GENERAL BRICK DESIGNS

Rest easy knowing that General Brick Designs are masons who know what they are doing. I have no doubt that the work they did will last for years to come. It's not often you are left with that kind of confidence, once a contractor moves on to the next job. A lot of that confidence comes from getting to know Ed who runs the business. He is probably one of the most genuine people you will ever meet. You can trust that he will make sure they get your job done, and done right, at a fair price. Peace of mind is worth a whole lot.

After having received several estimates and interviewing those companies for our backyard and pool area renovation, we chose Ed Costanza owner of General Brick Designs and we are so glad that we did! After meeting with Ed Costanza, who we found on Angie’s List, we felt that Ed was trustworthy and someone who truly cared about the quality of his workmanship. Ed assured us that we would be happy with the job, and his was the only company we interviewed that offered a warranty and it’s a 10 Year warranty at that. None of the other companies offered any kind of warranty. Ed provided us with a drawing, according to our specifications, of the patio and pool area renovation that we wanted to have done. The initial draft was a good starting point, but as Ed no doubt knew from his experience, it would not be how the job ended up. Ed proposed several alterations as the job progressed. We were more than happy that he had a vision for those changes and that he knew we would appreciate them. We also proposed a couple of changes to the original plan that Ed enthusiastically embraced. I really feel that any other company would have balked at the changes that we proposed on the fly, and would be more worried about how much time this would add to the job rather than making the customer happy. If Ed ever worried about this, he did not let it show. He had promised us that he would personally be on the job every day and our job would be his only focus. He sure fulfilled that promise. He and his crew are a hard-working team of very talented masons and helpers. They work together like a well-oiled machine. They are all true professionals that were respectful of us and our property and they were a pleasure to have on our job. The finished project was so much better than we had hoped for, and Ed Costanza and General Brick Designs far exceeded our expectations. You really should take a look at General Brick Designs and meet with Ed Costanza, you will be glad that you did. If Angie’s List had an A+ Rating, General Brick Designs would certainly earn it!

We hired Eddie Costanzo to waterproof our basement, a massive project that would have been overwhelming and demoralizing without his calm, knowledgable presence. When we decided to upgrade our driveway and put in a new flagstone patio, we went straight back to Eddie. We sketched out some basic outlines for the projects: For the patio, stones in a roughly circular shape 9 or 10 feet in diameter, with room for a few chairs and the grill. For the driveway, a drainage ditch to address pooling water, new railroad ties to frame the driveway, and additional stones. Eddie designed beautiful upgrades to our home quickly, was clear about timing and communication, and again, went above and beyond the call of duty, removing enormous hunks of concrete buried under the driveway and causing the drainage problem. His team came back to make a few tweaks without batting an eye, and graciously helped solve an (unrelated) cracked concrete ledge for no additional cost. His crew clearly respects him, and his attention not just to detail but to the people who work for him was very clear. Overall: A+. We'd hire him again and again.

Excellent repair! I ws having water issues on the side of my house where my AC units and propane tanks are.. they were slowly leaning toward the house. I thought it was just bad drainage from rain so I called Eddie.. After running his tests and years of his experience he found a stream that pooled under a section of my garage where I keep a collection of my cars. I knew Eddie from past work and needed his expertise with the water issue I was having. Him and his team of masons did a fantastic (emergency) job for me. If it wasn't for them my garage would have collapsed from the weakening foundation and my cars would have been damaged! Not to mention the mold and other issues I would have had in the future!! Eddie and his team are top notch and I would never hire or trust anyone else on my property for the expertise he holds. He also leveled out bricks around the edge of my pool because of the dangers to my kids and any guests which he did at no extra charge. You won't find a better person or mater mason/engineer then Eddie!

