Stinebaugh Masonry LLC

Stinebaugh Masonry rebuilt a flight of ~14 brick steps in the rear of our house, and repaired the stonework on the front. This involved repainting and replacing ~15 stones. Overall, we're very pleased with project. The house is over 100 years old, and the sandstone on the front had deteriorated badly over the past century. Stone was spalling off after each winter, and a few of the capstones and sills where cracked through a and needed to be replaced. The project involved a lot of custom stone work, in particular a curved section on the corner. The project was delayed by 2 months sourcing the stone, and the cost was more than we had initially expected. Other than that, though, everything went really smoothly, and Eric Stinebaugh kept in contact with us the whole time. This is the only reason It's not A's all the way down. He was genuinely apologetic about the delays and overruns on the materials. The workmanship was excellent, there are not a lot of people who do this sort of thing, and fewer who do it well, and I spent about 12 months researching and talking with other contractors before we hired Stinebaugh. These are fairly big stones, some of them over 30" long, rockfaced and curved in the front. Except for some small variation in the stone color, it really was a perfect match for the original, better than I had anticipated. I'll attach a few photos although they don't really do it justice because of my photography and the angle from street level. I wish I had some before pictures to post as well. Most of the top of the radius was replaced, and that involved a lot of custom work, chiseling the stone by hand. The quality of the work more than made up for any inconvenience with the schedule.

I don't think I could write a review that will do Eric justice. He was fabulous from beginning to end. He was prompt in response to my initial inquiry for an estimate, prompt at arriving for our scheduled meeting, very professional, and very honest. He provided with me a prompt quote for the work to be done and was very reasonably priced. We both agreed to wait a bit to do the work as I was saving for a wedding and he was very busy, so we planned to reconvene in early 2015. Sure enough, after the new year he contacted me about when we'd like the work performed. We decided to wait until it was warmer, so sometime in April. We had to delay a few days due to rain, but Eric was prompt in letting me know when they would start the work. They showed up on time to begin the work. Eric asked me about my wonky steps when they showed up and I told him I hadn't really thought about it because it wasn't top on my list of things to do, but agreed they needed some work. And I knew my top step wasn't marble like the rest. We negotiated a very fair price to add in the work on the steps and he quickly provided me with an updated contract. The work was performed in a day and a half and everything looked perfect. He followed up with me to ensure that I was satisfied and asked if there was anything I wasn't happy with. There was only one joint that didn't looked caulked. He showed up the next day to do it himself and inspect everything else to make sure it was up to his standards. All of my neighbors noticed and commented on how nice my steps and front look. And now, the steps don't slant, so that makes getting up and down a bit easier! I even asked for some pointers on how best to attach my new mailbox, and he said not to worry about it, he would take care of it and put it in. And he did. I would hire Eric again in a heartbeat and have recommended him to a couple people; he and his employees are the nicest individuals - honest and hardworking - and dedicated to their craft.

We have gotten so many compliments on our new walkway! Eric was responsive, professional, and patient with me while we talked about different options for the stonework. I was impressed by every member of his team, and found them very considerate. Most importantly, the work they do is truly top notch; they are true craftsmen. The vision that I had for the stone walkway turned out even better than I had imagined it with Eric's help. My only critique was that we didn't discuss how different designs, materials, etc. would impact the budget. For example, I would have liked to know more about how adding the pillar would impact the cost, but I also should have asked more about that. As you will read in other reviews, Eric's team is not the most economical option out there. However, we didn't end up paying that much more for Eric's team than the other bids we received, and he was definitely the most professional person we spoke with. His team also does absolutely amazing work. I would not hesitate to contact Stinebaugh Masonry again if I have another project. From some of what he's said, it sounds like I wouldn't be the first, either. A lot of his projects are repeat customers!

Began in timely fashion, finished on time, and worked hard each day. Did the proper work that needed to be done; didn't simply repoint as other contractors had recommended. This involved deconstructing and reconstructing much of A 60 foot long rooftop parapit wall. Fair pricing for the amount of work that was done. Good communication throughout. thorough clean up upon completion of work. Cares about reputation.

