"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."
"Of all the things they did with excellence, value for the money was best! They exceeded my expectations and provided an excellent construction at a competitive or lower price than the three other bids I got. Construction roadblocks were met with consultations and excellent solutions, without complaint or comment by Ricardo, the project manager, and Alfonso and the crew just kept on working until the job was done. I had been dreading this project for years, but Deck Envy were quick, courteous, and professional, making the process totally without hassle. They helped with planning and the HOA, took care of county inspections, and registered the materials warranty for me. I couldn't be happier!"
"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."
"This is the third time we've used Horizon Landscaping for masonry work, and they have done consistently excellent work for a fair price. We strongly recommend them."
"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 have been meaning to share how wonderful XtraCare Landscaping is for some time. It was raining when I took photos, so I will update with photos from a sunny day when everything is dry (and a fresh coat of mulch is down). We cannot say enough good things about this company and their teams. Top Notch customer service and care. They are experts and professionals at every stage. They were extremely responsive and understanding whenever we had questions. This is our second time using XtraCare for a patio. We had a small flagstone patio installed at our previous home in Maryland. It was beautiful, and they guided us through each step, including going to the stone quarry to select the exact stone color, size & shape. We were extremely happy. We since moved to Northern Virginia, and after getting several quotes from local companies here, we were not feeling a comfort level for the design process and customer care with any of them, as we were spending a good amount of money on a much larger patio, this was a big deal. We were not sure if XtraCare would come to Virginia, but since we had such a great experience, we gave them a call and were thrilled to be able to work with them again! We instantly felt comfortable with the process, and knew we would have a beautiful patio, that would last. They guided us through each step with patience, attention to detail and understood the vision we had for our outdoor living space. We wanted a mixture of textures and ability to have different zones of functionality, including an area for trash storage and deck boxes tucked away, as well as a fire pit and pathways. We are beyond in love with our new outdoor space, and look forward to making many memories entertaining and enjoying it with family and friends. I will add that my parents used them for a small stone landing and some stone retaining walls around their trees and garden beds, and also had a wonderful experience. We can't thank the XtraCare team enough...Cleber, Mari & CJ, as well as their hardscape & landscape crews. They exceeded our expectations each time. We would recommend them in a heartbeat, and will be using them again as new projects arise."
""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.""
"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."
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.
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.
If your old bricks are in decent condition and you have the space to store them where they’ll be protected from the elements, keeping old bricks is often worthwhile. You’d spend anywhere from $70 to a few hundred dollars to have them removed from your property, in which case you won’t be able to use them for future projects. Holding on to old bricks in good condition means you can use them later for other DIY projects, potentially saving yourself some money on disposal and new materials down the road.
You should use cement for a chimney crown. The purpose of the chimney crown is to protect the mortar below from water damage and the effects of weather. For this reason, chimney crowns should only be made using cement. When repairing a crown, use caulks and sealants designed for cement repair rather than mortar repair.
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.
The Mclean, 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 brick or stone fireplace installation cost in Washington, D.C. Learn what you can expect to pay for local masonry and venting services.
Find out the average brick or stone fireplace installation cost in Baltimore, MD. Learn what you can expect to pay for local masonry and installation services.
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.
