Masonry contractor in Carson City, NV - repair and new work that fits your house
Stonework Sparks Concrete and Masonry repairs and builds brick, block and stone work for Carson City homes, from crumbling mortar joints and tired chimneys to retaining walls, walkways, paver driveways and outdoor kitchens.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Carson City homes and the masonry they need
The calls we get in Carson City mostly come from two kinds of houses. Near the middle of town we see older homes with brick chimneys, porches and garden walls whose mortar has had decades of wear. Toward the edges of the city we see newer houses on bigger lots, where the work is more often block walls, retaining walls, paver driveways and outdoor kitchens. Much the same mix carries on next door in Indian Hills, and we take the same kinds of jobs there.
That mix decides how a job starts. On an older house the first task is matching what's already there in brick, color and mortar hardness, and on a newer lot it's the ground under the work, the footing and where the water will run.
Masonry services for Carson City homes
Foundation repair
When an older Carson City house shows stair-step cracks in block or brick near the base, we find the cause first and repair only what the wall needs.
View service Foundation repairChimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes here often lose mortar near the top first. We repoint, rebuild the crown or relay loose courses, depending on what we find.
View service Chimney repairTuckpointing
For brick walls with sandy, recessed joints, we grind out the worn mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the old color, so the repair blends in.
View service TuckpointingBrick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose bricks on a Carson City porch, planter or wall can be cut out and replaced one at a time with a close match.
View service Brick repairDriveway pavers
Replacing a cracked Carson City driveway with pavers over a packed, well-drained base means a damaged section can later be lifted and relaid on its own.
View service Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a yard drops off, a retaining wall holds the soil back, and we set the footing and drainage behind it before the first course goes up.
View service Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
Older brick and stone houses that have had years of patchwork repairs can be brought back with matched mortar, cleaned masonry and rebuilt sections where they're needed.
View service Masonry restorationFireplace installation
A new brick or stone fireplace gives a living room a focal point, and we build the firebox, surround and hearth together so they read as one piece.
View service Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer is a thin facing of real or cast stone, and it can dress up a plain block wall, column or entry without the weight of full stone.
View service Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
For privacy along a back lot line, we build concrete block walls on a solid footing, with steel and grout added where the height calls for it.
View service Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For an addition or garage, we lay foundation block on a level footing sized for the load, so the framing that goes on top starts square.
View service Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
A backyard kitchen in block, brick or stone needs a firm slab and space planned for the grill and any lines, so we lay it out first.
View service Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
A walkway in brick, pavers or flagstone can replace a worn path across a front yard, and the packed base underneath is what keeps it flat underfoot.
View service Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick garden or yard wall can match the brick on an older house, and we pick the brick and mortar color with you before we order.
View service Brick wall installationStone masonry
Natural stone suits planters, steps and low walls here, and we set each stone by hand so it bears on the ones below instead of on the mortar.
View service Stone masonryBrick pointing
When only a few patches of a brick wall or step have open joints, pointing just those sections is usually all your house needs.
View service Brick pointing
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Carson City
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at the work with you and give you a written estimate, with no obligation to book.
- hi@sparksconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Sparks, NV 89431
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Permits, price and timing on Carson City jobs
In Carson City, the Building Division issues the permits for building, altering, repairing or tearing down a structure, and under the city's older ordinance the permit has to be issued before work starts, so whether your job needs one is the first thing that sets the schedule. We're licensed and fully insured, and when a permit is needed we handle the application and the inspections ourselves. Past the permit, the price and the timing turn on the size of the job, the material you pick, how much old masonry has to come out and how easy it is to get the crew and the material to the spot. Your written estimate lays all of that out for your own project.
As a masonry contractor in Sparks, NV, we work across Reno, Carson City, Truckee and the cities around them, so I drive down to look at your job myself and our own crew does the work, the same way we run jobs in Reno and out east in Fernley. On the older streets near the middle of town we plan around narrow side yards and parked cars when we bring in block, pavers and a mixer, and on the newer edges of the city we're more often working on open lots with grade to deal with.
Worn mortar and sloping yards around Carson City
Mortar is meant to wear out before the brick does, so on older Carson City houses we usually find sandy, recessed joints on chimneys and walls while the brick itself is still sound. I'd rather fix those joints so the repair doesn't stand out than talk you into a rebuild, because a careful repair is what most of these walls need and it's the work we're best known for.
Where a lot slopes or a driveway and walkway have settled, the trouble is usually underneath, in a thin base or water with nowhere to go. We dig down to firm ground, pack the base in layers and plan the drainage before any block or paver goes down, because that's the part you'll never see and the part that decides how well the work holds up.
How a Carson City masonry job runs, start to finish
Here's what happens from the time you get in touch about your Carson City project to the day we look over the finished work together.
Call and set a visit
When you call or send the form, I set a time to come out to your Carson City address. It helps if you can be there, so we can look at the work together.
Look at the work together
I look over the brick, block or stone with you, answer your questions and tell you what I found before I suggest anything. You then get a written estimate that explains what we'll do and why, so the price isn't a guess.
Check the office, then build
Before anything starts we check which office covers your address, and if a permit is needed we apply for it and schedule the inspections. Our own crew then does the work, with me on site running it.
Walk the finished job together
At the end we look over the finished work with you, so you can point out anything you'd like a second look at. Then we clean up the site before we leave.
Questions about masonry work in Carson City
How do I get a building permit for masonry work in Carson City?
The owner, or someone authorized to act for the owner, applies to the city's building official and has the permit in hand before any work begins. That rule comes from an older city ordinance, so the Building Division has the current steps. When your job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections for you.
Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Carson City?
Under the city's older building ordinance, a retaining wall no taller than 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, is listed as work that needs no permit. That doesn't hold for a wall carrying extra weight behind it, like a driveway or a slope above, and a taller wall needs a permit. Because that list is from an older ordinance, we confirm the current rule with the Building Division before we dig.
Does a patio, walkway or driveway need a permit in Carson City?
The older ordinance lists patios, sidewalks and driveways among work that needs no permit when they sit no more than 30 inches above the ground next to them. They also can't sit over a basement or a room below, or form part of an accessible route, which is a path laid out for wheelchair use. We check the current list for your address before we set a start date.
Does a block or brick fence need a permit in Carson City?
Fences no taller than 6 feet are on the older ordinance's list of work that needs no permit. Being off that list doesn't let a wall break the building code or other local laws, so it still has to be built properly. We ask the Building Division about the current rule for your wall before we start.
How much does masonry work cost in Carson City?
The price comes down to the size of the job, the material and how much old work has to come out first, so I give you a number only after I've seen it. Matching old brick and mortar, a deeper footing for a taller wall and tight access to a backyard all add cost, while a simple repair costs far less than a rebuild. Your written estimate spells out what we'll do and why.
What is the best way to fix crumbling mortar on an older brick house in Carson City?
The best fix is usually to grind out the loose mortar to a solid depth and repack the joints with new mortar matched to the old in color and hardness. Mortar that's harder than the brick around it can make the brick crack and flake instead of the joint, which is why we match it rather than use whatever's on the truck. If only a few areas are open, pointing just those is often all the wall needs.
Other service areas
Sparks, NV
Plan your Carson City masonry project
Calling before you settle on a start date gives us time to sort out the permit question for your address, so the crew isn't waiting on paperwork.