WOW WOW DOUBLE WOW!!! These guys are AMAZING! Very prompt to the job every morning...worked while it was near 100 degrees outside without a complaint (however, they appreciate snacks and cold drinks :). We have a chimney that is the most secure in the neighborhood and have nothing to fear in terms of water damage/leakage into our home/attic from the work they did. Our raised bed looks fantastic...top of the line! Eric made suggestions without being pushy, and I'm glad we went through with it. We constantly get compliments from neighbors walking by, and I am quick to give them Stinebaugh's info. If I were to say anything as a downside, although I don't want to, because they do great work...is that the price was high. We knew that going into it, as Eric was honest with an estimate, and it even came under a bit. But we loved his honesty, punctuality, personality, a quality of work that we couldn't seem to get with anyone else. So the price issue is one on us. Secondly, there was a constant flow of cigarette smoking taking place (while the amazing work was being done). As for professionalism, it would be very much appreciated not to have the smoke seeping into my home through the windows or the draft of our window A/C unit. Other than that, Eric showed up on the site most everyday to make sure we were pleased. Those that work for him are very talented at what they do and pay attention to detail. We would definitely consider this company again. Thanks guys!

Everything was perfect. We had many spots on the house, including areas that are 3 stories above ground level, that needed to be repaired - everything from pointing up to replacement of bricks; repairing surface cracks in the stucco, etc. It was one of those "little bits but all over a big house" jobs. There was no doubt that the men doing the job knew what they were doing. They were here ahead of time every day so they could start promptly on schedule. Mr. Stinebaugh was in daily contact so we knew exactly what was happening and what to expect. Despite their working on every surface of our house, having to remove bricks from all entry stairways, and requiring scaffolding there was no disruption of our lives while work was being done. The workers were cheerful, considerate, efficient and skilled. Cleanup after the job was complete. I really can't think of anything negative to say and I would certainly use them again. I chose to "N/A' the price rating only because I have no comparison point, but to me the service was worth the price.

This is an excellent team and we recommend them very highly. Imagine our surprise when we became the primary occupants of our childhood home and saw that our West chimney was literally falling apart. There were gaping holes straight through to the attic and bricks which had fallen on the insulation. On closer inspection, the part of the West chimney above the roofline was leaning and pieces of mortar had fallen into the rain gutter. The East chimney (which was the one actually being used to exhaust the boiler) looked better, but there were some crumbling bricks, severe cracks in other bricks, chunks of missing mortar and no way to keep the rain out of the unused flue. All the bricks are hand pressed (i.e., made prior to the invention of automatic brick extruding machinery). The chimneys had previously been pointed up with a mortar containing Portland cement, which causes antique bricks to deteriorate. This is because Portland cement-based mortar does not allow the water to exit in the same way as the older lime-based type or mortar, placing more stress on the old porous bricks. The crew tore down the appropriate amount of each chimney above the roofline and into the attic, limiting their demolition to cutting out certain bricks when appropriate. They then rebuilt each chimney using a mixture of salvaged old bricks which remained in good condition as well as new bricks which were consistent in size and color with the original bricks. They finished off the tops of the chimneys to include ceramic flue pipes, piers at the four corners of each chimney and a 200 lb. piece of slate across the piers. The slate is held in place by stainless steel pins (which are not visible). The slabs were pitched slightly using mortar joints, a level and taps with a rubber hammer so that rain water runs off efficiently. Both chimneys were finished with copper flashing at the roofline. The team was very skilled, quick, professional and pleasant. The boss, Eric, came to our site daily and communicated with the masons about all aspects. They cleaned up the jobsite and didn't damage anything. We feel the price was very reasonable for the quality and amount of the work. The estimate was accurate and thorough. The company guarantees its work. Eric is very open to any and all questions. We really liked the masons. The final result is functional, safe, gorgeous and harmonizes with the historic period and look of the home.

