Masonry Contractor in East Los Angeles - Brick and Block Work That Holds Up
Caliber Lakewood Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Lakewood, and we work in East Los Angeles repairing cracked brick and block walls, chimneys and steps, and building new walls, walkways and paver driveways.
- Owner on every estimate I come out myself to look at the job before pricing it.
- Built to hold up We aim for work that lasts years, not just the first week.
- Straight answers on repairs If your wall is fine, I'll tell you so.
- Plain talk on options I explain what each choice changes before you decide anything.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Masonry work across East Los Angeles
Caliber Lakewood Concrete and Masonry does masonry work in East Los Angeles, an unincorporated community of Los Angeles County, from our base in Lakewood. Most calls here are for cracked block walls along close property lines, tired brick steps and chimneys on older houses, and yard projects people have put off long enough.
What changes when the job is in East Los Angeles
Permits in East Los Angeles come from LA County Public Works rather than a city hall. The department runs an East Los Angeles Building and Safety Office, and when you apply it tells you whether the job needs a plan check, a review of the drawings before the permit is approved, and what it takes to pass. On a retaining wall or anything structural, that review usually sets the start date more than our crew does.
Two licenses are worth checking on anyone you hire. The state contractor's license comes first, because California requires it before a contractor even bids on the job. The county's own business license applies to businesses located in its unincorporated areas whose work is on its list, so it matters most if your contractor is based in East Los Angeles itself.
I find out which office handles your address before we plan anything, and if the job needs a permit, we get it before work starts. Price moves with the size of the job, how much old brick or block has to come out, and whether the new work has to match the old. It's the same brick and block work we do in Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens, and the estimate is where your own number comes from.
Jobs we take on in East Los Angeles
- Cracked block walls along close property lines
- Retaining walls built to a county permit
- Chimney and fireplace repair on older homes
- Repointing worn mortar in brick walls
- Brick and stone steps, walkways and planters
Masonry services for East Los Angeles homes
Most of what we do in East Los Angeles is keeping older brick and block sound, with new walls, walkways and yard work when you're ready to build.
Foundation repair
Settled corners and stair-step cracks in an older house's stem wall are where foundation repair starts, and I look before I quote.
Chimney repair
An older brick chimney with loose top courses needs chimney repair before those bricks end up in the yard.
Tuckpointing
When the mortar has gone sandy but the bricks are sound, tuckpointing replaces the joints and leaves the wall standing.
Brick repair
A few cracked bricks or bricks with flaking faces in a front wall or step call for brick repair, not a new wall.
Driveway pavers
Short driveways on narrow lots take a beating, and driveway pavers let us lift and reset one section instead of breaking out a slab.
Retaining wall construction
Where a yard steps down toward the street or a neighbor, retaining wall construction holds the soil back with steel, grout and drainage behind it.
Masonry restoration
Brick patched by three different owners over the years is a job for masonry restoration, which sorts out the old fixes and matches what's left.
Fireplace installation
For a living room that never had one, fireplace installation means a firebox, hearth and surround built in masonry.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer installation puts a thin stone face on a stucco or block wall, a common way to dress up a porch or entry.
Concrete block walls
Plenty of property lines here are marked in block, and we build concrete block walls with steel and grout in the cells so they stay straight.
Foundation block wall installation
When an addition or a rebuilt section of a house needs a base, foundation block wall installation gives it a level block stem wall to sit on.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Backyards here tend to be compact, so outdoor kitchen masonry gets planned around the space you actually have.
Walkway construction
A cracked path from the sidewalk to the front door is a tripping spot, and walkway construction replaces it with brick, pavers or stone.
Brick wall installation
For a low front wall along the sidewalk, brick wall installation gives you a solid edge with a cap that sheds water.
Stone masonry
Planters, columns and garden walls in natural stone come under stone masonry, laid by hand one stone at a time.
Brick pointing
If the joints are just thin or recessed, brick pointing fills and finishes them so water stops working in behind the face.
How a masonry job in East Los Angeles runs
From your first call to the final walk-through, the job runs in four steps, and I'm involved in each one.
Call or send the form
Call (562) 249-2437 or send the form, and I come out to look at the job and ask what you want.
Go over the estimate
I explain what needs doing and why, then give you the estimate right there on site, with the price and the scope side by side.
Permit, then the work
If the job needs a permit, we get it from the office for your address before the crew starts, and we book the inspections.
Clean up and walk it
When the work's done, we clean up and walk it with you, so you see every joint and cap before we leave.
Why East Los Angeles homeowners call us
Careful work since 2017
We've built a name on brick and block work that isn't rushed, and it's backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Planned around county rules
East Los Angeles works under county rules rather than a city's, and we plan your job around them from the first visit.
Repair first, rebuild if needed
Where a section can be repaired and matched, we repair it, because tearing out sound block costs you for nothing.
Old mortar matched to old brick
On older brick we match the mortar's color and strength to what's there, since hard new mortar can crack old brick.
Get a free estimate for your East Los Angeles wall, chimney or yard
Put your address and what's going on with the wall, chimney or yard in the form. We reply within one business day, and I come out myself to give you a free estimate on site, with no obligation.
Brick, block and stone examples
Look through these examples of masonry work to get a feel for finishes, joint styles and materials before we talk about your job.
Questions from East Los Angeles homeowners
Here are straight answers to what people ask about masonry work in East Los Angeles. If your question is about your own wall or chimney, call (562) 249-2437.
Does a retaining wall or block wall need a permit in East Los Angeles?
Retaining walls and fences over six feet are both on LA County Public Works' permit list, along with fireplaces and patios. The list covers repairs and alterations too, not just new work, so don't count a rebuild out because the wall was already there. I check your job against it at the estimate, and if it needs a permit, we get it before we start.
How long do I have to get the first inspection after an LA County permit is issued?
Under the county's building and safety rules, the first inspection has to be requested within 12 months of getting the permit, and follow-up inspections every 6 months keep it active. We schedule them as the work reaches each stage, so footings and steel get looked at before they're covered.
How do I know if a masonry contractor needs a California license?
A contractor needs a state license when the job needs a building permit, uses any additional workers, or comes to $1,000 or more in labor and materials. The Contractors State License Board issues that license to businesses and individuals who build or alter structures, so ask for it along with the estimate. We're licensed and fully insured.
What building code applies to masonry work in East Los Angeles?
The county building code applies, which is the California Building Code with the county's own changes. Because East Los Angeles is unincorporated, it's the county's version your wall gets inspected against, and we build to it from the footing up.
What causes block walls in East Los Angeles yards to crack or lean?
Usually it's a footing that was too shallow, cells left without steel or grout, tree roots pushing from one side, or water building up behind a wall that holds back soil. Plenty of hairline cracks are old and not moving, so I find out which it is before telling you whether it needs a repair, a rebuild or nothing at all.
How much does a block wall cost in East Los Angeles?
A block wall's cost here comes down to how long and tall it is, how deep the footing goes, what has to come out first and how easy it is to get material in. On close-set lots, carrying block and mortar down a narrow side yard by hand adds labor, and a permit with a plan check adds cost and time. I measure it on site and give you a number at the estimate.
Other cities we work in
Pick a city below to see what we do there, or call (562) 249-2437 if yours isn't listed, since we work beyond these pages too.
Have a masonry contractor look at your wall
We take calls seven days a week, into the evening, so reach us at (562) 249-2437 or through the form when it suits you.