Masonry Contractor in Somerton, AZ - Yard Walls and Brick That Hold Up
J&L Yuma Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor serving Somerton, AZ from our base in Yuma. We repair brick and mortar, build block yard walls, retaining walls and walkways, and add stone and brick features to homes here.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Somerton homes, yards and the walls between them
Somerton is a smaller city a short drive south of Yuma, and most of the masonry calls I get here come from homes rather than storefronts. There's a mix of older brick and block houses closer to the center of town and newer subdivisions toward the edges, and a lot of the older ones have been added onto over the years. Plenty of the owners I meet here plan to stay put, so they want repairs that last instead of quick patches.
Most lots here are flat, fenced with block and watered, so the job usually comes down to the footing under a wall and keeping water away from its base. On older houses, new work also has to tie into walls that have already settled, so I look at how the old part has moved before we add to it.
Masonry services we bring to Somerton homes
Foundation repair
When a Somerton house shows stair-step cracks in the block or doors that start to stick, we find what moved under the footing before we patch anything.
Chimney repair
Older homes here with a brick chimney usually lose mortar at the top first, so we rebuild the loose brick and redo the cap before water works down.
Tuckpointing
On Somerton brick fronts where the joints have gone sandy, we cut out the worn mortar and fill new joints colored to match the rest of the house.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose brick on a porch, planter or front wall gets cut out and replaced piece by piece, with brick picked to blend with yours.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit Somerton driveways where cracked concrete needs replacing, because a packed base under them lets single pavers come up and go back if something shifts.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard drops toward an alley or a neighbor's lot, a retaining wall holds the soil, and its footing and drainage decide how well it lasts.
Masonry restoration
For older brick and block homes near the center of Somerton, we clean, repair and repoint walls so they keep their original look instead of getting covered over.
Fireplace installation
An outdoor fireplace on a Somerton patio gives the back yard a gathering spot, and we build the firebox, chimney and footing as one solid piece of masonry.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, a thin stone face set over block or framing, dresses up a plain front or porch column here without the weight of full stone.
Concrete block walls
Block yard walls run between many lots here, so we build new ones, extend short ones and rebuild leaning sections on a footing sized for the wall.
Foundation block wall installation
For an addition, garage or casita in Somerton, we lay the block foundation walls that carry it, set on footings and filled where the plans call for it.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Somerton back yards host plenty of family cookouts, so we build outdoor kitchens in block and stone with a grill island, counter space and a solid base.
Walkway construction
We get plenty of calls here for a walkway from the gate to the front door, and the packed base under it is what keeps it flat.
Brick wall installation
A brick wall or brick-capped pillar along a Somerton front yard gives the lot a finished edge, and we lay it on a footing so it stands straight.
Stone masonry
Natural stone suits planters, steps and accent walls on Somerton homes, and we fit each stone by hand so the joints stay tight and the weight sits right.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints on a Somerton wall or step have opened up, pointing fills them before water gets behind the brick, so a small repair stays small.
Get a free estimate for your Somerton masonry job
We reply within one business day. I come out to your home, walk the job with you and explain what I see, then write up a free estimate, with no pressure to book.
(928) 271-5129- Based in
- Yuma, AZ 85364
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
Working in Somerton: permits, licenses and what sets the price
In Somerton, the city decides which work needs a building permit, because its code requires permits as its building safety rules lay out, and you can search the city's documents on the City of Somerton's online portal. When your job needs one, the permit and its inspections set when we can start and when each stage moves on, so I sort that out before we put you on the calendar. Before you hire anyone, ask for a state contractor license and a Somerton business license, since the city's license is its own and doesn't stand in for the state's. We're fully licensed and insured, and we've been doing this work since 2013.
From our base in Yuma we come down to Somerton often, and we do the same work in San Luis just past it. What moves the price here is mostly size, material and what's underneath, so a long block wall on a new footing costs more than a short repair, and brick or stone runs more than plain block. The schedule turns on the permit if there is one, getting the right block or brick in, and how big the job is, and I lay all of that out when I write up your estimate.
Why Somerton walls and brick need attention
Block walls between neighboring lots are one of the things I'm called about most here, because a long run of block on a shallow footing will lean or crack once the ground under it settles or a tree root pushes against it. We dig down to see the footing before we decide between a repair and a rebuild, since patching the face of a wall that's still moving just buys you a new crack. Many of these walls sit on a property line, so it's worth a word with your neighbor before we start.
On older brick homes, the mortar joints wear out long before the brick does, and that's how it's supposed to work, since mortar is meant to be the softer part. When joints go sandy we repoint them with mortar that isn't harder than the brick, so the joint keeps taking the wear instead of the brick face.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Somerton
From your first call to the final cleanup, here's how a job with us goes and where you'll be part of it.
Call or send us a message
Call (928) 271-5129 or use the form, and tell us what you're seeing or what you want built. We get back to you and set a time to meet at your house.
I walk the job with you
I come out myself, look at the wall or the spot you have in mind, and explain what I see and why it happened. Then I write up the estimate so you have the price on paper to think over before anything is decided.
We handle permits and build
If the job needs a permit, my crew and I handle the application and set up the city's inspections, and their timing sets our start date. I work alongside my crew on site and tell you what comes next as each stage wraps up.
Walk the finished work together
We clean up and walk the finished work with you so you can look it over and ask anything. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
Masonry contractor questions from Somerton homeowners
Do I need a building permit for a block wall or masonry work in Somerton?
Your project may need one, because Somerton's city code requires building permits as its building safety rules lay out, and we check your job against those rules before we start. A building that was already put up under a lawful permit doesn't have to be changed to meet them.
What building code applies to houses in Somerton, AZ?
Somerton uses the International Residential Code for one- and two-family homes, which the city has adopted with its appendices and some local changes. That means a new wall, footing or foundation on your house is held to that code as the city amended it, and that's what we build to.
Who licenses masonry contractors in Arizona?
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors does, and state law bars anyone from contracting without a license except for the people the law itself exempts. That state license is separate from Somerton's business license and from any permit for your job, so it's worth asking a contractor about all three.
How much does masonry work cost in Somerton?
Your price comes from the job itself, and I give it to you in writing after I walk it with you. Beyond size and material, taking out an old wall first, getting block through a narrow side gate and any permit or inspection steps all add to it. Reusing a footing that's still sound or keeping a simple block finish usually brings it down.
How do I check if my Somerton property is in a flood zone?
Look up your address on FEMA's flood map viewer, which FEMA calls the best place to start for its official flood hazard maps. It's worth doing before a retaining wall, foundation work or any job flooding could affect, and you can bring what you find to the estimate so we can talk it through.
What is the best way to match new brick to an older house in Somerton?
The best way is to compare color, size and texture against a brick from your own wall in daylight, not a catalog picture. On older Somerton homes the brick has faded and the mortar has changed color, so we often blend a few brick colors and tint the mortar to land close. Sometimes a brick pulled from a hidden spot, like behind a planter, is the closest match there is.
Other areas we serve
Yuma, AZ
Get your Somerton masonry job on the calendar
On the first visit I can usually tell you whether a crack is old and settled or still moving, and that answer alone helps you plan what to do next.