We obtained two bids for the job of re-pointing and replacing brick on our late-19th Century Baltimore City row house, and Eric's bid was literally one-half that of the other. When we first met Eric in Autumn 2014, we were impressed with his forthright manner and honest assessment of our situation, as well as his obvious dedication to his craft. He told us that he could put us on his calendar for spring of 2015 and would be getting in touch with us approximately one month before the start date to reconfirm. True to his word, we heard from Eric (in addition to an unexpected greeting during the holiday season) right on schedule, when he told us he could start work in late April or early May 2015. He sent us a proposed contract which we (two attorneys) naturally subjected to various revisions, all of which Eric graciously incorporated into the final agreement. A reasonable payment schedule was submitted and agreed to. Eric and his crew arrived as scheduled and immediately began work on our most pressing concern, which was cutting back two cement bulkheads in our advertised two-car garage -- a major selling point when we bought the house -- to allow us actually to park two cars in it. At the same time, he began removing and repairing deteriorated mortar dating to a shoddy renovation which was performed on the house in 2007, before we bought the place. From there, he went on to rebuilding our largely decorative chimneys, and re-pointing and (in one case) completely reconstructing five glass block windows in our finished basement. The sash windows which were installed during the 2007 renovation had never been properly caulked, and Eric took care of this. He explained every step of the process -- the initial repair of the deteriorated mortar looked very rough, by way of example, but he told us this was only a preliminary step, and that the final repair would be smooth and even, which it was -- and set forth an estimated timetable for the completion of each phase. When bad weather prevented him from working, he immediately gave us an update on his anticipated revised timetable, and when an urgent job elsewhere prevented him from sending a full complement of two workers, he charged us for only a half-day's work. He consulted with us continuously about how we wanted the job to proceed from an aesthetic standpoint (for example, there are metal traces of an old fire escape on one wall of the building which he and we agreed added character: these remained, while other extraneous bits of ancient metalwork were, by common consent, removed). There were minor change orders, which Eric managed to bring within the scope of the original estimate. The work went smoothly and adhered to the anticipated schedule much more than the average renovation. Eric was at the jobsite every day, frequently more than once a day and often for extended periods, and his crew showed up when announced and worked very diligently throughout the day. Everyone from Stinebaugh Masonry was a pleasure to deal with. The only small problem we experienced arose when (with our consent) Eric's crew stored some scaffolding components in an alleyway we share with a neighbor, on one occasion piling them in such a way that it prevented her from taking out her trash bin. When we alerted Eric to this situation, he and his crew immediately returned to our house from another jobsite across town and took care of the problem, apologizing profusely to both the neighbor and ourselves. (After this the scaffolding was stored in the garage.) At the end of the job, Eric went over the project with us in detail and repeatedly asked, Are you satisfied with everything? Is there anything we could have done better? We unhesitatingly recommend Stinebaugh Masonry. Their work is excellent, reasonably-priced, and performed with care, attention to detail, and concern for the homeowner. Furthermore, Eric Stinebaugh is a true craftsman and a man of great personal integrity, a combination which is as refreshing as it is rare.

They did a great job. Quite frankly, no one else was even willing to do the retaining wall. They do a good job cleaning up after themselves. I think they got it done pretty quickly, in a couple of days. He was so backed up, it took six months to get him out. But, that's about his calendar and he informed me of that when he showed up. They're expensive.

Eric and his crew did an outstanding job. I would use their services again.

Eric showed up on time and completed the initial scope quickly. While on site, additional scope was proposed. Eric not only stayed UNDER BUDGET on the original scope, the new work was completed well under budget as well. For years our Undercroft would leak after a hard or lengthy rain. It has remained dry since the re-pointing and has allowed us to begin addressing the internal damage caused by years of leakage. The work is exceptional and we have engaged Stinebaugh Masonry to come back this year to address another issue here at the church.

Went very well. Stinebaugh team was on site for better part of week. Eric (owner) was very communicative about when he would be at our home and showed up every morning at 7:30AM and left approximately at 3PM. Work was constant and when weather was prohibitive Eric communicated if they would not be working due to weather. The communications was excellent and this is important to me. Eric went through his progress on a regular basis, when possible wanted me to do a walk around to see what was being done and if this was not possible: Eric took pictures and showed varied work at varied stages of completion. Pricing quoted was pricing lived up. Fair pricing was given on added work I asked for. Eric and his team did an excellent job of cleaning up and it was clear he was a craftsman!

