block walls make a solid property line or yard wall, and we lay them on a footing with grout and steel where the wall calls for it.
Learn moreFoundation block wall installation
For a new addition, garage or crawlspace, we build the block foundation walls the structure sits on, laid plumb and level to the plans.
Learn moreOutdoor kitchen masonry
Planning an outdoor kitchen? We build the block base, face it in brick or stone and leave the openings your grill and storage need.
Learn moreWalkway construction
A walkway in brick, stone or pavers gives you a steady path to the door, and we set it on a packed base so it stays flat.
Learn moreBrick wall installation
We lay new brick walls for gardens, yard edges and additions in the bond pattern and mortar color you pick, tooling every joint clean as we go.
Learn moreStone masonry
What counts as stone masonry? It's walls, steps, columns and borders laid in natural stone, with each piece fitted by hand so the joints sit tight.
Learn moreBrick pointing
Mortar joints wearing back from the face of your brick? Pointing replaces just that worn mortar, which helps keep water out and protects the bricks around it.
Learn more
Masonry work in Merced and nearby cities
Optimum Merced Concrete and Masonry is based in Merced, CA, and we work in the cities around it, including Atwater and Turlock. The 12 cities below each have their own page, and they aren't the only places we go, so call if yours isn't listed.
How a masonry job with us goes
Call or send a request
Call (209) 308-1015 or send a request, and tell us your address and what you're seeing, whether it's a worn joint, a loose chimney brick or a wall you want built. We get back to every call and request within one business day to set up a visit.
I look and write it up
I come out myself and look the masonry over closely, taking measurements and photos and checking which joints and bricks have actually failed. Then I write a free estimate that says what we'll fix and how, and what I'd leave alone. There's no obligation and no pressure to book.
Permits, then the work
Once you're ready, we check whether your address falls under a city or Merced County and what that office asks for on your kind of job, and when a permit is needed we handle the paperwork with you. Then our crew does the work, and I'm on site with them.
Final walk-through
When the work is finished, I walk the job with you before we pack up. You look at the joints, the color match and the cleanup with the person who scoped it, and if something doesn't look right, that's the time to say so while we're still there.
Masonry questions from Merced homeowners
These are the questions homeowners ask me most before they book. If your job raises one that isn't here, ask when you call or when I come out to look.
How much does masonry repair cost in Merced?
Masonry repair cost depends mostly on how much has actually failed, so I can't give you a fair number until I've seen the wall. Repointing a few cracked joints is a much smaller job than rebuilding the top of a chimney, and a second-story chimney takes more to reach than a garden wall. Your free estimate puts your scope and price in writing.
Is it cheaper to repair a brick wall or replace it?
Repair is usually cheaper when the brick itself is sound and only the mortar or a handful of bricks have failed. Rebuilding starts to make sense when a wall has leaned, split through or the brick is breaking down across the face, and I'll tell you plainly which one I see.
How long does a masonry job take?
It depends mostly on the size of the job, so a few repaired joints and a new block wall run on very different schedules. Fresh mortar also needs time to set before it's cleaned hard or loaded, and when your address needs a permit, that comes before we start. Ask me about timing when I come out, since I'll know more once I've seen the work.
Do I need a permit for masonry work in Merced?
It depends on the work and on whether your address falls under the City of Merced or Merced County, so we check that before anything starts. Inside the city, the Building Department issues permits, and work in a city easement or right-of-way, such as a sidewalk or the part of a driveway by the street, also needs a public works encroachment permit, the city's okay to work on land it controls. A contractor needs a City of Merced business license before applying for a permit, so it's fair to ask any contractor to show it.
What should I do before your crew starts on my wall?
Clear a path to the work and move anything breakable off nearby shelves and ledges, because cutting out old mortar makes dust and some vibration. We'll talk through parking, water and where we'll set up when I come out, so the first morning goes smoothly.
What if I notice a problem after the masonry work is finished?
Call us and tell me what you're seeing, because I'd rather look at it than have you wonder. Most questions get answered on the final walk-through, and anything you spot later is still worth a call. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Can you match new mortar to my old brick?
Yes, on a repair we look at the old mortar's color, sand and hardness and mix the new mortar to suit it. Mortar that's harder than the brick around it can wear old brick down over time, so a close match matters for more than looks.
How cold does Merced get for masonry and concrete work?
The city's building design criteria list a winter design temperature of 25 degrees F for Merced and rate weathering as negligible, and those are the values outdoor work here is planned against. On local jobs, the damage we see more often comes from age and water, joints worn back over the years and brick loosened where sprinklers or runoff keep a wall wet.
Brick, stone and block work
Tell us about your masonry job
Put in your address and what you're seeing on the wall, chimney or path, and we'll reply within one business day. I come out myself to look and write your free estimate, with no pressure to book.