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Serving San Mateo, CA and surrounding areas. (650) 865-1809
San Mateo homes deal with clay soils, wet winters, and seismic stress. We fix the damage those conditions cause - foundation cracks, failing mortar, deteriorating chimneys - with masonry work built to handle what the Bay Area throws at it.
Custom San Mateo Masonry and Concrete is a full-service masonry contractor serving San Mateo, CA and the surrounding Peninsula. We handle 16 types of brick, stone, and concrete work - from foundation repair and chimney restoration to retaining walls and outdoor kitchens. Every job is done by our own crew, with a written estimate and a clear timeline before work starts. We currently serve 12 cities across San Mateo County.
Cracks in your walls or uneven floors? We stabilize shifting foundations before small problems become costly structural ones.
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Crumbling mortar, loose bricks, or a smoky smell indoors? We restore chimneys so they draw cleanly and stay watertight.
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Old mortar letting moisture in? We grind out the failing joints and pack in fresh mortar that lasts 20 to 30 years.
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Spalling, chipping, or missing bricks? We match your existing material so the repair blends in and the wall stays solid.
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Cracked or uneven driveway? New pavers add curb appeal and hold up to daily traffic for decades with minimal upkeep.
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Soil eroding or a slope becoming unstable? A properly built retaining wall holds your yard in place for the long term.
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Faded, stained, or deteriorated masonry? We bring historic and aged stonework back to its original structural integrity.
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Ready to add a wood-burning or gas fireplace? We build masonry fireplaces that are safe, functional, and built to code.
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Want a stone look without the weight of full stone? Veneer gives you the natural aesthetic at a fraction of the cost.
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Need a durable fence, privacy wall, or property boundary? Block walls go up fast and stay solid for decades.
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Replacing or adding a foundation wall? We install block walls that meet San Mateo's seismic and permit requirements.
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Outdoor kitchen plans gathering dust? We build the counters, grill surrounds, and walls that hold everything together.
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A tired or uneven walkway hurts curb appeal. We lay level, well-drained paths in stone, brick, or concrete.
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Need a new boundary wall or feature wall? We lay brick walls that are plumb, sealed, and built to outlast the house.
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Natural stone adds character no other material can match. We work with fieldstone, flagstone, and cut stone.
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Worn joints on an older brick surface? Pointing restores the mortar lines and stops water from getting behind the face.
Learn MoreReach out by phone or the form on this page. Someone from our office will get back to you within 1 business day - no automated phone trees, no waiting weeks for a callback. We ask a few questions about what you're seeing so we can show up prepared.
We come to your property, walk the work with you, and explain what we find in plain terms. You receive a written estimate that breaks down the scope and price before any commitment. No vague quotes, no pressure.
Once you approve the estimate, we schedule the job and get started. When we finish, we walk you through every repair, answer your questions, and hand over any warranty documentation in writing. We leave the site clean.
Our contractor license is active and verifiable through the California Contractors State License Board. We carry general liability insurance on every project. You can check our license number on the CSLB site in two minutes - we encourage it.
We have been doing masonry work in San Mateo and the surrounding Peninsula since 2017. We know the soil conditions, the older housing stock, and the permit process here - because this is where we work every day.
Every estimate is free and done in person - not guessed over the phone. We walk your property, explain what we find, and give you a written breakdown before any commitment. You stay in control of what gets done and when.
We put our warranty in writing before we leave the job site. Foundation pier systems carry manufacturer warranties of 25 years or more. Mortar and structural work is backed by our workmanship guarantee. No handshake deals.
Ready to get started? Call us at (650) 865-1809 or send us a message.
"We had a diagonal crack running from the corner of our front window down through the drywall - showed up after a wet winter. The team came out, explained exactly what had shifted in the foundation, and had it repaired within two days. The door that used to stick now closes perfectly."
Thomas R., San Mateo - Foundation repair
"The mortar on our chimney was so far gone you could pull chunks out by hand. They matched the color to our original brick, did the tuckpointing, and cleaned up every afternoon before they left. We went into rainy season with a sealed chimney for the first time in years."
Maria S., Burlingame - Tuckpointing
"Our retaining wall on the back slope had been leaning for two seasons. They rebuilt it with proper drainage behind it so the same thing won't happen again. Took three days, they kept us updated the whole time, and the finished wall looks like it belongs there."
David K., San Carlos - Retaining wall construction
We respond within 1 business day - no automated replies. This estimate is free and comes with no obligation. After you submit, someone from our office will call you to ask a few questions and schedule a time to visit your property and give you a written estimate.