Eric was one of three contractors that we called to provide estimates for the work we needed done and by far came off as the most committed to doing quality & comprehensive work. Other contractors suggested some patch-type repairs to our patio and rear landing that, in hindsight, would have lasted maybe a couple of years before they needed more work. While the combined cost of these three projects was not inexpensive, Eric was spot on with his original estimate and kept to it despite the fact that for two of the three projects the work required after initial excavation resulted in "worst case scenarios" in terms of the necessary replacement of the underlying infrastructure. (E.g. the cement support for the patio was badly degraded by exposure to salt and the elements and in need of quite a bit of replacement cement). Still, Eric found ways to economize by adjusting his crews' schedules and keeping progress going in the most efficient manner possible. Eric is a strong believer in communicating with his clients and we were never in the dark about any aspect of the work. The guys who work for Eric are craftsmen in their own right and they each have their specialty areas which Eric utilized to get the maximum outcome for the finished product. I am not an expert in stonework or masonry by any stretch of the imagination but even I can immediately discern the high quality of their work. The stone patio, which originally contained gaps in the stone that were filled in by cement, now has tightly fitted joins that are only a finger-width apart everywhere you look. The side retaining wall is now reinforced with re-bar and capped with clay bricks that Eric was able to use at no additional cost to us that finish off the structure and match well with the brick exterior of our house. I'm just guessing here but I'll wager that Eric didn't make a lot of money on this project but he is so keen on keeping his commitment to his estimates that he'd rather break even than risk disappointing his clients. These guys are pretty young (compared to me, at least) but they are definitely "old school" in their commitment to quality and in meeting your expectations. In fact, Eric's expectations are no doubt higher than my own when it comes to this type of work and the results speak for themselves. If you want it done right then hire Eric. You won't be disappointed.

The masonry joints in my old rowhouse basement were severely deteriorated. Much of the mortar had fallen out leaving big holes between the stones were mice could easily make their homes. Other mortar was easily removed with a finger swipe. Air was moving through the walls from neighboring structures causing lower temperatures in the home. Water intrusion was not a problem. I got a couple of estimated from "masons" who wanted to parge coat the wall. This was the wrong solution -- especially since the walls were painted. Parging would have presented an unbonding coat that would have just deteriorated in a few years. These "masons" are all over the city and should be avoided. I found Eric on Angie's List and asked him to come in for an estimate. He was very methodical in his assessment of the basement and said that the foundation was not in need of parging, just a thorough repoint and as-needed repair of the brick. He estimated that it would take his crew about five days to finish the job. He has a flat hourly rate and doesn't do negotiation on that rate. It is a fair rate and I appreciate that he was up front about this. He was also able to get me in on a quicker timeframe because it was the winter season and my job was indoors. The work was completed over a period of just under five days. He brought in a crew of two masons to do the job. They arrived promptly as promised and worked without stopping for 8 hours each day for the entire job. Eric checked in periodically throughout the day and ensured that his masons were completing the job as promised. The job was messy but they put up tarps to maintain some semblance of cleanliness. WIth a job like this, you can only do so much to minimize dust intrusion, short of moving everything out of the basement. He only charged me for the total hours they worked, plus materials, meaning he came in under estimate. The job turned out great. I cannot find a hole that was not filled. I've had zero rodents visit my home since he finished, and my house is warmer too. Aesthetically, it looks great. Eric and his team is very experienced and Eric is a student of stonemasonry, making him very well-suited to work on the thousands of old houses in Baltimore City. Booking him can be an issue because he is so busy, but you will be happy with his work once he finally does your job. Masonry repair is an expensive proposition because there are not many master artisans working anymore, but it is a job that must be done correctly. Eric will ensure that the correct materials and methods are used to make your old masonry last another 100 years.

Everything went fine and I would highly recommend Eric and his crew for whatever masonry job you need done.

Eric is a perfectionist and deeply cares about the quality of the work. Everything he did looks very pretty, all the bricks and mortar are in the same color as the old ones. We are quite satisfied.

