Masonry Contractor in Torrance, CA - Repairs That Suit Your Wall and Your Ground
CJ Redondo Beach Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Torrance, CA. We repoint brick, repair cracked and crumbling walls, and build block walls, walkways and fireplaces, and I look at every job myself first.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Torrance houses and the masonry around them
Most of our Torrance calls come from homeowners, not businesses, even though the city has plenty of commercial and industrial ground. The houses are mostly one and two stories, many of them from the decades after the war, and the masonry around them is what you'd expect: brick planters out front, block walls between yards, a brick or stone fireplace inside, and walkways and steps that have settled over the years.
Torrance shares borders with Redondo Beach and Lomita, so the houses here feel familiar to us. Most lots are flat, but the streets climb toward the south end of the city, and that changes the job, because a wall on a slope is holding back a yard while a wall on a flat lot mostly just has to stand.
Masonry services we offer in Torrance
- Foundation repair
When a crack runs up a foundation wall or a brick step pulls away from the house, we find out what the ground is doing before patching anything.
- Chimney repair
Older brick chimneys usually wear first at the cap and the top few rows of brick. We repoint and rebuild what's loose so the chimney stays sound.
- Tuckpointing
When the mortar across a whole brick front or planter wall has gone sandy, we rake out every worn joint and refill it, finishing the line crisp and even.
- Brick repair
Bricks with flaking faces show up a lot on older planters, steps and garden walls here. We cut out the bad ones and set brick that matches.
- Driveway pavers
Pavers make sense when a cracked driveway needs replacing, because we rebuild the base under them and a sunk section can be lifted and reset later.
- Retaining wall construction
Where a yard drops off on a sloped lot, we build retaining walls with drainage behind them so trapped water doesn't push them out of line.
- Masonry restoration
When an older brick or stone wall has loose joints, broken pieces and old patches all at once, we restore the whole thing so the repairs match.
- Fireplace installation
For a new fireplace in a living room or a family room addition, we build the surround and hearth in brick or stone to suit the house.
- Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer is thin stone set over an existing wall, so it dresses up a plain stucco front or a block wall without the weight of full stone.
- Concrete block walls
Block walls are the usual divider between yards here, and we build new runs or fix leaning, cracked ones with steel and grout inside where needed.
- Foundation block wall installation
For an addition that needs a block foundation wall, we lay and reinforce the block to the plans and check the footing before the first row goes down.
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
Many backyards here have room for a built-in grill counter. We build the block base and finish it in brick, stone or stucco to match your house.
- Walkway construction
A front walk that's cracked or lifted catches toes. We build new walkways in brick, pavers or stone on a packed base so they sit flat.
- Brick wall installation
For a garden wall, a planter or a low front wall in brick, we build on a proper footing and tie it together so it stays straight.
- Stone masonry
Natural stone suits a planter, garden wall or fireplace face where you want something heavier and more varied than brick, and we set each stone by hand.
- Brick pointing
When only a few joints are loose or cracked, we point just those, matching the old mortar's color and texture so the repair doesn't stand out.
Get a free on-site estimate for your Torrance masonry
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at the job and give you a free estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
Call (424) 265-1368Working in Torrance: permits, licenses and what moves the price
Construction permits in Torrance go through the city's Building and Safety Division, and on a job that needs one, that office sets the pace more than we do. The city wants a zoning clearance in hand before the permit application goes in, and since January 5, 2026 plans and applications are only taken electronically, so having the drawings and the clearance ready up front is what keeps the review from stalling. Once it's in, you can follow its status yourself on the city's online citizen portal. Before you hire anyone here, it's fair to ask for two things: a California contractor's license and a City of Torrance business license.
We check the permit steps with the city on every job before work starts, the same as we do in Inglewood and the other cities around Redondo Beach. What moves the price here is how much of the wall has actually failed, whether old brick and mortar have to be matched, how easy it is to get material into a back yard past the house, and whether permit drawings or footing work are part of the job. The schedule turns on those same things, plus the city's review when there's a permit, and I'll give you your own figure once I've seen the wall.
Why Torrance walls crack, lean and wear out
A city staff report points to the expansive soil here as the reason for stricter foundation rules, and that's ground that swells as it takes on water and shrinks as it dries out. On houses here it shows up as block walls that lean or crack in a stair-step line, walkways that lift and brick steps pulling away from the house. Before we patch any of it, I look at whether the ground is still moving, because a crack filled on moving ground just opens again, and on new walls we put the care into the footing.
Then there's the age of the walls themselves. Many of the block walls between yards and the brick planters out front have stood for decades, so when one starts to lean, I'll tell you whether that section can be repaired in place or needs to come down and be rebuilt, and why.
How a masonry job runs when you call us in Torrance
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the last check, and who you'll be dealing with at each step.
Call or send the form
Tell us what you're seeing and where it is on the house, and we'll set a time for me to come look. Photos help, but they don't replace standing at the wall.
I look at the job myself
I walk the job with you, look at what's causing the damage and explain what I'd do and what it would cost before you decide anything. It helps if you're home for it, because no question is too small and some only come up standing at the wall.
We handle the permit steps
Once you go ahead, we work through the city's permit steps before the crew is booked, and if the job needs a permit, we take care of it. The start date then follows the city's review, and I'll keep you posted on where it stands.
Our crew builds, I check
Our crew does the work and I check it on site as it goes, looking at the joints, the line and the cleanup. When it's done, we walk it with you so you can see what was fixed.
Questions about masonry work in Torrance
Do I need a permit to build a block wall in Torrance?
A draft city ordinance lists fences not over 3 feet high among the work exempt from a building permit, and the city decides how that applies to your wall. City staff say the new local amendments make that exempt list stricter to fit local conditions, so we don't guess. We check your wall with the city's building office before anything starts.
Does a masonry contractor in Torrance need a state license for a small job?
The Contractors State License Board says a contractor needs a license when the job needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials across one or more contracts on the project. A bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to get under that $1,000 line. We're licensed and fully insured, and you're welcome to ask about it at the estimate.
Does a contractor need a business license to work in Torrance?
Yes, the City of Torrance requires a business license for anyone whose company is located in Torrance or who will physically work there, so it covers a contractor based in another city who's working at your house. It's a fair thing to ask about before work starts, along with the state license.
How do I find out if my Torrance address is in an earthquake hazard zone?
Look up your address on the California Geological Survey's EQ Zapp map, which shows whether it sits in a mapped earthquake hazard zone or in an area the survey hasn't evaluated yet. It's worth a look before a retaining wall or foundation job, because the city ties its stricter soil investigation rules to its nearness to earthquake faults and to the hillside parts of the city.
How much does brick or block wall repair cost in Torrance?
The cost comes down mostly to whether the damaged section can be repaired in place or has to come down and be rebuilt, and that's what I sort out at the estimate visit. Repointing a few joints is a small job, while a leaning block wall with a footing problem underneath, or a repair that needs permit drawings, runs a good deal more.
What's the best way to repoint old brick on a Torrance house?
The best way is to clear out the worn mortar to an even depth without chipping the brick edges, then refill the joints with mortar that's softer than the brick around it. That way the joint takes the wear and can be redone later, instead of the brick cracking around a hard patch. I'll look at your brick and old mortar at the visit and tell you what mix suits it.
Redondo Beach, CA
Talk to us about your Torrance wall
Loose joints and small cracks are easier to fix while they're small, so call (424) 265-1368 or send the form before the damage spreads to the brick around them.