Author: Candelario Perez

Candelario "Cande" Pedraza Perez is the owner and master mason behind Stonecap Masonry Inc., a licensed C-29 contractor based in Salinas, California. With years of hands-on experience in custom stonework, fireplaces, patios, and retaining walls, he leads the family-run team alongside his son Adrian, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern precision. His focus is on doing the work the right way—careful preparation, attention to detail, and masonry built to last across the Monterey Peninsula.

Water Stains Near the Fireplace: Where a Masonry Chimney Lets Rain In

Exterior stone chimney and foundation on residential home showing masonry water damage potential near stucco wall.

Direct Answer: Most chimney leaks start at the top: a cracked crown, washed-out mortar joints above the roofline, or spalling brick. Roof flashing is the other common source, and that one belongs to a roofer. You walk past the fireplace a day after a storm and there it is. A damp gray mark on the […]

Hard Mortar on Old Brick: What Goes Wrong When the Mix Doesn’t Match

Close-up of old brick wall showing fresh hard mortar joints beside crumbling original joints and flaked brick faces

Direct Answer: Mortar is meant to be softer than the brick around it. When a repair mix is harder than the original units, moisture and movement stress move into the brick faces instead of the joints. You run a finger along the joint of an old brick wall or chimney and sand falls out. That […]

Where a Mantel Can Sit and How Far the Hearth Has to Run Out

Stone veneer fireplace chimney under construction, showing masonry hearth and interior framing detail.

Direct Answer: A hearth extension must run at least 16 inches in front of the firebox opening and 8 inches past each side. Combustible mantels have to stay at least 6 inches from the opening. Almost every fireplace conversation I have starts the same way. Someone hands me a phone with a photo on it, […]

Monterey County Plan Submittals Moved Online September 1, 2026

Rolled masonry plans weighted by stone and a trowel on a work table beside a partly built

Direct Answer: As of September 1, 2026, Monterey County HCD reviews permit plans through the ePermitHub Digital Plan Room via Accela Citizen Access. Applicants in unincorporated county areas now upload, correct, and approve plans online. If you have a patio, retaining wall, or outdoor fireplace on your list this year, there is one date worth […]

Replacing the Stone Around a Pool: Coping, Slope, and Tie-Ins Explained

Mason setting a cut stone coping piece on a pool edge beside lifted deck stone and exposed base

Direct Answer: Coping sits on the pool’s bond beam and holds the edge. Deck stone sits on a prepared base and sheds water. They fail for different reasons, so they are prepped, priced, and repaired separately. Most poolside calls I get start the same way. A few deck stones have shifted or cracked, the coping […]

Smoke Rolling Into the Room: What Firebox Proportions Have to Do With It

Masonry fireplace chimney under construction showing coursed stone veneer and interior framing details.

Direct Answer: A fireplace usually smokes because the firebox, throat, damper, or smoke chamber is shaped or sized wrong. The opening is too big for the flue, or the passageway above the firebox is choked. You light a fire, the room looks great for about four minutes, and then a soft gray haze starts drifting […]

Zone 0 approved: the first 5 feet around your home may need to be noncombustible

Gravel and cut stone band replacing bark mulch in the first 5 feet along a home's foundation

Direct Answer: California’s Zone 0 rules require an ember resistant band in the first five feet around qualifying structures, pushing homeowners to replace mulch and firewood with gravel, stone, or masonry surfaces. If you have bark mulch beds pressed against your siding, firewood stacked by the back door, or a wood gate that touches the […]

Picking Patio Stone for Salt Air and Fog: Flagstone, Pavers, or Granite

Flagstone patio with irregular tan and golden pavers in random pattern, bordered by stone step and garden plantings.

Direct Answer: For a coastal patio in Monterey County, denser stone like granite or basalt absorbs less water and stays safer underfoot. Pavers are easier to repair. Absorption and finish matter more than looks. You are standing in a stone yard holding a dry sample under bright indoor light, and it looks perfect. The problem […]

Refacing a Fireplace in Stone Veneer: What the Structure Behind It Decides First

Interior stone veneer fireplace chimney under construction, showing coursed masonry work in progress with exposed framing.

Direct Answer: The structure decides. Before any stone gets picked, the existing unit type, firebox condition, and how much weight the wall and footing can carry set your real material options. Most people call me about a fireplace because they hate the way it looks. Dated brick, painted-over stone, a slab of 1980s tile that […]

White Powder on Brick and Block: Reading the Water Behind It

White powder blooming along the lower courses of a damp concrete block wall beside a wet planter bed

Direct Answer: That white powder is efflorescence: salt left behind when water moves through masonry and evaporates at the surface. It is not usually harmful, but it shows you where water is getting in. You walk out after a rain and part of your brick or block wall looks like someone dusted it with flour. […]