Eric & his team did an outstanding job! Another customer described his work ethic as a pursuit of perfection and I must agree. First off, his schedule is truly as hectic as he indicates! I contacted him back in July 2014 for this job. He arrived promptly, was extremely courteous and professional. His was the most thorough of the estimates I received, and he took the time to explain exactly what he would do to repair my home, almost giving too much detail! As a new homeowner with NO experience with masonry, too much detail is definitely better than not enough! After his detailed explanation of the job, he took my financial situation into account and gave me multiple estimates based on how much work I would have done. He followed those verbal estimates up with written estimates within a week, which I considered to be reasonable. We agreed on one of the estimates and he scheduled me for early Spring 2015, with the understanding that he would contact me as a priority if he was able to hire an additional work team that he trusted, or if something opened up in his schedule. As fate would have it, he contacted me the day after Thanksgiving indicating that he had a cancellation and if I was still interested, he would be able to get the job done the next week. So, we finalized the contract, at the agreed upon estimate back in July, and the date. That morning, he arrived promptly with his two-man work team. He had the necessary permits and they proceeded to erect the scaffolding and started the job. The workers were courteous and diligent, only requiring my assistance with offering a power outlet, as their generator had fouled and was inoperable. The job took four days to complete, the wall looks brand new and they cleaned up as quickly as they started. Eric was flexible in allowing me an extra week to make the final payment (since they finished more quickly than I'd anticipated). He also stayed true to his word with accepting the estimated job cost as final payment, even though his costs exceeded that estimate. Since I was unable to get everything done at once, he & I discussed the next project, which I will contract him to do as well. He is upfront about not being the least expensive contractor in the market, but he is equally as upfront about the quality of his work. I whole-heartedly agree!

I was debating how to rate the "Price" category. Mr. Stinebaugh's invoices are not for the faint of heart (or modest of bank balance) and the final tab for this job was no exception. Was the steep price for this chimney work worth it? Could I have found someone else to do the same thing for less? Maybe a lot less? The reason it's hard to determine whether Mr. Stinebaugh's work is a good value or not is that he is a purveyor of perfection. It's hard to put a price on perfection; if you have to have it, price becomes almost beside the point. And there is no question in my mind, (as an OCD architect) that Mr. Stinebaugh's work is as close to perfect as the unwieldy medium of brick and stone and concrete will allow. He's that good. Obviously I'm a repeat customer. The work done at my home prior to this project was done by Eric Stinebaugh, mason, not "Stinebaugh Masonry." Before, he did the work himself, with a helper or two, and I was a little apprehensive about his transition from sole craftsman to supervisor. I shouldn't have worried, as Mr. Stinebaugh has surrounded himself with very skilled craftsmen who work with him as a very effective team. Sergio, the mason who actually did the work on my chimney, is a fine craftsman in his own right who devised ingenious solutions to the odd little problems that typically arise on a rebuilding or retrofit project. Both he and his able assistant, Jose Manuel, are remarkably diligent, conscientious and detail-oriented. These are men who laugh at challenges and take gleeful pride in their work. The fact that both are personable and likable doesn't hurt when they're working on your home for ten days. Of course there were the times during the project when I just had to close my eyes and hope for the best. Amazingly, the end result is always better than I could have envisioned, thanks to Mr. Stinebaugh's experience and skill and commitment. And that's priceless.

I am very satisfied with the work of Stinebaugh Masonry--great quality of completed work at a very reasonable price. It was very easy for me to ask questions and discuss any concerns I had, such as new fireplace door. Everyone arrived early in the morning and worked with much motivation and focusing on completing the job within an estimated time period I will definitely use Stinebaugh Masonry again as needed. I also highly recommend them for cement and masonry work.

