C & G Masonry Co INC

CHRIS ARRIVED ON TIME AND WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE WORK COULD BE DONE.

Gus listed our optinons, made recommendations, took measurements, calculated prices and provided written contract for the work. All work was performed by Gus, his brother Chris, and Chris' son. Gus located a close match to the bricks in our 50-year old house. The work was slated to take 2 weeks but took much longer partly because of the difficulty in breaking up the old stoop and sidewalk and partly because work only proceeded when the weather was favorable for masonry. They took great pains to lay brick correctly and with considerable precision. They were professional in all respects and did a wonderful job with the stoop, steps and sidewalk although our lawn did suffer some damage where vessels used to mix mortar and concrete were rinsed out.

They were very responsive when we called for an estimate and started the work within a few weeks. Their work was meticulous and beautifully done. We are delighted with the new brick steps they build and the small flagstone pation they created.

Delayed slightly timing for work to be completed but work done next day was good and completed in good time.

I have had C&G do a walk and front stoop replaced. I called them after I had selected the material I wannted to use. Gus gave me a estimate and a start date.,I gave him a check and the the job was done,on schedule.He checked back after the job was completed. I asked for a modification and it was taken care of , no problem. i

They were always professional. They only worked when the cement and mortar could adequately dry. Crunch time came when I needed them to finish before a big party and they scrambled to get it done for me when we luckily had some nice days.They are knowledgeable, honest, and hard working individuals. They cleaned up afterwards very nicely. I am left with a very positive impression of C&G. You really can't go wrong with them.

They showed up on time, were professional, performed task quickly and price was very good.

Chris and Gus did a great job on the drain. The old drain would overflow during heavy rainstorms. The new drain didn't have any problems during Hurricane Irene and even the week of heavy downpours after that. I looked during the heaviest rain and it was probably 75% full. Their price was high compared to the other quotes I got, but I felt like they knew what they were doing. I'm glad we went with them. They were very precise with their work, and I felt like this is how they would have done the job at their own houses.

Called C&G to ask about getting some bricks steps at my house in DC replaced. The man who answered said that they don't do work in DC, only in Maryland (although that's not what their Angie's List write-up says).

I contacted several masons about the project. He responded right away and explained the work he would do very thoroughly. We chose to replace only the broken bricks rather than replace the step. Chris cautioned us that the repair would only last a year or two, but agreed to do as we asked. He matched the lower price of another mason's estimate and then gave us $50 off and came back a second day to redo part of it because he wasn't 100% satisfied with the work he had done. We are very happy with the quality of the work. We will use Chris for many future projects!

They were fine. It was a little hard to get them to come out due to the weather issues as it was raining and also they communicated by email than phone calls.

Their reference is on Angie's list. The quality of their work was good. They don't communicate much but the quality of their work is good. I would consider using them again in the future.

They came out right away and did a great job on the repair. I didn't comment on the price because I didn't do any comparing with other companies. But they cleaned up their mess nicely, and were very professional.

Gus, a partner in C&G Masonry, came to my home and gave an estimate to remove and replace the concrete apron between the garage and driveway. We agreed on the scope, the cost and an all cash payment. While discussing which day C&G would perform the work Gus mentioned that they typical work a half day on Fridays. The last item we discussed was references. Gus said he didn?t give customer names and numbers to protect their privacy, but that I should go by the positive reviews on Angies List. This concerned me but I let it go. I was surprised when, a few days later, Gus emailed with the news that they would begin work at 12:30 on Friday and then come back the next morning to finish up. I wrote an email back to Gus to confirm and again Gus wrote that I would see him at 12:30 on Friday and then again the next morning. At 11:51 AM on the Friday work was to begin, I received a one sentence email from Gus that stated that they would not be out today. That's all it said. No explanation. I immediately sent an email back to Gus and told him that this was a problem for me since I took the day off to be home during the work. I included my cell number so Gus could call me. He did not call me. After about an hour I called and reached him on his cell. I asked him what happened and he told me that a family member on his wife's side died on Thursday and that he needed to go to their funeral on Saturday. I remind you that it?s still Friday at this point. He said that he just realized one hour before needing to be at my home that he was going to said funeral. ????? Assuming that this was true, it does not explain why he wasn't working on Friday or why he didn?t give me more advanced notice. C&G could easily have honored our agreement by beginning work on Friday and then finishing up on Monday or Tuesday. During our call I told Gus that I was sorry for his loss and sensitive to his need to deal with personal issues, but that it puts me in a bad spot. Since I took the day off, I would have preferred if he had told me either Thursday evening or first thing Friday. That way I could have gone to work. I then asked if his partner or other employees could begin work on Friday as promised. Gus simply said no, that was not possible. I then asked Gus what he suggested we do and when he could now come to my home to do the work. Yes I was annoyed by his lack of courtesy, but I was polite and professional. Gus proceeded to tell me that since I was paying all cash and therefore did not provide him with a deposit (we did have a signed agreement and had agreed I?d pay him $700 in cash when he arrived and the balance in cash when the job was complete) that I should go ahead and find another contractor. He then hung up on me. I was stunned for a moment, and then it occurred to me what Gus had told me when he quoted the job. He typically works only a half day on Fridays. It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day. Was it possible that the guys at C&G simply wanted to take the rest of the day off and didn?t care that they had made a commitment to a customer? I also recalled how he avoided giving me names of his customers so I could call them for references. This should have been a red flag. At that point I was ready let things be, move on to a more professional contractor and not write this review. However, after about 10 minutes my phone rang and it was Gus. In an aggressive and raised voice he told me that he was glad the agreement fell through, that I was a $%&%# and then he again hung up on me. As background, in the past 90 days I have attended the funeral of a close family friend, a 12 year old cousin and a co-worker?s parent. I am sensitive to the need to balance family with work and that sometimes, no matter the best intentions, work suffers as a result. However, there is never an excuse for unprofessionalism or threatening behavior. Use C&G at your own risk.

