GERGS CONSTRUCTION

The estimate was to repair a leaky chimney. When tuckpointing fails, the faulty joints need to be ground out and replaced. Gerg's put a 1/4" skim coat--basically a very expensive bandaid--over the problem. This didn't become apparent until their repair failed a couple years later. We contracted another tuckpointer (Citywide) to repoint the chimneys for a second time in 5 years. Gerg's "repairs" were so inadequate--and basically just crumbled off over the course of a couple years--that the new tuckpointers indicated you could see all the way through the chimney in a couple spots. With very little force, the chimney could be pushed over.
The most aggravating part of this ordeal: Gerg's charged DOUBLE what Citywide charged. Many bargain tuckpointers hastily slap a skim coat over bad joints and charge you accordingly, but Gergs' fees exceeded even the more buttoned-up companies. And while Gerg's charged double for doing practically nothing, Citywide practically rebuilt each chimney, grinding out each and every joint (as Gerg's should have done) and resetting quite a few bricks.
IAnd unfortunately, there was no way to know that Gerg's work was shoddy until it failed a couple years later (a skim coat looks no different to the untrained eye).
Gerg's did not return my calls inquiring about warrantied work.
The lesson: insist your tuckpointer indicate--specifically and in writing--whether he will grind out bad joints and to what depth. Bonus points if they are willing to guarantee their work for a certain period of time. And, of course, avoid Gerg's.