Masonry Contractor in Diamond Bar - Walls Built for Sloped Yards
Fieldstone Ontario Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Ontario, CA. In Diamond Bar we build retaining walls, block walls and hardscape, and we repair brick, stone, chimneys and foundations.
Masonry work on Diamond Bar's hillside lots
Diamond Bar is mostly quiet neighborhoods of single-family homes on curving streets that climb in and out of the hills, with shopping centers along the main roads. I drive over from Ontario for jobs here all the time, and it's the same kind of hilly ground we work on over in Chino Hills and Pomona.
For masonry, the big thing here is slope. A lot of yards are cut into the hillside, held up by retaining walls and edged by block walls that step down the grade, and plenty back onto the canyons and open space where the city's trails run. When a wall here leans or cracks, the cause is usually water or soil pushing from the high side. So before anyone touches a brick, I figure out where that pressure is coming from.
What we do for Diamond Bar homes
On a sloped lot, a foundation crack can mean shifting ground or water running the wrong way, so I sort out which before we patch.
Plenty of houses here still have their original brick chimney. We fix the cracked top and worn joints before loose brick starts falling into the yard.
Older brick planters and house fronts here often have sandy mortar joints, so we grind out only the worn ones and refill them in a matching color.
Brick steps up a sloped front yard take a beating. We replace the cracked or flaking ones with a close match and leave the sound brick alone.
A lot of driveways here climb from the street to the garage, so we build the base and edging to hold the pavers on that grade.
Hillside yards here lean on retaining walls. We build them with a solid footing and drainage behind, since trapped water is what usually tips a wall over.
Tired but sound brick and stone fronts on homes here get cleaned, repaired and repointed, instead of torn out while they still have life left.
Want a fireplace out on a patio that looks over the hills? We build the firebox and surround in brick or stone to match the house.
Thin stone veneer over stucco can dress up an entry or garage front, and we build in a way for water to drain out from behind it.
Block walls edge a lot of yards here, often stepping down a slope. We fix leaning or cracked sections and build new ones with steel and grout inside.
Building an addition on a sloped lot? We lay the block foundation walls the framing sits on, level and square for the framers who come next.
For an outdoor kitchen, we build the block base and brick or stone facing to fit your patio, leaving openings for the grill and whoever runs the gas.
Side yards here are often narrow and sloped, so we build walkways with steps or a gentle grade where you need them and a firm base underneath.
A low brick wall or planter can tie a front yard to the house, and we choose brick and mortar color that suit yours.
Natural stone fits right in on yards that back onto the hills and canyons. We build stone walls, steps and planters and fit each piece by hand.
If only a few joints are cracked or missing, pointing just those spots is often enough, and I'll tell you that before selling you more.
What Diamond Bar's slopes ask of masonry
I come out to every Diamond Bar job myself, and you can count on straight answers about what needs fixing now, what can wait and what to leave alone.
I'm there, start to finish
I look at every job myself, and I'm on site with our crew while the work gets done.
Sound work stays put
If your brick or mortar is still doing its job, we leave it, because tearing out good work just costs you money.
A tidy site around your family
Years of working around tenants taught me to keep the site clean and treat your home like the lived-in place it is.
Permits and inspections handled
When a job needs city sign off, we pull the permit and set up the inspections for you.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
We're licensed and insured, and every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Diamond Bar masonry questions
Do I need a permit to build a block wall or fence in Diamond Bar?
A freestanding wall or fence in Diamond Bar needs a Zoning Clearance, an over-the-counter approval from the Planning Division, and the city's planning FAQ says it needs no building permit. The city limits privacy walls and fences to 42 inches in the setback facing the street and up to six feet in side and rear yards. The city's building permits page also mentions fences, so before we lay out a new wall I confirm with the city what yours needs.
Does a retaining wall need a permit in Diamond Bar?
In most cases, a retaining wall no taller than three feet, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, needs no permit in Diamond Bar, and anything bigger is a question for the city's Building and Safety Division, which issues building permits here. That three feet counts the footing buried in the ground, so a wall that shows two feet above the dirt can already be over. When yours needs a permit, we take care of it and set up the inspections.
How do I schedule a building inspection in Diamond Bar?
Call the city's inspection hotline at 909-839-7027 at least the day before you want the inspection, and leave the project address, permit number and type of inspection. Inspections run Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except holidays, so the work gets planned around those days. On jobs where we pull the permit, we book the inspections ourselves.
Does a contractor from outside Diamond Bar need a city business license?
Yes, Diamond Bar requires a business license for anyone doing work inside city limits, contractors included, even if they have no office or building in the city. Applications and renewals are handled online, and the Planning Division answers questions at 909-839-7030. It's a fair thing to ask any contractor you're thinking of hiring.
How do I find my property line before building a wall in Diamond Bar?
Hire a licensed land surveyor, because the city says only a licensed surveyor can verify exactly where a property line sits. You can look up your lot's zoning yourself on the city's interactive GIS map by street address or parcel number. For any wall near a property line, I check with the city early so there are no surprises once we start digging.
How much does a retaining wall or block wall cost in Diamond Bar?
What moves the price most is the wall's height and length, how steep the lot is and how far we have to carry block and concrete to reach the spot, and facing a wall in stone or brick costs more than plain block. Tearing out an old wall adds labor and haul-off, and on heavy debris jobs the city wants a special limited-collection permit and a rented roll-off, plus an encroachment permit from Public Works for large loads. The schedule turns on the same things and on any city sign off. Your own figure comes from the estimate, where I walk the job, take photos and write up what I'd do and why.
Not in Diamond Bar? Give us a call
Pick another city below, or call (909) 738-1042 if yours isn't listed, since we work in plenty of cities nearby that don't have a page.
Get an estimate for your Diamond Bar project
Call (909) 738-1042 any day of the week, early morning into the evening, or send the form and tell us what's going on.