Masonry Contractor in Lawndale, CA - Brick and Block Work for Tight City Lots
CJ Redondo Beach Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Lawndale, CA. We repoint worn mortar joints, fix cracked brick and build block walls, walkways and fireplaces for homes across the city.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Lawndale's houses, yards and walls as we find them
Lawndale is a small, close-built city, with businesses along the main roads and streets of mostly single-story houses right behind them. Many of those homes have been there a long time, and the masonry around them shows it, from block walls between backyards to brick planters, porch steps and short walkways out to the sidewalk. The city sits between Hawthorne and Redondo Beach, where we're based, so the houses and the calls we get here look a lot like the ones we see in those cities.
Tight lots change how we work. Side yards are often too narrow for a wheelbarrow, so we may carry block and mortar in by hand, and a wall on the property line usually has a neighbor on the other side, so we plan the job with both yards in mind.
Masonry services we offer in Lawndale
- Foundation repair
When an older Lawndale house shows cracked stucco near the foundation or doors that start sticking, we look at the footing first and repair what's actually moving.
- Chimney repair
Older brick chimneys in Lawndale often have loose bricks near the top or a cracked crown, the concrete cap, and we fix what's failing before water gets in.
- Tuckpointing
Tuckpointing gives an older brick front or chimney crisp, even joints again, with new mortar colored to the brick and a fine line that looks sharp.
- Brick repair
Cracked or spalled bricks, ones with the face flaking off, show up on porch steps and planters here, and we swap them for the closest match we can find.
- Driveway pavers
Pavers suit Lawndale's short front driveways, because one cracked paver lifts out and gets replaced, where a poured slab would need cutting and patching.
- Retaining wall construction
Where a backyard steps up toward the rear fence or a neighbor's lot sits higher, a retaining wall holds the soil back with drainage behind it.
- Masonry restoration
For an older house with years of patches in mismatched gray cement, restoration brings the brick and mortar back to one look, repaired the way it was built.
- Fireplace installation
We build new fireplaces, indoors or out in the backyard, and rebuild worn fireboxes, the brick-lined box where the fire sits, on older Lawndale homes.
- Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone set over a wall, dresses up a stucco front, a porch base or a plain block wall without the weight of full stone.
- Concrete block walls
Block walls are the usual line between yards on Lawndale's narrow lots, and we build new ones or rebuild runs that have cracked, leaned or lost their cap.
- Foundation block wall installation
When a room addition, a raised floor or a garage needs a block foundation wall, we build it on a footing sized for the load it carries.
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
Backyards here are compact, so an outdoor kitchen usually means a block or brick counter along one wall, with stone on top and room left to move.
- Walkway construction
A brick, paver or concrete walkway, from the sidewalk to your door or down a narrow side yard, replaces cracked, lifted paths with even footing.
- Brick wall installation
A brick garden wall or front-yard wall gives a small lot a finished edge, and we lay it to match the brick on the house where we can.
- Stone masonry
Natural stone suits planters, steps and low walls in Lawndale's front yards, and we fit each piece by hand so the wall carries its own weight and drains.
- Brick pointing
When mortar joints have gone sandy enough to scratch out with a key, we rake them back and refill them with mortar a bit softer than the brick.
A free on-site estimate for your Lawndale masonry job
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll come out myself, look at the work with you and give you a free estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
Call (424) 265-1368Working in Lawndale: permits, licenses and what moves the price
Building permits in Lawndale come from the city's Building & Safety Department, and when your job needs one, the permit sets the start date more than anything we do. The city's list covers things like fences, front-yard flatwork and grading, and whether your wall, steps or walkway falls under one of them is the city's call, which you can ask about at (310) 973-3230. Before you hire anyone, check that the contractor holds a license from the state licensing board and a Lawndale business license, which goes through the city's Finance Department at (310) 973-3200.
