"I have a house with circa 1890's brick and mortar that once had seashells in it. David Ricard gave me a fair estimate to fill in mortar where a house brick was party broken by a telecom company and where some mortar fell out from an area a larger masonry company had repointed a few years before. David and his brother showed up on time, did the work in a reasonable amount of time, and cleaned up after. He showed that he understands different kinds of brick and the mortar required. I wish I had known about David before I hired that other company a few years before because the larger company didn't do a particularly good repointing job. I have upcoming mortar work needed on my front walkway and will be calling David for that repair. I would definitely hire him again and recommend him to others."
"Abel and his team are highly responsible, knowledgeable of their craft and perfectionists. Abel took out concrete in my backyard and installed eco-friendly permeable pavers that look great and absorb water. He also installed lattice in my deck, painted the whole deck and fixed the upper portion of my fence. I'll be doing additional work with him and his team. Very happy with the results and the quality of the work done."
"The masonry on our front porch was crumbling, and the stones in our back-yard patio were becoming uneven. Horizon Landscaping Designs made both look brand new again! They were prompt, professional, and stuck with the original estimate. I'd definitely hire them again!"
"G&D construction did a great job! They installed a 14 x 14 patio foundation for a shed. They were timely and responsive with the initial inquiries. The job was completed as expected. The team was professional and polite! Castillo and team were awesome!"
"I contacted Brothers Pavers for an estimate to upgrade my patio. Jose came out and did some measurements, asked a few questions and I received a written quote within 24/48 hours. The quote was a little more than I was looking to spend, so Jose came back out a few days later to discuss the project and I adjusted the scope of work to reduce costs. Let me just say, the process from beginning to end has been nothing but pleasant. I was informed every step of the way. David let me know when the materials were ordered and placed me on the schedule when my materials came in early, Jose and his crew were able to start the job earlier than anticipated. These guys were fast and efficient, they cleaned up after themselves and the finished product looks like a work of art. Seriously... my new patio is absolutely gorgeous. The team of Jose went above and beyond and even did extra things like burying my drain downspout and curving the edges of the patio border so the new patio flowed with my existing pergola. A+ product and service. I can honestly see why it is that Brothers Pavers has all of these 5-star reviews. They are truly well deserved. If you are looking to have any hardscaping done, you need to contact Jose and have him come out to discuss your project. You will not be disappointed."
"I have used this company before, for a patio at our old house, so when I moved and so I would need a new sidewalk I knew who to call. Derek, the sales person and estimator,arrived right on time and was very professional in suggesting a design for the new sidewalk. He also suggested that we could use some of the existing flagstone to build a pad for our trash cans around the side of the house. they told me they estimated the work would be done at the end of August, but they actually came out two weeks early to do the work. on a hot day, the team worked hard and was very efficient and precise. Mr. Morgado the supervisor was there at the beginning and we discussed and confirmed the work to be done...then he gave clear instructions to the crew. They did a super job, and it looks terrific...attractive and professional. Santos the crew leader confirmed things with me before doing them, like how to handle a tricky step up from the driveway. We are very pleased with the sidewalk and have gotten several compliments on it."
"Romualdo contacted me personally to gather the details about the project. From start to finish he walked me through what would be required and how the process would turn out. I even learned a bit about how concrete works. Romualdo and his team were timely and efficient. I could not have asked for a more professional individual to work with. If you have any concrete projects and are unsure of where to turn consider Romualdo Construction LLC, to assist you."
"Freedom Fence & Deck did an excellent job install our new deck. The sales rep and the workers were friendly and professional. Additionally, I love that the owner of the company is a veteran, and the company offered the best veterans discount compared to the competitive quotes."
"Pro Lawn is a knowledgeable, hardworking, and pleasant landscaper to work with. I cannot imagine working with anyone else. The work they did and the wonderful way in which it was done has made the company my number one. The staff was hardworking and polite. The foreman kept everything on track. The stonemasons were terrific. The plants and trees were first rate."
Yes, brick can breathe through limewash. Limewash is a breathable coating made from natural lime and water, allowing moisture to pass through while providing a protective layer. Unlike synthetic paints or sealants, which can trap moisture within the brick and lead to issues like mold, limewash allows the brick to maintain its natural breathability. This characteristic makes limewash an ideal choice for historic structures where preserving the integrity of the brick is essential.
Yes, concrete is significantly stronger than masonry, especially if the concrete pour includes reinforcements, like steel rebar. Concrete is a uniform material that can withstand compression, sheer force, and tensile force as long as it’s reinforced. Masonry involves the use of mortar or grout to connect individual building materials, like brick, stone, or tile. Mortar and grout are also reasonably strong and resist compression well, but they don’t come close to the strength of poured concrete.
You should generally drill into the mortar joints when installing shutters on brick. Mortar is softer, which makes drilling easier and puts less strain on your tools. It also lowers the risk of cracking a brick—something that’s a lot harder to fix. Mortar holds fasteners well enough for standard shutters, and if you ever need to patch the holes later, it’s a much simpler job than dealing with damaged brick. Just keep in mind that if your mortar joints are too thin or the hardware calls for brick anchoring, you'll need to check the manufacturer’s recommendations and adjust accordingly.
Mortar is a mixture of sand and cement that binds materials, such as bricks, stones, and concrete blocks, together. Think of it as the glue that fills in the gaps between bricks and stones, then seals them in place to prevent damage or deterioration. Mortar also helps spread the load across a wall or structure, keeping cracks and shifting at bay.
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.
The Lanham, MD homeowners’ guide to masonry services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
Find out the average raise a house cost in Washington, DC. Learn what you can expect to pay for local foundation lifting and get your project started today.
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.
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.
