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Prestige San Rafael Concrete & Masonry
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Masonry contractor in Fairfax, CA - repairs that fix the cause

Prestige San Rafael Concrete & Masonry repairs and builds brick, stone and block masonry for homes in Fairfax, CA. We fix chimneys, steps, retaining walls and foundations, and we go after the reason they failed.

Request an estimateCall (628) 234-2038
Service area
Fairfax, CA
Phone
(628) 234-2038
Hours
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Covered outdoor kitchen with stone counters, a stainless-steel grill, a green ceramic grill, and bar seating beside a lawn.

Masonry work on Fairfax homes

Fairfax is mostly homes, a lot of them older and set on hillside streets where the trees come right down to the fence line. Our calls here look a lot like the ones we get in San Anselmo and Strawberry, and most are for brick chimneys losing mortar, stone steps that have shifted and walls holding up a sloped yard.

What moves the price here is usually how far the damage goes once we open it up, how hard the old brick or stone is to match, and access, since a lot of Fairfax yards mean carrying block and mortar up steps by hand. The schedule turns on whether the city needs a permit and on the winter rain, and the estimate I write out shows you what's included. On older houses the crack you can see is often a few feet from what caused it, so I start by finding the first thing that failed.

What we do for Fairfax homes

Most Fairfax homes call us for repair, usually a chimney losing mortar, a hillside retaining wall starting to lean or brick steps that have settled. When an older house needs its foundation rebuilt, we also do foundation block wall installation, and we build new walls, walkways and stone work.

What Fairfax's hills and open space mean for masonry

Most lots in Fairfax slope, so every retaining wall and set of steps is holding back soil that gets soaked each winter. When a wall leans or a step pulls away, I look at where the water goes first, because rebuilding the masonry without fixing the drainage behind it just puts us back out there in a few years.

Fairfax borders large open space areas, so the Town of Fairfax adopted the state's code for building where homes meet wildland, with its own local changes, and its fire code adds clearance rules around buildings. The city has also set fire hazard severity zones on the state fire agency's recommendation. If you're planning a fireplace, an outdoor kitchen or a wall close to the house, I check what applies at your address before we plan the work.

In Fairfax you get the owner at your house for the estimate, a straight answer on what failed, and a repair aimed at the cause.

Tell us about your Fairfax masonry job

Tell us what you're seeing and where it is on the house. We'll reply within one business day, and I'll come out, look, and write a free on-site estimate with no obligation.

Masonry questions from Fairfax homeowners

Here are the questions Fairfax homeowners ask us most before a job. If yours isn't here, call (628) 234-2038 and I'll give you a straight answer.

Do I need a building permit for masonry work in Fairfax, CA?

It depends on the type of work, and the city's Building Division answers that at (415) 453-1584. Fairfax requires a building permit to build, alter, repair or demolish a structure, which can take in wall, foundation and chimney work. We check before work starts, and if a permit is needed we handle the paperwork and set up the inspections.

Does an out-of-town contractor need a Fairfax business license?

Yes, in most cases. Fairfax requires a business license, which is a local tax, from most businesses that work inside city limits, including contractors whose office is somewhere else. It's a fair thing to ask any contractor you're comparing, us included.

Does a masonry contractor need a California license to work in Fairfax?

Yes, a license from the Contractors State License Board whenever the job needs a building permit, uses hired workers or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Contractors need that license before they bid. We're fully licensed and insured.

Is my home in Fairfax in a flood hazard area?

The city's Building Official can tell you whether your property sits in a Special Flood Hazard Area. Fairfax runs FEMA's flood insurance program inside city limits, so that's the office to ask. If your lot is low or near a creek, it helps to know before we plan a wall or foundation work there.

Who comes out to look at my masonry job in Fairfax?

I do. I come out to every job myself, look at what's failing and write the estimate, and when we do the work it's our own crew of masons with me on site. We're based in San Rafael, so Fairfax is close by.

Should I patch or repoint crumbling mortar on my brick chimney?

Repoint it if the mortar is soft and washing out across the chimney, because a patch over one spot leaves the rest failing and still letting water in. We grind out the old joints and refill them, and I check the crown and flashing first, since that's often where the water starts.

Ask about masonry in your city

Pick your city below to see what we do there. If yours isn't listed, call (628) 234-2038, since we work across Marin and around the bay.

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