Our front entrance was leaky and after 30 years didn't look so great from repairs. Our brick lined walkway and driveway were recently done, but the brick did not match our chimney or the front entrance. I had several on-site estimates but Jason actually offered design suggestions (concerning brick type and a small stone pathway). Huge help! Because after watching them demo, then strengthen, waterproof and rebuild the entrance and remove and replace the lined walkway and driveway, we could not be happier! All the brick is matching and after Jason's suggestion to visit a brickyard, we now have colors in the front of our house that match the various natural elements. This design element has made a huge difference! They were super communicative during the process and took time to answer my copious questions and at times address my suggestions (I learned from them!). Thank you!!! read more

International Masonry Specialists - Masonry/Concrete Near Me

My house was built in 1910 and my fireplace chimney looked every day of those 111 years. Of all the estimates I got, Jason Wady at International Masonry Specialists always got back to me, either by phone or by email. He was very understanding that to access the work, they had to use my neighbors' driveway. They did fantastic work, but beyond that they were so clean and conscientious. I won't forget. read more

Jason and Darren are fantastic! Recently purchased a home, and knew my chimney and fireplace needed some work, but had no idea how much work really needed to be done. Had a company come out for a cleaning and inspection, and they quoted me upwards of $34,000 for a complete rebuild, saying my chimney would fall in on itself in 1-2 years. Yikes. Was not expecting that and went into full panic mode. But then thought - what if I find a real mason to look at it. Did some research and found International Masonry Specialists. Jason is super responsive, thorough, honest, and overall very helpful. Jason was out to do the inspection in a few days, went over everything that he saw needed work, went through my options, and then even got me on my roof and showed me places on my roof that needed repairs and showed me exactly how to repair my own roof with supplies he had in his truck - which was a day before a big storm was coming in! I mean, come on - it doesn't get better than this. Not only did they do an amazing job fixing my fireplace and chimney, but they took time out of their day to help this first-time homeowner learn how to do basic repairs by herself! Note, Jason said my chimney and fireplace did NOT need to be completely rebuilt and was not going to fall apart in 1-2 years as the last chimney company said. Jason and Darren did all of the repairs for a very reasonable amount, had the job done in 2 days, cleaned up everything, and were fun to chat with too! If you are looking for honest, reputable, true masons - look no further. I will recommend them to everyone I know. You will be in great hands with International Masonry Specialists! read more

I was quoted $200 for a chimney inspection and cleaning. When Jason came to do the work, he was 15 min early which was nice. I had a good feeling that things were going to go smoothly. We spoke for about 10 minutes about the work I was looking to do, about what was and wasn't possible. He then proceeded to do the inspection. He was only outside for about 5 min when he came back in and asked me to come outside and look. He showed me where my chimney was cracked at the roof line and discussed the various options for repair. Gave me a verbal quote of 10K to restore it or 1K to take it down to a safe level and reinforce it (which would mean we'd have to convert to a gas insert). At this stage I was feeling a bit upset that there was more damage than expected, but it needed to be handled and so I decided a gas insert would be the best route. As we discussed further, Jason kept insisting that gas inserts cost $5K and above even though I've seen them online for a large range of prices and some pretty nice ones around $2K. He insisted you get what you pay for which is usually true but in this case he wasn't willing to even discuss options with me. When the inspection was done, he told me there was so much work to do that it didn't make sense to clean it, that the cleaning can be done after. Then he charged me $180 for the inspection alone, which seemed a bit high given the cost of both would have only been $20 more. He then proceeded to make a big deal about running a gas line and how expensive it would be. He wouldn't explain why and seemed short tempered and too rushed to answer my questions. Before he left he said he would email me a quote, which I requested be itemized so I could pick and choose which work to prioritize. A week later he sent me a list of work to be done with a flat price of nearly $11,000 and when I asked for an itemized quote, he replied in short that he was "too busy to break everything down". Why would I agree to an $11K job without knowing what exactly I'm paying for? From our discussion the $11K seemed quite high and I wanted to know how it all broke out. It literally would have taken 10min. He already broke the work out and named his price. His response was rude and definitely did not win him the job. I would not recommend working with Jason Wady unless your rich, don't care where your money goes, and don't mind poor manners and crappy service. read more

International Masonry Specialists - Too busy to itemize an $11K quote? What? Not a way to win my business. - Masonry/Concrete Near Me

We contacted Jason in November 2019 to assess our crumbling chimney. He was able to propose a fix with several options to repair or replace. We chose to repair the brick chimney to retain the aesthetics. Then we elected to put in gas logs in the fireplace. Jason provided a cost estimate within a few days and said he could have the entire job completed in January. He and his brother Darren were able to start early (before Christmas). Jason took care of the permitting with City of Berkeley and the project was underway. They both worked quickly and efficiently taking out the old brick (to be reused in the rebuild), putting in rebar to make it structurally sound, and rebuilding both the top and the base of the chimney. They worked with us thru the holiday period and had the project completely done with final inspection by the end of January. We made reasonable periodic payments and the project was completed timely and within budget. The gas fireplace works great, the chimney is rock solid, and we are totally happy with their professionalism, craftsmanship and getting the job done right. They know what they are doing! We would highly recommend them for any masonry projects. read more

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Prompt clear communication. Great assessment and execution. Able to be flexible. Very professional and competent.

