"I am very happy with my deck and exterior of my house. Very professional and dependable. I have hired them to do more with on my home. Definitely will recommend to anyone needing masonry or deck and house washing!!"
"The crawlspace of our 1930s home is small and challenging. Acculevel did a great job removing the old logs and stones that were holding up our floor joists, and replaced them with steel jacks. The men who performed the work were very hard workers. I corresponded with Acculevel via email after the work was performed to get photos and questions answered prior to us paying the invoice. They were very patient in answering all of our questions. It has only been a week, so I can't say whether the work will hold up, but so far our floors seem less squeaky! The only thing I would have changed is the fact that the vapor barrier they installed is not taped at the seams or walls. If you want it taped, make sure to ask for that during the quoting phase."
"James was very honest with me and told me the problem was due to downspouts dumping out at the foundation which needed to be redirected. Leaks were minor and he told me I won't need his services. I tried to pay him for his time and he would not take any money. If and when I need foundation service he will be my first call. Good guy and very professional."
"Elon inspected my foundation to determine what walls were holding water. He took measurements and took time to share a video of the repair he was recommending. I will have four anchors installed on the problem wall at a very fair price."
"Steve Fitch is outstanding. He told me exactly what the the problem is and the step to remedy he also has people to replace the drywall and cabinets. Thank you Steve"
"The representative was honest with respect to their ability to satisfy my needs. The project was not in their "wheelhouse" and they were open about what they could and could not do."
"I was impressed with Chuck from Shamrock Chimney. He was realistic in his discussion and went thru various options from converting to a gas fireplace to wood inserts. He discussed the issues with the existing field stone face and converting to a two way fireplace. He certainly made me comfortable to consider Shamrock should the project move forward."
Yes, an outdoor fireplace should use fire bricks. Fire bricks are specially designed to withstand high levels of heat and thus won’t crack as easily as regular bricks when exposed to the intense heat inside a fireplace.
Whether you’re installing brick siding over a traditionally-framed home or you’re using genuine brick construction to build, the biggest downside of a brick house is the higher cost you’ll pay for the materials and labor. Real brick construction also means your home build will take longer, as it’s more time-consuming to construct brick walls than it is to frame out your home.
A mason lays brick or stone together, sometimes with mortar in between the bricks and stones, and sometimes without mortar, also called a dry-stack or surface bonding. Examples of work masons do include:
Brick, stone, or cement block houses and buildings
Use fire bricks for a brick pizza oven. These bricks are typically used for fireplaces and chimneys as they can withstand high temperatures from heat sources. If you attempt to use any other kind of bricks, it’s likely that this material will crack from such high heat exposure in the best case—and potentially explode and cause serious harm in the worst case.
Cutting stone comes with a number of safety hazards. First and foremost, if you’re not comfortable with the equipment required to cut stone, including blades and grinders, you could easily injure yourself. The heavy machinery also poses a risk to your ears if you don’t wear proper ear protection; similarly, you need to wear eye protection to keep debris from irritating your eyes.
However, the biggest risk from cutting stone comes from the stone dust. When breathed in, stone dust can be a huge hazard to your lungs. Always wear a face mask when cutting stone to prevent inhaling stone dust, and thoroughly clean the work area when you are finished.
To avoid injury, we recommend hiring a stone-cutting professional, rather than attempting this job yourself.
The New Lothrop, MI homeowners’ guide to masonry services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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.
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.
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.
