Masonry Contractor in Westmont, CA - Brick and Block Work Built on Prep
Custom Hawthorne Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Westmont, CA. We repair brick and crumbling joints, fix leaky chimneys, build block walls and set pavers, walkways and stone for homes across the community.
We're a masonry contractor based in Hawthorne, CA, and Westmont is part of the area we work in. Most calls are about crumbling mortar joints, a chimney that leaks or a wall that's starting to lean. I look at the job myself, our crew does the work, and we spend time on prep, because a wall that looks great and fails early is a bad meal with nice plating.
- Prep first, then the pretty part
- Site covered and cleaned as we go
- Walk-through with you at the end
Masonry on Westmont's built-out streets
An older County plan calls West Athens/Westmont an urban residential community, with only about three percent of its land vacant. So the masonry we do here is mostly on houses and yards already in place, which means repair, replacement or a new wall fitted beside what's standing.
On a lot that's already built out, prep is most of the job. Where a block wall is going in along a property line, a chimney needs new joints or a cracked walkway is coming out, the old material has to go, the footing gets checked and water needs somewhere to drain before anything new goes on. I'd rather spend the slow day there than hand you a problem.
Masonry work we do in Westmont
Pick the job your Westmont house needs, from tired mortar joints to a new block wall, and each page walks through what it involves.
Foundation repair
Where a foundation has cracked or settled, we find the cause first, then fix the crack and the masonry around it.
Chimney repair
A chimney that leaks or sheds brick usually needs new joints, a sound cap on top or its top rows rebuilt.
Tuckpointing
We rake out worn joints, fill them with mortar colored to the brick and run a thin finishing line.
Brick repair
Cracked, loose or flaking bricks come out one by one, and we set matching replacements in fresh mortar.
Driveway pavers
Pavers over a compacted base make a driveway you can lift and reset in spots instead of tearing out.
Retaining wall construction
If your yard steps down or soil is pushing on a wall, we build one with drainage behind it.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone get cleaned, repaired and repointed so the wall works again and still looks like itself.
Fireplace installation
A new masonry fireplace, from the firebox to the hearth and surround, built to work as well as it looks.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone set over a prepared wall gives a house front or column the look of stone without the weight.
Concrete block walls
Block walls for property lines and yards, with a proper footing, steel where it belongs and clean joints.
Foundation block wall installation
We lay block foundation walls for additions and outbuildings, starting from a footing that's level and square.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Block, brick or stone counters and grill islands for a backyard, framed around where the gas and water run.
Walkway construction
Where an old path has cracked or heaved, we dig out, rebuild the base and lay brick, stone or pavers.
Brick wall installation
Garden walls, planters and front walls in brick, laid on a solid footing and built to stay straight.
Stone masonry
Natural stone laid for walls, steps and borders, each piece fitted by hand rather than forced into place.
Brick pointing
When joints go soft or sandy, we cut them back and refill them so water stays out of the wall.
Serving Westmont from Hawthorne
We're based in Hawthorne and work across the area around it, Westmont included, with the same crew doing the same work in El Segundo. To set up a visit, call (424) 307-8119 or use the form, tell me what you're seeing, and I'll come out to look.
What to sort out before work starts
Pin down what's wrong before you pick a fix, because leaning brick can be bad joints or a footing that moved, and those are different jobs. Price follows the size of the job, how much old work comes out, how easy the yard is to reach and the brick, block or stone you choose. The written estimate gives your number.
The schedule turns mostly on prep and on whether the job needs a permit. If it does, I'll tell you at the estimate, we take care of it with the County or whichever office handles your address, and we start once that's in hand.
- What's causing the damage, not just where it shows
- Brick, block or stone, and how closely it should match
- Where our crew can get in, park and stage material
- Whether your job needs a County permit before work starts
How a Westmont job runs
We come look
You call, and I come out to see the job and what's around it, like gutters, downspouts and how the yard drains, because water is usually part of the trouble.
Written estimate and plan
You get the price in writing, with the work laid out step by step, so you know what's happening at your house before anyone mixes mortar.
Prep, build, walk-through
Our crew preps the site, covers what needs covering and cleans as we go, with me or our lead mason running it. When it's done, I walk it with you.
Westmont masonry questions
Who issues permits for masonry work at a Westmont, CA address?
For a Westmont address in unincorporated LA County, LA County Public Works issues permits for new building, alterations, and repairs or replacements. Some properties fall under another office, so look yours up with Find Services on the County permits site. Once a permit is issued, the holder has to request the first inspection within 12 months.
Does a chimney or brick wall repair need a permit in Westmont?
It can, because the County's permit list covers repairs and replacements, not only new building. Whether a given chimney or wall repair needs one comes down to what the work involves, which is why I sort that out at the estimate, before anything is scheduled.
When does a masonry contractor in California need a state license?
A contractor needs a license from California's Contractors State License Board when labor and materials on a job total $1,000 or more, when the project needs a building permit or when it uses any other workers. The license has to be in place before they submit a bid. We're licensed and insured.
How do I check if my Westmont home is in an earthquake hazard zone?
Look up your address on the state's EQ Zapp lookup, which shows whether a property sits in a mapped zone for fault rupture, liquefaction or earthquake-triggered landslides, or hasn't been evaluated yet. Liquefaction is when soil briefly behaves like quicksand. If you find a zone, bring it up at the estimate when we talk about a wall or chimney.
Tell us about your Westmont job
Tell us what's going on through the form or at (424) 307-8119. We reply within one business day, then I come out for a free written estimate, no obligation.
Call (424) 307-8119