"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."
"Rigo was fantastic. His price was perfect, he was in and out in two days, and he had a very clear idea of what needed to be completely replaced, and what could just be repaired. That helped with both cost and time. He was able to replace bricks in a way that unified the front, and gave us the curb appeal we had been lacking for years. I look forward to relying on International Brick & Concrete again in the future for my concrete and masonry needs."
"In my back yard I had a leaning brick wall. I called a few masonry places in the area. Most were very expensive so I researched online and found J Sanchez. Jose came over assessed the wall and provided a very reasonable quote. Within a matter of a few days the tore down the original wall and built a new wall. The new wall looks great and he added reenforcement to make sure it would not lean again. When the workers were finished they clean up and put everything back they way they found it. I would definitely call him again if I need any masonry 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!"
"Kenny repaired my Front door threshold. He was very easy to work with. He was always easy to reach by phone or text. He provided excellent service at a reasonable price. I will use K Hill Masonry in the future. I would recommend K Hill Masonry."
""I recently hired J & F Construction to install a new flagstone walkway, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. From the start, Jesus provided a detailed plan and offered great suggestions that improved the overall design. The crew was incredibly hardworking, arriving on time every day and maintaining a clean workspace. The craftsmanship is top-notch—the way they trimmed and set each piece of stone is a true 'masterpiece'. If you want a contractor who is professional, communicative, and delivers high-quality masonry, I highly recommend J & F.""
"In addition to our deck remodel project, we wanted a new stone patio to really finish out the back yard space and a concrete slab to provide a secure foundation for our new hot tub. Johnny, Ricardo, Fabian, and the entire Deck Envy team did an amazing job designing and delivering an amazing patio â turning our old, outdated back yard into a new functional and usable space. Deck Envy is a top-notch company for any deck, patio, and stone project â and we will not hesitate to recommend them to our neighbors, friends, and family. In working with Johnny on our patio/walkway design, Johnny did a fantastic job of offering ways we could take advantage of the natural rock formations in our backyard to lay out the patio to blend in with the free form shapes. Johnny developed a wonderful design that incorporated a space for our new hot tub that kept the natural, free form design look of the rest of the backyard. Johnny's team provided detailed drawings and images for our HOA approval process â and it was clear Deck Envy would be easy to work with, extremely reliable, and deliver an amazing stone patio/walkway. As with our deck remodel, project manager Ricardo did a fantastic job of securing the permits, communicating the requirements to the crew, and ensuring everything was done in a timely and quality manner. He did a great job of ensuring we were always up to speed on the status of the project and next steps. For the construction, Fabian and his crew did an amazing job building the stone walkway â exceeding our expectations with the finished project by even reassembling our old stone wall that had to be repositioned. Fabian and his crew ensured that the hot tub concrete slab was sound and able to withstand the hot tub weight â poured in a way to flow and connect to the new stone walkway. The overall look is absolutely stunning, and we couldnâ t be more pleased with our new backyard oasis."
"After some discussion we decided to have all of it repointed as well just the necessary repairs. I must say that was the right choice as it looks great. All of the mortar joints were redone, a few cracked bricks were replaced, and the steps are once again complete and solid. Great work."
"They came with a large crew and did the work quickly. One part (fixing stone retaining walls) was very quick and they did an excellent job. The second (fixing the cement grouting on a flagstone walkway) was an excellent result but created a huge mess when the ground out grout was blown all over the front and stuck like glue to plants. The third (fixing a large flag stone patio with a soft grout compound) was not well done at all and created a really bad mess when the dry rubbery joint compound was blown around and stuck everywhere, even under my grill cover. That joint compound is also coming up in less than a year. So, traditional masonry work was done very well but with a huge mess, but they could not handle more modern material and do a consistent job."
"It went very well, but not without some minor communication issues which happens with just about every contractor. Bill did an excellent job reviewing what work I needed to have done. He presented several options and prepared an estimate. After I compared other estimates from other contractors, I decided to go with Custom Masonry based not only on the excellent reviews on Angie's list, but in the confidence I had in Bill and the workers. While not the cheapest price, Custom Masonry's price was very competitive. The only hiccup was the first day when the workers did not know exactly what needed to be done vis-a-vis the walkway design. After a couple of phone calls between the lead supervisor, myself and Bill, everything was resolved. The rest of the work proceeded smoothly and the workers did an outstanding job in both quality of work and cleaning up after each work day. I would heartily recommend Custom Masonry for any masonry work!"
Modern brick homes have a brick facade over standard framing and sheathing, so the brick offers minimal added structural stability. A home with traditional brick construction is more durable than a stick-built home, as the double-layer brick walls and rebar resist higher lateral wind loads and support heavier loads up top, as well.
Initially, brick staining is not cheaper than painting. However, while it has a higher up-front cost, it may be more cost-effective in the long run. Brick stain can last for 20 years or longer, compared to paint, which usually starts to peel away in three to five years.
While painting can certainly change the look of a chimney, you should think twice about giving your brick chimney the old landlord special.
Painting brick is porous, meaning it’s full of tiny holes that can soak up moisture. Those holes also allow it to dry, though. So, when you paint it, you trap any moisture inside, providing an opportunity for mold, mildew, and water damage.
Paint also shows wear faster than naked brick. This means that once you paint a brick surface, you’ll have to keep painting it to maintain a clean look. A paint job is also harder to undo on brick because of its porous nature. Once you paint it, it’s hard to go back without some serious power washing—another added cost.
Clean regularly, check for cracks, and inspect the chimney annually for safety.
To stain brick, you should use a product specifically formulated for brick, concrete, or other masonry surfaces. These stains are designed to penetrate the porous surface of the brick and bond with it. This is different from paint, which sits on the surface and is prone to peeling, flaking, and trapping moisture that can cause damage. Water-based brick stains are often recommended because they are easy to apply, even for DIYers, and they allow the brick to breathe. Avoid using regular paint on brick, as it will not adhere properly and can lead to future maintenance problems.
The Dunn Loring, VA 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.
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