GENERAL BRICK DESIGNS

From this site, I've learned that Eddie has passed away. Most sorry to hear. Unfortunately, he recently did some work (basement waterproofing which is failing). I see that Kastina z. and Jason L. have situations where they need to get in touch with someone. I would be willing to speak to either of you or others. Please let me know.

Ed was an amazing person to talk to and plan out my patio with. Unfortunately I called his number two days ago to set up plans for my patio install and found out his phone was disconnected. No one has reached out to me, and I haven’t been able to get in touch with anyone since hearing of his passing on Angie’s list. If anyone does have any information, please email me at Jmasta23@gmail.com.

We have recently found out that Eddie has unfortunately passed away. Eddie has done a tremendous amount of work for me and my husband with patios and waterproofing since 2021. His work has always been 10/10. However, the remaining work was supposed to be completed this spring (a deposit was given). Since we have a pending project, we are looking to see if anyone else also has any pending work that needs to be done. As of now we were told the business has collapsed but there is no working number to contact anyone. Has anyone had any luck? If yes, please feel free to email me at kmoschetti16@gmail.com.

Just heard that Eddie Costanzo passed away last week! Wanted to say what a great man he was and will be missed by many. He was a class act always! He did work for us a few years back. A perfect gentleman. Condolences to his family and friends.

We found General Brick Design and Ed through Angie's List. Our house was dealt a bit of blow when we discovered our home had significant foundation damage and structural issues. I started my search for a contractor on Angie's List and General Brick Designs popped up first review on this list with many reviews on why you should hire Ed and his crew and this review won't be any different. This was the first time I hired General Brick Design. Needless to say, they did a tremendous job. The brickwork they did was the work of a master mason. A couple of years later, my other home suddenly had severe water issues. The entire first floor now flooded whenever there was a tremendous downpour. Once again, I was fortunate enough to be able to employ General Brick Design. Ed was able to fit me into his work schedule. Now, not only did he take care of the problem; the house’s moisture reading went down from 180% to 3%. YES 3% - (Considered “desert dry” by industry standards). Most recently, my primary residence, which had water issues, worsened. I called Ed. He was able to diagnose the water issues; waterproofed the house from the outside of the foundation to the inside. I challenge you to find any other contractor who says he does waterproofing to find a solution other than a “French drain”. BTW- many other states have banned the use of French drain systems as they compromise the structure of the foundation of the home; walls, footings, etc. Basically, General Brick Design has now set the bar so high for contractors and I couldn't agree more. I just didn't see the point in finding anyone else because Ed has such superior knowledge on this work there just wasn't any point in my opinion of looking elsewhere. The work went so smoothly. The guys showed up on time and ready to work. It was neat to see all the progress being made each day Ed worked along side the crew for our job and of course was onsite each day all day. They finished the whole job in 4 days and the work looks absolutely amazing. Our house feels so solid feels so safe. Our basement is now bone dry, even after these past couple of days, with all the record rainfall. I said it before and I’ll say it again, Edward Costanzo is the Mike Holmes on Homes of Long Island. Long Island will lose a valuable waterproofing resource, if he ever chooses to retire. I should mention that Ed and his crew do everything from waterproofing, to building foundation work, to home additions, as well as general brick designs.

Eddie is the absolute best! He is a superior mason with an unmatched knowledge base and, most of all, a man of excellent character. You simply will not find a contractor like Eddie. He has devoted countless hours to our project. Without him, we would’ve faced enormous difficulties. He saved us from that. If you’re looking for a mason you can implicitly trust and will treat you like family, call Eddie. He is in a class by himself and his crew is top notch too. Cannot recommend them enough!

Fantastic, wonderful and excellent! The contract showed exactly what he was going to do and gave an estimate as to when he would do it. He showed up before he had estimated. The job was done on time. The job sites were beautiful after he left. There is a reason he is able to give a warranty on a leak proof basement. The apron at the end of the driveway is gorgeous. The stairs going out to the backyard are beautiful. I am very happy with all the work he did on my house. I highly recommend him for any project you have. He was professional, courteous, and honest. A++

OMG this company was Phenomenal!, the knowledge, dedication and caring they put into a project is unsurpassed. Up to date equipment used to assess needed repairs was essential in diagnosing the problem. They were efficient and professional with added caring for the families involved and respect for the memories made in the home. Each crew member was willing to go above and beyond his daily task to ensure the quality and workmanship was above board. Look no further if you need any masonry work done!!!!! Call this company and ask for Ed. He will eagerly do what he can to to help. His professional knowledge and experience is without equal! We were beyond thrilled to have the job done in a timely manner and done RIGHT!!!!!!!!!

