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Serving Upland, CA and surrounding areas. (909) 755-8985
Upland Concrete & Masonry serves Montclair homeowners with brick repair, tuckpointing, and retaining walls built to handle the foothill climate. We have been working across the Inland Empire since 2017 and respond to estimate requests within one business day.
Most homes in Montclair were built between the 1950s and 1980s, and the brick chimneys, planters, and accent walls on those properties have been cycling through heat and cold for 40 to 70 years. Spalling bricks, failing mortar joints, and water intrusion around brick features are common calls we get in Montclair. Our brick repair service matches original materials so the repair does not stand out against the surrounding masonry.
The mortar joints on Montclair chimneys and brick walls take a beating from the combination of hot, dry summers and the mild freeze-thaw cycles that hit the foothills on winter mornings. Once mortar starts to crack or crumble, water follows, and water behind a chimney or brick wall causes damage that is much more expensive to fix than a tuckpointing job done at the right time.
The alluvial and clay soils under most Montclair driveways shift with every wet season, and concrete slabs laid in the 1960s and 1970s were not designed with modern expansion joint standards. Paver driveways handle that sub-base movement better than a monolithic slab because individual pavers can be reset when they shift, rather than cracking and requiring full replacement.
Montclair sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, and some properties on the northern edge of the city deal with sloped lots and drainage that flows toward the house after rain events. A masonry retaining wall with proper footings, drainage aggregate behind it, and a clean weep hole system manages that water and soil pressure for decades without requiring ongoing maintenance.
Block walls are the standard privacy fence on nearly every residential lot in Montclair, and many of the walls built in the 1960s and 1970s are at the point where mortar is failing, blocks are cracking, or whole sections are beginning to lean. A leaning or cracked block wall is a safety issue and a liability. We assess whether a repair or rebuild is the right call and give you a clear recommendation.
Virtually all homes in Montclair are built on concrete slab foundations, and the alluvial and expansive clay soils common in this foothill area cause slabs to crack and shift over time. Cracks in walls, sticking doors, or uneven floors are signs the slab may have moved. We assess slab condition and repair damaged sections before the movement progresses into a larger structural issue.
Montclair sits at roughly 1,100 feet in elevation at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, and the soil beneath most homes in the city is a mix of alluvial material washed down from the mountains over thousands of years and expansive clay that responds strongly to moisture changes. During the dry season, that soil contracts. During the wet months from November through March, it expands. Every home in Montclair built on this ground goes through that cycle every year, and masonry - driveways, block walls, walkways, retaining walls, slab foundations - takes the stress. A masonry contractor who understands this does not just fix the surface problem; they address the drainage and base conditions that caused it.
The other reality of working in Montclair is the age of the housing stock. Most of the city was built out between the late 1940s and the early 1980s, and those postwar and mid-century homes used materials and construction methods that differ from modern standards. Three-coat stucco systems, older brick laid with soft lime mortar, and block walls built before current seismic codes all require different repair approaches than new construction. Using the wrong mortar mix on old brick, for example, will crack the surrounding masonry within a few years. We work on homes from this era regularly and know what those original materials need.
Our crew works throughout Montclair regularly, and we are familiar with the permit requirements at the City of Montclair Community Development Department for masonry work that requires approval. We handle permit submittals for block walls, retaining walls, and outdoor structures so homeowners do not have to navigate that process on their own.
Montclair is a compact, mostly residential city, and the neighborhoods we work in most often are the quiet grid streets north and south of Central Avenue. The homes along Monte Vista Avenue and the surrounding blocks are a good example of what we see most often here - single-story ranch houses on modest lots with concrete driveways, block wall fencing, and brick chimneys that have been in place for 40 to 60 years. The Montclair Metrolink station and Montclair Place mall are familiar landmarks most homeowners use to describe where they live. Whether your home is near the western edge of the city bordering Ontario or closer to the Pomona city line on the east side, we know the local roads and can get there quickly.
We also serve homeowners in neighboring Pomona to the east. If your project spans properties near the city border or you have work at two locations in the area, we can schedule both without adding travel costs.
Call us or submit a request online. We respond to all Montclair inquiries within one business day - most calls get a same-day callback if you reach us before noon.
We visit your Montclair property at no charge, assess what needs to be done, and give you a written estimate before committing to anything. We explain the work in plain terms so you understand what you are paying for and why.
Our crew arrives on the scheduled date and completes the job using materials matched to Montclair's climate conditions. Most residential masonry jobs in Montclair take one to three days. You do not need to be home during the work for most exterior projects.
When the job is done, we walk the site with you, clean up, and answer any questions. We are available by phone after the project if anything comes up.
We serve homeowners throughout Montclair, CA. Written quotes, no obligation, and one business day response time.
(909) 755-8985Montclair is a city of about 38,000 people in San Bernardino County, located along the 10 Freeway between Ontario to the west and Pomona to the east. It is a primarily residential community with a compact, walkable layout - most of the housing stock sits on a grid of quiet streets between Central Avenue and the foothills to the north. The majority of homes are single-family houses built between the late 1940s and the early 1980s, with stucco exteriors, concrete block fencing, and modest lots. At 40 to 75 years old, a large share of those homes are now at the age where major systems - roofs, driveways, masonry features - need meaningful attention. For city background, the Montclair, California Wikipedia article provides a useful overview.
Montclair Place on Central Avenue is the city's main commercial landmark and a reliable reference point that most residents use when giving directions. The Montclair Metrolink station on the San Bernardino Line connects the city to downtown Los Angeles and the rest of the Inland Empire, and many homeowners here commute by rail. We serve homeowners throughout Montclair and also work in neighboring Ontario to the west, covering projects on both sides of the city border without any issue.
Build strong retaining walls that control erosion and grade changes.
Learn MoreConstruct solid concrete block walls for privacy and structural support.
Learn MoreInstall reinforced block walls designed to carry structural loads.
Learn MoreBuild custom outdoor kitchens with durable masonry for lasting enjoyment.
Learn MoreLay new brick walls with precision craftsmanship that stands the test of time.
Learn MoreCall us today or submit a request online. We serve all of Montclair with free site estimates and same-week scheduling on most projects.