MasonWorks LLC

Excellent work, great guys.

Exceptional work!

Jeff (Masonworks) and his team were fantastic to work with and did excellent work. We've used about 10 different contractors over the last two years for different jobs and Jeff is definitely at the top of the list. (too bad we didn?t know Jeff earlier or we could have avoided the other contractors no longer on the list) Jeff came by at least 3 times before we signed on to answer our questions and look at our design ideas, and was great at translating what we wanted into implementation ideas. He was very knowledgeable about how things would look and what to avoid. When we first started researching patios we obtained multiple quotes and quickly learned what different contractors considered the key parts of the job, things to watch out for, and their pricing methods. Jeff was right on with his review, costs, and there were no installation surprises as the job went along. Jeff also helped us design the shape of the patio, provided border and color accent recommendations and the end job was flawless and exactly what was planned. I am very picky (to put it nicely) and I was impressed at how even the patio pattern was put down, how the edging was crisp and the entire surface was even. The patio also met up nicely to our house foundation and stairs. We also assumed Jeff couldn?t start for a few weeks and instead he started almost immediately and was finished within a week for the patio and one day for the doors, both exactly as estimated. His crew worked very hard and even our neighbors commented on how much they had accomplished each day on the patio. Our yard was not accessible by machines and his team needed to carry all the materials into the yard manually and did that without any delays. The last thing to mention is the price, as we used to assume that was the best way to compare contractors. Jeff's pricing was middle-to-high in the range of quotes we collected, and by far the most clear in terms of total cost. When pressing other contractors we found many of the cheaper quotes would charge extra for certain conditions if found, disposal, or would reduce materials used (base layer, landscape fabric, etc.) to keep their initial costs down - after researching it was clear these items were needed for a solid installation and should not have been upcharge options. Once we added back these "reductions" to the other quotes, we found Jeff's prices were competitive, and Jeff?s installation methods were exactly what our research found to be the highest quality practices. Overall we're very happy with the quality, price and service we received from Masonworks and are especially happy to have found a contractor who delivers exactly what he promises.

I have used Masonworks in the past for my driveway and back yard. I keep rehiring them for more work. They are professional, fast and courteous. Prices are reasonable.

I am very happy with Jeff and his associates. Jeff was very professional, always returned calls and e-mails and showed up when he said he would (which seems to be a challenge for most contractors). The crew showed up at the site and Jeff and I reviewed the quote, once we agreed on everything, the guys started the job. I went off on vacation and didnt hear a thing until I got back. The job was completed as intended and we ended up going $550 over th e price because the bricks on the side wall needed to be replaced. We had discussed this ahead of time though and I was prepared for the price to potantially increase due to the unforseen of what was under the concrete slabs. He followed up after teh job was complete to get payment and to explain the work his guys had done. I have had a very positive experienc overall and would highly recommend Masonworks to anyone who needs this masonry service.

They arrived on time each day, and usually stopped around 6:00 or so. The property was always kept clean, and equipment stowed when they left for the evening, to ensure the safety of my family. The finished product was beautiful. There was a small confusion over an area we wanted included, which they did not have in the original estimate, and some loose steps which needed to be secured. They charged an additional $400 for this work, which we agreed to as more than fair.

Jeff Souza showed up for the estimate at the agreed upon time and immediately followed up via email with a fair estimate. The work began a week later (after some rain) and went smoothly. The crew was friendly and cleaned up after themselves. The job took 2 days. Jeff kindly met me at a little league game to settle payment so I didn't disappoint my kid!

I liked the plan right away and wanted to get going with it last fall, but the weather turned cold very quickly so we postponed the project until this spring. Once we reconnected, we set a date to begin and everything went as planned. The crew worked tirelessly from sunup to sundown 6 days a week for just a few days over the two weeks we had planned for, and that was only because of rain. All the work had to be done by hand because of the small yard size and lack of access. The few changes proposed from the original plans were well communicated and made perfect sense. The crew were respectful and neat. The yard looks great, has a nice flat surface, beautiful design and texture, drains well and is easy to care for. We've had plenty of rain to test it out! It far exceeds my expectations.

Jeff and his crew rebuilt a retaining wall that collapsed in our backyard. We had four people come and take a look at it. He was by far the most professional and honest. While he wasn't the cheapest estimate, I believe that he was the only one that showed us all of the cost upfront so in the end was either the cheapest or right inline with the other estimates we received. Even when the job turned out to be a little bigger then they thought (our yard was not well packed and the loose dirt made it more difficult to re-build the wall and more soil had to be carried in) he honored his original price. The crew was very nice, they worked hard the entire time they were there and were very skilled. The wall looks great. Jeff was very easy to work with, he even came back to meet with the condo association in the evening so everyone would fully understand that work that was being done. We will not hesitate to use Masonworks again!

