"John Stone did the initial assessment and explained our options including financing. Alfonso Cobos and Mihail Gadjelor installed basement gutters and supports to stabilize our front porch. They were responsive and kept us informed of schedule adjustments. All JES employees were clearly experienced and answered any questions we had."
"We are very satisfied with Shamrock. When we requested an estimate for our projects, they quickly provided a clear, reasonable quote, and all our questions were answered. After we accepted the proposal, they showed up next week and completed the work. Everything we needed was done very well. Highly recommended."
"John the project manager was VERY helpful and knowledgeable in getting things lined up for my basement batt insulation project, the guys did an excellent job and it was complete in less that 2 days."
"This was a very involved plaster repair and remediation job, in a very old house. Grady is the only person (or company) who was willing to take on the job and drive all the way from Pennsylvania to our home in Northern Virginia. There are very few people who do this kind of work anymore (we really searched) and he is an expert in his field. We needed to work around his schedule, because he is in demand in the tri-state area, so it took awhile to schedule the work to begin... but it was worth it."
"Fernando was on time, professional, careful, and clean. Before starting the masonry repair, he and his assistant taped heavy paper to the floor to minimize, dust, dirt and damage to any surrounding areas. Fernando worked straight through the job until it was completed in one day. The job was done well and at a price well below other bids I received. Fernando brought his son, who is fluent in English, to help answer any questions I had about the job while it was going on. After the job was complete, I checked the work and the new wall section was straight and matched up with the old existing section of the retaining wall. I spent about 1/3 of the price of my highest bid I received. His bid was comparable with my lowest bid from another contractor."
I needed Joe and his son Tony on two occasions over the past two months. Each time, I was met with friendly, on time service and very fair pricing. Joe is very conscientious about doing a good job, and I like the chemistry he and his son have. They work well together, fast and efficient.
Joe takes great pride in his work. Of course, I'm in a rush to get things done, but after a particularly rainy weekend, Joe completed half my job one day and recommended that I wait two more days to let the bricks dry out as the humidity and moisture in the bricks were making the job look presentable but not right. Joe wanted to do it right, which I respect.
I would use Brick Solutions again and again, and I would have no problem referring them to anyone else.
"Provider was suppose to return and finish laying sand on the patio. Since job was very close to complete, I paid him rather than wait. I never heard from him again. The sand has since washed out in spots and another provider is correcting the situation with polymeric sand. Other than the sand issue, the patio looks good in the way it is laid out. Provider was punctual, and the project went very fast considering it was in the middle of the winter. "
"The gentlemen were kind, courteous and respectful. As I mention above, my slab was 8ft by 16 ft. Along one 16ft edge, the slab had dropped by about 4 inches. I don't know when it was installed, but I would guess it was part of the original construction (1954), and was enclosed probably in the 70s. The gentlemen arrived with 1 2ft bubble level and 2 digital levels which were perhaps 1ft in length. From there, they proceeded to place their 2 ft level so that its end touched the 16ft edge, the opposite end parallel to the 8ft dimension. They raised the level so the buble was centered and marked the adjacent brick wall about 1 inch up from its base. Did I mention the slab is 8 ft wide in the parallel dimension to their level? Did I mention the slab had dropped about 4 inches along that 16ft edge? I suggested they use my 4 ft level instead, which they really didn't, relying in their 2dt and 1ft levels instead. They raised the dropped edge about 2 inched, and the whole slab about one inch, resulting in the edge which was down 4 inches, being down only 3 inches now. At this point, cracks began to precipitate in the slab, so they suggested we stop, which I agreed. Then they suggested my 4ft level was inaccurate, and that their 2ft level was more accurate, reporting the slab only slightly out of level. At that point, I stacked their level on top of mine, and demonstrated that their level centered the bubble before mine did, but when my bubble was centered, so was theirs; their level was inaccurate with respect to mine! In the end I was told that, once the foam was fully cured, I could get a subsequent leveling. Unfortunately, they had