Masonry Contractor in Lomita, CA - Block Wall and Chimney Repair for Older Homes
Advanced Carson Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Carson that repairs and builds block walls, brick, chimneys and stone work for homes in Lomita, CA, starting with whatever is cracking, crumbling or leaning.
Older single-story homes with block walls between yards
Lomita is a small, mostly residential city. On our jobs there we see a lot of older single-story houses on modest lots, with block walls between the back yards, brick planters out front and the odd brick chimney. Apartments and shops line the bigger streets, but most of our calls come from the houses, where the masonry has taken decades of sun, sprinklers and settling. That age shapes the work here, because before we touch a wall we have to figure out how it was built and what's been wearing on it.
It's a lot like the older streets we work on next door in Torrance. The lots are tight, so walls often sit right on the property line and side yards are narrow, which means carrying block in by hand and talking about the neighbor's side of the wall before we start.
What we know from working in Lomita
Permits in Lomita run through Los Angeles County. An earlier city report says the city contracts with the county for building and safety, so county staff check the plans and inspect the work on the city's behalf. If your job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections, and since plan review comes before the work and inspections happen during it, those dates set part of the schedule. We're licensed and fully insured.
From Carson it's a short drive over on Lomita Boulevard or Pacific Coast Highway. The side streets are narrow and lined with parked cars, so we plan where the material gets dropped and how it reaches the back yard, the same way we do on jobs in Lawndale and Gardena. The price moves with how much wall comes out, what's wrong under it, how hard the yard is to reach and whether we're matching old brick or block, and the schedule turns on any permit and on what we find once the old wall is open. I'll put what I'd do, and what it costs, in writing after I've seen it.
Masonry services in Lomita
- 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 wet-season clay cause most trouble
A lot of the block walls and brick planters in Lomita yards are as old as the houses, and many were built light, with shallow footings and not much steel inside. By now the mortar is going sandy, blocks are cracking along the joints, and some walls have started leaning toward the lower yard. We fix the cause first, so that can mean a new footing or better drainage before any concrete block walls go back up. If all your wall needs is new mortar, I'll tell you that.
Water is the other half of it. In a proposed code update, the city describes heavy winter rains that often lead to expansive soil, clay that swells when it's wet and shrinks as it dries, and that movement rocks a wall on its footing. That's a citywide finding, not a reading of your yard, so I check your soil, slope and drainage when I come out.
Get a free written estimate for your Lomita masonry
We reply within one business day to set a time, and the estimate is free, done on site and obligation-free. I'll come out to your Lomita house myself, walk the job with you and put what I'd do in writing.
How a masonry job goes when you call us in Lomita
Call or send the form
Call (424) 286-2220 or fill out the request form and tell me what you're seeing at your Lomita house. A phone photo of the crack or lean helps me know what I'm walking into.
I come out and look
I come out myself, look at the wall, chimney or brick, and tell you what I'd do and why. It helps if you can show me where water runs or pools when it rains.
Get the plan in writing
You get a written estimate that says what I'd do and why, so you can compare it or take your time. If something can wait, I'll say so.
We take care of permits
If the job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections. Plan review and inspection dates set part of the schedule, so we line our work up around them.
Our crew does the work
Our own crew does the work while I run the job on site, and we clean up when it's done. I walk the finished job with you, and it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Block, brick and stone work
Lomita masonry questions homeowners ask
How much does it cost to fix a block wall in Lomita?
It comes down to how much of the wall has to come out and why it failed. Repointing joints or swapping a few cracked blocks costs far less than tearing out a leaning wall with a bad footing, and height, length and any permit add to it. I'll give you a written number after I've seen the wall.
What building codes does Lomita use for block walls and masonry?
Lomita follows Los Angeles County's building codes, which the city takes on as its own rules, according to an earlier city report. That report says the city adopts the county's updated codes every three years, and it describes a proposed update to the newest county codes with some local changes. So the code your job is checked against follows the county's updates, and we build to what the inspector checks.
What causes brick and block walls to crack or lean in Lomita?
Usually it's water and ground movement working on a wall that was built light. Wet clay that swells and shrinks under the footing, like the soil the city describes, rocks the wall, and sprinklers soaking the base or tree roots add to it. I look for the cause before I quote, because patching a crack without fixing it only buys time.
How long does a block wall repair take in Lomita?
It depends more on the wall and any permit than on the work itself. Repointing or replacing a few blocks is a short job, while tearing out and rebuilding a run of wall takes longer. If a permit is needed, plan review and inspection dates set part of the schedule, and I'll tell you what to expect when I write the estimate.
What is the best way to lay new block during a hot, dry Lomita summer?
Keep the fresh mortar from drying out before it cures. The city's own findings describe hot, dry summers here, often with drought, followed by strong Santa Ana winds, and heat and wind pull water out of mortar fast. We start early on hot days, keep the block and new joints damp, and cover fresh work so it hardens instead of just drying.
Should I repair or replace an old block wall on my Lomita lot?
Repair it if the footing is sound and the wall still stands straight, and rebuild it if it's leaning or the footing has failed. A lot of older walls here only need new mortar or a few blocks, and I'd rather tell you that than sell you a new wall. If it sits on the property line, talk to your neighbor first, since the work usually touches both yards.
Get your Lomita wall looked at before winter
Call (424) 286-2220 or use the form before the rains come, when wet ground pushes hardest on a wall that's already weak.