(650) 865-1809Custom San Mateo Masonry and Concrete is based in San Mateo and serves 12 cities across the San Francisco Peninsula, including Burlingame, Redwood City, and Palo Alto. We can usually schedule an on-site estimate within the same week you call, and we are familiar with the permit requirements in each city we serve.
The answer is now - before November. San Mateo's clay soils absorb water quickly, and a crack that looks minor in September can allow water intrusion by December. The California Department of Conservation offers guidance on expansive soils at conservation.ca.gov/cgs/hazards.
If your bricks are solid but the mortar between them is crumbling or recessed, tuckpointing is the right call. Brick replacement is only necessary when the bricks themselves are cracked through or structurally compromised - and it costs significantly more. A mason can tell you which situation you have after a quick in-person look.
Yes. Even moderate shaking can loosen mortar joints or crack the liner inside the flue - damage that isn't visible from outside. The USGS tracks Bay Area seismic activity at earthquake.usgs.gov. After any earthquake you felt inside your home, have the chimney checked before you light a fire.
The Bay Area BAAQMD issues Spare the Air alerts that prohibit burning wood in fireplaces on certain winter days. That means your chimney needs to be in good working order for the limited days you can legally use it. A poorly drawing or cracked chimney wastes those burn days and creates a safety risk.
Yes - and using the wrong type can cause more damage than the original problem. Homes built before 1960 typically used softer, lime-based mortar. Replacing it with a modern, rigid cement mix creates a mismatch that can crack the surrounding bricks over time as the wall expands and contracts.
Look for leaning, visible gaps between the wall and the soil behind it, or water staining and efflorescence on the face. A wall that held for 20 years can fail quickly once drainage behind it becomes blocked. Catching it at the lean stage is far less costly than rebuilding after a collapse.
Custom San Mateo Masonry and Concrete is a licensed and insured masonry contractor based in San Mateo, CA, serving 12 cities across the San Francisco Peninsula since 2017. Our license is issued by the California Contractors State License Board, which regulates masonry and concrete contractors throughout the state.
We have completed masonry projects ranging from minor chimney repairs to full foundation stabilization and retaining wall construction across all 16 of our service types. Every job is done by our own crew - not subcontracted out - and every estimate is written and explained before work starts.
A crack wider than a pencil line, growing over time, or accompanied by a sticking door or window is no longer cosmetic. That combination suggests the structure underneath has moved and needs a professional look. The Brick Industry Association at gobrick.com has resources on distinguishing cosmetic from structural cracks.
No. Power-washing can force water into existing cracks and behind brick faces, accelerating the damage you are trying to assess. Have a mason look first, then clean after repairs are complete - not before.
Look up any contractor at the California Contractors State License Board website. It is free, takes two minutes, and shows whether the license is active, what work they are licensed for, and whether any complaints have been filed.
If you are not sure whether what you are seeing is urgent, call us at (650) 865-1809 - we will give you a straight answer at no charge.
San Mateo is a mid-Peninsula city of about 105,000 people, sitting roughly halfway between San Francisco and San Jose. Census data shows that a large share of the housing stock was built before 1970, which means many homes in neighborhoods like Baywood, Beresford, and the Hayward Park area are 50 to 80-plus years old. Brick chimneys, block foundations, and decorative masonry on homes that age are often original - and well past the point where mortar joints should have been refreshed.
The city has several well-known gathering points that most residents know by name: Central Park in the center of the city, the downtown strip along B Street and Third Avenue served by the Caltrain station, and the Shoreview and Bay Meadows areas closer to the water. Homes near the bay deal with more coastal fog and humidity than neighborhoods farther inland, which accelerates mortar wear and moisture-related foundation issues.
We work on homes throughout all of San Mateo - from the older Craftsman bungalows near downtown to the postwar ranch homes out in Beresford. Because we are based here, we know the city's permit process through the City of San Mateo Building Division, the soil conditions in different parts of town, and the types of masonry problems that show up most often in homes of this age and in this climate. That local knowledge shows up in the quality of the estimates and the work we deliver.
By appointment only, no walk-ins.
Custom San Mateo Masonry and Concrete
80 Mission DrSan Mateo, CA 94402(650) 865-1809hello@masonrysanmateo.comAlways open, 24/7.
Call Custom San Mateo Masonry and Concrete today for a free on-site estimate with no obligation - we serve San Mateo and 12 cities across the Peninsula.