Stinebaugh Masonry LLC

Eric and his crew were great.  He revised the contract as needed until it was clear and understandable before we signed it.  He was on site daily and spoke with us daily with updates, timing of the project, addressed questions and concerns as they arose.  He returned calls very quickly -- within hours or at least same day.  His crew cleaned up daily to reduce dust and mud on our driveway.  The brickwork is beautiful and the new bricks match perfectly with existing brick.  He was trustworthy and honest.  We have had a few fires in one of our fireplaces that had the most work done and it lit easily and drafted very well.  We would strongly recommend him for brick and chimney work.

unknown

unknown

Eric and his team did an excellent job with my home repairs.  We required extensive stone and cement work on my home.  Initally contracted for chimney repair and garage roof replacement which include side porch demoliation and reconstruction.  His crew worked diligently and completed this 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  At this point , we added another project of new stone and cement for walkway to my home and demolish 2 sets of stairs and rebuild.  They worked everyday that weather permitted and showed up on time every day.  Eric explained all of the work and the materials being used.  My family and I enjoyed working with him and were so thrilled with the results!! Definitely recommend this company.

First of all, Mr. Stinebaugh is a true professional. Other than major specialty work such as significant masonry work, I do all work myself for two reasons: 1). I am very detailed and most contractors do not focus on the details nor do better work than I do. They focus on getting in and get out quickly at the expense of quality.. 2). I do not trust the craftsmanship, skill, knowledge or professionalism of contractors. Not being a stone mason, I had no choice but to hire a contractor. Thanks to the reviews on this site, I found Stinebaugh Masonry. Eric Stinebaugh is extremely professional and skilled and his crew displayed the same professionalism the entire month they were at my job.

Mr. Stinebaugh came out immediately on my call to provide an estimate and discuss my issue. He did not rush, spent a significant amount of time with me discussing the problem, the cause and the detail how he would perform the work. He was not the quickest at providing the quote, but told me up front that would be the case because he stays out in the field on every job site and does not get to the office stuff very timely. This was no problem at all. Many other reviews before me described him as OCD in providing the most meticulous service and product. Being similar in that mindset, this was important to my decision. I brought in 4 companies for quotes. He was the only one that wasn't the BS car salesman, he was the only one that didn't tell me I had to remove about $10k of landscaping to set up the scaffolding and perform the work, he was the only one that could explain to me in detail what caused the problem...and he provided the cheapest quote as well. The other three contractors were also well reviewed on Angie's list but after meeting them, I had zero confidence in their ability to do the work to my satisfaction and their quotes ranged from extremely high to absurd. I was selecting Stinebaugh Masonry regardless of his price but his price was good as well.

Mr. Stinebaugh started my job ahead of schedule and was onsite every day to check the progress and quality of the team. He was in regular contact with me through the entire process and performed several tasks within the original price that were not part of the quote. He wrapped the house at my request and hand cut 10 brick jack arches over 9 windows and front door. This set his team back several days to perform the complicated task of hand cutting well over 100 bricks, each one at a unique angle to create each arch. He definitely takes pride in his work and wants each job he does to show off his skill and attention to detail. He went out of his way to go above and beyond on my job and did not charge me one penny over the quote for the additional services performed. The last thing I can say is you should not call anyone else for your masonry needs. That is coming from an very experienced DIY person that thought it was impossible to find contractor to meet or exceed my expectations. I have some additional custom masonry needs coming up next year and I'll be calling him soon to get on his schedule.

unknown

.

I was looking for someone that was trustworthy and knew what they were doing with concrete.  After contacting Eric Stinebaugh Masonry LLC I realized that I found the right person. From the initial conversation with Eric and him coming out to provide an estimate it was obvious that I was dealing with a professional and someone that took pride in their trade.  Eric informed me that he was booked up for close to a year and that my job was extremely small for him.  He quoted me a price for his crew to do a days work, but understood if I did not contact him.

As I wanted the work completed properly I was willing to pay the price because of the work ethic that Eric displayed.  I was also willing to wait the year to be worry free after the work was completed.  Eric keep in contact with me and as he only was able to send one worker for my job, he provided me his worker for two days. Everything and them some was completed by his worker. It was obvious that the worker Eric provided had the same professional work ethic. He worked steady throughout each day and did a beautiful job. Eric stopped by to check on things to see if I was happy with the work and advised me to contact him if any issued arose after the completion of the work.

It was a pleasure doing business with Eric and I would not hesitate to use him in the future, or recommend him to others. Just remember that you get what you pay for and if you want quality work and a worry free experience Eric Stinebaugh Masonry LLC is the place to call. I am very pleased with their work and I appreciate a mason of his caliber to do such a small job for me.

Everything was amazing! Communication was direct and clear. Eric and his workers were polite and cleaned everything each day and we knew exactly what to expect. We had a leak in our ceiling for 2 years and finally (YAY) it was fixed after Eric rebuilt the chimney. I would recommend Eric and his company to anyone looking for a mason for any job. We are going to use him in the future to re-point the front of our house. Not only are Eric and his workers nice to work with, but the work is top-notch.

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.

unknown

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!
 

unknown

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.