Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Unilock Construction in San Francisco, CA | Mason Remodeling
We install and repair Unilock hardscapes across San Francisco, from paver driveways and patios to retaining walls. What makes our Unilock work different here is simple: we build for hillside clay lots and fog-saturated west-side microclimates, not for flatter Bay Area suburbs. If you’re dealing with a settled Unilock driveway or a patio that ponds water, call (803) 680-2547 for a free estimate and we’ll tell you honestly whether it can be re-leveled or needs a rebuild.
Mason Remodeling is an independent masonry and hardscape contractor. We’re not manufacturer-affiliated or authorized by Unilock, and we’re straightforward about that. We install Unilock products every week, we know how they spec and cut, and we troubleshoot failing Unilock hardscapes that other installers walked away from. You can also visit our Unilock sales & service page for a broader look at how we work with the product line.
Why San Francisco Residents Choose Us for Unilock Service
Isaac Pruett, our owner, has spent the better part of two decades working as a General Contractor in San Francisco and rebuilding hardscapes across California. His dad was a finish carpenter, so Isaac still checks every edge, joint, and course before he considers a job done. That’s the standard our Unilock crews work to in San Francisco, whether it’s a Brussels Block patio in the Sunset District or a Cambridge driveway in West Portal.
We use Unilock OEM pavers, wall units, and their recommended polymeric or stabilized joint sands so repairs and additions match existing color and thickness. For base and drainage components we use quality aggregate and geotextile rather than brand-specific parts, because that’s what actually holds up on San Francisco’s slopes. Every crew member who arrives at your door is background-checked, identity-verified, and introduced by name and photo before the visit. We call that The Threshold Standard, and it matters just as much as the pavers themselves.
Styles & brands we work with
Common Unilock Construction Problems We Solve in San Francisco
- Efflorescence blooming on Unilock Brussels Block pavers. This white staining happens when the base holds water, and it’s common on San Francisco hillside patios where drainage falls toward the house instead of the street. We fix the drainage first, then address the staining.
- Edge and corner spalling on Cambridge pavers. Salt-laden fog and occasional freezing nights take a toll, especially on west-facing driveways and walkways in neighborhoods like the Outer Richmond. We match and replace spalled units before the damage spreads down the row.
- Settlement and lippage across Unilock U-Cara wall units. Where a retaining wall was built on soil instead of engineered base, you see stair-step cracks and leaning courses on sloped lots. We rebuild those sections with proper compaction and geotextile.
- Joint sand loss and weed growth between Beacon Hill pavers. This happens when joints were never re-sanded or stabilized after the original install. We re-sand with Unilock’s polymeric product so the joints stay locked.
- Driveway ponding against the garage door. On 1940s-era San Francisco lots with shallow original base, pavers settle and trap water. We rebuild the apron with deeper base and a channel drain so water sheds to the street.
Unilock Service in San Francisco: What Local Conditions Mean for Your Equipment
San Francisco’s hillside lots and 1930s – 1950s subdivision grades over expansive clay mean most Unilock paver driveways and patios here need deeper engineered base and positive drainage to the street, not the standard 4-inch compacted base used in flatter Bay Area suburbs. Clay expands when wet and shrinks when dry, and a shallow base over that kind of soil will move. We were called to a 1940s home in the Outer Sunset where a Unilock Brussels Block driveway had settled and was ponding against the garage door after heavy fog-season rain. We pulled the affected pavers, found the original base was only 3 inches of Class II over clay, and rebuilt the section with 6 inches of compacted base, a geotextile separation layer, and a channel drain at the apron before re-laying and re-sanding with Unilock’s polymeric sand. The driveway now sheds water to the street and the pavers have stayed level through two wet seasons.
This is the kind of detail that changes how long a Unilock hardscape lasts in San Francisco. It’s also the kind of thing a generic Unilock brochure can’t tell you. Our San Francisco service area page covers the neighborhoods we work in, from the Outer Sunset to Noe Valley.
Unilock Models & Products We Service in San Francisco
We install and repair the full Unilock line that’s common in San Francisco: Brussels Block, Cambridge, Beacon Hill, and the U-Cara wall system. When it comes to parts, we use Unilock OEM pavers and wall units so color and thickness match exactly. For base and drainage we use quality aggregate and geotextile, not brand-specific parts, because that’s what performs on clay slopes. We keep common Unilock polymerics and edge restraints stocked locally, which means quicker turnaround on repairs and replacements across San Francisco without waiting on a distributor shipment from the East Bay.
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterUnilock Service Pricing in San Francisco
Here’s what you can expect to pay for common Unilock hardscape work in San Francisco. These ranges reflect hillside-grade base prep, which runs higher here than in flatter parts of the Bay Area because of the clay and the drainage work involved.
| Service | Price Range |
|---|---|
| Paver Driveway Installation | $8,260 – $21,240 |
| Concrete Driveway Installation | $5,310 – $14,160 |
| Asphalt Driveway Paving | $4,130 – $10,620 |
| Driveway Replacement | $5,900 – $16,520 |
| Driveway Sealing | $295 – $825 |
| Paver Patio Installation | $4,130 – $12,980 |
What drives cost on a San Francisco Unilock job is base depth, drainage design, and access. Tight hillside lots with stair access cost more to excavate and haul than a flat double-wide driveway in the Avenues. A free estimate from us includes a written line-item price before any work starts, not a verbal ballpark that grows later. Call (803) 680-2547 to schedule yours.
Serving San Francisco, CA - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the San Francisco area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs – Unilock Construction in San Francisco
Yes. San Francisco’s expansive clay and hillside grades require a deeper engineered base, typically 6 inches of compacted aggregate with a geotextile separation layer, plus positive drainage to the street. The standard 4-inch base used in flatter East Bay and Peninsula suburbs will move on clay slopes and cause pavers to settle. Call (803) 680-2547 for an exact quote on your driveway.
White staining is efflorescence, and it means water is trapped in the base and wicking up through the pavers. Loose joint sand usually means the joints were never stabilized with polymeric sand or it’s broken down over time. The fix is a drainage correction plus a full re-sand. Call (803) 680-2547 and we’ll assess it on-site.
Yes. We order Unilock OEM Cambridge pavers in the same color and thickness as your existing install. Matching is easier when the original pavers are still in production, but we can also pull from the same lot when possible. Call (803) 680-2547 to schedule a free estimate and we’ll confirm availability.
They do when they’re built correctly. The failures we see are stair-step cracks and leaning courses from walls built on soil without an engineered base or proper drainage behind the wall. We rebuild those sections with compacted base, geotextile, and drainage so the U-Cara units stay level. Call (803) 680-2547 if you see leaning or cracking.
For many San Francisco lots, yes. Unilock pavers handle the freeze-thaw and fog moisture cycles better than poured concrete, and individual units can be pulled and re-leveled without tearing out the whole driveway. That said, a paver driveway still needs a proper hillside base. Call (803) 680-2547 and we’ll walk you through the comparison in plain terms.
Service Areas Near San Francisco
We serve San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area. You’ll also find us working in Unilock service in Fresno and Unilock service in Sacramento, where the flat terrain and sun exposure change the base and drainage approach considerably. Our Bay Area work extends to Daly City, Pacifica, South San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.
Book Your Unilock Service in San Francisco Today
Call (803) 680-2547 to schedule a free estimate on our Bathroom Remodeling in San Francisco or any Unilock hardscape project. We’ll bring a written price, a name and photo of who’s coming, and a straight answer on whether your pavers need repair or a rebuild.
Written by Isaac Pruett, Owner at Mason Remodeling, serving San Francisco since 2004.
