"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."
"Fantastic experience from beginning to end. I'm very happy I went with Joe's company. They are absolute professionals and I could see everyday watching their progress, that they are concerned with quality. Joe had great communication with me throughout the whole process, and they were able to finish on time despite all the rain we were getting. I will definitely hire him again in the future for any masonry."
"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. "
"Project went very well. Horace and Vic showed up on schedule, explained clearly what they would be doing, kept me apprised of the progress as the job was performed, and walked me through the results. I was a bit surprised by the price for the work, but this was the only company that responded and committed to do the work, so I really don't have a good comparison price point. Note that the process was NOT mudjacking, but jacking and reinforcement with a poly product that offers many benefits over mudjacking."
"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. "
Yes, you can limewash surfaces other than brick. Plaster, stone, stucco, and concrete can all also be limewashed. Any porous surface that will absorb the wash is a good candidate for limewash, although it won’t help much with waterproofing. If you choose to limewash over paint, you’ll need to prep before applying it to avoid a powdery, chalky finish. Shiny surfaces like metal or glass can’t absorb limewash, so it’s not suited for these.
You may not need a hammer drill if you’re planning on drilling one or two very small diameter holes in brick. For holes with a diameter of 3/16-inch or less, a regular drill with a masonry bit can do the job. However, the bit will heat up quickly, and the process will take significantly longer than with a hammer drill. Prepare to cool your drill bit down in a bucket of water more often.
Yes! Hot glue is an excellent—and temporary—way to spread holiday cheer with Christmas lights without damaging your brick exterior.
You can use a regular drill to make pilot holes for gutter brackets in the wooden fascia board around the top of your house, but it’s not the best tool for brick. Instead, you’ll need a heavy-duty power tool like a hammer drill with a carbide tip bit.
No, you don’t need to soak the brick before cutting it by hand. In fact, cutting a wet brick can make it harder to see your score lines and may cause the chisel to slip. Soaking is sometimes used with power tools to reduce dust, but for hand-cutting, it’s best to work with dry bricks for better control and visibility.
The Saint Paul, 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.
