"Adrian of Vargas Masonry and Roofing stopped by to provide an estimate for tuckpointing and chimney work on our historic Centennial Home. Adrian and Marie were prompt with a very competitive estimate which we accepted. They were both very receptive to addressing any questions or concerns we had prior to, during and for the final walkthrough. The crew performing the work very professional, very considerate to our property and provided us continuous updates as to the work being performed. The work performed consisted of tuckpointing two sides of the house along with chimney work and placing a cap on the two chimneys. As stated in a previous review, Vargas was honest, on time, and competitively priced! I'll continue to use Vargas Masonry and Roofing for the future work that I need on the interior brickwork and interior limestone foundation of our historic home."
"George has completed multiple projects for us - large and small. From a large retaining wall with firepit patio, to landscape lighting, to planting trees and shrubs, to spring maintenance and mulch refresh. He is always professional and responds promptly to messages. His work is high quality as he places great value on customer satisfaction. We will continue to call on George for our ongoing landscape projects and help with our woodland restoration work."
"High and Dry came to my house the day I contacted them The engineer took measurements of what I had thought was a sinking foundation He assured me the foundation was not sinking and told me they were happy to put my worries to rest. I tried to pay for a service call and the engineer declined to be paid for the call I an completely impressed by High and Dry s honesty and excellent service JE Inman"
"We had an attached screened-in porch that was sinking.Acculevel came in and detailed every aspect of the repair project and then followed thru to the most minuet detail. Excellent work and very detail oriented. Friendly and cooperative service team that completed the work. This seemed like what was going to be a complicated job, using augered jacks, concrete removal, and replacing trex floor. ...In a nutshell, they made what seemed hard..very manageableand 100% solved.Excellent service, excellant price......Terry M."
I don't recall the date this occurred, but it was not July 2015, but the format requires a date. In any event, I was concerned about a foundation problem, and Roberts sent a representative out who inspected inside and outside and advised that while he would love to have found a problem that would have involved an expensive repair, he could not do so because he saw no foundation problem. He was as honest as the day is long, extraordinarily polite and gave considerable supporting statements as to his determination. I really appreciated his integrity.
"Andrew recently did a basement waterproofing and foundation repair project for me. He outlined everything he was going to do on his estimate, which was quite a bit better than the big name companies. His work was excellent and high quality. He is very easy to work with and answered any questions I had. It's nice to find a true professional at a reasonable rate, which leads me to say I would easily recommend him to anyone who has a project like this."
"Veneer Building Stone was applied to our home foundation and surrounding front and back porches. Porch surfaces were overlaid with cement and a pattern was applied. A portion of the driveway apron was removed and new was installed to replace the damaged section, and the front sidewalk was resurfaced. All work was done to our satisfaction. The workmen were craftsmen, reliable, and trustworthy. This project improved the appearance of our home and is value added. We recommend Madison County Custom Concrete to those wanting quality masonry work."
"Very well. They were in and out. They arrived on time, I didn't see any slacking. The job was done lickety split, and they cleaned up after themselves. I'm very pleased with the results, and I've already spoken to a few neighbors who've commented on how nice my landscaping looks. I've also added a post to Nextdoor, and there are commenters who indicate that they'll be giving Frankie's a call."
Removing paint from brick can have both aesthetic and practical value. Some people prefer the timeless look of bare brick, making it worthwhile to remove old paint layers. Brick also lasts longer when unpainted, as paint traps moisture, causing the brick to deteriorate more quickly. If your brick walls are already in bad shape, stripping the paint off might do more harm than good.
Most of the time, you don’t need to seal brickwork and can save that money for another area of home improvement. But if your brick is cracking or you live in an area with a lot of excess moisture (either in terms of rain or freezes), sealing can extend the lifetime of your home. But, make sure you use a breathable sealant, like siloxane, to allow the moisture to evaporate on its own.
Rock salt and ice melts contain sodium chloride, aka salt, and are corrosive to metal and concrete. If used frequently over time, it can cause corrosion, discoloration, chipping, and cracking to patios, walkways, and driveways. You can try a rock salt alternative or hire a professional snow removal company instead.
Yes, staining a brick home can increase a home’s value, assuming your pro does a good job and you keep up with maintenance tasks. Staining brick is a much better way to increase a home’s value than painting brick, as the latter can cause chipping, warping, and bubbling. Brick stain, on the other hand, gets absorbed by the surface, so it can still breathe.
Cobblestone fell out of favor with the advent of motor vehicles. Asphalt and concrete are both much smoother surfaces allowing for a smoother ride. Asphalt is also much cheaper, especially for driveways. However, we didn’t stop using cobblestone altogether, and you can still see it as a decorative option in both homes, in parks, and in pedestrianized areas of cities.
The Highland, IL homeowners’ guide to masonry services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Attic insulation removal costs in St. Louis, MO, vary based on multiple factors, including why you're removing it and how easy it is to complete the task.
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.
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.
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.