Masonry Contractor in Compton, CA - Block Walls and Brick Fixed at the Cause
Blockworks Long Beach Concrete & Masonry is a Long Beach masonry contractor working in Compton, CA. We build and repair block walls, brick, chimneys, pavers and foundations, and I come out myself to find why something cracked.
Masonry work on Compton houses
Compton is flat, with mostly single-story houses, a lot of them mid-century, and block yard walls along the property lines, brick planters and porches out front and an old fireplace inside. The calls we get here sound a lot like the ones from Paramount and Signal Hill. A wall has started to lean, the mortar has gone sandy, or a chimney has lost its cap. We come over from Long Beach for them, and it's the same work we do across the cities around it.
The price mostly comes down to how long and tall a wall runs, how much old work comes out first and whether new brick has to match the old. The schedule usually turns on the permit step and on what we find once things are open, so your own number comes after I've seen the job. On ground this flat, water tends to sit, and the soil under a footing decides how long a wall stays straight, so that's where I look first.
What we build and fix in Compton
Foundation repair
A stair-step crack or a door that sticks in an older Compton house usually means something moved underneath, so we find what shifted the footing before fixing it.
Chimney repair
Plenty of mid-century houses here still have their original brick chimney. We fix cracked tops, missing caps and joints the weather has opened up.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar between your bricks has gone sandy, we grind it out and pack in fresh, the usual fix for older porches and planters here.
Brick repair
Bricks cracked through or with their faces flaking off get cut out and replaced. On older houses, the hard part is matching size and color.
Driveway pavers
Many driveways here are old concrete, cracked and lifted. Pavers on a packed base can be pulled up and reset in sections if the ground shifts.
Retaining wall construction
Most lots in Compton are flat, so these are usually raised beds or small grade changes, with a drain behind so water doesn't pile up.
Masonry restoration
For an older brick front, porch or wall that's worn all over, we clean it, redo the joints and rebuild the bad sections so it keeps its look.
Fireplace installation
If the old fireplace in your living room is past saving, we build a new one sized to the room and the chimney it vents through.
Stone veneer installation
A thin stone face over block or stucco dresses up a plain house front or yard wall. We set it so water behind it has a way out.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along property lines are common here, and when one leans or cracks it's usually the footing or missing steel, so we check both before rebuilding.
Foundation block wall installation
The short block walls under a raised floor or a room addition carry the house, so we set them on a footing with steel and concrete-filled cores.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
A grill island in a Compton backyard starts with a block base, which we finish in brick, stone or stucco to match the house.
Walkway construction
Older front walks here are often cracked or pushed up by roots, so we rebuild them in brick, pavers or stone on a packed base.
Brick wall installation
For a new brick front wall in Compton, we size the footing to the wall's height first, because that's what keeps it standing straight years later.
Stone masonry
Natural stone suits low walls, steps and planters around a Compton yard, and we lay it so each stone bears on the one below, not just the mortar.
Brick pointing
Open joints here and there on a chimney or garden wall get filled by hand, with mortar soft enough that it doesn't crack the older brick around it.
Tell us about your masonry job
Call (562) 257-3026 or use the form, and I'll come out to see the job and give you an in-person estimate.
Why Compton homeowners call us
What you can count on in Compton is a small crew, me included, that looks for why something failed and builds for the ground and water here.
On site with the crew
I work alongside our crew, so the person who looked at your job is there when it's built.
The cause found first
If a wall cracked, I'd rather know if it was the footing, water or mortar before saying what to fix.
Water planned for on flat lots
On flat lots water doesn't run off much, so we plan where it goes behind and under the walls we build.
Licensed, insured and guaranteed
We're licensed and fully insured, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
A look before a price
Call (562) 257-3026 and I'll look before giving a price, and if I can't tell without opening it up, I'll say so.
Compton masonry questions we hear
Who issues permits for masonry work in Compton, and can I apply online?
The city's Building and Safety department issues permits for new construction, alterations and repairs, and the process is in person only, with no online payments or submittals. The few jobs that can be sent in online are things like windows, water heaters and re-roofs, not walls or brick. We check with the city for each job before work starts and pull the permit when one's needed.
Does a masonry contractor need a City of Compton business license?
Yes, the city requires everyone doing business inside city limits, companies and individuals alike, to hold a Compton business license and renew it every year. Every permit application also needs a current one, so it's a fair thing to ask anyone you're thinking of hiring.
When does a contractor need a California state license for masonry work?
The state licensing board requires a license when the job needs a building permit, uses employees, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials together. A job is only exempt when it needs no permit, uses no employees and stays under $1,000 in total, which most wall, chimney and paver jobs don't. It's worth asking any contractor for their license before work starts.
How much does masonry work cost in Compton?
The price comes down to the size of the job, what has to come out first and the materials, so I give you a number after looking at it on site. A long property-line wall needs far more footing and block than a planter, matching old brick takes extra time, and a permit adds a step at the city counter.
How do I find out if my Compton lot is in a liquefaction or fault zone?
Ask the city about your own lot, because the state geological survey has mapped liquefaction and fault rupture zones that reach into Compton's planning area. Liquefaction is loose, wet soil acting like liquid in a quake, and building on a property inside one of these zones may mean investigating the hazard and dealing with it as part of the permit. For a new wall or foundation work, I'd want to know that before we plan the footing.
How long does a masonry project in Compton take?
It turns on the size of the job, the permit step at the city's counter and how long mortar or concrete needs before the next stage, so you'll get a schedule once I've seen the work. Weather usually isn't the holdup, since Long Beach next door averages about 12 inches of rain a year over roughly 35 days, and we plan pours around those days.
Not in Compton? Give us a call
Pick your city from the list for its own page, or call (562) 257-3026 if yours isn't there, since we work across the cities around Long Beach.
Get a Blockworks estimate in Compton
Call (562) 257-3026 any day of the week or send the form, and we'll set a time that works for you to look at the job.