Masonry Contractor in Chino Hills, CA - Walls Built for Hillside Lots
United Eastvale Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Chino Hills, CA. We build and repair block and brick walls, retaining walls, chimneys, driveways, walkways and outdoor kitchens on the hillside lots here.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Chino Hills neighborhoods built into the hills
Chino Hills is mostly homes on curving streets that climb the hills, and a lot of them sit on pads graded into a slope. Backyards step down in terraces or back onto open hillside, block walls run along most lot lines, and many front yards have a driveway or path that climbs to the door. It's a different job from the flatter lots down in Chino, where a wall mostly just marks a line.
So the grade is the first thing I look at here. A wall that holds back a terrace needs a deeper footing and a way for water to get out, and paving on a slope needs a base that stays put.
Masonry services we do on Chino Hills properties
Foundation repair
Homes on pads graded into a hillside can settle unevenly, so we find out why the foundation moved before we fix the cracked or sinking section.
Chimney repair
A chimney with loose bricks or a cracked crown, the concrete cap on top, lets water in every winter. We rebuild what's loose and seal the top.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar on a brick front or garden wall turns soft and sandy, we grind out the worn joints and pack in new mortar tinted to match.
Brick repair
Bricks that crack or flake on their face, often near sprinklers or downspouts, get cut out and replaced with brick that matches the size and color of yours.
Driveway pavers
Sloped driveways here need a firm base and solid edges so pavers don't creep downhill. We dig out, compact the base and lock the edges before setting pavers.
Retaining wall construction
Terraced hillside yards hold back a lot of wet soil. We build retaining walls with a real footing, gravel backfill and drains so water can get out.
Masonry restoration
Brick and stone that's stained, cracked and patched over the years can be cleaned, repaired and repointed so the whole wall reads as one again.
Fireplace installation
For a family room or covered patio, we build brick or stone fireplaces around a firebox set to the maker's instructions, then finish the face to suit your house.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone veneer dresses up stucco fronts, porch columns and wall caps. We put in the backing and a water barrier first so moisture can't sit behind it.
Concrete block walls
A lot of yards here are fenced with block walls along the lot lines. We build new ones and fix leaning or cracked runs, starting from the footing.
Foundation block wall installation
On sloped lots, a raised patio or addition often stands on a block foundation wall. We set the footing and steel to carry that load.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Yards with a view of the hills suit outdoor cooking. We build the block base for the grill and counters, then face it in stone or brick.
Walkway construction
Front paths here often climb a grade. We build paver, brick or stone walkways with steps where the slope needs them and a pitch to shed water.
Brick wall installation
Brick garden walls and entry pillars give a front yard more character than plain block. We pour the footing and lay each row straight and level with full joints.
Stone masonry
Natural stone suits planter walls, steps and borders on sloped yards. We fit and mortar each stone by hand so the wall is solid and looks natural.
Brick pointing
Brick steps, planters and wall caps lose mortar first because they take the most water. We fill cracked and missing joints before loose bricks start to shift.
Get a free written estimate for your Chino Hills job
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a visit. I come out myself, walk the job with you, then send a free written estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
(951) 416-3252- Based in
- Eastvale, CA 92880
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Working in Chino Hills: permits, licenses and road access
The city's Building and Safety Division issues the permits for building, altering or repairing a structure, and applications go in through the city's online portal, so a wall or foundation job that needs one waits on the city before we dig. Before you hire anyone, ask for two things, a California contractor license and a Chino Hills business license, which out-of-city companies get through the city. We're licensed and insured, and I check with the city about your job and handle the permit paperwork when one's needed, before work starts.
The roads matter too. The city's code says heavy rain on these hills and streets can flood roadways, set off landslides and at times close an access route, so after a big storm we may hold a pour or a block delivery until the way in is clear. What moves the price here is mostly the slope, meaning how much soil a wall holds back, how deep the footing goes, whether a permit is involved and how far we carry block from the street, and the schedule turns on the permit and the weather. As a masonry contractor based in Eastvale, CA, we do the same kind of hillside and block wall work in Upland, and your written estimate spells out each of those for your job.
Hillside ground is hard on walls and footings
Heavy clay ground is the big one. Chino Hills State Park closes its trails for at least 48 hours after more than a quarter inch of rain because the clay in the soil turns slick, and we dig into the same kind of heavy ground in plenty of yards here. Clay holds water and swells, so it pushes on retaining walls and footings, which is why we set footings below the soft top layer, backfill with gravel and give every wall a way to drain.
The other thing I see is walls built too light for the job. When a section leans or cracks, I want to know if it's the footing, the soil or the water before I quote a repair, because patching the crack alone just has you calling me again.
What happens after you call us about a Chino Hills job
Here's how a job runs from your side, from the first call to the walk-through at the end.
Call or send a request
Call (951) 416-3252 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 and where it is on the lot.
I walk the job with you
I come out myself, look at the wall or slab with you, and tell you what I see and what I'd do. Then I send a written estimate, so you have the plan and the price on paper before you decide anything.
We handle the permit first
If you say yes, I check with the city's building office and take care of the permit when your job needs one. Work starts after that, so the city's review sets the start date.
We build, clean up, walk it
Our own crew does the work with me on site running it, and you don't need to be home every day. Once it's cleaned up, we walk it together, and satisfaction is guaranteed on every job.
Questions about masonry work in Chino Hills
Do I need a permit to build a block wall or retaining wall in Chino Hills?
A wall along a property line usually doesn't qualify for the city's exemption, because that exemption only applies when every part of the wall sits more than 5 feet from any property line. Under the city's list of permit exemptions, a masonry wall up to 4 feet tall, or a retaining wall holding less than 3 feet of soil, can skip a permit only if that holds, the soil behind it slopes less than 1 foot of rise for every 4 feet across, and no nearby structure adds weight above it. If your wall misses any of those, I check with the city before we start.
How do I know if my Chino Hills project needs a grading permit?
If your job involves grading or digging of any kind, the city requires a permit from the building official first, unless the work fits one of its listed exemptions. The city only issues a grading permit after the project has its zoning and other approvals in place, so cutting into a slope for a new terrace can add time before we dig. I'll tell you at the first visit if your job looks like it needs one.
What causes retaining walls to lean or crack on sloped lots in Chino Hills?
Water trapped behind the wall is the usual cause, because wet soil pushes much harder than dry soil and a wall with no drain has nowhere to let it go. A footing that's too small for the wall's height makes it worse. Before I quote a fix, I dig enough to see which one it is.
Do I need a permit to redo my driveway out to the street in Chino Hills?
Yes for any part that touches the sidewalk, curb, gutter or street, because the city requires an encroachment permit for work in the public right-of-way. The part of the driveway on your side is a question for the city's building office, and I check that for your job before we start.
Does a masonry contractor need a California state license to work in Chino Hills?
Yes for most masonry jobs, because the California Contractors State License Board requires a license when the project needs a building permit, uses employee labor, or its contracts total $1,000 or more in labor and materials. Ask any contractor for their state license before you sign anything.
How much does a new block wall cost in Chino Hills?
A block wall here is priced by its length and height, the footing it needs and how hard your yard is to reach, so I price each one after walking the site. Hillside lots cost more when the wall holds back soil and needs drains and gravel behind it or a permit, and a finish like stucco, stone or a cap block adds to it. Your written estimate shows each of those for your wall.
Eastvale, CA
Book an estimate visit in Chino Hills
Call (951) 416-3252 or send the form, because a crack or lean caught now is usually a smaller repair than one that sits through another rainy season.