Finished floor-to-ceiling stacked-stone fireplace with a raised hearth and a wood mantel shelf.

Fireplace Builder in San Diego County — Masonry, Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits

New indoor and outdoor masonry fireplaces, built-in fire pits and stacked-stone refacing — reinforced and anchored to California’s seismic fireplace code, permitted, and finished in the stone you choose. Licensed C-29 mason; call for a free design visit.

Call (619) 581-2492 Request Free Estimate

CSLB #979389 · C-29 Licensed · Bonded $25,000 · Free on-site estimates

Fireplaces by the numbers

The Most-Wanted Outdoor Feature — and the Most Regulated Masonry

Fire features top the list of what people want outside: in the American Society of Landscape Architects’ 2016 trends survey, 75% of residential designers ranked fire pits and fireplaces as the most popular outdoor element. Realtors who studied a typical stone fire feature put its cost at about $9,000 and its recovered value at 56% — but its “Joy Score” at 9.7 out of 10. It’s a project you build for how you’ll use the yard, not for resale.

A fireplace is also the most regulated piece of masonry on a house. The California Residential Code sets its footing, firebox, hearth and clearances to the inch, and in seismic country it must carry vertical steel and be strapped to the framing. Home heating is the second-leading cause of house fires nationally — the U.S. Fire Administration estimates 32,200 in 2021 — which is why the code is so specific, and why we build to it on every job.

75%Designers ranking fire features #1 outdoors (2016)ASLA 2016
9.7/10Owner “Joy Score” for a fire featureNAR/NALP 2023
20 inMinimum firebox depthCRC R1001.6
32,200U.S. home heating fires, 2021USFA

Infographic: a section drawing of a code-built masonry fireplace with eight numbered callouts. 1, footing 12 inches thick and 6 inches wider than the fireplace on all sides. 2, firebox at least 20 inches deep, or 12 for a Rumford. 3, firebox walls 8 inches including a 2-inch firebrick lining, or 10 inches unlined. 4, hearth extension 16 inches in front and 8 each side, or 20 and 12 for openings of 6 square feet or more. 5, clearance to wood framing of 2 inches front and sides and 4 inches at the back. 6, four No. 4 vertical bars with quarter-inch ties every 18 inches. 7, anchor straps to four joists at each floor, ceiling or roof line over 6 feet up. 8, chimney 3 feet above the roof and 2 feet above anything within 10 feet. — **Every number on this drawing is in the California Residential Code.** The steel and the straps are what keep a masonry chimney standing in an earthquake; the hearth and clearances keep sparks and heat off the wood around it.Sources: CRC §R1001 (UpCodes); CRC §R1001 (gocodebook, 2025).

Fireplaces, Fire Pits and Stone Facades We Build

Site-built masonry, wood or gas, indoors or out. Need an existing fireplace or chimney repaired? That’s on our chimney and fireplace repair page.

Stacked-stone fireplace wall with a raised stone hearth, seen from an angle.

Indoor

New masonry fireplaces

A true site-built firebox — firebrick-lined, on a 12-inch footing, with the hearth, smoke chamber and flue sized to the opening and the chimney reinforced and anchored to the framing. Brick, stone or stucco finish.

Outdoor

Outdoor fireplaces

Wood-burning or gas outdoor fireplaces on a reinforced block core, faced in natural or manufactured stone, with a chimney tall enough to draw and a hearth you can actually sit on. Sited to your fire district’s setback before anything is poured.

Close-up of a fieldstone pillar with a flat stone cap, showing the stone and mortar work.

Fire pits

Built-in fire pits

Round, square and linear pits in block and stone with a firebrick or steel liner, built into a patio or seat wall. Distance from the house and fuel rules vary by fire district — we confirm yours first.

Brick fireplace refinished in white with a rebuilt hearth course, after the work.

Refacing

Stacked-stone and brick refacing

Dated brick or tile fireplaces refaced in stacked stone, natural stone or fresh brick, fixed back properly to the existing masonry — a new look without a new firebox.

An older brick fireplace with a worn hearth before refinishing.