Working with Ed and General Brick Designs on a reasonably large job has been a genuinely unique contractor experience--and I mean that in the most positive way possible! I'll begin by cutting to the chase in the event that you don't have time to read this entire, long review. If you're looking to hire someone who has an impressive background and extensive masonry experience, who cares about your job, who you can entirely trust, who will give you more than you bargained for, who pays attention to detail, and is just plain nice to be around, then just go ahead and hire Ed. You will never regret it! I've worked with a whole lot of construction trades over my life as I've done construction on an off since I was in high school. My dad was in construction, I have a sister who does architectural design, and other family members who are involved in various aspects of design and building. There are a few traits I find most valuable in those I work with. One is, obviously that they be proficient at their trade. Another is that they be more committed to doing a good job and paying attention to detail, more than they are to finishing the job in a hurry. And a third is that they are pleasant to work with and really enjoy what they're doing. Ed at General Brick gets extremely high scores in each of those categories! He is absolutely proficient when it comes to masonry. Any time I asked Ed a question about any aspect of the trade, he not only knew the answer, but the reasons for the answer. His high level of expertise as a mason and engineer are the result of decades (and generations) of experience. And that's a very good thing when that wisdom is being applied to your job. On the second point, Ed is incredibly committed to doing a quality job and cared about the details of the job as much as we did. (That is no small thing!) His workers move quickly, but never at the expense of doing the right thing. And that attitude made our job so much better, and so much easier. We started this job with only rough plans. And the understanding was that those plans were a work in progress. Ed was fine with that. Beyond that, he was supportive and helpful at each stage, when it came to dealing with complicated details of the job. There were many times when we would be working on finalizing plans for part of the job, right up to the moment that his guys were ready to start work on that section. Ed never complained about that. And that brings me to the third point, which is how important it is to work with someone who is pleasant to work with because they really enjoy their work. Beyond not complaining about us not having final details for him until the last minute, Ed was actually really helpful at those times. He'd offer his advice, his opinion, and somehow never rushed us. Contrast that with contractors who have a fit when some detail or another changes. If you've done any construction, you know how bad that can be. So many things happened on the job that speak to how good it was to work with Ed. I'll give you an example. When laying the bluestone in a random pattern for our front path, they worked from a straight line on one side, while the various sized pieces projected beyond the planned line on the other side. When the path was completed, those random sizes were to be cut to the planned width. When we noticed that most of the stones projected 4" beyond the originally-planned line, we asked if instead of cutting those all back to the original line, the path could be made wider than planned by cutting less of the projecting stones. That created a bit more work, as they needed to remove and replace a couple of the shorter stones, to widen the path in those areas where the random stones did not project to that 4" line. Ed thought that was a good idea and happily did the work— without charging us for an extra. He really does care about making the job better. And that was the least of the incidents where Ed did extra work without blinking an eye. Having him on this job was helpful in so many other ways, as he gladly offered me another expert mind and opinion even on areas of our construction that I had not hired him for. General Brick Design's work comes with a 10 year warranty. But that doesn't even give the full picture of how Ed stands behind his work. Since the job has ended, Ed has called in a few times to find out how everything is looking, and how the rest of the job is proceeding. He's even offered to make some repairs on cobblestones that might be damaged by another trade, and to fix brickwork that might be damaged by removing trees. There is no question that he's truly interested in standing behind his work. Oh, and by the way, based upon our experience, my sister hired Ed to do an even bigger job than ours. I'll finish by saying that I had not met Ed prior to this job. I'm not a family member who's trying to help him out with an over-the-top good review. What I am, as you can see, is a very satisfied customer. Thank you Ed!

General Brick, whose expertise will be witnessed every step of the way by each of their customers, is neither the most expensive or the cheapest "EXPERT" in the masonry field. In any home improvement job, there are 4 keys to getting the job done correctly. 1. Have the job done professionally, by a person or company with an impeccable and long term history of their trade. 2. By a professional who backs up their work with at least a 5 year written guarantee. 3. Don't overpay. 4. Don't have it done by someone bragging how cheap they are. _____________________ General brick has been my masonry company of choice for many years now because they fit those criteria to a "T". General Bricks 10 year warranty doubles my personal guidelines and in the rare cases they need to, they fully stand behind it. Ed Costanza is a unique human being as you will witness soon after meeting him. There aren't enough accolades to properly describe him. I highly recommend this man and his company for all masonry needs.

It was a pleasure to work with Ed and his crew. Ed Costanzo is a true Mason and genuine person. My wife and I couldn't be any happier with the outcome of the job. I'm a very meticulous person and Ed met every expectation. He walked us through every step of the process from conception to completion and always made us feel at ease. I've had multiple contractors work on our home through the years and I can honestly say, this is the first time I've felt someone deserved a review. His crew worked in the utmost professional manner, cleaning as they worked and leaving the job site spotless at the end of each workday. Ed and crew, Thank you! It looks stunning!

Working with General Brick Designs a was great experience from estimate to installation! Ed Costanzo and his crew were amazing. They were hard working, friendly, attentive - and the clean-up every day was perfection. Never before have I worked with a company that was so genuinely concerned about my satisfaction with a project. Ed would check in frequently, telling me what was being done, how the stone and brickwork were being put in and asking if I was happy with each step of the process. Two main reasons I chose General Brick Designs: 1) Ed Costanzo, himself, is a Master Brick Mason. 2) Ed Costanzo and the General Brick Designs crew do only one job at a time. Ed is on site each moment and it gives the customer a great sense of confidence. Ed brings his passion for masonry, as well as an enthusiasm and integrity to the job which is easy for customers to see. I have already booked another job with General Brick Designs - and recommend them with the highest regard. Wish there was an A+ Angie's List rating.

