Masonry contractor in Long Beach, CA - repairs that fix the cause
Blockworks Long Beach Concrete & Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Long Beach. We repair brick joints, chimneys and foundations, and build block walls, retaining walls, pavers and stone work for houses across the city.
Brick and block work across Long Beach
Long Beach is home base for us. The calls here are mostly worn brick joints, a chimney that's seen better days, a block wall along the back fence that's started to lean, or a homeowner who wants a new wall or walk built right the first time. The houses run from older brick and stucco homes to newer builds, and each one wears its masonry a little differently, so I come out to look before I say what a job needs. We do the same work next door in Signal Hill and over in Torrance.
Water is what I look for first here. Some parts of the city can flood in a major rainstorm, and a wall or footing that sits wet keeps cracking and staining until the water has somewhere to go, which is why the drain behind a wall matters as much as the brick in front.
Masonry work we do in Long Beach
Foundation repair
On the lower, wetter lots around Long Beach, foundation cracks usually trace back to water, so I find where it's coming from before we repair the crack.
Chimney repair
Older chimneys here lose mortar near the top first, where salt air and rain hit hardest, so we reset loose brick and rebuild the cap.
Tuckpointing
Worn brick joints are one of our most common calls here, so we grind out the tired mortar and pack new mortar matched to your brick.
Brick repair
Flaking brick on Long Beach houses usually points to trapped water, so we swap out the damaged pieces and fix the reason they failed.
Driveway pavers
Pavers suit the narrow driveways on many city lots, since a single cracked paver can be lifted and replaced instead of breaking out a whole slab.
Retaining wall construction
Even a short retaining wall in a Long Beach yard needs drainage behind it, because wet soil pushes harder than dry soil and can tip a wall over.
Masonry restoration
For older brick homes around Long Beach, we clean, repoint and repair with materials that match, so the work blends in instead of standing out.
Fireplace installation
Mild Long Beach winters mean a fireplace is more about the room than the heat, so we plan the size and stone around how you'll use it.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer, thin stone set over a wall, needs a drainage layer behind it near the coast, or damp can get trapped and stain it from inside.
Concrete block walls
Block walls along Long Beach property lines tend to lean when the footing was skimped, so new ones get a solid footing and steel in the block.
Foundation block wall installation
Room additions and new garages on Long Beach lots start with a block foundation wall, and we keep it straight and level so the framing sits right.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
With weather that lets you cook outside most of the year, we build block and stone outdoor kitchens with counters, grill surrounds and room for gas and power.
Walkway construction
Front walks lifted by tree roots are a common sight on Long Beach streets, and we rebuild them in brick, pavers or stone on a packed base.
Brick wall installation
A new front wall should look like it belongs to the house, so we match brick and mortar color and set it on a solid footing.
Stone masonry
Natural stone weathers well in coastal sun and fog, and we lay stone walls, steps and planters so the stone carries the weight, not the mortar.
Brick pointing
When only a few joints on your brick are cracked or sandy, pointing them now keeps water out and can hold off a bigger repoint later.
Talk to us about your masonry
Call (562) 257-3026 or ask for an estimate, and I'll come out to see the job myself before anyone guesses at it.
Why Long Beach homeowners call us
I started this business in Long Beach in 2023, and I still come out to look at each job myself and work on site alongside our crew.
The cause, found first
I'd rather spend an extra hour looking at why a wall cracked or stays wet than patch it and guess.
Mortar matched to your brick
We pick the mortar to suit your brick's age and hardness, since mortar that's too hard can crack the brick around it.
A drain behind the wall
Retaining walls and veneer get a drain behind them, because water trapped there is what usually pushes, stains and cracks masonry.
Permits checked before we start
We check with the city before work starts, pull the permit when one's needed and ask if you're in a historic district.
Licensed, insured, guaranteed
We're licensed and fully insured on each job, and the work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Long Beach masonry questions
How do I know if my masonry project in Long Beach needs a permit?
Most construction on a Long Beach house needs a permit and inspections, including alterations, replacements and repair work. Some minor repairs or replacements may be exempt, but the city's building official makes that call, not the contractor. We check with the city for each job before work starts and pull the permit when one is needed, and if your home is in a historic district or a coastal zone, I ask early because the city's zoning rules can add steps there.
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Long Beach?
The city doesn't require a building permit for a retaining wall or planter 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. That doesn't apply if the wall holds up a slope or extra weight above it, like a driveway, or if it sits on ground steeper than one foot up for every five across. The footing counts toward the height, so a wall that looks 3 feet tall can be over the line, which is why I measure first and we confirm it with the city like any other job.
Does a masonry contractor in Long Beach need a state license?
Yes, in most cases, because California requires a license from the Contractors State License Board when a project needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or when labor and materials on its contracts come to $1,000 or more. The city also issues permits only to contractors holding that state license and an active Long Beach business license, so it's fair to ask anyone you hire about both.
Can I get my own permit for masonry work on my Long Beach house?
Yes, if you own the house and live in it or plan to, the city lets you get a permit and do construction, alteration or repair on your home and its outbuildings, like a detached garage. The city limits owner permits to certain kinds of homes, so check yours with the Development Permit Center before you apply. If you hire us instead, we pull the permit when one's needed.
How much does masonry work cost in Long Beach?
It's priced by the job, and what moves it most is the size of the work, the material and how much damage turns up once the old mortar or brick comes out. Matching older brick, tight access to a back yard, hauling out an old wall and permit work all add to it, while new work on open, level ground keeps it down. The schedule usually turns on the permit and the weather, and I'll give you your own figure once I've seen the job.
What causes brick and block walls to crack in Long Beach?
Water, most of the time, getting in through worn joints, a missing cap or a wall with no drain behind it, then sitting there. Soil settling under a footing, tree roots and rusting steel inside the wall can crack it too. I'd want to look first, because each cause has a different fix, and patching a crack without stopping what made it usually just moves the crack somewhere else.
Don't see your city? Call us
We work across the cities around Long Beach. Pick yours below, or call (562) 257-3026 if it isn't listed and I'll tell you if we can get there.
Get a Blockworks estimate in Long Beach
Call (562) 257-3026 for an estimate seven days a week, until 11 PM weekdays and 10 PM weekends, or use the form.