We're a masonry contractor in Visalia, and Tulare is one of the cities around it where we work, along with places like Hanford. The calls from Tulare sound a lot like the ones from home. Mortar has gone soft and sandy between the bricks, a block wall has a crack running through it, or there's a walkway or garden wall the homeowner has been meaning to get to for a couple of years.
Most of what we do here is at houses with families living in them, so the yard is in use, the driveway has cars on it and everyone still needs a clear way to the door. That shapes the job more than anything, because we plan where the mortar gets mixed, where the block gets stacked and how you get in and out before we start.
What sets the price and the schedule
The price mostly comes down to how much wall or walkway there is, what it's made of and how much of the old work has actually failed. A run of loose mortar costs less to fix than a section of wall that has to come down to the footing, the concrete base it sits on. Access matters too, since block carried through a side gate takes longer to set than block unloaded at the curb. The schedule turns on whether the job needs a permit and an inspection, and on giving mortar and concrete time to set before anything goes on top. I come out, look at the job and write the estimate, so you'll have your own figure.
Fixing what failed instead of tearing out
If the brick is sound and only the joints are wearing out, we don't tear out the wall. Tuckpointing is how we fix that, grinding out the worn mortar and packing fresh mortar into the joints, and it costs far less than rebuilding. We match the new mortar to the old as closely as we can in color and strength, because mortar that's harder than the brick around it can crack the brick instead of itself. When a wall really is past saving, I'll show you why before we talk about replacing it, so you understand what you're paying for.
Permits and licenses in Tulare
The city's building division issues permits for building, altering or repairing a structure inside city limits, checks the plans and inspects the work while it's underway. It also checks that a contractor's license and workers' comp insurance are in order. When your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork with the city, and I meet the inspector when it's time. The city also requires anyone running a business in Tulare, contractors included, to hold a city business license first, so it's a fair thing to ask whoever you hire. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.