I have had a chimney leak in my now 33 year old home. After two brand-new roofs, two complete chimney flashings, multiple re-points, two new caps, three waterproofs and even a full chimney tear-down and rebuild, nothing seemed to work. I have battled this problem for over nine years and it has honestly consumed my life and cost me tens of thousands of dollars I have trouble affording each time it happens. When is rains, I panic; especially long, heavy, soaking rains. After dozens of qualified masons and roofers over the course of nine years, ERIC STINEBAUGH WAS THE ONLY PERSON who pin-pointed my water intrusion issue! Eric SERIOUSLY examined and contemplated my problem after a couple of visits and over the course of a couple of weeks. He offered a couple of solutions. In the end, he recommended the less expensive solution. A new, thicker, properly sloped cap, re-point several bricks, and waterproof with a different waterproofer than previously used. If this did not work, we would have to go the more expensive route however, he believed this solution would work and save me twice the cost of the original solution. Since August 2014, I have had no water intrusion in my attic/home from my chimney. I waited to write this review in hopes of a big "Nor-easter" or unimaginable heavy/long rainfall as the ultimate test. It has yet to occur, but I can tell you it has not leaked as of today 12/2/2014! Crawling around my attic every rainfall for nine years is no way to live. The stress of the water intrusion has been one of the most stressful things in my life. Every time I previously found a leak, my heart sank as I would have to find another mason or roofer and it wasn't going to be cheap or even possibly fix my problem! As I husband and Father, I have better things to tend to than this. Trouble is, throwing worry and money at it never helped either. As you can imagine, I was skeptical of Eric--I surely had every reason to be. I found him on Angie's List and shortly knew I was dealing with a true professional. Eric was prompt, courteous, reliable, honest and truly PASSIONATE about his work. He cut no corners, made no promises he could not keep and was TRULY CONCERNED about MY issue as if it was his own---NO EXCEPTIONS!! I consider myself a, "Type-A" personality who is easy to please but hard to impress. His attention to detail was exquisite even for me. Eric communicated with me promptly every step of the way and came-by everyday to ensure HE was happy with his workers work and moreover, was I happy with the work. He Even well after the three and a half day project was complete, Eric reminded me he wasn't going to disappear and he backed-up his work with his word. I could go into further and grave detail of how I well this project went and all the small, simple things Eric did to make sure I was happy but, I believe you now understand just how much respect I have for him and his business/personal practices. Eric is a ASSET to the masonry profession. He has single-handedly restored my faith that there are truly good and honest human beings out there is this World who do the right thing. Eric does what I would do if I were in business for myself. Even if it meant a bit more time on the job or a bit less money. I will continue to wait for that unimaginable rainfall test as I know it's coming. As for now, if you are considering a mason, hire Eric Stinebaugh. If Eric can't help you, no one can.

They are very hard and particular workers, with great attention to detail. When I hired them, I saw that they had worked on many historic sites around Baltimore.

Eric Stinebaugh and his 2 person crew were great to work with and they did a quality job. Eric has been the best contractor I have hired since I have owned my house. He and his crew are punctual, always treats you as the customer and makes every effort to make sure the work meets or exceeds your expectations Eric is a contractor who is extremely proud of the service his company provides and it shows in the quality of work and the way he manages the job. The project went very smoothly from getting the initial estimate all the way through the completion of the project. Originally we going to only repair/replace the concrete stairs with new concrete stairs but Eric suggested we consider redoing the stairs in brick. I work with Eric to get a feel for how the project would look in brick and Eric took the time to show me pictures of what it would resemble and said he could get bricks to match the original brick that was used for the chimney. We decided to go with the brick option and it turned out great, extremely pleased with the results and greatly enhanced the curb appeal of our home. The original quote for the work was $10,700 and with the addition of the brick work the final cost was $13,700. I have included before and after pictures of the work. If you need a mason, I would highly recommend Stinebaugh Masonry, you won't be disappointed.

Eric and his team did a far better job than I could have imagined. Eric is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about his craft. He explained that the original pattern of the slate used in the porch did not correctly match the design it was intended to have. Quite frankly, I took his word for that at the time. He also observed that, while we have a stone water table on the front and side of our house, the slate on the steps and porch had been cut flat. He recommended a procedure for adding a contour to the edges of the steps and the stoop -- I forget the exact term for it -- to complement the contour of the stone on the house. Again, I accepted his recommendation without fully appreciating what was being described -- it just sounded like it would be nice, and Eric seemed very knowledgeable. The work was a significant job that took an entire week -- we have a roof over the front porch supported by posts, so part of the job required jacking up and supporting the posts while he removed and re-paid the slate underneath. When the job was completed, I was astonished -- it did not simply look like a repair job that was done well, it looked like we had a brand new porch. Once I saw how he had changed the pattern of the slate, along with the new contour of the edges of the steps and front porch, I could see what he had been describing. The work was completed several months ago (my apologies for the delay in writing this), and I still marvel at how he transformed our front steps and porch using (but for one or two pieces) all of the original slate. He even moved one piece of slate that had a more striking color than the others, and placed it in a position that now showcases that particular piece. The $7,000 cost of the job was more than I had originally thought a step repair would cost, but when I discussed what was needed with Eric I realized that, to do the job correctly, I really needed to expand the scope of work from a simple repair to re-doing the entire porch, and the cost was very fair for the work that was ultimately done. Mt bottom line is that, even months later, I remain absolutely thrilled with the work Eric and his crew did. It is not very often that I have felt this satisfied with work performed on my house. The porch and steps look better than when they were brand new -- Eric transformed them. I could not be happier, and I would use Eric again in a heartbeat for any future stonework or hardscape work I may need.

