StoneAge Restoration Services

I accepted the estimate for the job, after pointing out that no time/charge had been added to job description for repair of the broken/damaged mortar (all competitive bids had included this task).  This was in October, but Stoneage could not start the job until Nov 12/13.  Rain delayed the job start until Dec 5/6.  Unfortunately, weather was wet  again and did not provide good conditions to complete the work properly.  On December 17, I agreed to delay the job until the New Year.  The restart date of 1/11 was again postponed.  Finally, March 14, Stoneage returned, and again on March 18 to complete the project.  The lesson here:  DO NOT START YOUR JOB DURING THE RAINY SEASON!
I had two major disappointments with this project.  Firstly, Stoneage did not clean the bricks to my expectations.  There is a lot of brick showing in my yard...steps, planter topping, decorative ribbons, bullnose completely around the pool and inground spa. For Stoneage, cleaning is a "chemical scrub and high pressure wash".  This process does not take off old spots of paint, cement droppings, adhesive ghost marks from masking tape, and other foreign marks that don't belong.  Either sand blasting or other elbow grease application is needed to get off that stuff.  All power wash does is make them show up more!
Secondly, Stoneage gave no indication that they understood the proper way to deal with deteriorating mortar.  It has to be chiselled out and replaced with new mortar.  Their solution...try to smooth over the broken/missing mortar with a mastic material, which not only does not do an adequate job, but added additional "foreign" matter to the surrounding bricks when application was less than accurate.
There was a considerable problem trying to get the sealer to coat the bricks properly, with as many as three attempts to finally achieve a satisfactory result.  I do appreciate the repeat effort in that area. As to the concrete staining, I am satisfied with the look achieved, although I am seeing some wear down already, which I was told is normal.