Ed and crew are the best of the best - look no further.

Ed was very helpful in choosing appropriate stonework for our project. The work was done in a timely and professional manner. We are very pleased with the result and will hire him for future projects. He is very detailed in his description of the services and outcome you can expect. An honest and conscientious craftsman .

Awesome, Fabulous work & they did a fantastic job, I can't praise them enough, Ed the owner, is above and beyond of everything that he do, and he takes care of the problem immediately, he is topnotch, I have recommended General Brick design to 2 of my neighbors and they have hired them as well. Prices are fair.

I dont know where to start with how happy i am. Ed Costanzo and his team went above and beyond. I just bought this house. Money is tight. But Ed gave me not only a very good price, but he added on some extras at no additional cost to me. For this, i am forever grateful. I am no stranger to bad business people, and bad people in general. Therefore i find it refreshing and encouraging that there are good people in this world like Ed Costanzo. I am looking forward to more masonry projects in the future. Ed, if your reading this, please dont forget to contact me about the front stoop and the basement floor, when time permits. No rush. Thanks

The short version… We called General Brick Design because of water issues in the crawlspace. Mr. Ed. Costanzo came (at no charge) and did a thorough examination of the problem. The water seeping into the crawlspace brought to light a more serious issue, we lacked foundation on two sides of our home, which, along with the water, would structurally compromise our house and become more critical if not tackled. Ed didn’t give an estimate and walk away, rather he insisted on showing me everything. He took as much time as needed to explain what was happening and answered all questions, thereby calming my concerns. Ed and his team work in sync and responsibly handle all aspects of the job. They are amazing. Throughout, I was welcome to watch everything and we really appreciated the crew not rushing through the work to move onto the next job. We now have a sturdy foundation on all sides of our house, no water seeping into the crawlspace, and peace of mind, priceless. This is our home and the investment to fix it was well worth it! A more detailed rundown… Let’s start in February 2018 - our sump pump died and enough water came up into the crawlspace to disable the boiler – we feared a repeat, okay I feared a repeat. That said, 2018 was also a year of endless rain; barely a week passed without another downpour and the newly installed sump pump was working non-stop, 24/7, which it hadn’t done in the years prior. At least once every single minute (sometimes less) it was pumping out groundwater. In other words, the sump pump NEVER stopped. Funny, but some people can tune out a frequent sound while for me the incessant rumbling of the sump pump caused my stress level to skyrocket – no matter what others said I thought something had changed and was concerned. So, finding water seeping into the crawlspace pushed me to act now rather than wait as suggested. Initially, just before Thanksgiving (2018), I called General Brick Design, along with several other companies, as water was leaking into the crawlspace during any rains and we wanted to know what to do. Several reps stuck to sales pitches, such as installing a second sump pump (not a viable option) or putting in a French drain, but Mr. Ed Costanzo asked questions and just as important he listened. In addition to not haphazardly throwing out solutions, he offered, at no charge, to come and examine the problem, which the other companies had not. We decided to call Mr. Costanzo after the boiler in the crawlspace was moved upstairs, which we did in mid-December. By this time, the persistent sound of the sump pump along with water staying in the crawlspace was, for me, unbearable and I would have made a deal with the devil to stop it… thankfully, it didn’t go that far. Mr. Ed Costanzo came to the house, at no cost, with equipment and scanned the crawlspace, house, and property. Afterward, with me in tow, he took time to do it all again explaining what we were seeing and to answer my questions. Turns out two connecting sides of our home lacked something essential – footing and foundation, which along with water was compromising the house. (Looking into this, I found the house was originally a one-story summer home, and it seems the contractor did not consider foundation when adding a second floor, at least on two sides of the house, go figure.) Talk about rising stress. Giving the estimate Mr. Costanzo realized how scary all this was and it was important to him that we understood and were as comfortable as possible with what was required to fix the foundation and water issues. So, this curse of water was actually a lucky thing as we never would have realized the foundation crisis until structural damage occurred in our home. Mr. Costanzo came by several times prior to work beginning to map out the job and measure readings. He also told me that they do not rush the work, especially on intricate jobs, and that he takes the responsibility of all tasks seriously. True to his word, the job was 18 days, with adjustments made throughout as he and his crew evaluated what was being done, and I am extremely glad, as I’d rather be the tortoise than the hare in this scenario. In case you’re wondering, at no time was I ever out of the loop on what was happening in and around my home. Ed and his team (Oscar, Wilson, Tony, and Alonso) had no problem with my observing the work or answering my, more than once, queries. As a matter of fact, I witnessed the damp dirt that was my homes foundation as they dug down and it was terrifyingly not stable. This crew is dependable, conscientious and considerate. They work together very well, which is crucial especially when it’s your home. Along with the foundation work, Ed also resolved the pressure and water concerns in and around the crawlspace. He and his team went above and beyond the job scope. The work is done. Our home has stable foundation on all 4 sides and no water seeping into the crawlspace. Also, I can tell you the minute the sump pump stopped and while I wake up as usual during the night, I now turn over and go back to sleep, even when it rains - Yeah! Was this an expensive endeavor? Yes. Was it worth it? Oh yes, most definitely. We highly recommend Ed Costanzo and his company, General Brick Design, and would gladly hire them again without question. Thank you so much guys.