In the 1920's, the owners of our property built an outdoor brick fireplace with brick seating and a rectangular patio area in front of the fireplace. When we bought the property, the fireplace was unusable and near collapse while the floor of the patio had deteriorated from sewer lateral changes and other drainage issues. We wanted to preserve the original painted red brick look, but restore the fireplace and everything else to modern standards. We chose International Masonry Specialists because they are brickwork experts and understood how to achieve this, including using the existing bricks. It was slow, painstaking work but we were consistently impressed with their skill and attention to detail. We have been very happy with the outcome, especially their care in making sure that drainage to a central drainage grate worked perfectly. We are very happy with their work and recommend them very highly. read more

International Masonry Specialists - 3 months after work completed and rains - Masonry/Concrete Near Me

Jason and his brother were incredible! I can't believe how they saved our ancient, crumbly chimneys. We had them do inserts in our fireplaces as well and it was worth every penny to have such meticulous work done. I can't recommend them enough. read more

We are pleased to highly recommend International Masonry Specialists. Jason, Darren and their crew replaced an approximately 50 foot flagstone front walkway with five separate sets of steps and rebuilt a small attached side wall at our Berkeley home, all of which had cracked and subsided. First, they dug out the existing flagstone, saving as much as possible to keep the look the same, then jack hammered out the existing cement base, laid rebar under all of the base, poured a new cement base and meticulously measured, cut and laid flagstone pieces to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. After demolition and before laying a new cement base they discovered a collapsed drainpipe under the walkway which they dug out and replaced. They also installed a drain clean-out for the new drainpipe for our future use. They had the foresight to lay PVC tubing under the walkway before the new cement base was poured so that if we need to run wiring below the walkway in the future there is a conduit there. While working on the walkway they also reinforced some of the existing stone on the side of our house where it meets the walkway. We mention all these details to illustrate that Jason, Darren and company are craftsmen able to deal with unexpected surprises and always thinking about how to do an excellent job. They were incredibly hard working, on time every day, completed the job more quickly than we could have imagined, and left the job site neat and tidy. The finished results look fantastic and we are very pleased. Highly recommended! read more

This is not a review on this man's work. Scheduled an appointment to meet him at my house at 2:30pm and bid on a job. I left work early to meet him, and my clock said I was home by 2:25. I then proceeded to wait in the yard with my dog for him. At 2:36 he texts me to say he left after waiting around. So clearly our watches are off. Guessing He didn't need the job because he has plenty of others. Calls to follow up and says it sounds like this isn't going to work out. I respond that if he doesn't want to job he doesn't have to put in a bid for it. read more

We hired Jason to re-tile and re-design a 100 year old fireplace in our home and he and his brother did a brilliant job. In addition to being a terrific mason, Jason communicates extremely well and does exactly what he says he's going to do, when he says he's going to do it. Jason and his brother work efficiently, neatly, and as quietly as possible, always cleaning up well at the end of the workday. Because the brickwork in the fireplace was very old, the job required some improvisation and re-building, all of which was completed with great precision. Jason communicates very clearly and was thorough in quoting costs of additional work. We could not be happier with the results, and I think the price was very fair. I would recommend this company without hesitation. read more

Jason and Darren had to demo half of our chimney and then rebuild it. Such a big job and I think they did it to perfection. It not only looks great but is now safe and sound. They went above and beyond in making sure it was safer than code required and we are so thankful. They were also super communicative, timely and all around nice guys. We'd totally work with them again. read more

I selected Jason and his team to take down an old wooden retaining wall and replace it with a dry stack wall. I am very pleased with the results. Jason's crew did an excellent job with this project. The demolition was fast and efficient. The dry stack rock wall is like a piece of art. All those large rocks were carefully put together into one really attractive wall. I was amazed at how they got the top of the wall to be almost a perfectly flat surface all the way from one end of the wall to the other. These people are real craftsmen who seem to be masters of their trade and proud of their work. I am absolutely delighted with the work they did, and I highly recommend them read more

We hired International Masonry to rebuild a brick patio that had been leaking into our basement. The owner, Jason, knew exactly how to solve the leakage problem and completed the work promptly. He found some dry rot in the house structure around the patio and repaired that also. He and his brother communicated with us well during the process and maintained a neat job site. I heartily recommend them! read more

We hired International Masonry Specialists to install a gas log in our home. The workmanship was great, and they were on time and on budget. They cleaned up after their work, and did not break or disturb anything. The gas log works well, looks great, and allows us to have a fire without emitting wood smoke. We highly recommend their services. read more

