Masonry Contractor in Long Beach - Brick, Block and Stone Done Right the First Time
Liberty Gardena Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Gardena that works on Long Beach homes, repairing worn mortar and cracked brick and building block walls, walkways, pavers and outdoor kitchens that fit the house.
Long Beach: older yards and low ground
Long Beach is a big city with a lot of different houses in it, and the calls we get from there are usually about homes that have been standing a while. We see brick garden walls with the mortar washing out, chimneys losing their caps and block walls between yards that have started to lean. It's the same mix we see in Gardena and Carson, so not much surprises us once we're in the yard.
The ground is the other half of it. Some parts of Long Beach can flood in a major rainstorm, and a wall or walkway that sits in water keeps moving until it cracks, so on low lots we work out where the water goes before we dig a footing or set a paver.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Masonry work we do in Long Beach
Tuckpointing
Older brick here usually loses its mortar first, which lets water in. We grind out the soft joints and repack them with mortar that suits your brick.
Driveway pavers
On low lots that hold water after a big storm, a slab can crack and heave. Our driveway pavers sit on a packed base built to drain.
Retaining wall construction
Raised planters and yard walls holding back soil fail when water builds up behind them. We set a proper footing and drainage behind the wall first.
Concrete block walls
Old block walls between yards often lean from a shallow footing. We build new ones with steel and grout, the way new construction gets inspected.
Chimney repair
Brick chimneys on older houses here usually crack at the cap first. We rebuild loose brick and redo the cap so rain stays out.
Outdoor kitchen masonry
Mild weather here means many families cook outside most of the year. We build outdoor kitchens on a real footing, finished to match the house.
What we sort out before a Long Beach job starts
Permits in Long Beach come from the city's Development Permit Center, and the city says most work on a house needs a permit and inspections, repairs included, though some minor repairs can be exempt. The center only issues permits to a contractor with a California contractor's license and an active Long Beach business license, so ask anyone you're talking to for both. If your job needs a permit, we take it out under our license and set up the inspections, and if it doesn't, I'll tell you that. Review and inspection days usually set the schedule more than the work itself does, and the price moves with how much old brick or block comes out, how deep the footing goes, the material you pick and how hard the back yard is to reach. You get your own number once I've seen the job.
If your house is in a historic district or the coastal zone, the city's zoning rules can add requirements on top of the permit, which matters most when we're matching or rebuilding old brick, so I check that before we price the job. On older houses we also plan for what's behind the wall, like a footing that's shallower than it should be, and I'll tell you on site what we'll only know once it's open. We do the same work in nearby cities like Downey and Torrance, with the same small crew and the same habits: protect the yard, keep the mess down and leave the place clean.
Get a free on-site masonry estimate for your Long Beach home
Send the form or call and we'll reply within one business day. I come out to your Long Beach house myself, look at the work and give you a free estimate on site, with no pressure and no obligation. If the job needs a permit, I'll tell you then.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Brick, block and stone for Long Beach homes
Long Beach masonry questions
Do I need a permit to build a retaining wall in Long Beach?
Not if the wall is 4 feet tall or less, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, under the city's guidance. That exemption doesn't cover a wall holding back sloping ground or extra weight above it, like a driveway, and any wall on a slope steeper than 1 foot of rise in 5 feet needs a permit at any height. If yours needs one, we take it out.
How do I get my own permit for a masonry job in Long Beach?
You can apply through the city's Development Permit Center if you own the house and live in it or will live in it. The city limits owner permits to certain kinds of homes, so check that yours qualifies before you plan around it. If you'd rather not deal with it, we take the permit out under our license.
When does a masonry contractor need a state license in California?
A contractor needs a state license when the job needs a building permit, uses any workers, or the labor and materials add up to $1,000 or more, according to the state licensing board. That covers nearly every masonry job worth hiring out, so ask for the license number before you sign. We're licensed and insured.
What drives the cost of masonry work in Long Beach?
Drainage, tear-out and matching old work usually move a Long Beach price the most. Low lots often need drainage built in before the new work goes in, and older brick takes more time to match than new block takes to lay. Hauling matters too, because a debris bin on the street or sidewalk needs its own Public Works permit and one on your property doesn't, so we keep it on your driveway when it fits.
What causes brick walls and mortar to crumble in Long Beach?
Water is usually the cause. Rain gets into old, open mortar joints and soaks the brick, and on low lots the footing sits wet after a big storm until the wall starts to move. We fix the drainage or the footing first, then repoint, so the repair holds.
What building code does masonry work in Long Beach have to meet?
Long Beach jobs have to meet the California Building Standards Code and the city's own Municipal Code. The city checks your plans against the code in effect on the day they're submitted. I learned this trade on new construction, so we build to it the way a new build gets inspected.