Masonry contractor in Turlock, CA - walls and pavers that shed winter rain
Optimum Merced Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Merced that works in Turlock, repairing brick, chimneys and mortar joints and building block walls, stone veneer, walkways and paver driveways for Turlock homeowners.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry work on Turlock homes
Turlock is mostly houses on wide, level lots, with older brick and ranch homes toward the middle of the city and newer subdivisions spreading out toward the farm ground at the edges. The calls we get here are the same ones we get across the valley. People call about worn mortar joints, a tired chimney or a back wall that's started to lean, or they want a new walkway or paver driveway built well from the start. We're based in Merced and come up for Turlock jobs the same way we work next door in Hilmar and closer to home in Franklin.
Those two kinds of houses ask for different things. On the older brick, the job is matching the mortar so a repair doesn't show, and on the newer block and stucco homes it usually comes down to the footing and where the water goes.
What we do for Turlock homes
Tuckpointing
Older brick homes in Turlock often have worn, sandy joints in sound brick. Our tuckpointing cuts out the bad mortar and refills it with a matched mix.
Concrete block walls
Subdivision block walls along back lot lines crack at the joints or lean where roots push the footing. We rebuild the failed sections from the base up.
Driveway pavers
Flat Turlock lots give rain nowhere to go, so a paver driveway needs a slope built into it. We pack the base so water runs off.
Brick repair
Brick planters, steps and garden walls around older Turlock houses chip and flake where sprinklers soak them every day. We replace the damaged brick with a close match.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older Turlock ranch homes usually crack first at the crown, the concrete cap on top. We rebuild loose top courses and pour a new crown.
Stone veneer installation
Many newer Turlock homes have plain stucco fronts that owners want to dress up with stone. We set veneer on a proper backing so it stays put.
What Turlock houses and yards need
Turlock is flat, and the city notes that heavy winter rain can occasionally leave shallow standing water, even though no part of the city sits in a mapped flood plain. That water has nowhere to run, so it soaks the base under pavers and walkways and sits against the bottom of garden and block walls, which is where we usually see settling and cracked joints start. We build a slope into paver and walkway bases and set wall footings so water drains away from them instead of collecting there.
The other thing I watch is age. Older brick was usually laid with a softer mortar than what comes in a bag today, and patching it with a harder mix makes the repair crack or stand out, so I look at the old joint before I recommend anything. What moves the price and the schedule here is how much needs fixing, what it's built from and whether the city wants a permit before we start.
Get a free written masonry estimate for your Turlock home
Call (209) 308-1015 or send the form, and we'll reply within one business day. I come out to your Turlock property myself, look at the work and put the scope in writing, free and with no pressure to book. Before anything starts, we check what the city asks for on your kind of job.
Questions Turlock homeowners ask
These are the questions we hear about permits, codes and cost on Turlock masonry jobs. If yours isn't here, call or send the form and ask about your own wall or patio.
How do I know if my block wall or retaining wall needs a permit in Turlock?
In Turlock, a masonry or concrete wall, or any retaining wall, over 4 feet tall needs a permit, and the city measures that height from the bottom of the footing, so the buried part counts. The city's list of work that needs no permit includes masonry fences up to 5 feet tall from the ground on either side, but work that isn't on its lists can still need a permit. We check your exact wall with the city before we build.
Who gets the building permit for masonry work in Turlock, me or the contractor?
The property owner is responsible for the permit in Turlock, but a licensed contractor or someone the owner authorizes can submit and sign the application with the city's Building & Safety Division. The permit has to be issued before any work begins. When your job needs one, we handle the paperwork with you.
What building codes apply to a new masonry wall in Turlock?
New permit applications in Turlock fall under the current California building codes, and the city assigns every building and structure to Seismic Design Category D, an earthquake design rating, unless an analysis justifies otherwise. It also assumes Soil Site Class D on every lot unless a registered design professional or a soils report shows different. For a structural wall, that means the footing and reinforcing steel are sized with shaking in mind, and I'll tell you at the estimate if your wall needs that design work.
What is the best way to plan a paver driveway in Turlock?
Plan it inside the city's limits, which cap a home's driveway approach, the part that meets the street, at 40 percent of the lot width and allow paving on no more than 55 percent of the front yard. The plan needs Planning Department approval, and work in the public right-of-way needs an encroachment permit from the Engineering Department, both covered in the city's planning FAQ. County maps show lot sizes, but if the exact property line matters, the city refers owners to a licensed surveyor or engineer.
What should I check before hiring a masonry contractor in Turlock?
Ask for the contractor's state license, which comes from the Contractors State License Board, and a City of Turlock business license, since the city requires one of every business operating there. Under the state board's guidance, a down payment on any home improvement job can't be more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. We're fully licensed and insured, and I'm glad to go over any of this at the estimate.
How much does masonry work cost in Turlock?
Your price comes from the measured size of the job and the brick, block or stone you pick, so I write it up after I've seen the work. Engineering for a tall wall, a close mortar match on old brick and a tight side yard the crew has to hand-carry through all add cost, while a plain block or a simpler paver keeps it down. Call (209) 308-1015 and I'll come look.
Brick, block and stone work
Other cities we work in
Pick a city from the list to see what we do there. If you don't see yours, call or send the form and ask.