Jeff at Masonworks was very good at returning emails and phone calls. He showed up on time and was willing to go into detail of the reason why the cement has broken overtime and the best way to fix it. The estimate was returned and it was MUCH higher then I was expecting for such a small area. With this said, I cannot review the quality of work as I had nothing done but the responsiveness to my inquiry was prompt.

Bruno and Jeff were punctual and clear with the estimates they provided. They were available to schedule work in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, I had to delay the work because of the gas company, and MasonWorks was very accommodating. We found several surprises during the work that increased the final price 25% over the estimate: 1. a huge tree stump that had to be removed, 2. clay soil that required extra excavation and removal costs, 3. a drainage issue from the neighbor's house that required installing drain pipes under the driveway, 4. the cost of the cobblestone border was not included in the estimate. That said, I do believe that Jeff and Bruno really tried to minimize the extra costs for us. It was a complicated job with lots of headaches and surprises, and they handled everything with patience and professionalism. And their employees were punctual and friendly. My only disappointment was with the concrete repairs. This work was done before the driveway, while we waited for the delay from the gas company. I had cracked concrete along the side foundation of the house, and a cracked step in the back. They removed the cracked squares and poured new concrete, but the front walkway was not seamed neatly between the old concrete and the new, nor between the public sidewalk and the new concrete. They tried to fix it up after they completed the driveway work, but it still looks like a patch job. It's fine, just not great. But the driveway really is beautiful. For a week after the work was done, neighbors were still standing at the end of it staring and complimenting. One neighbor's dad, who knows a lot more about construction than I do, congratulated me on getting a first-class job done. Three months later, we haven't had any water or drainage problems in the basement or the yard. None of the stones have shifted. We just had our first snowfall, and I haven't tried shoveling yet, but the snowblower didn't catch on anything, just rolled happily along.

They provided a prompt estimate, started the job quickly and finished within about 5 days. It went much quicker than I anticipated. I am thrilled with the job and would certainly use them again. They also had by far the most competitive price.

The job went very well overall, Jeff was able to match the work he did on the other side of the driveway (job done two years ago). He also reworked the drainage to correct an existing problem that caused the driveway to ice up. This is the third job Masonworks has done for us, we have been very pleased with every project, pictures of our house are on their website (masonworkz.com). We keep using Masonworks because of the quality of the work, and their flexibility. Jeff explained all the details of the project, and lets you know what the schedule will be upfront. The work got started on schedule. Despite the fact that we had already turned off the outside water for the season, they went across the street and got water from one of our neighbors instead of letting the job slip a day. There was a one day delay due to rain, but other than that they were there working every day until the job was done. After they finished the wall, they swept the driveway and raked the beds to even everything out.

The work was done promptly and on schedule; the crew worked very hard and were very courteous. They start early and work late. Everything you would want from a landscape construction company. I would use them again and did.

Jeff was very prompt in our communications through out this project. Right from the beginning I worked with him a number of different options and he priced them all in order to allow me to take different decisions as the work progressed. Specifically I triaged the paving work around the Garage (#11) at first but based on the quality of the Cobblestone borders around driveway (#1) I decided to go ahead with it towards the end of the project. Jeff was very courteous and has great interpersonal skills. He managed to deal well negotiating differences in opinions between my wife and myself. He did this by creating and pricing a number of options and alternatives at the outset of the project, and then he demonstrated flexibility during the project as we converged on decisions. A couple of small finishing touchup jobs were not completed at the end. These included couple of spots requiring mulch cover and crushed stones to cover a small drainage hole. This was not a big deal to do myself, and not worth fussing over or calling the contractor. In conclusion, Masonworks is relatively pricy, however there were absolutely no overruns or hidden costs. At the moment I am quite happy with my decision to go with Masonworks. However I need to wait for the 2009 rainy season before I really know the quality and performance of the drainage system installed along my driveway. So I would like the opportunity to update my review in April/May 2009.

We were very pleased with the whole experience. Our initial phone call was answered promptly, the estimate was detailed and complete, work started as scheduled, and the workers were careful, worked steadily throughout the day, and did a good job of cleaning up. Both we and the neighbors appreciated that the workers did not have a radio blaring. The back pathway was curved, which required some piecing and cutting of the bricks, and here the workers showed that they were also artisans, carefully planning the curve and arranging the small pieces before proceeding. The result was beautiful, and the attention to detail showed. We also appreciated Masonworks' helpfulness in describing options, providing samples of the stones, and outlining alternatives.