We noticed evidence of water in our basement, and reached out to Eddie and General Brick Designs for a consult. We own an older house, built in approximately 1935 and purchased a few months ago, and we're still learning the ropes. We reached out to a few people, and Eddie was immediately available to talk to us on a weekend, when others were not. Other consultants misdiagnosed the situation after a cursory diagnosis that left us uncomfortable; Eddie arrived with testing gear and a body of knowledge that was as unmistakable as it was reassuring. He spent enough time with us to assuage any concerns and truly get to know us and our problems. Eddie helped us understand that we had a water issue; moisture was getting under our foundation and into our basement in a specific spot. Immediate improvements were needed to address the situation, and we wanted an egress window put in as well. He agreed to help with both, and quickly sent us a proposal. We were able to kick work off quickly, which relieved us of a great deal of stress. It was soon clear that the work was bigger than anyone anticipated: Rather that repairing an insufficient or badly installed foundation, General Brick Designs ended up installing a foundation from scratch, where one simply didn't exist. Our basement had not been done to code to begin with and not appropriately supported when dug out. Eddie adjusted for what was a much bigger job without batting an eye, and didn't vary from his original estimate, despite the scope of the work increasing dramatically. Eddie's team was hard working and very respectful of our property. We had no concerns about access to our house, thanks to a detailed report Eddie provided on a daily basis. This is a second home, and Eddie made sure to over-communicate, such that we were up to date on what had transpired and was planned for the next day. The work was done swiftly, with precision and neatness. The finished product is one we are very happy with. The window looks beautiful. As previous reviewers have noticed, he and his team went above and beyond, doing additional work to repair water damage elsewhere in the house, fixing another water-damaged wall/exterior, adjusting the flow of gutters, and aiding with water management in several other spots. He also offered overall advice that was simply invaluable. It's nice to have an expert you can trust. We already plan to work with Eddie again. He is also just a nice human being, and it's clear his team holds him in high regard.

General Brick Designs deserves an A PLUS rating, not just an A rating. I learned of GBD through Angie's List, and they were also recommended by an employee of a mason supply company that we visited. Mr. Costanza and his crew are an extremely sought after and busy company, but we were determined to get an estimate from him, even though we had already met with at least three other mason contractors, before making a decision on who to choose for the job. We were so relieved that he was able to see us on a Sunday; and so impressed with his thorough presentation, complete knowledge, helpful suggestions and wise advice, that we booked him immediately. We have no regrets! Mr. Costanza is a true designer. For our older home, he steered us away from the contemporary cookie cutter designs recommended by others. We even trusted him enough to let him choose the color of our paving brick and it is beautiful, we love it! The brick layer's work is excellent. He is a true engineer. The driveway flooding problem that we were having is practically eliminated by the drainage and dry well. There were some structural and demolition issues to address on rebuilding our stoop and driveway apron and he handled those effectively and professionally. Mr. Costanza was present on the job every day. He and the crew were super friendly, courteous, respectful, and professional during the entire five day project. Thank you Eddie and crew!

