Masonry Contractor in Santa Clara, OR - Sound Brick, Chimneys and Retaining Walls
Stonecraft Eugene Concrete and Masonry is a Eugene, OR masonry contractor working in Santa Clara. We repair older brick and chimneys, repoint crumbling joints, and build retaining walls, walkways and paver driveways across the neighborhood.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Santa Clara homes sit on flat, roomy lots
Santa Clara sits on the north side of Eugene, up past River Road, and it's mostly houses, with shops along the main roads. On our jobs here we see older ranch houses with brick fireplaces and planters, newer subdivisions, and lots big enough for a garden, a shop or a long driveway. That extra room means more of the calls are for building something new: a wall, a walkway or an outdoor kitchen that wouldn't fit on a tighter in-town lot.
The ground is mostly flat, and it doesn't always drain fast. That shapes nearly every job here, because water that sits under a walkway or behind a wall will find the weak spot, so we plan the base and the drainage before the first stone goes down.
Masonry services for Santa Clara homes
Foundation repair
When a foundation crack keeps growing or water shows up in the crawlspace after a wet winter, we find the cause before we patch anything.
See the service Foundation repairChimney repair
Older chimneys here take years of rain on the crown and top courses. We rebuild what's loose and close up the top so water stops getting in.
See the service Chimney repairTuckpointing
When mortar joints have gone sandy or sunk back, we grind out the worn mortar and pack in new so the brick stays tight and sheds water.
See the service TuckpointingBrick repair
Cracked, chipped or loose bricks on a front step, planter or house wall get cut out and replaced with brick that matches as closely as we can find.
See the service Brick repairDriveway pavers
Flat lots here can hold water, so a paver driveway needs a packed base and a slope that sends rain away from the garage and the house.
See the service Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
Where a yard steps down or a bed needs holding back, we build walls with drainage behind them, because trapped water is what pushes most walls over.
See the service Retaining wall constructionMasonry restoration
For older brick houses and garden walls that have been patched over the years, we clean, repair and repoint so the work looks right again.
See the service Masonry restorationFireplace installation
A masonry fireplace in the living room or on a covered patio starts with a proper footing and firebox. We build both to the code that applies.
See the service Fireplace installationStone veneer installation
Stone veneer on a foundation skirt or front entry needs a drainage gap behind it here, so rain that gets in can get back out.
See the service Stone veneer installationConcrete block walls
Block walls make a solid property line or the backbone of a raised bed, set on a real footing and reinforced where the height calls for it.
See the service Concrete block wallsFoundation block wall installation
For an addition, a garage or a new crawlspace on a lot with room to grow, we lay the foundation block to the plans, straight and level.
See the service Foundation block wall installationOutdoor kitchen masonry
Plenty of Santa Clara backyards have room for an outdoor kitchen. We build the block or stone base, counters and grill surround to handle wet winters.
See the service Outdoor kitchen masonryWalkway construction
A brick, stone or paver walkway from the driveway to the door gets a packed base and edging, so it doesn't heave or turn into a puddle.
See the service Walkway constructionBrick wall installation
New brick garden walls and planters can match an older brick house if the brick and mortar color are chosen carefully, so we settle both first.
See the service Brick wall installationStone masonry
Natural stone suits a front border, a low wall or a set of steps on a larger lot. We fit each stone so the wall sits tight and holds.
See the service Stone masonryBrick pointing
Small runs of worn mortar on steps, a chimney base or a garden wall can be repointed before the damage spreads into the brick itself.
See the service Brick pointing
Get a free on-site masonry estimate in Santa Clara
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. I come out, look at the work and give you a free estimate that says what we'll do and why, with no obligation to go ahead.
- info@eugeneconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Eugene, OR 97401
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Working in Santa Clara: city limits, permits and licenses
Santa Clara is a checkerboard of lots inside Eugene city limits and lots under Lane County, sometimes side by side, so the first thing I check here is which side your house is on. Inside city limits, the City of Eugene decides whether your job needs a permit, and if that's unclear, we ask the city before we start, not after, because any review has to happen ahead of the work. If your lot is outside city limits, we sort out whose rules apply before we quote. For the contractor, Oregon law generally requires anyone paid to do construction work on your property to be licensed by the Construction Contractors Board, which takes at least 16 hours of approved training and a passed state exam. The city doesn't issue a general business license, so the state license is the one to ask any contractor for. We're licensed and fully insured.
