Masonry contractor in Carson, CA - sound joints, dry chimneys, straight walls
Custom Hawthorne Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Carson, CA. We repair brick and mortar joints, fix leaky chimneys and build block walls, retaining walls and paver driveways for homes here.
I came to masonry from restaurant kitchens, learned it on other people's crews and started this business in Hawthorne. Our crew works in Carson and the cities around it, and we're best known for careful brick repair and solid block walls. The kitchen habits stuck. We prep, we keep the site clean as we go, and we take the time to do the slow part right.
- Prep before the first brick
- Clean up as we go
- Walk-through with you at the end
The houses we work on in Carson
Most of our calls start with one of three things: mortar joints that crumble when you rub them, a chimney letting water in, or a wall that's started to lean. Each one usually has a cause outside the masonry, like a downspout dumping water at the base of a wall or a yard that drains toward the house, so I look at that before I look at the brick.
Fixing them is mostly prep. We rake bad mortar out to solid joints before new mortar goes in, and we dig to firm ground before a block wall goes up, because a wall that looks great for a year and fails a few years later is a bad meal with nice plating.
Masonry work we do in Carson
Pick the job that's closest to what you're dealing with in Carson, and the page explains how we handle it and what moves the work.
Foundation repair
Where a foundation has cracked or settled, we find what moved it before patching, so the repair holds.
Chimney repair
Leaky or crumbling chimneys get rebuilt joints, a sealed crown or new flashing, depending on where water gets in.
Tuckpointing
We rake out worn mortar and pack in new mortar, shaped to match the joints around it.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking or loose bricks come out one by one and go back with the closest match we find.
Driveway pavers
A paver driveway is only as good as the base under it, so we dig out and pack that first.
Retaining wall construction
For a sloped yard, we build retaining walls with drainage behind them so water doesn't push them over.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone gets cleaned, repointed and repaired so it looks right and keeps water out again.
Fireplace installation
We build new masonry fireplaces and rebuild tired ones, from the firebox out to the surround.
Stone veneer installation
We set stone veneer on a properly prepped wall, column or fireplace face so it stays where we put it.
Concrete block walls
We build solid block walls along property lines and around yards, with a real footing and steel inside.
Foundation block wall installation
When a house or addition needs a block foundation wall, we lay it on a footing set to firm ground.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
We build grill islands and counters in block, brick or stone, and a former line cook has opinions on layout.
Walkway construction
Walkways in brick, pavers or stone go down on a packed base so they stay flat underfoot.
Brick wall installation
We lay new brick garden and yard walls straight and level, with joints pressed smooth to shed water.
Stone masonry
Natural stone walls and steps are fitted by hand, so each piece bears on the stones beneath it.
Brick pointing
If only some joints have gone soft, we point just those and match the mortar color so the patch blends in.
Serving Carson from our Hawthorne base
We're based in Hawthorne and work across the cities around it, Carson among them, along with places like Redondo Beach. I come out to every Carson estimate myself, and our own crew does the work, with me or our lead mason running it.
To set up a visit, call or use the form and tell us what you're seeing and where it is on the house. We take calls seven days a week until 11 PM, so you can reach us after your own workday ends.
What to settle before work starts
The price turns on a few things: how many joints or bricks need replacing, whether a wall has to come down to a sound footing, how closely materials have to match and how easy the spot is to reach. The schedule mostly turns on whether a permit's needed and how long mortar and concrete need to cure. Your written estimate gives you the price for your job.
Some choices change the job more than people expect. Matching old brick can mean hunting down salvaged pieces, and a taller wall needs more footing and more steel than a short one. Settle those at the estimate and the work runs straight.
- Where water from your gutters and downspouts goes once the work is done.
- How closely new brick and mortar should match what's already there.
- Whether your job needs a permit, which I'll tell you at the estimate.
- Where our crew can park, stage materials and get a wheelbarrow through.
How a Carson job runs
I come out and look
You call, and I come out myself to look at the job and what's around it, like gutters, downspouts and how the yard drains.
Written estimate and permit
You get a written estimate. If your job needs a permit, we file it with the city, which holds over-the-counter plan check appointments on Thursday mornings.
The work and the walk-through
Once any permit is in hand, we prep the site, cover what needs covering and clean as we go, and when it's done I walk it with you.
Carson masonry questions
Who issues building permits for masonry work in Carson, CA?
The City of Carson's Building & Safety Division issues building permits for homes in Carson. It also runs the plan reviews and inspections that check the work against building codes. If your job needs a permit, I'll tell you at the estimate, and we take care of it with the city before we start.
Does a contractor need a Carson business license to work on my house?
Yes, every contractor and subcontractor doing business in Carson needs a city business license, and each sub needs a separate one, whether their deal is written or a handshake. The contractor also has to give the city's Revenue Division a list of every subcontractor on the project.
When does a masonry contractor need a California state license?
A contractor needs a license from the California Contractors State License Board when the project needs a building permit, brings in any extra workers, or has one or more contracts adding up to $1,000 or more in labor and materials. A bigger job can't be split into smaller contracts to stay under that $1,000 line. We're licensed and insured.
How do I know if my brick wall needs repointing or rebuilding?
It usually comes down to whether the mortar failed or the wall moved. Crumbling joints in a straight wall usually just need tuckpointing, where we rake out old mortar and pack in new. A lean or cracks through the bricks point to the footing or drainage, and I'll know how deep it goes once it's open.
Tell us about your Carson job
Tell us what you're seeing through the form or at (424) 307-8119. We'll get back to you within one business day, and I'll come out for a free, no-obligation estimate in writing.
Call (424) 307-8119