"David and his team were by far one of the best contractors worked with to date. Both David and his team were consistently responsive, timely, efficient, courteous and diligent in assuring my satisfaction with every phase of the job -- and, affordable. After vetting several other vendors, the quote provided by David was the most cost-effective. Striking about David, the team and services provided; was that not only was the job affordable; but David demonstrated integrity and honesty; a not so commonplace find these days. Category: Masonry"
"Rigo’s team did an outstanding job repairing my two chimneys and a brick wall along my driveway, and they pressure washed the patio. I would definitely hire them again and recommend them to respond to your masonry and repair work. Great job!"
"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."
"If you need any driveway, concrete, or masonry work, MJ Paving and Masonry should be your go-to people! They did an amazing job on my new driveway, at a great price, and Miley was even willing to fix some loose bricks from my front path as well as fill in some missing concrete at no extra cost. The communication was top notch and I felt like I was genuinely cared for as a customer, especially at the intial consultation. You won't regret it!"
"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!"
"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Fabian, and the entire Deck Envy team did an amazing job designing and delivering an amazing patio â turning our old, outdated back yard into a new functional and usable space.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."
"Jesus and his team did a great job repairing our broken brick walkway. It only took them a few hours to repair it and it looks great. We highly recommend J&F construction."
"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."
"Custom Masonry was one of several companies we contacted based on neighborhood recommendations. They provided a prompt estimate that was very reasonable and a very quick timeline. They showed up on time and ready to work with only a couple hiccups in communication. We realized belatedly the masonry cap the team installed was incorrect, but Custom Masonry was extremely responsive. They immediately replied to our concerns and sent the team back out to correct the mistake. We would absolutely use them again and we have recommended them to several of our other neighbors. "
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.
In some cases, black stains on brick are caused by organic substances like algae and mold. However, it's more likely that the black spots you're noticing on your bricks come from carbon from vehicle exhaust or soot. Black stains can usually be removed by scrubbing the brick with a brush and masonry cleaner or power washing.
Yes, masonry is more expensive than concrete because the labor is much more involved. With masonry, your expert will build your project from the ground up, one piece at a time, ensuring they use the proper amount of mortar or grout during construction and keeping the project level or plumb. Pouring concrete can also be labor-intensive, but it’s a bit less involved. It requires building a mold, pouring the concrete, and letting it cure. The less intensive labor makes concrete a more affordable option in most cases.
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.
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.
The Pimmit Hills, 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 raise a house cost in Washington, DC. Learn what you can expect to pay for local foundation lifting and get your project started today.
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.