Hearths & surrounds

Hearths, mantels and surrounds

Raised and flush hearths extended to code, stone and precast surrounds, and mantels set at a safe distance above the opening. Often the whole difference between a dated fireplace and a finished room.

Rumford

Rumford-style fireboxes

The tall, shallow firebox with angled sides that throws heat into the room. The code allows a Rumford to be 12 inches deep instead of 20 when its proportions are met — so it has to be laid out exactly.

Built to California’s Fireplace Code, Not Close to It

Section R1001 of the California Residential Code governs every masonry fireplace, and in high seismic design categories it adds steel: four No. 4 vertical bars in the chimney, ¼-inch ties every 18 inches, and steel straps tying the chimney to at least four joists at each floor, ceiling or roof line more than 6 feet up. Unreinforced, unanchored chimneys are the part of an older house most likely to come down in a quake; a new one shouldn’t be.

California adds its own rule for factory-built wood fireplaces: they must meet the U.S. EPA’s Voluntary Fireplace Program Phase 2 emission level (CRC R1004.1.1). We’ll tell you which route — site-built masonry or a listed unit inside a masonry surround — suits your fuel, budget and permit.

Footing: 12 in thick, 6 in wider; On undisturbed earth or engineered fill.R1001.2
Firebox: 20 in deep minimum; Walls 8 in with a 2-in firebrick lining, or 10 in unlined.R1001.5–6
Hearth extension: 16 in front · 8 in sides; 20 in and 12 in when the opening is 6 sq ft or more; hearth 4 in thick.R1001.9–10
Clearance to wood: 2 in front & sides · 4 in back; The air space stays open except for fireblocking.R1001.11
Chimney height: 3 ft above the roof; And 2 ft above any part of the building within 10 ft.R1003.9

Permits and Fire-District Setbacks

In the City of San Diego, “a building or combination permit is required to construct any masonry fireplace or wood-burning prefabricated fireplace” (Information Bulletin 201). Some gas decorative fireplaces and fire pits need only a plumbing or electrical permit. The submittal always includes a foundation plan, and the City inspects the foundation, framing, the fireplace installation and the wall covering. A fireplace enclosure can project into a required yard but must stay at least 2 feet 6 inches from the property line.

Outdoor fire is governed by your fire district, and the numbers differ. San Diego Fire-Rescue requires an open recreational fire to be 25 feet from a structure, 15 feet if it’s in an approved container, and keeps portable outdoor fireplaces 15 feet from structures — but its definition of a recreational fire excludes outdoor fireplaces and barbecue pits. Our home district, Alpine Fire Protection District, applies the 25-foot rule to built-in fire pits and adds a charged hose, adult supervision and a 2-foot flame limit. County and other cities set their own; we confirm the rules for your address before design.

Masonry or wood-burning fireplace: Building permit; City of San Diego; gas units may need only plumbing/electrical.IB 201
From the property line: 2 ft 6 in minimum; Fireplace enclosure projecting into a required yard (SDMC §131.0461).IB 201
Open recreational fire: 25 ft from a structure; 15 ft in an approved container; City of San Diego.SD Fire-Rescue
Built-in fire pit (Alpine FPD): 25 ft from structures; Plus a charged hose, adult supervision, flames under 2 ft.Alpine FPD
Portable outdoor fireplace: 15 ft from structures; And from combustible material.Alpine FPD

Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Fireplace or Fire Pit?

Three different builds with different permits, footings and setbacks. Here’s how they compare in the City of San Diego and Alpine — other jurisdictions vary, which is why the site visit comes first.

Indoor Fireplace, Outdoor Fireplace or Fire Pit?
	Indoor masonry fireplace	Outdoor fireplace	Built-in fire pit
What it is	Firebox, hearth and chimney built into the house	Freestanding firebox and chimney on a block core	Open pit in block or stone, often in a patio or seat wall
City of San Diego permit	Building or combination permit (IB 201)	Building permit if masonry or wood-burning; gas may need plumbing/electrical only	Often plumbing/electrical only if gas (IB 201)
Footing	12 in thick, 6 in wider all round (R1001.2)	Engineered to the size and height	Sized to the pit and wall
Setback	2 ft 6 in from the property line (IB 201)	Set by your fire district — confirm first	Alpine FPD: 25 ft from structures; City excludes built-in pits from its 25-ft rule
Fuel	Wood or gas	Wood or gas	Wood or gas, subject to district rules

Sources: City of San Diego IB 201; San Diego Fire-Rescue recreational fire policy; Alpine Fire Protection District; CRC §R1001.

