Masonry Contractor in Sun Valley, NV - Matched Repairs and Walls on Solid Footings
Stonework Sparks Concrete and Masonry builds and repairs brick, block and stone in Sun Valley, NV. We fix crumbling mortar joints and tired chimneys, and we build block walls, retaining walls and walkways for the homes across the valley.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Sun Valley homes and the ground they sit on
Sun Valley sits in its own valley, with Sparks on the east side and Reno on the west, so for a masonry contractor in Sparks, NV, it's a short drive. On our jobs here we see older single-story houses, manufactured homes and newer builds side by side. Many sit on lots with room for a long block wall, a walkway out to a shop or the patio someone has been planning for years.
Toward the edges of the valley, the county's area plan describes larger lots, mostly about one home per acre, that aren't tied into community sewer or water. On a lot like that, I want to know where the septic tank, leach field and well line run before we lay out a wall or dig a footing, because moving the layout a few feet is far easier than fixing a footing in the wrong spot.
Masonry services we offer in Sun Valley
Foundation repair
When a block foundation cracks, I check first whether it's settling or ordinary shrinkage, because many of those cracks need only a careful repair, not a rebuild.
View service Foundation repairChimney repair
Sun Valley chimneys take years of wind and winter cold, so cracked caps and open joints are common. We fix what's failing and leave sound brick alone.
View service Chimney repairTuckpointing
When the mortar joints on a brick house turn sandy and crumble, we clear out the worn mortar and pack in new, matched in color so the repair doesn't stand out.
View service TuckpointingBrick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose bricks in a house front, planter or garden wall can usually be cut out one at a time and replaced with a close match.
View service Brick repairDriveway pavers
Pavers make sense on a Sun Valley driveway because a cracked one can be lifted and replaced, though they last only as well as the packed base underneath.
View service Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a yard drops toward the street or a neighbor, a block or stone retaining wall holds the soil, and we plan the drainage behind it from the start.
View service Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
On an older brick or stone house that has worn unevenly, we restore the masonry in stages, repairing joints, bricks and caps to match what's already there.
View service Masonry restorationFireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces indoors and out, laying the firebox, hearth and surround to the clearances the plans and any insert's maker call for.
View service Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face set over a wall, dresses up a plain foundation or entry, and the flashing behind it decides how well it holds up.
View service Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls make a solid property line on Sun Valley lots because they hold up to wind and sun, and a proper footing keeps them standing straight.
View service Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
When a larger Sun Valley lot gets a new garage, shop or addition, we lay the block foundation walls with the steel and grout the plans call for.
View service Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
A block outdoor kitchen faced in stone or brick gives a big backyard a permanent grill and counter, and we leave room for gas and power lines.
View service Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
A brick, paver or flagstone walkway from the driveway to the door keeps dust and mud off your shoes, and a well-drained base keeps it flat.
View service Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
A brick garden wall, planter or screen wall gives a front yard a finished look, and we lay it straight on a footing sized for its height.
View service Brick wall installationStone masonry
Natural stone suits Sun Valley's rocky hillsides, and we build stone walls, steps and planters fitted by hand so each piece sits tight and sheds water.
View service Stone masonryBrick pointing
When only a few joints have cracked or washed out, pointing fills those joints with matched mortar, which is often all an older wall needs.
View service Brick pointing
Get a free on-site estimate for your Sun Valley masonry work
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out myself to look at the work and write the estimate, and there's no obligation and no pressure to book.
- hi@sparksconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Sparks, NV 89431
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
Permits and licenses for masonry work in Sun Valley
Sun Valley has its own general improvement district, but it isn't a city, so building permits for masonry here come from Washoe County. The county requires a permit for any project that isn't on its exempt list. When a job needs one, the county's review and inspections become part of the schedule, so we settle that before we order material. Before you hire anyone, please check two things: a contractor license from the Nevada State Contractors Board, which the state requires before a contractor even bids on building or altering a structure, and a Washoe County business license, which the county requires of any business that comes into the unincorporated county to work, even one based in Sparks like us.
We're licensed and fully insured, and when a permit is needed we handle the application and the inspections, so you aren't left dealing with the county yourself. The price of a job here mostly turns on the size of the wall or walk, how much digging and base work the ground needs, the material you choose and how far we carry it from the street on a larger lot. The schedule turns on any permit and on the weather. It's the same work we do in Spanish Springs and across the cities around Sparks, and your estimate gives you the figure for your own job.
Why Sun Valley brick and block wear the way they do
Brick and block in Sun Valley take strong sun, dry wind and winter freezes year after year. Water that gets into a cracked joint or chimney cap freezes, expands and pushes the gap a little wider each season. That's why so many calls start with crumbling mortar or a loose cap, and I'd rather catch it with a pointing repair now than rebuild a section later.
The county's design rules also put this area in a high earthquake design category, so new block walls, chimneys and foundation walls get steel and grout where the plans call for them. On an older chimney or a tall garden wall, I look for loose sections and cracks that run through the brick before I recommend anything.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Sun Valley
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the final walk-through, and what I'll ask of you along the way.
Call and walk the job
When you call, I set a time to come out, look at the work with you and answer your questions. Then you get a written estimate that explains what we'll do and why, so you know what you'd be paying for before you decide.
Check the permit first
Before anything starts, we check which office covers your address and whether your work needs a permit. If it does, the start date waits on the county's approval, and I'll tell you where things stand.
Build, review and clean up
Our own crew does the work, and I'm on site running it. At the end we look over the finished job together, and we clean up before we leave.
Questions about masonry work in Sun Valley
How do I know if my retaining wall needs a permit in Sun Valley, NV?
If your wall is taller than 48 inches, measured from the ground beside it, or it holds up extra weight such as a driveway, a slope or a building, you'll need a permit. A wall 48 inches or under that carries no extra weight and holds back no flammable liquids is on the county's list of exempt work, and the full list is in Chapter 100 of the county code. I measure your wall and check it against that list before we price the job.
Who can get a building permit for masonry work in Washoe County?
Only the homeowner can get an owner/builder permit. Every other residential permit goes to a licensed contractor, so when our crew does the work, the permit is issued to us rather than to you.
Does a masonry contractor need a Nevada license for small repairs?
Usually yes, because the state exempts only repair or maintenance work under $1,000, counting labor and materials, and even that exemption has exceptions. It doesn't cover work that needs a building permit or work that's part of a larger project of $500 or more, so most masonry jobs call for a licensed contractor.
What is the best way to build a block wall footing that holds up through Sun Valley winters?
The best way is to get the footing below the frost line, which the county's design requirements set at 24 inches here, so freezing ground can't lift it. We dig and pack the footing, set steel where the plans call for it and give the wall drainage, because a wall usually fails from the ground up, not through the block.
What causes mortar joints to crumble on older houses in Sun Valley?
Water is usually the cause, because it soaks into worn mortar, freezes overnight and opens the joint a little more each winter. We rake out the soft mortar and repoint with a mix matched to the old wall in color and strength, since mortar harder than the brick can crack the brick instead.
How much does a masonry repair or new wall cost in Sun Valley, NV?
Your cost comes down to the size of the work, the material and how much digging and base it needs, so I give you a figure only after I've seen the job. A small pointing repair on a sound wall costs far less than rebuilding a section, and I'll tell you when the simple repair will do. On a new wall, the height, the footing, the steel, the block or stone you pick and any permit all add to it.
Other service areas
Sparks, NV
Tell us about your Sun Valley project
Describe the work and give us the address when you call or fill out the form, and I can come out already knowing what to look at.