Frequently Asked Questions

Estimates are free and we do them at the property. We measure the area, look at grades, drainage and access, and go through materials with you. Then you get the scope and the price in writing. Call or text (831) 262-9943 to set one up.

We are based in Salinas and work the Monterey Bay area within about 45 minutes. On the Peninsula that means Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach and Carmel Valley. We also work Marina, Santa Cruz, Aptos, Watsonville and Hollister. We drive over from Salinas for the work.

Yes. Aguilar and Sons Construction holds California Contractors State License Board license #787101, classification B General Building, licensed since 2000. The license carries a contractor's bond, and workers' compensation insurance is on file. A B license is the classification for projects that take at least two unrelated building trades. You can check the license yourself at cslb.ca.gov.

Pavers are single units set on compacted base and sand, so a section can be lifted and reset years later. Stamped concrete is one slab, colored and textured before it sets, so it has fewer joints and a different look. We build both, and we can price both on the same yard.

It depends on the work and on your city or county. California exempts a retaining wall only when it is not over 4 feet, measured from the bottom of the footing. A wall that holds a surcharge, like a slope or a driveway above it, needs a permit at any height. A deck has to pass four tests to skip a permit. It must be under 200 square feet and no more than 30 inches above grade. It also has to be unattached and clear of the required exit door. A patio or walkway at grade usually needs no building permit, though a new driveway approach at the street does. Cities and counties write stricter rules of their own, so confirm with your building department before you plan around a number.

Yes. Bring the plans and we build to them, including engineered walls and foundations built to the engineer's plans and the permit. If you do not have plans, we lay the job out on site with you and put the scope in writing.

Salt air is the local issue, not frost. California's state highway engineers treat anything within 1,000 feet of the ocean as a marine atmosphere. Inside that line they call for more concrete cover over the reinforcing steel. On a coastal lot that means steel kept deep in the concrete, galvanized or stainless hardware, and coated iron. Summers here are cool and foggy, with an average July near 62 degrees on the coast. Concrete cures slowly in that weather, so pours get timed for it. Freezing is rare, so freeze-thaw damage is not the local problem. Those are engineering practices, not a rule for a backyard patio, so confirm with your building department.

A rough idea of what you want built and where it goes. Photos of the area help, along with any plans or a site plan you already have. If the property sits under design review or coastal rules, say so early. That changes the drawings and the schedule. We handle the measuring.