Masonry contractor in Downey, CA - repairs and new walls that fit your house
R&S Compton Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor working in Downey, CA. We repair brick, block and stone on Downey houses and apartment buildings, and we build new walls, walkways, fireplaces and paver driveways.
Masonry work on Downey houses and walls
Downey is mostly single-family streets with apartment and condo buildings mixed in, and our calls here split the same way. Homeowners ask about a block wall cracking along the side yard, a chimney dropping brick, or a tired concrete driveway they'd like redone in pavers. Landlords and property managers call about the walls and walkways their tenants use every day. We're based in Compton, a short drive away, and the same crew works in Norwalk next door and out to Torrance.
What a Downey job costs comes down to its size, the material and how much old work has to come out first, and I'll give you your own figure when I come out and write the estimate. The schedule mostly turns on whether the job needs a permit, which we pull at the Building counter in Downey City Hall. On these houses, most of our work is matching what's already there, because mortar or brick that's harder than the old wall tends to crack what's around it.
Masonry we do around Downey
Foundation repair
We repair cracked and settling masonry foundations under Downey houses, fixing what's moving underneath rather than just filling the crack you can see from the yard.
Chimney repair
Loose bricks or crumbling joints at a chimney top are common on older homes here. We rebuild or repoint what's failing before it drops onto the roof.
Tuckpointing
When mortar on a brick house here has gone sandy, we grind out worn joints and pack in new mortar matched to the old color and strength.
Brick repair
We cut out spalled bricks, the ones with the face popped off, and set replacements that match the size and color of your porch, planter or wall.
Driveway pavers
When an older Downey driveway has cracked, we lay pavers over a packed base, so one sunken paver can be lifted and reset later.
Retaining wall construction
Lots here are mostly flat, so retaining walls usually hold back a raised planter or a small grade change at the yard's edge, with drainage behind them.
Masonry restoration
Older brick and stone fronts patched over the years get cleaned, repaired and repointed with materials that suit how the house was built.
Fireplace installation
We build new brick and stone fireplaces in Downey living rooms and backyards, sized to the room and finished to match the rest of the house.
Stone veneer installation
Thin stone veneer dresses up a stucco front, porch column or planter, and we set it over a backing that lets water drain instead of sitting behind it.
Concrete block walls
Block walls line many Downey property lines and side yards, and we build new ones with steel and grout in the hollow cores or repair runs that lean.
Foundation block wall installation
For a room addition on a Downey house, we lay block foundation walls on a proper footing, level and square so the framing above goes on straight.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Backyard kitchens here are usually block cores faced with brick, stone or stucco. We build the base solid enough to carry a stone countertop and grill.
Walkway construction
On Downey apartment and condo properties, where walkways take daily traffic, we build brick, stone or paver paths on a packed base with edging so they stay flat.
Brick wall installation
A new brick garden or front-yard wall goes on a footing sized for its height, so it stays straight and doesn't crack at the base.
Stone masonry
Natural stone steps and planters for Downey front yards are laid by hand, each stone fitted so the weight sits on stone and not on thick mortar joints.
Brick pointing
Pointing fills shallow, worn joints on brick that's mostly sound, and if only a few joints are open, that's often all your wall needs.
Tell us about your masonry job
Call (562) 232-8311 or use the form to tell us about the wall, chimney or walkway, and I'll come take a look.
Why Downey homeowners call us for masonry
We've been doing this since 2017, we're licensed and fully insured, and our work is satisfaction guaranteed. Here's what you can count on on a Downey job.
I write every estimate
I come out to look at every job myself, so the price comes from someone who's seen your wall.
Our own masons, checked on site
Our own crew of masons does the work, and I'm on site checking it as it goes.
Mortar matched to older brick
Repairs on older brick get mortar that suits the wall, nothing harder than the job needs, so new joints don't crack old brick.
Permits handled with the city
If your job needs a permit, we pull it and handle the paperwork and inspections with the city.
An honest no
If a few joints are all that need work, I'll tell you, so call (562) 232-8311 and let me look.
Downey masonry questions we get
Do I need a permit to build a block wall in Downey?
You need a building permit only if the wall is taller than 42 inches, but even a lower wall needs the city's approval. Downey lets a block wall or fence up to 42 inches go without a building permit once Planning, and sometimes Engineering, signs off on it. A taller wall needs a permit from the Building Division as well, and we sort out which approvals your wall needs before we dig the footing.
How do I find out if my fireplace or hardscape job needs a permit in Downey?
Plan on it needing one. The city's own wording is that generally any new construction, addition, alteration or repair to an existing building needs a permit, and it names fireplaces and hardscapes, like patios, walkways and paver driveways, in that list. If your job is an edge case, the Building and Safety Division makes the call.
Can I pull my own permit for masonry work on my house in Downey?
Yes, if you live in the single-family house the permit covers. Downey issues building permits to licensed contractors or to an owner-builder living in the home, but townhomes, condos, apartments and duplexes only get permits through a licensed contractor. Applications and plans can be filed online through the city's permit portal, or you can leave the permit to us as part of the job.
Does a masonry contractor need a Downey business license?
Yes. The city requires a business license for any kind of business done in Downey, and that includes contractors based outside the city, like us in Compton. A contractor pulling a permit needs a current Downey business license, which can be paid for when the permit is issued, so it's fair to ask any contractor you're weighing whether theirs is current.
How long does a building permit last in Downey?
A Downey permit becomes invalid if work doesn't start within 12 months of being issued, or if work that's started is abandoned for 180 days. So it makes sense to pull it once the job is ready to go, not months ahead, and to keep the work moving once it begins.
How much does masonry work cost in Downey, CA?
The price comes from the job's size, the material and how much old work has to come out before new work goes in. Pointing a few joints costs far less than rebuilding a chimney top, natural stone usually runs more than block or brick, and a wall tall enough to need a permit adds that step. I'll give you your own figure when I come out to look.
Other cities we work in
If your city has its own page here, start there. If it doesn't, call (562) 232-8311, because we work in other cities around Compton too.
Ask R&S Compton Concrete and Masonry for an estimate
Call (562) 232-8311 weekdays from 6 AM to 11 PM or weekends from 8 AM to 9 PM, or send the form whenever it suits you.