The whole job took a little more than a week as we were promised. The crew was on time every day and left the place in good and organized shape at the end of every day. The work was done in a professional and experienced manner. Little unforeseeable problems were talked about and solved during the process. Our overall experience was a positive one and all of our phone calls were answered in a timely manner.

They came over in less than one week from initial contact and provided a detailed estimate for the work. This was VERY important, because this was a job for a condo building and all the interested parties and the building management company needed to review the estimate before the project could be green-lighted. We decided to move forward with the project in about ten days time and set a date with MasonWorks to begin construction. Unfortunately, the overly wet July weather kept that date moving. But once the skies cleared they were on-site and the work was completed in two days time. They were professional throughout, keeping us up to date with the schedule. Their consideration and work methods were very appreciated by the shop owner who directly abuts the raised bus stop deck. They did not impede access to her store at all and kept the work site very tidy and clear of debris. We are all very pleased with the finished results.

Original bid was $800, final price was $1500. I mentioned that I thought that the bid was low. Also, had trouble getting the contractor to return calls. Jeff Sousa called the day prior to doing the work, but the phone tag just mentioned went on for about four weeks. The work took a couple of days and the crew worked efficiently. However, between days, bluestone and masonry materials (bags of mortar, etc.) were left on my lawn killing some grass. When this was mentioned to Jeff his reply was that the grass would not die, it was only for a couple of days. Finally, the mason did not wash the bluestone off with muriatic acid after the job, leaving a white powder film on the steps. This is not critical, the powder will eventually wear off but masons routinely clean their work once finished. The powder still remains three weeks later.

Our backyard was a mess of mud and patchy grass, we were not sure what to do with it. We contacted Masonworks, they were recommended to us, to help us with some suggestions. Jeff was very quick to respond and come assess our situation. He immediately had a great vision for our entire backyard to be a patio, and came back a few days later with a few options for different pavers. After that we worked mainly with Bruno, he helped tailor the patio/stone bench to our budget, as well as other things we wanted added in, such as a counter/wall for our grill. They took a couple weeks to finalize our plans and begin work, but once they began the work they were very professional and efficient. Our backyard is now transformed into a great patio, it has exceeded our expectations, and it is now an added living space to our home that we will use frequently.

We found Masonworks in the Yellow Pages. After leaving a phone message requesting an estimate, Jeff came by to see the property and to discuss our plans/budget. He listened to our ideas/expectations for the space and made a number of helpful suggestions. He indicated that he could work within our budget and outlined where/how we might change our plans to get the most patio for the money. Jeff worked with us on price and his estimate for labor and materials fit our budget (though it was definitely on the high side). He also provided a catalog of different pavers and made some recommendations on style and color that were a good choice for the size of the space, light, and the color of our house. This was something the other vendors did not do, and it said a lot about Jeff's willingness to help us through the process. His estimate was also very detailed, helping us understand the amount of work and materials that the job required and where the costs come from. Once the work schedule was set, Jeff was actually able to get the job completed sooner than anticipated. The work was performed over about four days, with different crew on different days. The workers were courteous and punctual, and clearly knew what they were doing. The finished product (our new patio) exceeded our expectations. It was beautifully installed and reflects high-quality craftsmanship. The thorough clean-up was an added bonus and simply reinforced what we already knew as a good decision.

I was very pleased with the work. From estimate to start date Jeff Souza stayed in contact with me and kept on schedule. He gave me advice on planning that made the final outcome better. The workers were great. They were not only talented craftsman, but they were respectful, kept the work site clean, and I never saw them slacking. I was also very satisfied with the final outcome. The Stone retaining walls, granite steps, paver walkway and the new driveway came out beautiful. As a bonus for Mason Works 2 of my neighbors were so impressed with the workers and the work that they had them do jobs at their homes, also.

They were friendly and professional.

Excellent job, quality work, I couldn't ask for a better job. He had many good suggestions and followed through with the job. From start to finish he was there every day and finished in a timely manner. His workers were excellent and were very professional. He was flexible with changes to the job and adjusted the price accordingly. His estimate was fair. I would recommend him to my friends and clients in my business.

The whole process went smooth with no major problems. Work was completed on a timely manner and with the highest quality materials and craftsmanship.