Serving San Bernardino, CA and surrounding areas. (909) 515-5170
SBD San Bernardino Masonry is a licensed masonry contractor serving Riverside with foundation repair, chimney repair, and brick and stone restoration. We work across the full range of Riverside housing - from the century-old Craftsman bungalows in the Wood Streets to postwar ranch slabs in Orangecrest - and we pull permits through the City of Riverside Building and Safety Department so every structural job is done to code with a paper trail you can rely on.
Riverside's clay soils expand every wet winter and contract every dry summer, and that cycle has been working on foundations across this city for decades. Homes built before 1980 - a significant share of Riverside's housing stock - are especially susceptible to settling and cracking. If you are seeing diagonal cracks at window corners or doors that no longer close easily, our foundation repair service addresses the root cause, not just the visible damage.
Riverside has a large number of homes from the 1920s through 1960s with original brick chimneys that have been through a century of heating cycles, heat, and occasional frost. Open mortar joints and cracked crowns on these older chimneys let water into the flue with every winter rain, which accelerates deterioration and creates safety concerns. We inspect, repoint, and repair chimney masonry with material matched to the original construction.
The Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Revival homes near downtown Riverside were built with softer mortars than modern products, and using the wrong replacement material traps moisture and causes faster damage than it prevents. We assess the original mortar before any restoration work begins and match the mix accordingly - which is the difference between a repair that holds and one that creates new problems.
Riverside regularly sees summer temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and that sustained heat dries out mortar joints and causes brick faces to spall over time. Homes in the Orangecrest and La Sierra neighborhoods built in the 1980s and 1990s are at the age where these effects are most visible. We replace damaged brick and repoint open joints before water intrusion turns a cosmetic issue into a structural one.
On Riverside's older homes - particularly the brick-accented Craftsman and Spanish Revival properties near downtown - mortar joints are often the first thing to fail, well before the bricks themselves show damage. Tuckpointing removes the deteriorated mortar and fills the joints with fresh material, stopping water from working its way behind the wall and into the structure. Doing this on a regular cycle costs far less than waiting until the brick needs replacing.
Properties in western Riverside near Mount Rubidoux and the hillier neighborhoods along the city's edges often have significant grade changes that require proper structural support. Riverside's clay soils make drainage design critical for any retaining wall - a wall built without proper backfill drainage will lean or fail within a few rainy seasons. We build walls with the drainage infrastructure the soil conditions here require.
Riverside is one of the older cities in Southern California, founded in the 1870s during the citrus boom, and its housing stock reflects that history. Neighborhoods near downtown - including the Wood Streets area with its Craftsman bungalows - have homes built between 1900 and 1940 that use construction materials and techniques from a different era. The mortars used in those homes are softer lime-based formulations, and the foundations were often built to standards that predate modern seismic codes. A masonry contractor who applies modern hard mortar to a 1920s Riverside brick wall will trap moisture inside the masonry and accelerate the damage rather than stop it. Understanding what material is already there is the starting point, not an afterthought.
The city also has a large population of postwar ranch homes from the 1950s through 1970s on concrete slab foundations, and a second wave of suburban construction in the 1980s and 1990s in neighborhoods like Orangecrest and La Sierra. Those slab foundations from the 1950s and 1960s have been through decades of Riverside's expansive clay soil movement - swelling with winter rain, shrinking in summer drought - and many are now showing it. Riverside also sits in the path of Santa Ana wind events each fall, which scour mortar joints and push grit into any opening. A contractor who understands this full range of housing ages and conditions will deliver repairs that actually last through the next season.
We pull building permits through the City of Riverside Building and Safety Department for foundation repair, retaining walls, and structural masonry jobs in this city. Riverside is the county seat of Riverside County - one of the largest counties by area in the United States - and its Building and Safety Division has specific permit requirements for structural masonry work that are worth navigating correctly the first time. We know those requirements from pulling permits here regularly, not from reading the code once.
