Masonry Contractor in El Segundo, CA - Brick Repair and Block Walls Done Right
Custom Hawthorne Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Hawthorne, CA. In El Segundo we repair crumbling brick and leaky chimneys, and build block walls, walkways and paver driveways for homeowners.
We're a small masonry outfit from Hawthorne, and El Segundo is one of the cities around it where our own crew works. Most calls start with mortar that crumbles when you rub it, a chimney that lets water in or a wall that's begun to lean. We're best known for careful brick repair and solid block walls, and for doing the slow prep first.
- Prep done before we lay anything
- Everything covered, cleaned as we go
- I walk the finished job with you
Masonry work on El Segundo homes
Repair is most of this trade, here like anywhere. Where mortar has gone sandy, we rake it out and repoint so the brick stays tight, and where a chimney leaks we hunt down the open joint before anyone talks about a rebuild. Smearing fresh mortar over old cracks looks fine for a season and then fails, which is a bad meal with nice plating.
El Segundo sits next to LAX, and the city has treated many homes here for airport noise. Any addition has to meet the city's noise standards, and inside the noise program zones the city's noise handouts go in with your plans, so we raise it early with you and whoever draws them.
What we do in El Segundo
Pick the work your El Segundo home needs, and each page explains how we do it, what changes the job and what to ask before you hire anyone.
Foundation repair
When a foundation wall has cracked or a corner has dropped, we find the cause and repair the masonry.
Chimney repair
For a chimney that leaks or sheds brick, we repair the joints, flashing and concrete cap before water reaches the attic.
Tuckpointing
Worn joints ground out and refilled, with a mortar color matched to your brick so the wall reads as one.
Brick repair
Cracked or flaking bricks cut out and replaced one at a time, matched as closely as old brick allows.
Driveway pavers
A paver driveway laid on a packed base, so it carries your car and pieces lift out for repairs.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard steps down or soil pushes against a fence line, we build a wall with drainage behind it.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone brought back with careful cleaning, repointing and repairs that respect how it was first built.
Fireplace installation
A new masonry fireplace built to suit the room, with the firebox, hearth and surround all done by our crew.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone set over a wall or foundation, with the backing and flashing that keep water out behind it.
Concrete block walls
Block walls for privacy or a property line, set on a proper footing and grouted where they need the strength.
Foundation block wall installation
Block foundation walls for additions and outbuildings, laid plumb and reinforced to what the plans call for.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Block or brick counters and grill islands for the backyard, finished in stone, brick or stucco to match the house.
Walkway construction
A brick, stone or paver path from the street to your door, pitched so rain runs off instead of pooling.
Brick wall installation
New brick garden and boundary walls, laid level with full joints so they look right up close.
Stone masonry
Natural stone steps, walls and borders, each piece shaped and set by hand instead of cast to look like stone.
Brick pointing
When joints are just starting to crumble, we repoint them early, before the bricks around them begin to loosen.
Serving El Segundo from Hawthorne
We're based in Hawthorne and work in the cities around it, El Segundo among them, with the same crew running jobs over in Lynwood too. Our own crew does the work, with me or our lead mason running it, so you deal with the same people from start to finish.
To set up a visit, call (424) 307-8119 or fill in the form further down with what's going on and where, and I'll find a time to come look at it in person.
Before you start a masonry job in El Segundo
The city issues a building permit whenever a structure is built, altered, repaired, moved or torn down, so don't assume a repair is too small to count. If yours needs one, I'll tell you at the estimate, we take care of it with the city, and we start once it's in hand.
The price moves with how far the damage runs once we look closely, the brick, block or stone you pick, and how easy the spot is to reach. The schedule mostly turns on whether a permit is needed and how long it takes to find brick that matches. Your written estimate gives you the price for your job.
- Repair what's there or rebuild it, and how long you plan to stay.
- A new color, or a match to the brick or stone you have.
- Where your gutters and downspouts will send water once the work is done.
How an El Segundo 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.
A written estimate
You get the price in writing, along with what I found and what we plan to do, so there's nothing to guess at later.
The work and walk-through
We prep, cover what needs it and clean as we go, within the city's hours, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Then I walk it with you.
Questions from El Segundo homeowners
Does a retaining wall or block wall need a permit in El Segundo?
It can, since the city lists retaining wall, fence wall and grading permits among those some projects need, and most excavation needs a permit too. Those come through the city's Building and Safety Division, and I'll tell you at the estimate which ones apply to your wall.
Do I need a permit to sandblast old brick in El Segundo?
Yes, the city requires a building permit for sandblasting. Blasting can also strip the hard face off older brick, so we usually try gentler cleaning first, and if blasting turns out to be the right call, we get the permit before anyone picks up a hose.
Do I need a city permit if my walkway or driveway meets the sidewalk?
If the work builds or changes the sidewalk, yes, you need a permit from the city's Public Works Department on top of any building permit. Anything that affects the public right-of-way, the area outside your property line, needs an encroachment permit before work starts. I'll flag it at the estimate if your job reaches that far.
What licenses does a masonry contractor need to work in El Segundo?
A contractor here needs two, a California contractor license and a City of El Segundo business license. The state's Contractors State License Board requires its license when a job needs a permit, uses extra workers or totals $1,000 or more in labor and materials. We're licensed and insured.
Tell us about your masonry job
Send a few lines about what's going on and where, or call (424) 307-8119. I'll come out, look at it in person and give you the price in writing.
Call (424) 307-8119