no more open appointments until March. Meanwhile, that slab was under my laundry room, which I removed, temporarily supporting the roof with beams on the surrounding ground, and engineered joists. Since I'd rather wash my clothes at home than wait til March, I decided to level the build a floor over the slab instead, as the foundation for the new laundry room structure (enclosing the plumbing for the laundry room might also prove useful when the outside temperature falls below freezing soon). To be fair, when the job was quoted, I asked about the ability to lift the entire structure, and was assured that wouldn't be a problem, so the guy who quoted the job did not know I would tear the structure down. However, he surely knew there was a chance the slab would crack, and that if it did, they would not be able to address the remainder of the leveling until March. My general review is this: * Admit to the problems which could occur up front so that the consumer can make a wise choice, rather than selling the job with promises of making the slab level. I have no doubt that, give the time, they could make it level. But starting the job in October, and finishing it in March is not acceptable. * Have proper equipment and train your people to use it. Showing up with a 2ft bubble level and 1 ft digital levels, then not understanding that the lift indicated by a 2ft level, when brought to level, is only 1/4th the lift needed for an 8ft span is rank naivete on levels and similar triangles. Not knowing that the pinch of the vile, (or likely the curve, in the vile is offset to one edge, as their 2fter was) determines the accuracy of the level was just the final blow for my assessment of their competence. The fact that I wound up doing exactly what I was trying to avoid; build a wooden platform which was level on top of the sloped slab, makes it seem like a complete waste of $1700 to have them come to my house. I only hope that the result of the foam pumping is that any voids under the slab were filled, and that it now has a foundation under it which will not erode further. I am certain they do fine work, and the price I paid was in line with what i was expecting. The workmanship and apparent level of competence, however, was disappointing."
"Was a great experience from start to finish. I had 3 estimates and John's by far was the best. The job was done in 2 days and the .crew was exceptional. They left the job site pristine. I will definitely use Rife Remodeling again for future projects ."
"When they inspected my chimney they discovered that my chimney was was never rebuilt correctly, they took pictures that showed mortar was only partially applied and there were cracks . They filled in and sealed what was needed. They also advised me to have my chimney cleaned after burning a cord of word. They offered a warranty on their work and will keep a record of what was done with the pictures. I was pleased especially after I have had more the a few companies clean my chimney and even had one iinstall an insert and no one ever mentioned the condition of my chimney. "
If you’re attempting to mix and pour your own mortar, expect to pay between $5 to $10 for an 80-pound bag of mix. The cost to repair mortar, however, can range from $300 to $500 for a 20-square-foot wall. The larger the area and the more extensive the repair, the higher the cost.
Masonry uses units like bricks, cement blocks, and stone with mortar between them. Mortar is generally made of sand and a type of cement. Examples of masonry include the brick or stone on a house, chimney, or freestanding wall. Concrete is a mixture of water, sand, stone aggregate, and other materials, and is poured into forms or moldings. Types of concrete applications include driveways, garage and basement floors, and poured concrete walls in basements and crawl spaces.
Choose from an abundance of natural and synthetic options when perfecting your hardscape design. Stone veneer costs a bit less, holds up against the tests of time and weather, and also works best in curves and complex walls.
Natural stone, however, provides an organic look to a lawn while providing just as much strength as veneer. Don't forget you can chat with your mason about other common wall materials like brick, cinderblock, and 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.
Not all cracks in brick indicate foundation problems. For instance, small hairline cracks can occur as a new construction settles. However, larger cracks are often a sign of a more severe issue. Indicators of a potential foundation problem include long horizontal cracks, "stair-step" cracks, vertical cracks that appear indoors, or any crack that widens at the top. Other signs of structural damage to look for are uneven floors and doors or windows that stick. These issues could be caused by problems with the soil beneath the home or an overgrown tree.
The Grundy, VA 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.