We got many quotes, and Chris and Gus came in the lowest, as well as offering the best product, hand-made brick from Maryland. They were $1000 or more cheaper than stamped concrete or mass-produced pavers. The brick work, which was done on top of 4 inches of reinforced concrete, was superb. The job was magnificent. Upon my wife's request, a week later, they came out again to clean the surface of mortar.

Gus was excellent to work with. He gave us an estimate that was reasonable and thorough regarding the work that needed to be done, and then as he uncovered hidden problems he advised us of the best ways to handle them and adjusted our contract. He does the work himself (with a helper or two) and clearly takes great pride in his work. He solved some difficult layout problems with the new walkway and landscaping wall, and the finished results are very attractive. He is an excellent masonry craftsman and a real gentleman to work with.

Chris and Gus did a beautiful job reconstructing the red-brick steps on our 72 year old home, so we asked them back to help us with our old, concrete block shed. Despite their busy work load, they found time to add in our second job request, completing it on their weekends. Our projects weren't big, but they were very responsive nonetheless, and their work was beautiful. I'm really pleased that the newly repaired brick steps don't look out of place in comparison with the house, given its age. C&G did a great job maintaining the original charm of our house and porch steps. The mortared joints are impeccable--if you've seen bad repointing work, it's not from these guys! I am really pleased with the work C&G did for us. If we need more masonry work in the future, I know who I will call! Thanks guys!

The end product was excellent, on the walkway. We were very happy with the workmanship. The job too *much* longer than promised. They usually showed late mornings / early afternoons. We were told 1 week, plus 1 extra day two weeks later to powerwash -- and we added the tak of removing the shed, which ended up taking 3 days. They had to come back several times -- supposed to be finished late March (early April, with addition of shed task), but last task completed (patching holes) on 4/30. (To their credit, that was well after we made final payment -- they did come back.) They were here so long my 4 year old now believes Gus is a family member. We were very unhappy with the shed project. I think it was outside their expertise. I know Gus underestimated the job, and it took much longer than projected (and probably meant they didn't turn a profit, since they had to use day laborers in the end) -- and the final task, removal of shed foundation, which Gus guesstimated at 4 inches deep, wasn't completed -- they removed it to 3-4 inches in spots, deeper in other spots. (Foundation turned out to be approx. 16 inches deep, so we're now trying to grow grass over cement.) I know the delay was frustrating to them, and it was 80+ degree heat -- but Gus ended up getting in my face when my husband wasn't here, yelling at me that we were demanding too much by asking them to remove the concrete to grade, and demanding extra money ($80), which I paid because I felt threatened -- $80 that probably wasn't worth my negative Angie's List response about it. Very uncomfortable after that. We were also unhappy with damage to our lawn -- not just where the walkway was put in, but also spots where they left their equipment. To be fair, we don't have a driveway, so there wasn't much choice where to leave equipment -- but they could have cleaned up, thrown down dirt and grass seed. I had to ask them to come back and remove CEMENT that had dripped onto the lawn, formed a puddle, and hardened, in several spots, and one spot is still there. They were supposed to do the walkway level with the grade, and it ended up a little high -- and we ended up having to pay our landscaper $150 for dirt and grass seed, which I felt was wrong. Making it worse, Gus overheard us talking to the landscaper about it, and now they may be going into business together -- meaning they may be charging future customers $$ to replace dirt and grass where they remove it and/or make a mess. This part isn't first-hand, but we gave their name to my mother-in-law before they finished here -- and she had a similar experience. Great work product, but they asked her for more money at the end (which she declined), also admitted lack of expertise in putting in a stair railing to mother-in-law's handyman. Overall, our experience: great for masonry (if they stick to contract price), not great for collateral tasks.

They were pretty good. I was sorry that they had to work in the rain. We were perfectly satisfied with them.

It went pretty well. There was confusion over whether they needed a permit. They seem to be knowledgeable about masonry. There's a good chance that I'll hire them.

My homeowner association told me to get them fixed. They were quick. They started one afternoon and finished the next day, which wasn't ideal but it was outside and I didn't have to be home. It was fine.

They were fine. They did it on time when they said they would. It was quick and fast.

They were prompt and did what they said they would do. Their price was good but I decided to wait before I got the work done.

From start to finish, C&G (Gus was the contact) was top rate in every aspect. I highly recommend their company.

The work was professionally done, completed and cleaned to our expectations. We enjoyed working with him and it was a pleasure to work with the contractor who actually did and/or supervised the work. We paid 50% up front and the rest at completion. Any similar work and we will call Chris again! I would recommend him without reservations.