Unprofessional, Sloppy Work, and Broken Promises - Cost Me $19K Total…read more I hired this contractor for a $15,000 project to parge the rear of my rowhouse. I chose his middle quote and specifically showed him my neighbors' well-done walls for reference. He assured me he could provide a nice, even gray sponge finish to match the front of my house. Instead, he cut corners and delivered completely unacceptable work: Bait-and-Switch on Materials: His quote explicitly included adding metal lathe to the exterior using stainless steel fasteners. On day one of the job, he abruptly changed his mind, claiming he had a "better way to do it." It wasn't better--it was just cheaper for him. Sloppy Application: The mortar was applied unevenly, leaving splotchy colors and completely exposed brick in several areas. Visible Brick Lines: Because he skipped the proper preparation, the brick lines were completely visible right away. He claimed it just needed to "dry," but 6 months later, it still looks terrible. Refused to Complete Repairs: When confronted, he admitted the walls were uneven and claimed painting would fix it. He painted only the back wall, then flat-out refused to paint the two larger dog-leg walls, stating he was "out a ton of money" and "didn't have the funds." Financial Pressure: Halfway through the project, he pressured me into releasing the second payment early, citing his own "cash flow issues." Validation & Extra Costs: I had to pay an additional $4,000 to an independent painting company to finish the dog-leg walls. Even the professional painters pointed out how poorly the mortar was applied, specifically highlighting that it was applied "very thin" at the top of the house. Paying $15,000 for a botched job, cutting corners on the contract, and then shelling out another $4,000 to clean up his mess is a nightmare. Avoid this mason at all costs.

Tom was one of the best contractors I have hired. He installed a short retaining wall in the front…read moreand back of my row home. His prices were more than reasonable for the quality of the work. He showed up on time, did not bother us at all, and left no mess. Most importantly two years later, the wall looks great.

I hired PointingPlus to repoint the back wall of my 1920 Petworth rowhouse because the mortar had…read morebeen deteriorating and bricks becoming insecure, which had become apparent when the paint that the prior owners had applied on the wall prior to their sale began peeling. PointingPlus did an exceptional job, n0ot only repointing the wall, but addressing other critical issues which became apparent during the process. I had requested a quote from PointingPlus, as well as from several other companies, for the repointing work after reviewing on-line information, talking to other home owners with older homes, and asking neighbors about their contractors when I saw that someone was having repointing done on their houses. One of the factors that was critical to me was experience and the approach to repointing "soft" brick (generally that used in houses up to the mid-1920s) because it requires different mortar than what was and still is typically used for new brick, which is made differently and is harder. It was also important to me that the contractor I hired had broader construction experience because I knew there were other issues with my wall that would need to be addressed, and that they evidenced a flexibility to be able to discuss with me and address such issues. Price was also a large consideration. Daniel Palousek, the owner of PointingPlus, has a passion for historical brick work, and he and his business, a Mission of repairing and restoring the brickwork on old homes and buildings in the DC area. He learned construction when he was growing up. The PointingPlus website explains how he got into old brick work and his experience/training. When I met him prior to his submitting an estimate for the work, his love for the work and end result was apparent, as was his flexibility and interest in addressing more than brick and mortar issues. (I needed some work on the roof flashing covering the top layers of brick as well as on a window sill on the top story that was rotting, among some other issues he identified during his work and addressed after discussing approach with me.) The price of his estimate was not the lowest, but was also not close to being the highest against a $30,000 difference between the lowest and highest estimates I received. He more than met criteria that were important to me and prior to finalizing my decision I asked to look at some buildings that PointingPlus had done work on; the work on them was excellent. I am very pleased with what PointingPlus did (and with Daniel. who did the work). And the process of the work went well, the communication between him and me excellent (and I learned a heck of a lot more than I knew about brick and mortar, which I also find very interesting, among other things). I strongly recommend PointingPlus to others, and expect that I will be in touch with Daniel again as I become aware of and seek to address issues on my 100+ year old home.

Pointing Plus is excellent at what they do. They are reasonably priced, responsible during every…read morestep of a project, and exceptional at communication. Their approach is comprehensive and once engaged they are clear about the process, timing and expected results. Pointing Plus easily navigated the many challenges and permitting that comes with working on a historic building (circa 1895) in an historic neighborhood. They approached the 125+ year old façade with care and an extensive knowledge about mortar, color, scaffolding, and structure. And, given that the building had never been repointed, as part of the process large sections of the facade had to be rebuilt including large brownstone headers and sculptural elements. The goal was to maintain the historic presence and shore up the structure and Pointing Plus succeeded on every level. When done properly, pointing should be a once in a lifetime project. Working with Pointing Plus has given me the confidence knowing the façade of this building will be here for generations to come.

Highly recommend Capital Masonry. Extremely reliable, professional, and did a fantastic job on my…read moreproperty. Will definitely use them again and refer them to friends/family.

