Foundation repair
When you see stair-step cracks in a block foundation or a door that's started sticking, we find what moved first, then repair the block and mortar so the fix holds.
Masonry Contractor in Discovery Bay, CA - Walls and Paths Built to Drain
Mastercraft Antioch Masonry and Concrete is a masonry contractor working in Discovery Bay, CA. We build and repair yard walls, retaining walls, paver driveways, walkways, outdoor kitchens, chimneys and brickwork.
Mastercraft Antioch Masonry and Concrete builds and repairs brick, block and stone work across Discovery Bay, the community off Highway 4 just east of Oakley and Brentwood. A lot of the calls here are for work outside the house, like yard walls, retaining walls, paver driveways, paths and outdoor kitchens, along with chimney and brick repair.
Masonry work for Discovery Bay homes and yards
We're based in Antioch, so Discovery Bay is a straight run out Highway 4 for our crew. I come out to look at every job myself. On a cracked wall or a sinking path, the first thing I look for is why it moved, because it's usually water that had nowhere to go or a footing that was too small for the load.
When you're adding something, it's usually a seat wall around the patio, a block wall along a side yard, a paver driveway in place of plain concrete or stone veneer on a column. When something's failing, it's joints that have crumbled, brick whose face has flaked off or pavers that have sunk. Our crew handles both, and I'll tell you straight which one your job really is.
- Based in
- Antioch, CA 94509
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
Masonry services for Discovery Bay properties
Chimney repair
If mortar is falling out of the chimney or the cap on top has cracked, we rebuild the damaged brick and seal the top so water stops getting in.
Tuckpointing
When joints on a brick wall or planter are crumbling or sunk back, we grind out the old mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the color of what's left.
Brick repair
For a few cracked, loose or flaking bricks on a wall, step or mailbox, we cut them out and set matching brick, so you're not paying to rebuild the whole thing.
Driveway pavers
If your driveway is cracked concrete or you want one that's easy to patch later, we build a paver drive on a packed base with edging that keeps it tight.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard steps up or a slope keeps washing onto the patio, we build retaining walls with gravel and a drain behind them so water can't push them over.
Masonry restoration
When brick or stone work is stained, worn and patched badly over the years, we clean it, take out the bad repairs and rebuild the damaged parts to match.
Fireplace installation
If you want a masonry fireplace inside or a fire feature out on the patio, we build the firebox, surround and hearth in brick or stone to fit the room or yard.
Stone veneer installation
When a plain block wall, column or house base looks unfinished, we set stone veneer, a thin facing of real or cast stone, over a solid backing so it stays put.
Concrete block walls
For a privacy wall along a side or back yard, we build block walls on a sized footing with steel bar in the hollow cores, then cap or finish them to suit the house.
Foundation block wall installation
When an addition, garage or outbuilding needs a block foundation, we pour the footing and lay the stem wall, the short wall the framing sits on, to the plans.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
If you're setting up a grill island or bar on the patio, we build the block frame and finish it in stone, brick or stucco, leaving room for the gas and power runs.
Walkway construction
When a side-yard path is bare dirt or a front walk has cracked and tipped, we build a new walkway in pavers, brick or stone on a packed base.
Brick wall installation
For garden walls, seat walls or a brick front along the yard, we lay brick on a solid footing with weep holes, small gaps that let trapped water out.
Stone masonry
When you want natural stone for a wall, step or planter, we fit each stone by hand so the joints stay tight and the wall carries its own weight.
Brick pointing
If only some joints have cracked or washed out, we point just those spots with matching mortar, so you pay for the joints that need it and not the whole wall.
Get a free written estimate for your Discovery Bay project
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day, and most of the time it's me getting back to you. I'll set a time to come out to your place in Discovery Bay, look at the job myself and give you a free written estimate that spells out what we'll do and what we won't. There's no obligation and no pressure to book.
(925) 503-1025Working in Discovery Bay: county permits, licenses and price
Discovery Bay isn't an incorporated city, so building permits for masonry come from Contra Costa County. The county's building official issues permits for work that builds, alters or repairs a structure, and its Building Inspection Division takes questions at 925-655-2700. The front counter in Martinez sees people by appointment only, so permit review and inspections usually set when a wall job can start and how it's paced.
