Masonry Contractor in Menifee, CA - Walls and Chimneys Fixed at the Cause
E&M Lake Elsinore Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Menifee, CA. We repair and build block walls, brick, stone, chimneys, foundations and pavers, and we find out why something's cracking before we fix it.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Menifee homes and yards as we see them
In Menifee our work is mostly at people's homes, and it covers a lot of ground: block walls between yards, brick planters and steps out front, walkways, patios, fireplaces and the odd chimney that's started shedding brick. People here usually call when something has cracked, leaned or come loose, and they want someone to look at it closely before anyone starts tearing it out. It's the same kind of work we do in Canyon Lake and the other cities around Lake Elsinore, where we're based.
Most of what we fix or build here sits behind a finished house, in a back yard or a narrow side yard, so part of every plan is how we get block, mortar and a mixer back there without tearing up your landscaping or your neighbor's.
Masonry services we handle for Menifee homes
Foundation repair
On a Menifee home, if a crack in your slab or stem wall keeps growing, or doors start sticking, we find what's moving before we pick a repair.
Chimney repair
A cracked concrete cap, loose top bricks and gaps where the chimney meets the house are the usual chimney calls here, and we repair what's actually failing.
Tuckpointing
On brick fronts and fireplace walls, tuckpointing fills worn joints with brick-colored mortar and a thin contrasting line, so the joints look sharp again.
Brick repair
Bricks that have cracked, come loose or lost their face on steps, planters and walls get cut out and replaced, once we know why they failed.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit a Menifee driveway that's due for replacing, because a section that sinks later can be lifted, the base fixed and the same pavers relaid.
Retaining wall construction
Where a back yard steps down a slope, a retaining wall holds the high side, and we build the footing and drainage behind it for that load.
Masonry restoration
Brick and stone that's been stained, cracked and patched over the years gets cleaned, repaired and repointed so it reads as one wall again.
Fireplace installation
A masonry fireplace for a family room or back patio goes on its own footing, with the firebox and chimney laid out before the first block.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone set over a wall, dresses up a stucco front, column or fireplace, and we prep the backing first, since that's where veneer usually fails.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along side and back yards are one of our most common Menifee calls, whether it's a new wall, a leaning section or loose caps on top.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition or garage, we lay the block wall it sits on, with steel and grout inside, on a footing that's inspected before we build up.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build barbecue islands and outdoor kitchens in block, sized to the grill and counters you pick, then finished in stone, brick or stucco to match the house.
Walkway construction
We lay walkways to the front door or around to a side gate in pavers, brick or flagstone, on a packed base so pieces sit level.
Brick wall installation
We build brick garden walls, planters and front-yard walls on a proper footing, with the brick, pattern and mortar color picked to suit your house.
Stone masonry
Natural stone walls, columns, steps and planters get laid by hand, each stone fitted to its neighbors, so the wall holds together and looks natural.
Brick pointing
When joints in a brick wall or planter turn sandy and sink back, we grind out the worn mortar and repack it to match the old joints.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Menifee
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the job and give you a free estimate on site, with no pressure to book.
(951) 579-7076- Based in
- Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 6 AM–11 PM
Working in Menifee: permits, licenses and what moves the price
Inside Menifee city limits, building permits come from the city's Building & Safety Division, and a permit is the city's go-ahead to build, alter, demolish or repair a structure, so a job that needs one can't start until it's issued. Before anything else we find out whether your address falls under the city or the county, because that decides who we file with. You can check two things on any contractor here, a California license from the Contractors State License Board, which licenses anyone who builds or alters a structure in the state, and a Menifee business license, which the city requires of every business working inside its limits. The city's business license office answers questions at 951-723-3786.
When your job needs a permit, we take care of the paperwork and plan the work around the inspections, so the schedule mostly turns on the permit and on when the inspector can come out. The price turns on how much is actually failing, the height and length of the wall, what's needed under it, whether we can get a truck close or have to carry everything through a side gate, and how hard your brick or stone is to match. I'll give you the figure for your own job when I come out. We're based in Lake Elsinore and do this same work across the cities around it, including Temecula and Perris.
Why Menifee properties end up needing masonry work
A lot of Menifee yards are closed in by block walls, and a wall on a property line usually sits between two yards, so a lean or a crack is your neighbor's problem too. When one shows up, we check the footing, whether there's steel and grout inside the block, and where the sprinkler water is going, because a wall that's moving needs those answers before anyone patches the face. If the wall is shared, it helps to bring your neighbor in early, and I'm glad to walk them through what I find.
We also see plenty of cracks in walls, steps and chimneys that someone caulked or patched and that opened right back up, because the patch covered the crack without touching whatever was moving. We start from that cause, and often it's one section or one detail, not the whole wall.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Menifee
Here's how a job goes from your side, from the first call to the last walkthrough, and you'll know what we found and what it costs before anything is built.
Call or send the form
Tell us what you're seeing, whether it's a crack, a lean or loose brick, and we'll set a time for me to come out. A couple of photos sent with the form help me think it over before I get there.
I look at it closely
I come out myself, look at the work up close and ask what you've noticed and when it started, because that usually points to the cause. You get the estimate right there on site, so it's best if you can be home.
We handle the permit and schedule
When the job needs a permit we take care of it, and for a block or retaining wall built to the City Standard, the city's Fast-Track permit is typically processed within two business days without plan review. Within a quarter mile of an occupied home, the city allows construction Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., except holidays, so our crew days fall inside those hours.
The crew builds, I check it
Our lead mason runs the crew on site and keeps the work area picked up as the job goes. When it's done, I walk through it with you before we call it finished.
Questions about masonry work in Menifee
How do I get a permit for a block wall in Menifee?
You apply through the city, and every submittal, Fast-Track ones included, goes through the Menifee Permit Portal. Block and retaining walls built to the City Standard are on the city's Fast-Track list, with the timing in our steps above, while a wall that doesn't fit that standard takes the regular route. We take care of the paperwork when your job needs it.
When does a contractor need a California license for masonry work?
The state contractor board says a license applies if the job needs a building permit, uses anyone besides the person doing the work, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials combined. A job only falls outside that when none of the three apply, and the board says a bigger job can't be split into pieces under $1,000 to get around it. We're fully licensed and insured.
What building codes apply to a block wall or foundation in Menifee?
The city enforces the current California building codes, including the residential building code, the green building code and the energy code. For masonry, the code mostly shapes what you don't see once it's done, like footing size and the steel inside a wall, so we build those to code from the first trench rather than leaving it for the inspection.
How much does masonry repair cost in Menifee?
The cost comes down to how much of the wall, chimney or foundation is really failing, and fixing one bad section usually costs a lot less than rebuilding the whole thing. I'd rather repair the part that's actually letting go than sell you a bigger job, so I look for the cause first and price that. The other things that move the price are covered above, and you'll get our figure when I come out.
What causes a block wall to crack or lean in Menifee?
Usually it's something under or behind the wall rather than the block itself, such as a footing that's too small, sprinkler or drainage water collecting against it, or steel inside that was left out or has rusted. Where the crack runs and whether it's still moving tells me a lot, so I look at the pattern, the cap and the ground on both sides before suggesting a fix.
Can a masonry crew work on Sundays in Menifee?
Not without the city's prior approval, because Sunday and holiday construction near homes needs a sign-off from the City Building Official or City Engineer. That's why we plan crew days inside the Monday through Saturday hours in our steps, even though we pick up the phone seven days a week.
Lake Elsinore, CA
Ask about your Menifee masonry job
A crack caught while it's small is usually a smaller repair than a wall that's had time to lean, so it's worth a look now.