Masonry Contractor in Willowbrook, CA - Walls and Brickwork That Fit Your House
R&S Compton Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Compton, CA, and we build and repair block walls, brick, chimneys, stone and pavers on Willowbrook homes and rental properties.
Masonry work in Willowbrook, CA
Willowbrook borders Compton, so it's close to home for us, but it isn't a city. It's unincorporated, which means Los Angeles County runs it and decides what a wall or a fireplace needs before we start. Your price mostly follows how much old wall comes out and what goes under the new one, and the schedule turns on whether the county wants a permit and inspections. The estimate gives you your own figure.
On our jobs there we mostly see older single-story houses on narrow lots, with block walls along the side and back lines, brick or block planters out front, and driveways that take up much of the front yard. It's a lot like what we see in West Rancho Dominguez and down in Carson. The ground is flat, so most of our work here is walls, footings and tired mortar rather than hillside retaining. On most of these lots the first thing I look at is what the old wall is actually sitting on.
Masonry services we do in Willowbrook
Foundation repair
Older houses here on raised floors usually show trouble first as sticking doors or a cracked stem wall, and we repair the block or concrete underneath.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older homes loosen at the crown and top courses first. We rebuild what's loose and point the rest so it matches.
Tuckpointing
When the joints across a brick porch or wall go sandy, we rake them out and refill them with a mix that's softer than the brick.
Brick repair
Cracked or flaking brick on steps, planters and garden walls gets cut out and replaced with brick matched in size and color as closely as we can find.
Driveway pavers
Plenty of front yards here are mostly driveway, so pavers over a packed base give you a surface that holds a car and lifts out for repairs.
Retaining wall construction
Most lots are flat, but where a yard steps down at a property line, we build block retaining walls with drainage behind them so water can't push them over.
Masonry restoration
If older brick is worn rather than broken, we clean, repair and repoint it, so the house keeps its original face instead of getting covered over.
Fireplace installation
We build masonry fireplaces indoors and out, planning the firebox, hearth and chimney together from the start so they work as one.
Stone veneer installation
Stone veneer dresses up a stucco wall, a column or a fireplace front. We set it over the right backing so water can't sit behind it.
Concrete block walls
Block walls are what most neighbors here share along side and back lot lines, and we build new ones or rebuild leaning sections on a proper footing.
Foundation block wall installation
When an addition or garage conversion needs a new block foundation wall, we lay it on a footing sized for the load and grout it where the plan calls for it.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Backyards here get used most of the year, so we build block and brick grill islands, counters and bars, finished in stone, brick or stucco.
Walkway construction
From the sidewalk to your front door or down a narrow side yard, we lay brick, paver and stone walkways on a packed base so they stay level.
Brick wall installation
A low brick front wall suits the older homes here. We build it on a real footing, with joints tooled so they shed water.
Stone masonry
For stone planters, steps, columns and garden walls, we pick and fit each piece so the wall carries its own weight and reads as one.
Brick pointing
If only a few joints are cracked or missing, we point just those and match the old mortar's color and hardness so the repair blends in.
Ask about your masonry job
Call (562) 232-8311 or send the form, and I'll come look at the job and write your estimate myself.
Why Willowbrook homeowners call us
You get the owner at your property, our own masons on the job, and a straight answer on what your wall or chimney needs, even when that answer is to leave it alone.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out to every job myself, look at the wall, chimney or foundation, and write the estimate.
Our own masons on site
Our own crew does the work, and I'm there checking it as it goes instead of handing it off.
Mortar matched to old brick
Older brick here wants a mortar softer than the brick itself, so we match the mix instead of grabbing the hardest one.
An honest no when it fits
If a cracked block wall only needs a few joints pointed, I'll tell you that before I'd sell you a rebuild.
Licensed, insured, here since 2017
We're licensed and fully insured, working out of Compton since 2017, and you can reach us at (562) 232-8311.
Willowbrook masonry questions
Who issues permits for masonry work in Willowbrook, CA?
Los Angeles County Public Works issues them, because Willowbrook is unincorporated and the county acts as its city government. If you're not sure whether your address is county or city, the county's unincorporated area page points you to its Z-Net tool to check, since an address inside a city goes to that city's office instead. If your job needs a permit, we pull it with whichever office covers you.
Does a block wall, retaining wall or fireplace need a permit in Willowbrook?
Many do, since the county's permit list names fences over 6 feet tall, retaining walls and fireplaces, and its guidance covers repairs and replacements as well as new work. The county tells you to ask your local Public Works office what a specific project requires, and its Service Locator lists that office's phone and email. I check your job against that list at the estimate, so you know where it stands before we start.
When does a contractor need a California license for masonry work?
The state licensing board requires one when the job needs a building permit, uses any other workers, or costs $1,000 or more in labor and materials. That takes in most real wall, chimney and foundation work, so ask any mason you're weighing for their license before they start. We're licensed and fully insured.
How long after getting a permit is the first inspection due in Willowbrook?
The county says to request the first inspection within 12 months of getting the permit, and follow-up inspections every 6 months keep the permit active. We don't let it sit that long. We book each inspection as the work reaches that stage and handle the paperwork with the county.
What affects the cost of a masonry job in Willowbrook?
Size, what has to come out first and how easy the site is to reach set most of the price. A long lot-line wall costs more than a short front one, hauling out old block adds to it, and a narrow side yard that won't fit a wheelbarrow slows every load. Matching old brick and mortar takes more time than new work, and a permit adds fees and inspection stops, so I write it all into your estimate after I see the job.
What is the best time of year for masonry work in Willowbrook?
Most of the year works, because the rain here falls mainly in winter, about 3.2 inches in January and 3.4 in February by one weather site's modelled estimates, with close to none in August. Fresh mortar doesn't want a downpour, so in winter we watch the forecast and cover new work. On hot summer afternoons we keep it damp so it doesn't dry out too fast.
Don't see your city? Call us
Pick another city below for its own page, or call (562) 232-8311 if yours isn't listed, since we work across Compton and the cities around it.
Ask about your Willowbrook masonry job
Call (562) 232-8311 weekdays until 11 PM or weekends until 9 PM, or send the form and ask what your job needs.