Ed demonstrates a tremendous knowledge, respect and deep affection for historic homes and fine architecture. His engineering skills and expertise are peerless and his enthusiasm for his work is contagious. Our home was built in 1850 when construction codes were an abstract idea. The original foundation was a hodgepodge of stones, bricks and wood. Ed has reconstructed the entire foundation, preparing our home for the next 150 years or more. It is due to his diligence that our historic home will survive and thrive.

Eddie of General Brick Designs did a fantastic job building a gravel driveway at my summer house. He lives up to his rave online reviews. He is a great communicator and friendly. He is prompt and thorough. He immediately understood the look I wanted and told me how to achieve it in a way that would be easiest to maintain. He explained to me how a gravel driveway is engineered and carefully talked through the challenges of my space, which needed grading so that water wouldn’t pool in the center. Once I decided to hire him, he got to work ASAP and finished ahead of schedule. The driveway looks terrific. I know that if I have any questions or issues, I can call Eddie and he’ll respond right away. He’s now my go-to guy for masonry or paving work. I’ll encourage my friends to use him. Heck, I’d probably call him for advice on stuff unrelated to paving. He’s that good. Hire him. You won’t regret it!

We've worked with Eddie and General Brick Designs a few times over the years, since purchasing our first house. We bought an old house which we love, flaws and all. One of its biggest flaws is that the foundation was not originally adequately done to support the house and keep water out, and has been deteriorating over time. The first time we hired him we were in a panic, with water seeping up through our basement floor after heavy rains. We had met with 3 or 4 people, he was the only one who was able to correctly diagnose and fix the problem. We've hired Eddie and his team to make the repairs that we have needed to over time, and recently worked with him to repair a large section. It was a very tricky, big job in a narrow space on the side of our house. His team carefully and surgically hand dug a trench, in the process working around, and supporting, a chimney and two brand new stone landings into our house. He's an excellent problem solver. He told us he stayed up most of the night before crafting the design and solution, and met with us to walk us through a few different options. He knows how to present facts and information, pros and cons, help you make a decision, with a balance. He's clear about the approach and materials he is using. We're curious people and want to know everything. We're already planning a small patio adjacent to the back of the house, and his vision and design is perfect. He did another small patio for us a few years back, and can do both "practical" repair work like a foundation repair, as well as skilled stone work and design. Being both a mason and an engineer gives him a unique perspective on any job and challenge. His team is consistently a pleasure to have on our property. They had to remove a cement bib, stone border and gravel on the side of the house, and put it back better than it was before. He also fixed a problematic gutter drain and corrected an issue with overflow in heavy rains. We feel very relieved and have deep peace of mind that our house has been properly structurally fortified and is now able to withstand whatever nature and time will do. Lastly, he's just a good human being who enjoys what he does and is generous with his time and expertise, always happy to answer any questions, super responsive.

Long Island ice, snow, rain, sleet and heat can take its toll on any brick and cement job. I've used General Brick a few times over the years and their jobs are similar to the incredible jobs of the past generations. Those in the time when Legal American Immigrant Mason's came here to make their dreams come true. General Brick has a tremendous pride in the work they do and of how long it lasts. In the rare case that Long Island weather ever does make one of their jobs less than perfect, they strongly and quickly back up their 10 year warranty. Amazing Mason's. Amazing Company

Ed knocked on our door because he was visiting a client who is a neighbor and told us he had done our driveway way more than 10 years ago. He told us he stands by his work and offered to fix any bricks that came out a bit or anything to make the driveway look new. My husband and I thought we were on candid camera. Ed's guys are right now fixing our driveway and walkway for free to make sure it still looks good. This was done more than 10 years ago, probably 15 or 20!! Who does this? They are true masons and incredibly nice and efficient. If there was a way I could give 10 stars, I would. Ed is the kindest and most professional person I have ever met (and believe me, we have used MANY contractors before for various jobs).

Ed is a true professional. He is honest, fair priced, and the quality of work is above the rest. Ed and his team installed a patio around my pool and its absoultey beautiful. He listened to what my wife and I wanted and delievered beyond. It's hard today to find a contractor that not only does the job correctly, but also ensures the customer is 100% satisified. I couldn't be happier with the patio and the overall experience. I highly recommend!!!

