Advanced Carson Concrete and Masonry

Masonry contractor in West Rancho Dominguez - walls and mortar fixed at the cause

Advanced Carson Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in West Rancho Dominguez, repairing block walls, brick, mortar and chimneys on homes people live in, and building new walls, walkways and stone work when you need them.

Covered patio with a tall stone fireplace, mounted television, wood-beam ceiling, and seating.

Lived-in homes with walls that have a history

West Rancho Dominguez isn't a city. It's an unincorporated area in southern LA County, so the county does the jobs a city hall would do elsewhere, from road work to trash pickup to parks. On our jobs here it's mostly residential streets of single-family houses, the kind with a block wall around the back yard, a front walk, a driveway and sometimes a brick chimney. It's a short drive from our base in Carson, and the houses look a lot like the ones we work on in Compton.

These are houses people have lived in for years, and that's the work I started this business for. A wall or a chimney here usually has some history, an old patch or a crack someone filled, so every job starts with finding out why it failed before we touch it.

How a county area changes your masonry job

West Rancho Dominguez has no city hall, so your permit comes from LA County Public Works. The county's review has to clear before we can start, which makes it part of your schedule from the first day. If your job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections, and because some addresses nearby fall under a city instead, we'll sort out which office handles yours. Before you hire anyone, ask for their state license and check it with the Contractors State License Board. A business located in the unincorporated area may also need a County Business License. We're licensed and fully insured.

The price mostly comes down to how big the job is, what it's built from and what shape the old work is in, since a sound wall that only needs repointing costs far less than one that has to come down. The schedule turns on the permit review and on how much has to be torn out before we build, and your written estimate is where you get your own number. In a city like Signal Hill, another office may handle the permit, so the paperwork changes from one address to the next even when the wall is the same.

Masonry work in West Rancho Dominguez

Most problems here start below the crack you see

The ground under a wall matters more than the wall itself. The state maps earthquake hazard zones, and where a property falls inside one, the state says weak soil or rock is likely underneath, which can fail in a quake and damage structures unless grading and construction take it into account. You can type your address into EQ Zapp, the state's hazard map, to see where yours stands. If we're digging for a new wall or footing, I want to know that before we start, so we can plan the dig and the footing around it.

The other thing I see here is wear. Block walls, brick steps, mortar joints and chimneys get patched, sometimes more than once, and water is usually why they keep failing. We find where it's getting in and fix that first, and if you'd rather start fresh, we do fireplace installation too.

Get a free on-site estimate for your West Rancho Dominguez job

Send us your address and what you're planning, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out to West Rancho Dominguez myself, look at the job and put what I'd do in writing, with no obligation to hire us.

(424) 286-2220

What happens after you call us in West Rancho Dominguez

  1. Call or send us the form

    Call (424) 286-2220 or use the form, and tell us the address and what's going on. A couple of photos of the crack or the wall help me know what I'm walking into.

  2. I come out and look

    I come out myself, walk the job with you and look for the cause, not just the crack. If something can wait, I'll tell you.

  3. You get a written estimate

    I put what I'd do in writing, and why, so you can think it over or compare it. If the job needs a permit, the estimate says so.

  4. We handle the county permit

    If your job needs a permit, we pull it and set up the inspections, and the county's review has to clear before we start. If your address turns out to fall under a city, we deal with that office instead.

  5. Our crew does the work

    Our own crew does the work, I run the job on site, and we clean up when we're done. Then I walk the finished job with you.

West Rancho Dominguez masonry questions

Does a block wall or retaining wall in West Rancho Dominguez need a permit?

Usually, yes. The county's permit list says permits are generally required for retaining walls, patios, fences over 6 feet, and repairs and replacements, though some minor home improvement projects may not need one. I'll tell you what I think when I see the job, and if yours needs a permit, we pull it.

Can I pull a county permit myself for masonry work in West Rancho Dominguez?

Sometimes. The county issues permits only to a contractor with the right license, the property owner in certain cases, or an authorized agent of either. When you hire us, we pull the permit and set up the inspections, so you don't have to.

When does a masonry contractor in California need a state license?

A contractor needs a state license when the job needs a building permit, uses any extra workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. That small-job exemption used to stop at $500 and now stops at $1,000, and it only applies when the work needs no permit and the person hires nobody for it.

How do I find out if my address is in unincorporated LA County?

Use the Z-Net tool the county points to on its unincorporated area services page, which shows whether you're in an unincorporated area or in a city. If you're in a city, another office may handle your permit. Give us the address when you call and we'll sort out which office is yours.

What causes a block wall to crack or lean in West Rancho Dominguez?

Usually it's water or the footing, not the block itself. Water soaking the ground at the base, a footing that was too small, or roots pushing from one side will crack the joints and tip the wall over time. I find out which one it is first, because filling the crack without fixing the cause won't hold for long.

How much does masonry work cost in West Rancho Dominguez?

I can't give you a fair number until I've seen the job, because the price turns on things you only find out on site. Hauling off an old wall, getting block and the crew through a narrow side yard, matching brick on an older house, and the permit and inspections on a county job all move it. Your written estimate puts the number on paper.

Where we work

Send us your West Rancho Dominguez address and project

Call (424) 286-2220 or use the form, because a crack is usually easier to fix before more water gets behind it.

Request an estimate(424) 286-2220
(424) 286-2220Request an estimate