Masonry Contractor in Riverside, CA - Walls and Brick That Stay Put
Keystone Riverside Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Riverside. We build block, brick and retaining walls, repair chimneys and foundations, lay pavers and repoint worn mortar for homeowners across the city.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry work in our home city of Riverside
I started this company in Riverside in 2017, after years of laying block and brick for a big commercial outfit, so this is where most of our days start. The city gives a mason a bit of everything. There are older houses near downtown with brick chimneys and soft mortar, ranch houses from the middle of the last century with block walls out back, and newer tracts where every yard is boxed in by block. We cross the river into Jurupa Valley and head up to San Bernardino for the same kinds of calls.
That spread decides the job before anyone picks up a trowel. Old brick wants a softer mortar than new block, and a wall on a sloped lot carries a load a flat-yard wall never sees, so on a Riverside estimate I look first at what's already there and what it's sitting on.
What we build and fix in Riverside
Foundation repair
On older Riverside houses the first sign is usually a stair-step crack or a sticking door. We find what moved before we repair the foundation.
Concrete block walls
Block walls line a lot of Riverside back yards, and the leaning ones usually have a thin footing or no steel. We build ours with both.
Retaining wall construction
Sloped lots toward the hills push soil and water against the wall holding them. We build retaining walls with a proper footing and drainage behind the block.
Brick pointing
Mortar on older brick houses here often rubs out like sand under a thumb. We rake out the bad joints and repoint with mortar matched to the brick.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys here usually fail first at the concrete cap and the joints just above the roof. We rebuild the top before bricks start landing in your yard.
Driveway pavers
Plenty of Riverside driveways are old slabs that cracked and settled. We lay pavers on a packed base, so a low spot can be lifted and reset.
What Riverside houses and yards need
A lot of what we get called for in Riverside was built in from day one. Older block walls often went up on a shallow footing with little or no steel, and plenty of retaining walls were backfilled with whatever came out of the hole and given no way for water to get out. When one leans, we dig down to the footing and check the steel before we talk about rebuilding anything. If a crack is old and isn't moving, I'll tell you it can wait.
The city's building permit covers building, altering and repairing a structure, and its exempt list is mostly finish work like tile, counters and cabinets, so a wall repair isn't off the hook just because it's a repair. Price follows how much wall there is, how deep the footing goes and how much steel goes in, and the schedule turns on whether a permit and plan review come first. Your own number comes from the written estimate I do on site.
Get a written estimate for your Riverside masonry job
Send the form or call (951) 462-2880, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to your Riverside property myself, look at the job and write the estimate, free and with no obligation. If your project might need a permit, ask me about the steps while I'm there.
Questions Riverside homeowners ask us
Most questions we hear in Riverside are about permits, walls and cost. Read the answers below, or call (951) 462-2880 and ask about your own job.
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Riverside?
Under Riverside's permit rules, a retaining wall not over 4 feet tall needs no permit, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. That exemption ends if the wall carries extra load, like a driveway or a slope above it, or holds back certain flammable or combustible liquids. Since the footing counts, a wall that looks short above the dirt can still be over the line, so we measure it with you at the estimate.
Does a block wall or fence in my Riverside yard need a permit?
The city's exempt list includes fences not over 7 feet high, but the Planning Division may require approval for a fence in the front yard setback, the strip between the house and the street. A block wall that also holds back soil is a retaining wall and follows the 4-foot rule above. When it isn't clear which side of the line your wall falls on, we check with the city before we start, not after.
How do I get a building permit for masonry work in Riverside?
The city issues many permits to the property owner, the owner's authorized agent or an appropriately licensed contractor, and you can apply at the Permit Services counter in the One Stop Shop. Most applications need planning clearance before Building & Safety does plan check, the review of the drawings. Some permits go out the same day over the counter, but the city's examples are things like reroofs and re-stucco, so a wall may need plans submitted for review. When your job needs a permit, we pull it and schedule the inspections.
How long is a Riverside building permit good for?
A residential permit in Riverside becomes invalid unless the permitted work on site starts within 12 months after it's issued. That matters if you get a permit in spring and plan to build next year, so tell me your timing at the estimate and we'll plan the permit around it.
Does a masonry contractor based outside Riverside need a city business license?
A business doing business within the city needs a valid City Business License, and an older city Finance page says businesses located outside the city limits may also be required to get one. The Business License Division answers questions about the current rules. It's a fair thing to ask any contractor before you sign.
What affects the cost of masonry work in Riverside?
What's already there and how we get to it move the price most, along with the size of the job. Tearing out a leaning wall and hauling it off costs more than building on clear ground, a back yard reached only through a side gate means more hand work, and matching old brick on an older house takes time to track down. We don't post prices online because your yard sets the number, and the written estimate shows it for your job.
Block, brick and stone work
Other cities we work in
We're based in Riverside and work in the cities around it. Pick yours from the list, or call (951) 462-2880 if you don't see it.