"I hired Alex Masonry to remove and rebuild a retaining wall that was leaning. After some discussion, I decided to expand the project to include new bluestone caps and to re-do my cracked concrete walkway with pavers. Alex and his crew did an outstanding job. Alex is extremely knowledgeable, personable and a pleasure to work with. His pricing is very reasonable. He and his team did a great job. Hard workers, with great attention to detail. I would highly recommend Alex Masonry!"
"They did a great job, the only minuses would be that our project was a small one, they did it as a side job. So we had to wait a little longer than we wanted and pay cash as we don't have checks and they didn't take cards. Other than that if we have any additional hardscaping or masonry needed, they will be our first call."
"Leonard quickly responded to my request and provided a quote. He was always on time as promised. His craftsmanship was outstanding and very detail oriented. Leonard is a true professional. My daughter is having a masonry project done also and I quickly recommended Leonard to her."
"Cela masonry is top notch! They have done my front walkway and now a rear patio, both of which we are extremely pleased. The team does amazing work, is professional, timely & reasonable in every way."
"I got the pleasure of speaking with James who responded in a timely manner came and actually was honest and gave many suggestions. He was very knowledgeable. I would recommend East Coast roofing and masonry for any job."
"sorry this is late - thought i reviewed them already. Nick and his crew (family) are the BEST! Old world professional masonry at its best! Could not have hired better people. Highly highly recommend him and his company. His work is so good that several people, neighbors have asked for his card. One woman stopped me to say she hired him from seeing my work. they replaced a dilapidated wood retaining wall with stone retaining wall and steps."
"Dennis was great to work with. Had a property in Danbury with a huge retaining wall that the previous homeowner built and failed (not to code). Dennis came in and was honest about having to redo the entire thing (which was the right call).. He taught me about the type of block to use, geogrid spacing, how important the base prep was, as well as drainage, picked the colors of the blocks and caps to match my rental, sent me photo updates along the way, was extremely professional. My father oversaw the job steps and has around 40 years of experience in commercial real estate in midtown Manhattan. He has seen just about everything from failing foundations on a 40 story building, entire high rise floods, and buildings being brought out of the ground. He doesnâ t settle for anything but perfection, done once and done right. He gave the project a stamp of approval which was great. Said Dennis was professional and would recommend we use him on any hardscape masonry work on our new constructions in Western and central CT. Take this comment for what itâ s worth. Youâ ll get a good guy, at a fair amount price to do great work."
"I had an excellent experience with CT Basements starting with the Basement Waterproofing division and eventually discovering a more significant issue with my foundation. This company worked with me over a year as I flushed out the problems and was able to prioritize their necessity and costs. All of their representatives were not only knowledgeable, but patient and caring. They never hesitated to stop what they were doing to answer my questions thoroughly, ensuring I understood all aspects of the work being completed. I would gladly recommend this company again, and do so now regularly to friends and acquaintances. Well worth the money spent, and especially peace of mind. I will certainly give them business again in the future. "
Staining or painting brick isn’t something to do on a whim. Make sure you really want to live with stained brick, because once you apply the stain, it’s permanent. Sure, it will fade over time, but you can’t restore the brick to its natural tones after applying a stain or paint.
Modern brick houses are really stick-built homes with a brick facade for aesthetic purposes only, so most have framing. With genuine brick construction, most homeowners install furring strips over the interior of the brick and then install drywall over those strips to cover the brick wall, so they don’t have traditional framing.
No, it’s not recommended to attach shutters to brick without drilling. Brick is dense and built to last, so adhesives and shortcut methods don’t usually cut it. Even heavy-duty glue struggles to hold up over time—especially against wind, moisture, and temperature changes. Most no-drill options are made for materials like vinyl or wood, not solid masonry. Skipping the drill might seem easier, but it puts your shutters—and anything below them—at risk. For a secure, lasting install, drilling is the way to go. It takes more effort up front, but the result is safer and more reliable.
Brick houses can last at least 100 years with minimal maintenance. With regular care and attention, including mortar repointing, brick houses can last 500 years or more.
Brick spalling—which refers to the crumbly, flaky, or pitted appearance that can develop over time—is caused by a few different conditions. These include:
Climates with constant freeze-thaw cycles
Use of non-breathable sealants
High-pressure water cleaning
Improper installation
While you can’t do anything about the weather, you can preserve your bricks by cleaning them with soapy water and a good old-fashioned scrubbing. Pressure washers may be satisfying to use, but they can eventually wear away the surface of your bricks. If you don’t have advanced-level DIY skills in masonry, you can hire a reputable masonry contractor in your area for your project.
The West Suffield, CT homeowners’ guide to masonry services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Door or window lintel replacement costs $400 on average, but there are ways you can save. On the other hand, complicated work will increase costs considerably.
This guide features information on the costs to repair a brick wall, whether or not you need a brick mason to complete spalling, tuckpointing, or a full restoration.
Need to repoint brick in your home to make your home look fresh and new? Use this guide to repointing brick cost to price out your project before starting.
Discover the wide variety of masonry materials for your next home upgrade project. Our guide covers the different types of materials to choose from and more.
When it comes to masonry versus concrete, it can be easy to confuse the two. Use this guide to learn about the differences in appearance, strength, and more.