Within the city, the work looks very different depending on the neighborhood. Downtown and the Wood Streets area have some of the oldest residential masonry in the Inland Empire - pre-war brickwork, clay tile chimneys, and original stucco exteriors that need skilled hands and the right materials. The neighborhoods near UC Riverside are a mix of older rentals and owner-occupied homes, where deferred maintenance on foundations and masonry is common. Orangecrest and La Sierra have larger family homes from the 1980s and 1990s where driveway flatwork, block walls, and chimney crowns are all hitting their first major repair cycle at the same time. Near Mount Rubidoux in the western part of the city, hillside lots with grade changes are common and retaining wall work is a regular job for our crew.
We also serve neighboring Moreno Valley to the southeast and Corona to the southwest, both of which share Riverside's clay soil conditions and Inland Empire climate patterns.
When you call, we ask about the visible damage - cracks, sticking doors, leaning walls - and how long the problem has been there. We respond within 1 business day and schedule an on-site visit. For older Riverside homes especially, an in-person look is the only way to understand what is actually happening.
We inspect the affected area, check for secondary damage nearby, and explain our findings in plain terms. For older homes, we look at the mortar type before recommending any materials. The written estimate you receive breaks down labor, materials, and permit costs - no single-number quotes with fine print.
For jobs that require a permit, we handle the application with the City of Riverside and wait for approval before starting. Our crew works through the repair in stages, and a city inspector reviews structural work at the required checkpoint before it is covered up or completed.
We clean up the site and walk through the completed work with you before leaving. You will know the curing period for any fresh mortar or concrete, what to watch for in the first rainy season, and you will have the permit documentation showing the job was done to code.
We serve Riverside homeowners from the historic neighborhoods near downtown to the newer subdivisions on the east side of the city. Call us or send a message and we will schedule a free on-site estimate within 1 business day.
(909) 515-5170Riverside has about 320,000 residents and serves as the county seat of Riverside County, one of the largest counties by area in the United States. The city was founded in the 1870s during the California citrus boom and grew steadily through the early 20th century, which means its housing stock spans more than a century. The Wood Streets neighborhood near downtown is known for its early 1900s Craftsman bungalows and Spanish Colonial Revival homes - many listed on local historic registers - with clay tile roofs, covered front porches, and brick detailing that require careful, experienced maintenance. Moving outward, mid-century ranch homes from the 1950s through 1970s cover large swaths of the city on standard suburban lots with concrete slab foundations. Newer subdivisions in Orangecrest and La Sierra brought a second wave of growth in the 1980s and 1990s, with larger two-story stucco homes that are now entering their first major maintenance cycle.
Riverside sits inland, away from the coast, and averages around 287 sunny days per year with summer highs regularly above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The iconic Mission Inn Hotel and Spa in downtown Riverside is one of the most recognized landmarks in all of Southern California, and the surrounding historic district reflects the Spanish Mission architectural style that defines much of the older residential construction here as well. The University of California, Riverside campus on the east side of the city is a major employer and keeps the city growing. Neighboring Moreno Valley to the southeast shares many of Riverside's clay soil challenges, and Corona to the southwest is also within our service area.
Expert diagnosis and repair of foundation cracks, settling, and structural damage.
Learn moreProfessional chimney inspection, rebuilding, and repair for safe and efficient operation.
Learn morePrecision mortar joint restoration that extends the life of brick and stone structures.
Learn moreReplacement and repair of damaged, spalled, or deteriorated bricks on any structure.
Learn moreEngineered retaining walls built to hold soil, prevent erosion, and add usable space.
Learn moreComprehensive restoration of aging masonry to its original strength and appearance.
Learn moreCustom fireplace construction using brick, stone, or block for warmth and aesthetics.
Learn moreNatural and manufactured stone veneer installation for interior and exterior surfaces.
Learn moreDurable concrete block wall construction for fencing, landscaping, and structural use.
Learn moreSolid concrete block foundation wall installation built to code and engineered for longevity.
Learn moreCustom outdoor kitchen structures built with masonry for lasting outdoor entertaining.
Learn moreAttractive and durable walkway installation using brick, pavers, or stone.
Learn moreNew brick wall construction for fences, borders, accents, and structural applications.
Learn moreSkilled natural stone installation for walls, columns, facades, and outdoor features.
Learn moreTargeted repointing of deteriorated mortar joints to restore waterproofing and strength.
Learn moreWhether your Riverside home needs foundation repair, chimney work, or brick restoration on an older property, our crew understands this city's full range of housing and is ready to give you a straight answer and a written estimate.
