Masonry Contractor in Loomis, CA - Plain Answers on Brick, Stone and Walls

Some masonry jobs in Loomis can need a building permit, and the Town of Loomis issues them, so check yours with the Town at (916) 652-1840 before work starts. For sheds, garages and other small buildings, an older Town note says any size with electric or plumbing needs a permit, one with 120 square feet of roofing or less is otherwise exempt, and zoning setbacks still apply. When your job calls for a permit, we pull it, set up the inspections and tell you where it stands before we start.

Ask for both a Loomis business license and a state contractor's license, because every contractor working in Loomis needs an active Town business license and the Town can't process a building permit without one. The Contractors State License Board requires a state license when the work needs a permit, uses employees or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials on a project, and that license has to be in good standing before the Town will process a permit. We're licensed and insured.

Check first whether you need a Town Tree Permit, because Loomis requires one before grading, paving or other digging over more than 20 percent of a protected tree's protected zone, and before removing the tree. Protected trees include native oaks six inches or more across, measured 54 inches above the ground, though some residential parcels are exempt depending on their zoning. At the estimate we look at where your oaks stand and plan the footing or base around them.

Loomis has Moderate and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, which are mapped wildfire hazard areas, and no Very High zones. In High zones, wildfire building codes apply to new buildings and ignition-resistant construction is required on remodels. If your home is in a High zone, the Town's fire hazard zone page asks owners to check with the building department about which codes apply to their project, so do that before we plan the work.

The Town places buildings and structures in Seismic Design Category D, an earthquake design class, unless an analysis supports a different one, and homes built under the residential code can use Category C. That class affects how masonry has to be reinforced and tied to the house, which matters most on chimneys and taller walls. We build to what the permit and the inspector call for and go over it with you when your job has one.

Most of the cost is labor and how much has to come apart, so repointing a few joints costs far less than rebuilding a wall or chimney. Matching old brick and mortar color, a deeper footing or drainage behind a retaining wall, and a long carry from the street on a big lot all add to it, and a permit adds time. I give you a number after I've seen the work in person.