What moves the price here is how much is wrong behind what you can see, how much old mortar or brick has to come out, the size of the wall or paver run, and how far we haul material from the truck, since some older lots only have a narrow side yard to work through. The schedule turns on the permit, if there is one, and the weather, because fresh mortar shouldn't take a soaking. Most jobs here are a short run off River Road or Beltline, and we do the same work across the valley down to Cottage Grove, so the houses and ground here are familiar to us.
Water and old patches wear on Santa Clara masonry
Most of what we fix here comes back to water. On flat, slow-draining lots, winter rain sits against foundations, soaks the bottom courses of brick and works into the joints on cold nights. Mortar goes sandy, chimney tops loosen, and a retaining wall with nothing to drain it starts to lean. We give the water a way out with drain rock and pipe behind walls, sloped caps and crowns, and joints packed tight.
A lot of the brick here has been patched over the years with whatever mortar was handy, often harder than the brick around it. That makes the brick crack instead of the joint. When we repoint, we match the mortar to the brick so the joint wears first, the way it should.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Santa Clara
Here's how it goes from your first call or message to the walk-through at the end, and who you'll deal with along the way.
Call or send the form
Call (541) 225-4006 or use the form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out. Tell us what you're seeing so I know what to look for.
I look and write the estimate
I come out myself, look at the work, ask what you want from it and write up what we'll do and why. It helps if you're home so we can walk it together, and you'll have the price before anything starts.
We handle permits, then build
If your job needs a permit, we pull it and handle the inspections, and any city review comes before the start date. Our own masons and laborers do the work, and I check it as it goes.
Clean up and walk it
We clean up the site and haul off the debris, then walk the finished work with you before we call it done. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Questions about masonry in Santa Clara
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Santa Clara, Oregon?
Some retaining walls inside Eugene city limits don't need a building permit, but only within the size limits the city sets. The city's list of work that needs no permit also requires the wall to stay off septic systems and public pipes and out of utility easements, flood plains, setbacks and stormwater treatment areas, and even an exempt wall has to meet the building code. Inside city limits, the city's Permit and Information Center answers permit questions, and we check with the city before we start whenever it's unclear.
How much does masonry repair cost in Santa Clara, OR?
It depends on the size of the job and how much damage is behind the surface, so a few worn joints on a step cost far less than rebuilding a chimney top or a leaning wall. Matching old brick, choosing stone over block and adding drainage behind a wall all raise the price. Fixing worn joints before water gets into the brick keeps it down, and your estimate spells out what we'll do and why.
What is the best time of year for masonry work in Santa Clara?
Late spring through early fall is usually best, because Eugene's rain is lightest in July and August and heaviest in November, December and January. Fresh mortar needs to cure without a soaking or a freeze, so we save exposed work like chimney tops and repointing for drier stretches and cover it when the weather turns. Indoor work like a fireplace isn't tied to the season.
How do I find out about setbacks, easements or drainage before building a wall in Santa Clara?
If your lot is inside Eugene city limits, the city's Land Use line at (541) 682-8336 answers setback, height, driveway and fence questions, and Public Works at (541) 682-8400 answers flood, stormwater drainage, utility location and easement questions. It's worth calling before a wall goes near a property line or a drainage ditch, because those decide where it can sit. I'll point them out when I walk your yard, too.
What causes a retaining wall to lean in a Santa Clara yard?
Water trapped behind the wall is usually the cause, because wet soil is heavy and pushes harder than most walls were built to hold. A shallow footing and no drain rock or pipe make it worse, and on flat, slow-draining lots the soil can stay wet most of the winter. A slight lean can sometimes be fixed with drainage and a rebuilt top, but a wall that's still moving usually has to come down and go back up right.
Is it worth repairing an old brick chimney in Santa Clara, or should it come down?
Repair is usually worth it when the brick below the roofline is sound and the trouble is at the top, where the crown and upper courses take the weather. If you don't use the chimney and the brick is failing all the way down, taking it down below the roofline can make more sense. I'd rather tell you a job isn't worth doing than sell you one.
Other service areas
Eugene, OR
Get your Santa Clara masonry job looked at
Call (541) 225-4006 or send the form, because a joint or wall that's starting to go costs less to fix before another wet winter gets into it.