We had Jason and his brother Darren repair and build a new brick porch and entryway a few years ago and they did such a great job that we continually receive compliments on. Just recently we had them build a brick wall and entry pillars using the same clinker bricks and again they did a fabulous job. Based on these two results of their work, we would highly recommend them. read more

Jason and his team laid a beautiful brick patio in our backyard. They also replaced a concrete path by the side of our house. The work was meticulous. The team stayed on schedule. Jason was direct and easy to communicate with. It was a completely hassle-free experience and the end product was better than we imagined. It's always a bit of a challenge getting construction work done at my house because my husband has his contractor's license (even though he doesn't actually do any building any more) so he has strong opinions about how this type of work should get done. He had absolutely no complaints about International Masonry Specialists' work. You can also check out their excellent reviews on Berkeley Parents Network which is how I learned about them. read more

Jason and his crew just completed a brick patio and I could not be happier with the result. He is an artist as well as a great mason; he does what he says on time and isolates the project so that nothing surrounding gets damaged. I have used his business twice and would have no hesitation to engage him again. read more

I contacted IMS about our chimney- we had just purchased a house in Novato and our inspection revealed potentially serious problems. Jason came out on a a Saturday to suit my schedule, did a thorough inspection and despite knowing we had already been given a much higher quote gave me a much lower and fair and reasonable quote. He explained exactly what the problem was and how it could be fixed; with his experience and knowledge made me completely comfortable- you know you can trust this firm. They did the work quickly, left everything immaculate and our chimney is now as good as new. I'd use these guys for any masonry work i needed. Top job. read more

We were told due to the extremely small size of our 107 year old fireplace, we could not instal a gas insert. However after inspecting our fireplace and chimney thoroughly Jason said he could do it no problem. The installation was done efficiently , neatly and as quietly as possible and now we have a beautiful new tiled hearth and a lovely direct vent gas insert that works with the press of a button. Very happy with the result! read more

Jason and Darren did an amazing job ripping out an old patio and replacing with beautiful pavers, as well as replacing a very steep stairway. They are very detailed oriented, and were a pleasure to have working at our house in the Oakland hills. Are considering having them doing more work on our driveway. read more

We had to take our old brick chimney down halfway due to its age and instability. Jason and Darren did a great job making the necessary repairs to our chimney and rebuilding it from the smoke chamber up to its former height. They also restored our old, cracked fireplace inside and installed a new gas line and shut off valve. For the duration of the project Jason and Darren were communicative and reliable, and they ultimately provided good quality work at a reasonable cost. read more

Jason and his crew did a beautiful job building a rock retaining wall around my oak tree. The house was built around the tree and dirt brought in to level the plot so the basal flare of the tree is below grade. The yard was an eye sore before with dirt threatening to cave in around the trunk, but now I'm happy to look at my yard! They were punctual, professional and cleaned up after themselves. Best of all, the cost was very reasonable. I highly recommend this company! read more

Jason, Darren, and Ken removed the huge chimney from my pre-1920 craftsman house and replaced the fireplaces with gas logs. They did a beautiful job in a very reasonable amount of time, and were careful to keep everything clean and tidy. They're great to work with and I highly recommend them. read more

Jason and his crew did a complete rebuild of our exterior brick chimney. They showed great respect for the integrity of the older building and unique brickwork, as well as the fact that they were working in a neighbor's driveway! They were prompt and efficient and a really nice bunch of folk - a pleasure to work with. read more

Jason and his crew were fantastic. They completely rebuilt the brick wall in front of our 1924 building with meticulous care. When leaking pipes were discovered behind the original brick when it was was taken down, Jason quickly got us bids and coordinated the repair of pipes. He also came up with a more cost-effective design for allowing ventilation under our building. The building looks fantastic. They were very professional. The price was reasonable. We could not be more pleased. read more

Wow, just wow!!! His work is amazing, and he is so detail orientated. I love his integrity and work ethic, plus his prices are too low for the craftsmanship he provides. Get him to perform your work now before he realizes this. read more

I called Jason to deal with a difficult problem with a chimney at our old Berkeley house. We had a tall ceramic extension installed on the chimney about 10 years ago, so that it would draw better, and that worked, but it was very difficult to clean. Eventually the damper got stuck. We had two chimney sweeps come out and they looked at and said they couldn't help. It was a very steep roof and the chimney extension had been improperly installed and made it essentially impossible to properly clean or fix the damper. Jason figured out how to modify the chimney so the top could be removed, the damper fixed and the chimney cleaned. So we now have a functioning chimney. It was all done very efficiently. I'm expect Jason (and his brother) can clean a chimney as well as anyone, but the point of this review is that he can solve difficult problems with fireplaces and chimneys beyond the ability of a typical chimney sweep. read more