Masonry contractor in Lawndale, CA - solid walls on tight city lots
Advanced Carson Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Carson, CA. In Lawndale we repair and build block walls, brick, chimneys and walkways, and we go after what's causing the damage, not just the crack you see.
Small lots, old block walls and stucco houses
Lawndale is a small city, and it's packed tight. Most streets are rows of single-story stucco houses from the decades after the war, set on narrow lots with a block wall down each side and across the back, and the shops run along Hawthorne Boulevard. A lot of the calls we get here sound like the ones from Torrance and Gardena. It's usually an old wall that's cracked or leaning, a front walk that's heaved, or a brick planter coming apart.
Those tight lots shape the job. Side yards are often too narrow for a machine, so we carry block in and haul old wall out by hand, and a wall on the property line usually means a talk with your neighbor before we start.
What we deal with on Lawndale jobs
In Lawndale, building permits come from the city's Building & Safety Department, and if your job needs one, nothing gets built until it's issued, so the permit usually sets the start date. We pull it and set up the inspections. Before you hire anyone, look up their state license with the Contractors State License Board, and the city's Finance Department handles business licenses if you want to ask, at (310) 973-3200. We're licensed and fully insured. Price comes down to how much wall there is, how tall it is, whether an old one has to come out first, what shape the footing is in and how far we carry material, and I put all of that in a written estimate for your job.
Lawndale is a short run up the 405 from us in Carson, so getting a crew and a load of block here is easy. Parking is the harder part, because the streets fill with cars and the lots are small, so we plan deliveries around the curb and keep the sidewalk clear. We do the same work in Compton and the other cities around Carson.
Masonry work in Lawndale
- Foundation repair
- Chimney repair
- Tuckpointing
- Brick repair
- Driveway pavers
- Retaining wall construction
- Masonry restoration
- Fireplace installation
- Stone veneer installation
- Concrete block walls
- Foundation block wall installation
- Outdoor kitchen masonry
- Walkway construction
- Brick wall installation
- Stone masonry
- Brick pointing
Old walls and shallow footings wear out first
Most block walls here are about as old as the houses, and plenty were built on a shallow footing with little steel inside. Over the years, sprinklers soaking the base, tree roots and the odd bumper work on them until a crack opens or the wall starts to lean. Here's the bad news first. A leaning wall usually can't be pushed back, so we dig at the footing and tell you straight whether it's a repair or a rebuild.
With lots this small, people build out back to get room, like a bigger kitchen or a back unit. That addition sits on a footing and a short wall, and our foundation block wall installation gives it a level, solid base.
Get a written masonry estimate for your Lawndale home
We reply within one business day, and the estimate is free with no obligation. I come out to your Lawndale house myself, look at the job with you and put what I'd do in writing.
What happens after you call us about a Lawndale job
Call or send the form
Call (424) 286-2220 or fill out the form and tell us what you're seeing. A photo of the crack or the wall helps me know what to look for.
I come out and look
I come to your house myself, check the wall, the footing and what's around it, and tell you what I'd do and why. If it can wait, I'll tell you that too.
You get a written estimate
I put what I found, the work and the materials in writing. That way you know exactly what you're paying for.
We pull the permit if needed
If the job needs a permit, we get it from the city and set up the inspections. Work that needs one waits until the city issues it.
Our crew builds and cleans up
Our own crew does the work and I run the job on site, within the city's hours of 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. We clean up, and I walk the finished job with you.
Block, brick and stone work
Masonry questions from Lawndale homeowners
Do I need a permit for a block wall or front walk in Lawndale?
It may need one, since Lawndale's permit list includes Fence Permits at $50 and Flatwork Permits for front yard hardscape at $75. Moving more than 50 cubic yards of soil calls for a Grading Permit. For questions about work on private property, the city's permit line is (310) 973-3230.
How do I get a permit for work on the sidewalk in front of my Lawndale house?
Call the city's Public Works Department at (310) 973-3260, because work in the public right-of-way goes to it, not to Building & Safety. That usually covers the sidewalk and the strip by the curb. If your driveway or walk meets the sidewalk, we'll sort out which part goes where before we start.
How much does a block wall repair or rebuild cost in Lawndale?
The price comes down to the wall's length and height, whether the old wall has to be torn out and hauled off, and what the footing needs. On narrow Lawndale lots, carrying block through a side yard by hand adds labor, and matching an old cap or stucco finish takes time. I'll measure yours on site and give you the number in writing.
What causes block walls to crack or lean in Lawndale yards?
Most cracks and leans in older walls start at the footing, either because it's too shallow or because sprinklers or a downspout keep the ground under it wet. Roots push from one side, and old steel inside can rust and split the block. I find the cause first, because patching a crack while water keeps soaking the base won't hold for long.
How long does a building permit last in Lawndale?
A Lawndale building permit is good for up to a year and can be extended twice, six months each time, once the fees are paid. Fence and flatwork permits last up to six months, and the Planning Department may add six more depending on the circumstances. We plan the work to fit inside that window.
How much can a contractor ask for up front on a home improvement job in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less. That's the state licensing board's rule, and it covers every home improvement project, including yours in Lawndale. If someone asks for more than that before the work starts, stop and check them out.
Call about your Lawndale wall or chimney today
Cracks usually grow once water gets in, so call (424) 286-2220 or send the form while it's still a small fix.