Brick & Stone Masonry

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Custom repair work and restoration work. Sometimes , we will do total renovations on older homes and turn them into showplaces. It is very rewarding to see the end results. We also do custom work such as outdoor living areas like outdoor kitchens, landscaping, columns, signs, chimney repairs, etc. We also work with many of the real estate companies in the area in making homes ready for sale by repairing aging masonry or cleaning stains, etc.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Perhaps the most important thing would be to be confident in any one that works on your home and help them by conveying your thoughts as detailed as possible in acheiving the results you are looking for.
Also , listen to the person that has the experience of what will and what will not work practically.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Different techniques that we use to restore brick, stone and other masonry materials. What kind of colors we use and bonders to strengthen weak areas and show them problems that are easily solved by drainage control or by water sealing, etc. One thing is to make sure that when replacing cracked mortar joints is to saw cut the old mortar so that when we apply new mortar we can control the color and strength of the new mortar joints.

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. The scope of the job. The time it may take to do the work and knowing that all of a master project doesn't have to be done the first time around. If planned correctly, work can be done in stages to both help the customer finacially and with convenience by keeping construction time in increments if necessary.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We specialize in custom masonry restoration and repairs such as older homes, but not limited to older homes. We can get your home ready for resale or just repair any cracks or loose bricks by custom matching the mortar and bricks so that the final result looks natural to the original construction of your home. Many years of experience helps in these areas.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. The satisfaction of knowing that we do the very best work in the DFW area and have for many years. We have worked on many of Fort Worth and Dallas' premier
real estate both commercial and residential. I enjoy working outdoors and I have a crew that has been with me for many years now.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Normally, they want to know what is possible in restoring their homes to an original state and get very excited when we can show them the results of our expertise. And of course, when can you start?

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. Too many to name. I enjoyed in the past helping senior citizens with limited incomes and giving them a great finished job and not charging the usual price and giving them a deep discount. I've worked with many colorful personalities like some of the Rangers, Cowboys, people with unusual occupations and the conversations that accompany these jobs, while doing the work. Pete O'brien of the Rangers was especially nice to work with and he even helped us on the job and at that time , I had mentioned the Fort Worth Cats while talking with him and soon after that , he helped start the organization back up, so that was fun! Go Cats! It's also very gratifying to help people with water leakage problems with chimney defects or window sills that need repair so that they don't get interior damage and don't have to worry about every time it rains. I enjoy working with people and helping them to achieve a particular project that brings them joy and watching the excitement when they see a finished job whether it be a repair or a barbeque enclosure, mailbox, patio, fireplace repair,etc.

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. That we understand a lot of the time that people want work done and may have to stretch their budgets to get it done, but we work with everyone to help them accomplish their goals, without having to sacrifice quality.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. My family were old world masons and I am a musician, artist, photographer, so I tried my hand at masonry and learned to enjoy the artistic aspect of the work. I still play music , paint and do photography work as well, but I love working outdoors and I consider our particular type of masonry work as art.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. Well, we have done many and I am proud of all of them, but we just recently finished a home on Willing St. in Fort Worth that was in pretty bad shape. When completed, it looked brand new as far as the brick work and we cleaned any stains or discoloration on all of the home. We have done many famous homes such as Thistle Hill on Pennsylvania Ave. in Fort Worth and continue to maintain it and looking good. We did the "dino dig project" at the Mueum of Science and History on Montgomery in Fort Worth which included putting in new doors to the main museum and paving around the perimeter. Like I have said, it is fun doing these projects because we are contributing to the total community and working on buildings that evryone sees every day.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I work with a lot of engineers and architects to assist them in better ways to incorporate brick masonry into the design of buildings and make them not only stronger , but more visually pleasing. Particularly in the foundations and details that are impractical in the long run. There are sometimes better ways to do things with the desired effect kept intact. We also work with foundation repair companies in areas of custom matching mortar color and drainage problems. We are always looking for the very best material products such as masonry cleaning , sealing and we test these products for quality so that you get the very best from cement to mortar colors and specialized masonry products on the market.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. We always keep up with the latest techniques to make what we do easier and more efficient. We also have expanded our masonry work into other projects like fencing, pool designs, water features, park spaces, etc. We will always look for the best materials and the best ways to apply them in the field.

Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.

A. Well, the most recent project was rebuilding a damaged brick mailbox, but that is the kind of service we offer. The next day , we might be building an outdoor kitchen or patio, so we do it all! We do a lot of restoration work, Historic preservation and insurance work. But if someone has damage, they want it repaired so that it doesn't look patched or simply repaired, they want it to look original or better , which is what we give them. We also help people to get their homes ready for sell or moving in, knowing that evrything is repaired and the home is ready to go!

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. We don't. All of our jobs are usually based on material cost, labor and time alloted for each job. Every job is different so it would be hard to pin point a base price, since material prices vary and labor as well. But we have many suppliers in the area and are usually able to get the very best prices, thereby passing on the savings to you!

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Learn from someone who has experience and learned the right way to do each project. It also helps to enjoy the work and have good conversational skills to make sure that you give each customer what they want and assist them in areas where they have trouble in explaining their vision.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. Would I trade my chosen field of work if I had it to do over? Never! I have other interest of course like art, music and photography. I love studying the Bible as well.
Life is so much better when you treat people the way you would want to be treated everyday!