How a Fireplace Gets Built

Site visit and fuel choice
Shaun looks at where it will go, what’s around it and what your fire district allows, and you decide wood or gas, indoor or out.
Design and permit
Drawings with the foundation plan and details the City or County asks for, submitted and permitted before work starts.
Footing
Excavated and poured to size — 12 inches thick and 6 inches beyond the fireplace on every side — then inspected.
Core, steel and firebox
Masonry laid with vertical bars and ties, the firebox lined in firebrick, the smoke chamber parged and the flue set.
Veneer, hearth and anchorage
Stone or brick face, hearth extension to code, and straps tied into the framing at each level for indoor builds.
Final inspection and first fire
Final sign-off, a walk-through on safe use, and a reminder: the U.S. Fire Administration advises a yearly chimney inspection and keeping combustibles 3 feet back.

Planning one? Shaun will walk the site with you and tell you what it needs — free, no obligation.

Call (619) 581-2492

Fireplace Work Across San Diego County

Based in Alpine and working county-wide. These local pages cover the permit rules, soils and conditions that change the job in each place.

Do I need a permit to build a fireplace in San Diego?

In the City of San Diego, yes for any masonry fireplace or wood-burning prefabricated fireplace — a building or combination permit (Information Bulletin 201). Some gas decorative fireplaces and fire pits need only a plumbing or electrical permit. County and other cities have their own rules; we handle the permit either way.

How far does a fire pit have to be from my house?

It depends on your fire district. San Diego Fire-Rescue requires an open recreational fire to be 25 feet from a structure (15 feet in an approved container) but excludes outdoor fireplaces and barbecue pits from that definition. Alpine Fire Protection District applies 25 feet to built-in fire pits. We confirm your district’s rule before we design.

How big does a fireplace footing need to be?

The California Residential Code requires concrete or solid masonry at least 12 inches thick, extending at least 6 inches beyond the fireplace on all sides, on undisturbed earth or engineered fill (R1001.2). An outdoor fireplace footing is sized to its height and weight.

What is a Rumford fireplace?

A tall, shallow firebox with angled sides that reflects more heat into the room. The code lets a Rumford be 12 inches deep instead of the usual 20 when its proportions are met (R1001.6), so it has to be laid out exactly.

Can you reface my existing fireplace with stacked stone?

Yes. Refacing puts stacked stone, natural stone or new brick over a sound existing fireplace without rebuilding the firebox. If the firebox, flue or chimney needs repair first, that’s covered on our chimney and fireplace repair page.

How much does an outdoor fire feature cost?

It varies widely with size, fuel and finish. For reference, the 2023 NAR/NALP Remodeling Impact Report priced a typical stone fire feature with a gas burner and flagstone patio at about $9,000 nationally. We give you an itemised, written price after a free site visit.

Gas or wood?

Both are possible. Gas is cleaner, starts instantly and often needs only a plumbing permit for a fire pit; wood gives a real fire but needs a true masonry firebox and chimney and must meet your fire district’s rules. We’ll lay out both options for your site.

Is a new masonry chimney safe in an earthquake?

Built to code, it’s designed to be. In high seismic design categories the code requires four No. 4 vertical bars, ¼-inch ties every 18 inches and steel straps anchoring the chimney to the framing (R1001.3–R1001.4) — the details older unreinforced chimneys lack.

How do I check that you’re licensed?

Shaun Bagwell Masonry holds California C-29 Masonry licence #979389, issued 14 December 2012, with a $25,000 contractor bond. Look it up at cslb.ca.gov → “Check a License”.

Sources for the figures on this page

Plan Your Fireplace or Fire Pit

Call Shaun at (619) 581-2492 or send the form. He’ll look at the spot, tell you what your city and fire district allow, and put a written, itemised price in your hands.