Eddie Costanzo is a rare find in the world of contractors and we are so grateful that we found him! We discovered him here on Angie’s List due to stellar reviews and we must say, those reviews certainly do paint an accurate picture of his excellence as a contractor who cares greatly about his clients and the integrity of his work. We called him initially to install new pavers around our pool. During this process, Eddie devoted so much time and effort to our job. He visited our property more times than we know and spent countless hours trying to figure out the best way to proceed with the work - we know that no other contractor would have devoted the time and effort into this job that Eddie did. Contractors like him simply do not exist. You will not find another contractor like him. With a background rooted in the Army Corp of Engineers, Eddie brings a knowledge-base to his work that others simply don’t have. We immediately felt confident in Eddie due to his qualifications as a master mason and the high standards he sets for himself as a contractor who does the right thing for his clients. His pride in his work is the driving force behind his actions and he will not compromise the quality of his work for anything. Eddie’s attention to detail led him to discover a problem that needed attention and action. We are confident that no other contractor would have been thorough enough to recognize what Eddie recognized. Eddie and his team swiftly acted and fixed this problem. In doing so, we avoided what would've become a very serious issue. We cannot thank him enough for his thoroughness and quick-thinking. If we had hired any other contractor, we would’ve been facing huge headaches and stress. If you are looking for a master mason who is highly qualified, genuinely invested in each individual job, and won’t settle for less than an impeccable finished product, Eddie is the man for you. His word is his bond. You can absolutely trust him; he backs up everything he says with action which is nearly impossible to find today. It was so refreshing to work with a contractor who genuinely cares about his clients and always goes above and beyond. It has been our pleasure to know and work with Eddie. We cannot thank him enough and we recommend him with complete confidence. THANK YOU, EDDIE!!

We noticed a crack or two in the cinderblocks that support the back of our house, and instantly turned back to Eddie Constanzo and General Brick Designs, who have completed several projects for us with exceptional professionalism, courtesy, and a remarkable depth of knowledge. Eddie came by with several high-tech scanners to survey and diagnose the problem, and patiently explained the situation to us. While we couldn't be sure the concrete footing was compromised, Eddie was pretty confident -- and we trusted him. We were right to do so. Eddie promptly came by with a team, dug up the footing and exposed EXACTLY the problem he had so expertly diagnosed. He again took the time to walk us through the findings, and showed us exactly how he was going to reinforce and protect our house for the next century. This type of work can feel big, and scary, and he put us at ease. In fact, I recommended Eddie to my next door neighbor over a similar issue. The man is trustworthy! As with every job he has done with us, his team is so courtesous and respectful of our property. They did a beautiful job of putting our rock garden back together, it looks better than before!

A bit about my project. 110 y/o home, poured concrete foundation, multiple cracks, crumbling walls, leaky windows and portions of the floor that were still dirt. I contacted 4 different contractors/waterproofers. One never responded after seeing the basement, 2 offered up French drains as the only solution which would do nothing for the cracks and crumbling walls that could over time compromise the house. Then Ed from General Brick Designs called. Ed was the only contractor to discuss stopping the water from entering the home which is exactly what I wanted. Ed showed up with an array of evaluation tools, thoroughly explained the issues and reviewed the necessary mitigation steps. Ed’s team came in moved all my “stuff” neatly to the side, they dug out one side of the house, reset window wells, ground down all crumbling concrete, reinforced weak areas with high psi concrete and steel underpinnings, triple sealed walls, repaired large portions of the basement floor. His team showed up on time every day, worked constantly and diligently in 17degree weather. After the first day of grinding walls when they left for the day the basement was cleaner than when they had started. To say I am pleased with the result is an understatement. Ed and his team are consummate professionals, the job they did in the basement and outer wall was no less than spectacular.

We received estimates from a number of different water proofing companies. It seems most just wanted to install french drains even without understanding where the water was coming from. Ed from General Brick Designs was the only one who came with equipment and actually wanted to get to the source of the issue. He was very thorough and explained everything throughout the estimate process as well as when the work was taking place. His team excavated the necessary parts of the house and made the needed repairs and improvements. It's rare when getting work done, but Ed put me at ease and I felt fully comfortable that the work was being done correctly and the right way. During the work they noticed issues with the foundation and footings of the house and they also made those repairs. We will have to wait until the summer storms for their work to fully be put to the test, but I have confidence that it is taken care of.

I can't thank Eddie Costanzo and his crew enough for what they did for my other home. Once again, I had major foundation issues. Not a simple waterproofing as every other contractor stated. The home is at a bottom of a hill. The land around the North side of the home was pitched wrong; as well as the slab never even having a layer of tar added to it. Another contractor would have done a simple water barrier and drainage; Eddie and his crew did way more. Digging under the footings on either side of the home; securing it with steel, as well as protective waterproofing, a ton of concrete- mixed on site so that Eddie is assured of the quality that goes into the job. He brought an indicator with him for the initial assessment that determined the amount of moisture being retained within the walls/beams of the home. The house was at its saturation point, and the concrete base was crumbling. Had Eddie not managed to squeeze me into his busy schedule, I don't think the home would have fared well this Winter season. No other contractor performs as thorough a job; Eddie always errs to caution and winds up doing more to provide the best quality job money can buy. Most every other contractor wants to always do water diversion; usually with French drains when "waterproofing" a basement. That actually compromises/destroys the foundation. Very few other contractors will actually waterproof on Long Island. I know I am always guaranteed the best possible job when I use General Brick Designs. Eddie truly is the Holmes on Homes for Long Island. Big thank you again goes to Eddie, his wife, and crew who made it all possible for me and my family.

