Masonry Contractor in Palermo, CA - Walls and Brick Fixed at the Cause
Cornerstone Chico Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Chico that works in Palermo, CA, repairing and building brick, block and stone, from cracked yard walls and chimneys to new veneer and walkways.
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Palermo homes and the walls around them
When I drive out to Palermo from Chico, a lot of the calls are about the masonry around a house as much as the house itself: a block wall leaning along a property line, a retaining wall that's started to bow, a brick chimney with mortar washing out of the joints, or a walkway that's heaved. It's the same mix we see in Oroville and Thermalito, and we bring the same crew and the same habits to it.
On older homes, the brick or block was often laid with a different mortar than what's sold today, so before anyone picks up a grinder, I figure out what's actually in the wall. That answer decides whether we repoint, rebuild a section or tell you it's fine to leave alone.
What we deal with on Palermo jobs
For a Palermo address where Butte County is the local authority, building permits come from the county's Building Division, and the job goes through its plan review and inspections, so when a permit's needed, the start date waits on the county as much as on us. The county doesn't issue business licenses for work in its unincorporated area, so there's no county license to ask a contractor for, but you can ask us to show you we're fully licensed and insured.
I sort out which office covers your address before I price anything, and we take care of the permit paperwork as part of the job when one's needed. Price moves with how much wall there is, what it's built from, how easy it is to get a crew and materials to it and how much old work comes apart once we open it up, and the schedule turns on those same things plus the county's review. The written estimate puts your own job down item by item, and it's the same way we run jobs in Gridley and Durham.
What do older Palermo homes and yards need?
On older houses the mortar is usually the first thing to go, because it's meant to wear before the brick does, and once the joints open up, water gets in and starts working on the brick itself. Chimneys take it worst since they stand above the roof with nothing over them. I look for where the water's coming from before I touch a joint, because repointing a wall that's still taking water only buys you time.
Out in the yard, the trouble is usually behind or under a wall and not in the block you can see: a footing that's too thin, or no way for water to drain. We dig until we find it, so you're paying for a fix and not a patch.
- Call (530) 399-1517
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
- Chico, CA 95928
Masonry work we do in Palermo
Retaining wall construction
Retaining walls usually fail from water trapped behind them. We build in drainage and a solid footing to take that pressure off.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along property lines tend to crack or lean when the footing underneath was too small. I find out why before we repair a section or rebuild.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes usually lose mortar at the top first. We repoint, rebuild the top cap or rebuild from the roofline, depending on what we find.
Tuckpointing
Sandy or sunken mortar joints let water into a brick wall. We cut out the bad mortar and fill the joints with a mix matched to your brick.
Stone veneer installation
Homeowners often ask for stone veneer on a front wall, column or fireplace. We set the backing and flashing so water can get out.
Walkway construction
Walkways settle or heave when the base under them was too thin. We dig out, pack a solid base and lay brick, stone or concrete sloped to drain.
How it goes when you call us in Palermo
Call or send a message
Call (530) 399-1517 or use the form, tell me what you're seeing, and we'll set a time for me to come out to Palermo. Photos help, but they aren't required.
I look before I price
I come out myself and work out what's really causing the crack, lean or leak before I put a number on anything. You get a written estimate that spells out what's in it, so nothing's a surprise later.
We sort out the permit
We find out which office covers your address and handle the paperwork when the job needs a permit. If it goes through county plan review and inspections, the start date waits on those.
Our crew builds, I'm there
Our own crew does the work with me on site, and you don't need to be home for most of it. When it's done, we walk the finished job together.
Get a written masonry estimate for your Palermo home
We reply within one business day, and then I come out to your Palermo address to look at the job and write up a free estimate on site. It spells out what's included, and there's no pressure to book.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (530) 399-1517
- Location
- Chico, CA 95928
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–10 PM
Questions about masonry work in Palermo
How do I apply for a building permit for masonry work in Palermo, CA?
Where the county covers your address, licensed contractors and homeowners can apply online through the county's Permit Portal, and you can follow the application and request inspections there too. When we do the job, we handle the permit paperwork as part of the work, so you only need the portal if you want to follow along.
Which building codes apply to a new permit application in Butte County?
A new permit application to the county is reviewed under the 2025 building codes, because the older code cycle closed at the end of 2025. That's the set our work gets checked against at plan review and inspection, so that's what we build to.
How much does masonry repair cost in Palermo, CA?
I can't give you an honest number until I've seen the wall, because the price turns on what's causing the damage, not on how big the crack looks. A wall that only needs repointing costs far less than one with a failed footing, and matching old brick and mortar, tight access and permit inspections all add to it. The written estimate lists what's included, so you can compare it line by line.
Can I burn the brush we clear for a retaining wall in Palermo right now?
Not right now, because the county fire department suspended burn permits for residential dooryard burning effective June 15, 2026, and it stays suspended until further notice. Check the county fire page before you plan a burn. When we clear ground for a wall, we haul off what we dig out as part of cleanup.
How do I look up my fire hazard zone in Palermo?
Enter your address in the state fire marshal's Fire Hazard Severity Zones viewer and it shows your property on the map. The viewer covers the State Responsibility Area, with maps in effect since April 1, 2024, and if your home falls in the Local Responsibility Area, the local jurisdiction has that information. It's good to have in hand when you're planning an outdoor kitchen or fireplace.
What is the best way to fix crumbling mortar on an older brick home in Palermo?
Rake out the failed mortar carefully and repoint, which means filling the joints back in, with a mortar softer than the brick so the joint wears before the brick does. The fast way, a grinder and a hard modern mix, can chip the brick edges and trap water, and I saw it ruin good brick on bigger buildings. We check what's in your wall first and match it, color included.
Tell us what's going on in Palermo
The sooner I see a crack or a lean, the better the odds it's a repair and not a rebuild.
Request an estimateCall (530) 399-1517