5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Masonry Contractor

Masonry work — retaining walls, block walls, foundations, stem walls, courtyard enclosures — is structural work. Unlike paint or flooring, a poorly built masonry project doesn’t just look bad. It settles, cracks, fails to hold grade, or gets flagged during a home sale inspection as unpermitted. In Phoenix, where caliche soil, monsoon drainage, extreme heat cycles, and HOA requirements add layers of complexity that don’t exist in other markets, the contractor you hire matters more than the price per linear foot.

1. Do You Pull the Permit, or Do I?

This question immediately separates contractors who work within the system from those who avoid it. In Phoenix and across Maricopa County, most masonry work — walls above certain heights, retaining walls, foundations, additions — requires a building permit. Some contractors quote low by skipping the permit. You save a few hundred dollars at the time and inherit a problem at resale, during insurance claims, or when the city spots the work during a neighboring project inspection.

The right answer: the contractor pulls the permit, manages inspection phasing, and coordinates with the city directly. The permit should be part of the project scope, not an optional add-on.

2. Do You Use Rebar on Every Job?

Rebar reinforcement is not optional in structural masonry — it’s what holds the wall together under soil pressure, moisture cycling, and seismic stress. Some contractors skip rebar on shorter walls or use it inconsistently to reduce material costs. A block wall without rebar is a code violation in most Phoenix jurisdictions and a structural liability if it fails.

Ask specifically: what rebar schedule do you use, and at what spacing? Is rebar standard on every wall regardless of height? The answer should be yes, with specifics about sizing and spacing drawn from structural plans or code requirements. Vague answers on this question are a warning sign.

3. How Do You Handle Caliche?

If a contractor working in Phoenix can’t tell you what caliche is and how they price for it, that’s a problem. Caliche hardpan is present on nearly every property in the Phoenix metro. Contractors who don’t assess caliche depth before bidding give you a low number and present change orders when they hit it mid-excavation — which is a planning failure, not an unpredictable site condition.

The right answer: site assessment before the bid is finalized, caliche depth evaluated at the actual project location, and a proposal that reflects real conditions. “We’ll figure it out when we get there” is not an acceptable answer on a structural project in Phoenix.

4. Who Is On-Site Managing the Work?

Masonry quality is determined by what happens during construction — how block is laid, whether rebar is placed correctly, whether the footing is at the right depth, whether the mortar mix is appropriate for Arizona heat. These decisions happen in the field. Many larger contractors win the job and send a crew lead with varying levels of experience and accountability.

Ask directly: who will be managing the work on-site, and how often will they be present? At Father & Son Masonry, David or Karen Carrillo is personally present on every project — not a supervisor, not a crew lead. Owner presence at the field level is a structural quality control measure.

5. Can You Show Me a Written Estimate With Materials Specified?

A verbal quote or a single-line written number tells you nothing about what you’re actually getting. A legitimate masonry proposal should specify block type, size, and supplier; rebar sizing, spacing, and grout fill schedule; footing dimensions and concrete PSI; whether permits are included and which jurisdiction; HOA coordination scope if applicable; and warranty terms.

If a contractor won’t put material specifications in writing, the written estimate is meaningless. You have no way to compare bids on equal terms, and no recourse if the finished work doesn’t match what was discussed verbally. Material specs in writing is a basic professional standard — not a special request.

One More Thing: Check the ROC License

Arizona requires masonry contractors to hold a valid ROC (Registrar of Contractors) license. You can verify any contractor’s license status, complaint history, and bond status at the Arizona ROC website. A contractor who can’t provide their ROC license number — or whose license shows unresolved complaints — is a risk you don’t need to take. Father & Son Masonry has held an Arizona ROC license since 1994 with no unresolved complaints.