Seamless--Cannot tell what is old and what is new. Certain to increase the property value considerably. Identified areas requiring repair not included in original estimate and still completed all work within the estimate. Takes considerable pride in work. Exceptional communication throughout process. Helped us identify what required attention now and what could wait. Careful clean up. Hard working staff. Long wait, but in the end performed work over a month before scheduled. Worth the wait.

Are you happy? These are the three words that you will hear Eric Stinebaugh most often say when he is working for you. He is genuinely concerned about doing a good job and making the customer happy. If you want high-quality, custom masonry work done, Stinebaugh Masonry is a good choice. Eric and his crew brought an unusual combination of old-world craftsmanship, professionalism, friendliness, and responsiveness to our project. We wanted something special, and we got it. We have a three-story row house in Federal Hill (Baltimore City) that was originally built in 1875. So we needed a contractor who understood how to make improvements that would enhance the existing structure and not look like a patchwork of add-ons. Eric was clearly the man to hire for the job. We spent about a month full-time with Eric and his crew. Our project included three major parts. The first part was to augment an existing brick patio to create a parking pad in the back of the house. In addition to extending the basket-weave brick pattern to a much larger area than had existed before, we also wanted to include a cobblestone border. That meant that we needed someone who could work with brick as well as the rough old cobblestones that we already had (from the streets of Baltimore). They started with the border, placing the cobblestones and cutting/shaping some of them to fit in certain places. The cobblestones were set in concrete to serve as an outer form when they poured a 6-inch deep, reinforced concrete base. The new brick was installed on top of the concrete base, using a type-S mortar. In addition, they created a drainage trough on the side of the parking pad, using a smooth sewer-brick and Portland cement as mortar. Overall, this would ensure that the water flowed easily over the brick and that the joints wouldn't crack over time. Finally, they used Portland cement to join and seal the cobblestone border that abutted a wood fence. The next phase of the project took us to the front of the house. After putting up a covered scaffolding system, they ground out all of the existing mortar, using a very thin grinder blade in order to preserve the original spacing between the bricks. They replaced damaged bricks and re-pointed the entire front of the house. They rebuilt the arch over the front door by reversing some of the original bricks that were damaged. (It would have been very difficult to find replacements for these bricks because they were much longer than normal.) In addition, they removed the old wood window sills and replaced them with new brick. The new replacement brick used for the wall and sills matched very well with the old brick (in both color and size). They used a type-N mortar to accommodate the older, softer bricks. The third phase was to remove an existing brick porch and stairway, replacing them with the traditional Baltimore marble steps. Eric has a contact who has a large collection of old marble pieces. We went to the site together and selected the pieces that we thought would work best. Each piece weighed hundreds of pounds and required a forklift to move out of the woods and onto Eric's truck. The pieces were pretty rough to start, so they had to be cut with a diamond-blade saw and polished with several types of grinders in order to work for the new stairs. The marble was set on a new base that they built using a combination of brick and concrete, plus marble sides for the structure. The marble was precisely positioned to allow water to run off of them. When the steps were in place, they did some final grinding to make them look right and align them with the existing house structure. They patched the concrete around the steps, and then they sealed the joints between the marble pieces with white caulk. Eric subcontracted to have a new iron railing built and installed. I included a lot of details in this review, because I believe that attention to the details is critical to the success of a project like this. You can count on Stinebaugh Masonry to use the right materials and implement your concept in the right way. If you talk to other contractors and they don't mention some of the things that I have discussed, you might want to think twice about hiring them.