Dinuba is a short drive from our base in Visalia, and the calls we get here are much like the ones we get across the area. We see mortar that's worn back from the brick joints, block walls that have cracked or started to lean, and the walkway or wall someone has meant to get to for a while. We do the same work in Selma and Kingsburg, so the houses and yards here look familiar to us.
Most of the problems we find start below what you can see. A wall or a walkway is only as good as the footing and base under it, so on a repair I look for why it moved before I talk about a patch, and on new work we spend our time on the ground first.
What sets the price and the schedule
The price mostly comes down to size, material and how much has to come out first. A run of repointing, where we grind out worn mortar and pack in fresh, usually costs less than rebuilding a cracked section, and brick, block, stone and pavers each price differently. Digging, footings and how close we can get material to the work matter too. The schedule turns on whether the job needs a permit, when materials arrive and how long mortar or concrete needs to set before the next step. I come out, look at the job myself and write the estimate, so the number you get is for your house and not a guess.
Fixing what's failing and leaving what's sound
Not every crack needs work right away. A thin crack in a mortar joint that isn't growing can often wait, and I'll tell you when that's the case. A crack that runs through the brick itself, a wall that's leaning, or joints you can scrape out with a key are different, because water gets in and the damage spreads. When we repair, we take out only what's failing and match the new mortar to what's there, so the patch doesn't stand out or end up harder than the older brick around it. I'll explain why we picked the materials we did before we start.
Getting your house and yard ready
Mostly we need room to work and a clear path in. If the job is in the backyard, let me know how wide the gate is and whether there's a sprinkler line or tree roots near the work, so we can plan how material gets back there. Moving cars, pets and patio furniture out of the way before we arrive helps the first day go smoothly. For inside work like fireplace installation, we cover the floors and the path through the house. A small crew and I do the work, I'm on site while it's done, and we clean up so your yard looks the way we found it, just without the problem.