I'd give Mr. Costanza 10 stars if I could. He correctly diagnosed the issue and moved quickly to remedy it. He stabilized the foundation and shored up the flooring, even making some repairs that weren't foundation related, but that he'd found needed to be done under the flooring. To reach the foundation, part of a new patio had to be removed. Now replaced, it's impossible to tell it had been disturbed. He noticed the chimney had some cracks and repaired it, without being asked and without charge! He was communicative and happy to answer any questions I had in a way that allowed me to understand and to know that my home was safe. Knowledgeable, affable and kind, Mr. Costanza was on the premises throughout each day, directing the work. His crew were also gentlemen, pleasant and helpful. I will definitely hire them again!

The work Eddie and his crew did for my house was exceptional. From the get-go, Eddie was able to explain the structural issues of my house in a way that was understandable, yet did not demean my lack of knowledge. He is a true teacher, and I wish we had someone like him as an inspector when we initially bought the house. Given his reviews on Angi's list, I had really high hopes for him, and he did not disappoint. His crew did a full underpin of two of my foundation walls, and while he was here, he patched up all the cracks in my foundation and even paved a new walkway and did some landscaping to ensure that we would not have water issues moving forward. He went above and beyond what our contract laid out, but I think my favorite part about the process was that I now feel there is someone I can always call if I have any concerns about my home. Eddie would give me an honest answer and help me find a solution, even if he wasn't an expert. I feel more comfortable as a home owner, knowing that there are people like him in the world. Once we pay this repair off, we are already planning to hire him again :).

From the get go I was impressed with Ed's engineering knowledge, his ability to assess structural and materials issues, and his ability to explain the necessary procedures for an optimal outcome. Unlike other contractors who might avoid the inconveniences of working on an historic mid 19th century house, Ed welcomed the opportunity and took immense pride in stabilizing and preparing it for the next 100 plus years. His crew was skilled, punctual, and very pleasant taking great care in the construction and clean-up process. Ed was also very generous with his expertise on maintaining the house, assuring us that he could be called upon for council or to address any future concerns. His company is far beyond professional - they are house whisperers!

Extremely professional and knowledgeable, intellectually curious and great communicators. When you combine these 4 skills/attributes you get what was the best contractor experience of my homeownership career. No question was too big or small, or taken as challenge to their knowledge and expertise - no ego to bruise here. This made us not just see the results but understand what was done, how it was done, why it was done in such a way and why all other ways were ruled out. Don't get me wrong - if you don't want all that info they won't bother you - they will show up on time and do what they said they would do within the budget they said they would do it with - which in itself is a miracle these days. Do yourself a favor and look no further - if what you need done is within the scope of their services, book them right away. The earliest appointment we could get with them was 6 months after the initial consultation but was absolutely worth the time. Couldn't be more happier with any and all parts of our experience.

***** Ed Costanzo at General Brick Designs is a consummate professional. He brings years of expertise to each job, with an artful eye, and a passion about masonry and brick work. Ed cares about customer satisfaction and works on a timely schedule. This is the second time we've contracted with Ed, and expect to do more at our home. The crew: Wilson, Darwin, Angel and Miguel are hardworking, kind and lovely to be around. One of the best things about General Brick Designs is that they do one job at a time - and Ed is there with his crew everyday. This is a superlative company that I recommend to anyone without hesitation. *****

We had an exceptional experience working with Eddie and his crew to repair our foundation. We originally had him out to provide an estimate on fixing an exterior crack in our foundation and replace some rusting columns in the crawlspace. He spent nearly an hour inspecting the exterior of the house, all the while explaining details about how the house was constructed, how the loads are distributed, etc. I learned a ton about my home I had never known before. When the crew came out to do the work, they then did a much more thorough internal inspection, and found two fairly severe issues (several rotted blocks in different spots of the foundation, and an improperly supported beam that holds up a large portion of our house). The crew took it upon themselves to fix these new issues as well, all without trying to upsell or change the original estimate. And they did all of this work in about a day and half. Part of this project even involved digging up sections of our yard that were under gravel walkways, which they put back looking even better than they found them. Overall, just a terrific experience and a great crew to work with.