Before you hire anyone, check their California contractor license with the state licensing board. When a job needs a permit, we pull it with the county and line up the inspections, and if you're not sure whether yours does, we check with the right office before work starts. It's the same way we handle jobs in Brentwood and the other cities nearby.
Price comes down to size, height and materials. A taller wall needs a deeper footing and more steel, natural stone takes longer to fit than block, and tearing out old work adds labor and hauling. Tight side-yard access, drainage behind a wall and the permit itself all move the number, and the written estimate spells out exactly what's included.
Why hire us for your Discovery Bay masonry
I started out mixing mortar and hauling block on a small crew long before anyone let me lay a brick, and I opened this business in Antioch in 2023. I come out to look at every job myself, and I'm on site with our crew when the work gets done, so the person who quoted your wall is the one watching it go up.
I'd rather fix why something failed than cover it up, and I'll tell you when the honest answer is a smaller job, like pointing a few joints instead of rebuilding a wall. We're licensed and insured. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job. Call (925) 503-1025 or send us the form to set up a visit.
What shapes masonry jobs in Discovery Bay
A few things about how Discovery Bay is set up, and what we see in its yards, change how we plan the work. Here's what's worth knowing before we start.
The Town runs water and sewer
The Town of Discovery Bay is a community services district, a special district that handles local services. It runs water, wastewater, parks and landscaping, but it isn't the building department, so your wall or chimney permit goes through the county, as covered above. If a project gets close to water or sewer service, that's the Town's system, and we plan around it before we dig.
Where the driveway meets the street
A paver driveway often has to tie into the street or sidewalk out front. Work in the public right of way, the strip along the street that isn't part of your lot, needs an encroachment permit, and the county's Public Works line at 925-313-2000 takes those questions. We check where your property ends before we lay out the front edge, so the new drive meets the street cleanly.
Walls that let water out
When a yard wall leans or cracks, the block usually isn't the problem. Water built up behind it with nowhere to go and pushed until something gave. We put gravel and a drain behind retaining walls and leave weep holes in garden walls, so water drains out instead of building pressure against the mortar joints.
Backyards set up for outdoor living
A lot of the calls here are for backyard spaces: grill islands, seat walls, fire features and the paths that tie them together. Those pieces sit close to each other, so we plan them as one layout. We match the brick, block or stone and leave room for gas and power runs before the cap goes on, instead of cutting into finished work later.
Questions about masonry work in Discovery Bay
How much does a masonry contractor cost in Discovery Bay?
There's no single price, because size, height, materials and access set the cost of each job. Replacing a few bricks costs far less than a new block wall with a footing and drainage, and natural stone runs higher than block. I'll come out and give you a free written estimate for your job.
Do I need a permit to build a block or brick wall in Discovery Bay?
Yes. Contra Costa County's list of work that needs no building permit covers fences up to 7 feet high, but it counts concrete and masonry walls as walls, not fences, and those need a building permit. The list isn't written for one community, so we confirm your address with the county before work starts.
Does a short retaining wall need a permit in Discovery Bay?
It can be exempt if it's 3 feet or less, measured from the top of the footing to the top of the wall, according to the county's list. The ground below has to slope no steeper than 1 in 10, and the wall can't hold extra load, like a driveway or a slope steeper than 1 in 2 above it. I measure all of that on site before we quote.
Does an outdoor kitchen need a permit in Discovery Bay?
The gas and electrical parts do, because the county requires permits for most gas and electrical projects and for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work. We check what the whole project needs with the county before we build, and we leave the gas and power runs open until they've been inspected.
Does my masonry contractor need a California license?
Yes, if the job needs a building permit, uses any extra workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials across its contracts, as the state licensing board states it. That takes in most masonry work. Check a contractor's license with the board, and check the current dollar figure there too.
How do I get my yard ready for a masonry crew?
Clear a path for wheelbarrows and pallets, move cars off the driveway and keep pets inside on work days. If you know where sprinkler lines or yard lighting run, mark them or tell me at the estimate, because we'd rather find them on paper than with a shovel.
How long does a masonry project take in Discovery Bay?
The schedule turns on three things: whether the job needs a county permit and inspections, how big it is and how long the footing and mortar need to set before the next step. A brick repair moves much faster than a new wall that waits on inspections. I'll walk you through what your schedule depends on at the estimate.
Get that cracked wall looked at soon
A crack that's still moving is easier to fix before water gets in behind it, so call (925) 503-1025 or send the form and I'll come take a look.