We're a masonry contractor based in Redondo Beach, CA, licensed and fully insured, and we work across the cities around it, from Lawndale down to Lomita, so the city's permit steps are part of how we plan the job, as the steps below lay out. What moves the price most here is how much old work has to come out and how easy the spot is to reach, since a wall at the back of a narrow lot means more carrying than one by the driveway. The schedule turns mostly on the permit and the weather, and I'll go over both for your own job when I come out for the estimate.
What wears down masonry on Lawndale properties
A lot of the brick here has been out in the sun and weather for decades, and the mortar wears first, which is what it's supposed to do, because it's meant to give before the brick does. The trouble starts when someone has patched those joints with hard gray cement, because the movement and moisture the soft mortar used to take now goes into the brick, and the faces crack and flake. When we repoint, we choose a mortar that suits the brick that's there, and where an old hard patch is doing damage, we cut it out first.
Our dry stretches and hot days, which can run well into fall, are hard on fresh mortar, because it needs to stay damp for a while to set properly. We keep new work shaded and misted when it's hot, and we finish wall and chimney tops so rain runs off instead of soaking down into the joints.
What to expect when you hire us in Lawndale
Here's how a Lawndale job runs from your first call to the cleanup, and what you'll need to do along the way, which isn't much.
Call us or send the form
Call (424) 265-1368 or send the form and tell us what you're seeing, like crumbling joints, a leaning wall or a chimney that needs work. We'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
I come out to look
I come out myself, look at the wall or the yard with you and answer whatever you want to ask, so it helps if you can be home. You'll get your estimate then, with what's driving the price laid out, before you decide anything.
We sort out the permit
If you go ahead, we check the permit steps with the city, and when the job needs a permit, we take care of it. That's usually what sets the start date.
Our crew builds, I check
Our crew works inside the city's construction hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, with no work on Sundays or city holidays, and I check the work as it goes. We clean up before we leave, and every job is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Questions about masonry work in Lawndale
Do I need a permit to build a block wall or front walkway in Lawndale?
You might, since the city's permit list includes a Fence Permit and a Flatwork Permit for front-yard hardscape. Which one fits your project comes down to what you're building and where, so we check with the city before we start and take care of the permit when the job needs one.
Do I need a grading permit for a retaining wall in Lawndale?
You need one if the job cuts, fills or moves more than 50 cubic yards of soil, which is where the city's grading permit starts. That's several dump-truck loads of dirt, so it mostly comes up on bigger slopes, and the wall itself can need its own permit either way, which we check before we dig.
How long is a building permit good for in Lawndale?
A Lawndale building permit is good for up to a year, and it can be extended twice, six months each time, once the fees are paid. Fence and flatwork permits are good for up to six months, and the Planning Department may add six more depending on the circumstances, so we plan the work to fit inside that window.
How much does masonry work cost in Lawndale?
Masonry work in Lawndale is priced on the size of the job, the material and how much old brick, block or mortar has to come out first. Matching older brick and mortar color takes more care than plain new work, and if the job needs a city permit, the fee is part of the total, such as $50 for a fence permit or $75 for front-yard flatwork. I'll give you a price for your own job when I come out.
How much can a contractor ask for up front on a home improvement job in California?
On a home improvement job in California, a contractor can't take a down payment of more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. That's a state licensing board rule for every home improvement project, so if someone asks for more before work starts, that's a reason to stop and ask questions.
How do I tell if a leaning block wall in Lawndale needs to be rebuilt?
A wall that leans as one piece, with cracks running down through the block, usually needs that section rebuilt, while a wall with a loose cap or a few cracked joints can often be repaired. The cause matters as much as the fix, because tree roots, a sprinkler soaking the base or soil piled against one side tend to push a new wall the same way, so we sort that out first. If the wall is shared, it's worth talking with your neighbor before I come out.
Redondo Beach, CA
Get a masonry estimate in Lawndale
Crumbling joints and leaning walls usually cost less to fix when they're caught early, so call (424) 265-1368 or send the form while yours is still a small job.