They finally sent someone to complete the work as it should have been done from the start, so I'm…read more changing my review to 3 star.

Miguel and his team at Sunshine Brickpointing did an excellent job repointing the entire back and…read moreside of our historic Capitol Hill rowhouse. From start to finish, Miguel was incredibly communicative and easy to reach, which was so refreshing. Their estimate was detailed, the crew was as tidy as you can possibly be on a job like this, and they finished right on schedule. I was also struck by what a great team Miguel has. The guys genuinely seemed to enjoy working together, and Miguel himself was on site frequently throughout the project. Everyone was professional, pleasant, and clearly took pride in their work. We're extremely pleased with the finished product and would absolutely hire Miguel and Sunshine Brickpointing again for any future masonry work.

A few weeks after Miguel and his crew finished, I noticed a small area (3.5cm X 1cm) of brick…read moremortar that had not been filled. I called Miguel, and he immediately and cordially arranged to come back to fix it. No hassle at all. He skillfully matched the color and texture of the new mortar to the 77-year old original so it's nearly impossible to distinguish new from old mortar. Miguel and his truly is truly a craftsmanship treasure of skill, efficiency and affability. I think his wife also works behind the scenes keeping the whole business running smoothly.

Walker and his crew were exceptional. The work they performed at my house was great and was money…read morewell spent! High recommend this company to complete your concrete work.

Wow! Impressive work! We are so happy with our new driveway, front and side steps, and back patio…read more It was worth every dollar and definitely added value to our home. Walker was fantastic in helping us get the permit, keeping us informed of every step with the work being done, and helping us pick the colors/design. All of the workers were very professional, "hard working," and making sure it met our expectations. If you are looking for a top-notch job, this company is the one to use. I will definitely use him again for a few other projects I have in mind. Thank you Walker and Creative Concrete Corporation.

Josè and his crew did a fantastic job rebuilding our front brick steps. He offered great advice,…read morewas upfront about costs, stuck to a timeline, and I was extremely pleased with the final product.

Jose did an awesome job completing the indoor brick repairs at my townhouse. I needed a brick…read morefireplace hearth rebuilt and there were two end bricks loose on another brick fireplace hearth. Jose came to the house on a weekend to take a look and gave me a very reasonable estimate that was $1400 less than the other estimate I received. Jose was able to schedule the work shortly after I accepted his estimate, and he showed up on time the day of the work. He and his co-worker were polite and took appropriate measures to protect the area outside my house and the areas inside my house so that there was no damages, using shoe covers, plastic sheeting, and painters tape. Jose finished the inside brick repairs in a few hours, and as they were leaving he noticed that the brick step outside my front door had some mortar missing. They said they were going to fix that at no charge, and they did! I am very pleased with the work that Jose did at my house and the care he took he completing the work. After stressing about finding someone to do the brick repairs, I lucked out when I found Jose! If you need any brick repair done, call Jose!

I used David Ricard Masonry to repair a toothpaste-joint stone wall in front of my house. I highly…read morerecommend David. He came to my house and personally inspected the wall, then gave me a very reasonable estimate. His crew showed up on time, did excellent work, and cleaned up afterward. All in all, a professional, hassle-fee experience. I'm attaching before and after photos.

I contacted David, to get an estimate of brick repair work on and around my home and property…read more After getting a reasonable quote and a handshake we sealed the deal. Within a week, David called me and scheduled to come and star the process, the crew arrived at 7:00 AM Monday morning replacing numerous bricks which had their face falling off on our home and stoop area. Tore down a rebuilt retaining walls on both sides of our walkout basement. The did an amazing job and cleaned up afterwards pretty quickly to our satisfaction. For all of brick, concrete of any kind, I highly recommend this company!!!

I'm very pleased with the concrete work done by J & A concrete . Jose and his team delivered…read morehigh-quality work, fast service, and great professionalism. From the beginning, he cared more about making sure I was satisfied than about money. After we completed the contract, he delivered everything exactly as promised. Also added an additional project for the gate. Although that part couldn't be finished right away due to my own situation, he had already been paid in full. What truly amazed me is that, even after two and a half months, he came back on his own and completed the gate showing honesty, reliability, and real integrity. He never asked for extra money, kept his word, and made sure everything was done right. I'm completely satisfied and highly recommend him for anyone looking for quality work, honesty, and professionalism.

I needed an adjustment to a concrete step to my front porch to meet the building code and redo some…read moreconcrete work that I tried to do myself. We needed to get the concrete cement work done within a few day. My wife received a business card from Jose, I gave him a call and explain my situation to him. He came by the same day and gave me a quote which I thought was a fair price and promised me he would have the work done within a couple of days. Not only did he keep his promise but the quality of work was outstanding and more than I had expected, he and his team actually completed the work the same day they started. Jose and his crew was very knowledgeable about the work needed to be done. I highly recommend his skill and expertise to anyone.