Masonry Contractor in Sparks, NV - Repairs That Blend Into the Wall You Have
Stonework Sparks Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Sparks, NV. We repair crumbling mortar, chimneys and brick so the fix blends in, and we build block walls, retaining walls, walkways and paver driveways across the city.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Sparks homes range from older brick to newer veneer
We're based in Sparks, so a lot of our work is on houses here. Closer to the older part of the city, near downtown, we find brick homes, brick chimneys and garden walls that have stood a long time and now need their joints and caps looked after. Farther out, the newer subdivisions lean toward stucco with stone veneer at the entry, block walls between yards and paver or concrete driveways, and many of the same kinds of houses carry on into Spanish Springs and Sun Valley.
On old and new houses alike, what goes wrong usually starts underneath the brick, with a footing that settled or water that had nowhere to drain, so I look at the ground and the drainage before I talk about the masonry.
Masonry services we offer in Sparks
Foundation repair
Cracked or crumbling block and concrete at the base of the house are worth a look before winter, when water in those cracks freezes and opens them wider.
View service Foundation repairChimney repair
On older Sparks houses we often find a cracked crown or loose bricks near the top of the chimney, where snow and summer heat hit hardest.
View service Chimney repairTuckpointing
When mortar joints have gone sandy or sunk back from the brick, we grind out the worn mortar and pack in new mortar matched to the rest of the wall.
View service TuckpointingBrick repair
Flaking or cracked bricks on a front wall, planter or step can be cut out and replaced one at a time, with bricks chosen to blend in.
View service Brick repairDriveway pavers
Pavers work well on driveways here because one cracked paver can be lifted and reset, and the compacted base underneath carries the weight of your cars.
View service Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Sloped yards on the hillier edges of the city often need a retaining wall, and we put drainage behind it so water drains away instead of pushing on it.
View service Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
Older brick homes and walls that have stained, faded or lost mortar can be cleaned, repointed and repaired in one job, so the house looks like itself again.
View service Masonry restorationFireplace installation
Cold winter nights here make a masonry fireplace worth having, and we build the firebox, hearth and surround to suit both the room and the house.
View service Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Newer homes here often have stone veneer on entries and columns, and we set it over a proper backing and weather barrier so water stays out of the wall.
View service Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls are the usual divider between yards here, and when one leans or cracks we check the footing first, since that's usually where the trouble starts.
View service Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For an addition, garage or crawlspace, we lay reinforced block foundation walls on solid footings, because everything built above depends on that first course being right.
View service Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
Long, warm summer evenings make backyard cooking popular here, and we build counters, grill islands and pizza oven bases in block, brick or stone.
View service Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
Front walks here take snow, ice melt and summer heat, so we build them on a packed base with a slight slope that sheds water.
View service Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A new brick garden wall or entry wall can echo the brick already on your house, and I take time to match its color, size and joint style.
View service Brick wall installationStone masonry
For walls, steps and planters, natural stone suits the high desert look many homeowners here want, and we set each stone so it bears on the ones below.
View service Stone masonryBrick pointing
Where only a few joints have cracked or opened up, pointing just those joints is often all a wall needs, and I'll tell you when that's the case.
View service Brick pointing
Get a free on-site estimate for your Sparks project
Send the form or call, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out, look at the work with you and answer your questions. The estimate is free, with no obligation.
- hi@sparksconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Sparks, NV 89431
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Permits, licenses and price on Sparks jobs
For an address inside city limits, building permits come from the City of Sparks, and an address outside the city may fall to Washoe County instead. When a wall, foundation or chimney job needs a permit, the start date usually turns on the city's review and inspections more than on our crew's calendar, so I look into it early. Before you hire anyone, please ask for a Nevada state contractor's license and a City of Sparks business license, because a contractor working in Sparks needs both.
On every job we check which office covers your address, and when a permit is needed we handle the application and the inspections, the same as we do for jobs in Reno. The price mostly comes down to how much of the wall turns out to be damaged once we open it, how hard your brick and mortar are to match and how high or tight the work sits. On new work, it also depends on how much digging, base and drainage the ground calls for, and your written estimate lays out what we'll do and why for your house.
Heat, cold and water wear on masonry here
In Sparks, July highs average about 92°F and December lows about 25°F, with only around 8 inches of rain and snow in a year. The dry heat bakes mortar until it turns sandy, and on winter nights any water that does get into a crack, from snowmelt or a sprinkler, freezes and pushes it a little wider. Because it's so dry, the damage tends to go unnoticed until a joint falls out or a cap cracks, so we look closely at chimneys, wall tops and steps, where water sits longest, and repoint with mortar matched to the old wall.
Age matters too. Many older chimneys and garden walls have been patched more than once with mortar harder than the brick, which makes the brick crack instead of the joint, so I'll tell you whether a simple repointing is enough or the old patch has to come out first.
What to expect when you call us about a Sparks job
Here's how a job runs from your first call to the final walk-through, with me on it from the estimate through the cleanup.
Call us and pick a time
When you call or send the form, I set a time to come out to your house. It helps if you can be there, so we can look at the work together and I can answer your questions.
Get a written estimate from me
After I've looked it over, you get a written estimate that explains what we'll do and why. If a smaller repair will do the job, that's what the estimate recommends, not something bigger.
Check the office, then build
Before anything starts, we check which office covers your address and sort out any permit the job needs. Our own crew does the work, and I'm on site running it.
Walk the finished job together
At the end, we go over the finished work with you so you can see what was done and ask about anything, and then we clean up. Every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions about masonry work in Sparks
Does a block wall or masonry fence in Sparks need a permit?
If the wall works as a fence, plan on a permit, because the city lists fences among the work that needs one. For fencing, the city calls for only a final inspection, requested no more than 2 weeks ahead. A retaining wall or a wall tied to the house is a different question, and we ask the city about your address before we start.
Does a contractor need a Sparks business license on top of a Nevada contractor's license?
Yes. A contractor has to hold a Nevada state contractor's license before bidding or naming a price, and any business that travels into Sparks city limits to work also needs a City of Sparks business license, along with proof of workers' compensation coverage. We're licensed and fully insured, and please ask any contractor you're considering to show you both licenses.
How do I know if a small brick repair in Nevada needs a licensed contractor?
State licensing doesn't cover repair or maintenance work worth less than $1,000 in labor and materials, but that exemption ends when the work needs a building permit or is part of a larger project of $500 or more. If you're not sure where your job falls, I'd rather you hire someone licensed, and I'm glad to come look at even a small repair.
How much does masonry repair cost in Sparks?
The cost depends on the size of the area, how much of it is actually damaged and how much work it takes to match the old brick and mortar. Pointing only the joints that have failed costs less than repointing a whole wall, while a tall chimney that needs scaffolding or a new wall that needs a deep footing and drainage costs more. I come out, look at it and give you a written estimate for your job.
How deep does a footing for a garden wall need to be in Sparks?
The city's design criteria list a frost depth of 24 inches here, so a footing for a freestanding wall usually needs to sit below that to keep frost from lifting it. The same criteria put Sparks in a high earthquake design category, so walls here usually need steel in them, and we size the footing and reinforcement to the wall.
How do I apply for a masonry permit in Sparks?
You apply online through the city's customer portal, because Sparks no longer takes paper permit applications. The portal also handles status checks, plan review comments and payments. On our jobs we file the application, and at each inspection we have the city's stamped plans on site and are there with the ladders and tools needed to reach the work.
Other service areas
Sparks, NV
Book your free Sparks masonry estimate
Call (775) 447-1297 or use the form now, because a crack fixed while it's small is usually a simpler repair than the wall it can turn into.