I am writing this review to share my experience with General Brick Design, so that it may help people decide on a mason to do their residential project. My project was a rustic outdoor kitchen and fireplace made from ledge stone and a travertine patio. Prior to selecting General Brick Design I interviewed many other mason companies on Angie’s List. The thing that separated General Brick Design from their competitors was the Owner Ed Costanzo’s genuinity, heart and compassion. Ed broke down the project into components and explained everything in layman’s terms, which made it easy to understand how the project was going to take shape. He further explained the possibility of problems that may arise and how he was planning to overcome them. Anything I proposed to Ed he never said no. For example in addition to the outdoor kitchen and fireplace I wanted to build two air conditioner compressor cement pads because the contractor who had originally built the house installed plastic pads that were sinking into the ground. No other mason company I interviewed wanted to be bothered with building the cement pads. When I presented the cement pad idea to Ed his response was “no problem, we can take care of that for you” and he ended up constructing two beautiful custom cement pad faced with stone. On top of the cement pads he installed rubber pads so that the vibration from air conditioners condensers could be absorbed and reduce the noise. Ed also repaired several foundations cracks and drainage problems that caused water to leak in the basement. Needless to say my basement is bone dry. Ed dug down to the foundation’s footing and repaired the crack and the footing; he applied hydraulics cement and several layers of waterproofing material on both the interior and exterior of the foundation. Ed goes above and beyond in everything he does. Ed also designed and built the pavilion above the kitchen. Again, any other company I interviewed made a big deal out of the construction of the pavilion and gave an astronomical quote. Ed’s team tackled the project and it was done in a couple of days. The pavilion structure was heavily reinforced and is one of most solid structures I’ve ever seen. It could probably support the weight of an army tank. It has a very rustic barn like feel to it, which was exactly what I was looking for. Personally, I don’t believe anyone else could have done a better job. Ed also custom installed low voltage lighting in the fire place area which lights up the beautiful edge stone during the night. Ed’s compassion for his customer’s satisfaction and his compassion for perfection transcends into his employees: Wilson, Oscar and Tony. He treats his employees well, and as result his employees enjoy coming to work and enjoy what they do. If you enjoy what you do, you will do it well. This was evident in his employee’s craftsmanship; they took their time and paid attention to detail, and as a result they have transformed my backyard into Tunscan-like kitchen and fireplace. It’s as almost as if they pulled my kitchen out of a magazine and placed it in my backyard. If you ever have any questions about my experience with General Brick Designs or want to see their work prior to hiring them please reach out to me via email (Raybucknell76@gmail.com) Pictures to follow.

As soon as we met Ed who came recommended from a friend we knew that he was going to do our job. His years of experience and attention to detail proved to be crucial for a job of our size. Ed and his crew were at our house working for 5 weeks. During that time, they broke up our old concrete patio, hauled away all debris and started getting the patio ready for the transformation that took place. Ed and his team installed brand new Cambridge Travertine Walnut bullnose / coping around our pool, replaced all of the concrete around the pool with Cambridge Travertine Walnut 4-piece French pattern a beautiful new travertine surround. Built two custom flower boxes to delineate the area between the pool and the out door patio using El Dorado stacked stone in Nantucket color and Nicolock rock faced capping stone in a Gironde color. He built us a fire pit and seating wall to match the flower boxes out of the same El Dorado stacked stone also in Nantucket color and Nicolock rock faced capping stone in Gironde. Finally using El Dorado stone in Nantucket color and Nicolock rock faced capping stone he built steps from my patio to my lawn and a retaining wall to better define the area where the lawn met the landscaping surrounding my patio. He also used the Cambridge Travertine Walnut to create both a walkway to my garage and a small stoop into my kitchen from the patio. We were thrilled with the way the work came out and would highly recommend him to anyone that asked. Everyone who has come to the house this summer has told us that our backyard has been transformed into a beautiful resort, we couldn't be happier. We can't wait to hire Ed and his team for our next project.

The finished product looks AMAZING!!!

He tried to charge me $14,000 telling me he needed to dig up my side yard, that the water was coming in from all areas. I got another basement water proofing company to come in & he told me all I needed was to do injections into the crack. $2500.00 and no water. so I would say that this contractor tried to take advantage of me.

Ed did such a great job on our patio that we had him repair our front walk and entrance way that was botched by a previous contractor. I never thought he could straighten it out let alone make it look as good as he did. Thanks....

Ed Costanzo delivered as promised on all facets of the job. He was collaborative in the design of the project as well as with product choices in all phases of the construction. He gave us many suggestions that helped my wife and I to develop the overall final project. He and his team made changes as the design changed during construction that enhanced the final outcome without increasing the price. He also fixed approximately a dozen minor stress cracks in the concrete block walls of my house at no additional charge. His engineering knowledge is superior and I saw all the components put in place underneath the final layers of stone to insure I will have a job that will be beautiful and trouble free for many years to come. We are completely thrilled with the work Ed’s crew performed. John and Carol Davis.

Job came out great with field stone and gray mortar. Very happy with results.

This was a big job and my home is built into a slope so it was not easy moving the materials to the worksite, but it all went great - the crew had a good attitude and you can tell that their boss treats them well. I was concerned about runoff because of the hill behind my house but the patio is now so expertly graded so that it isn't even wet close to the house after a rain! (The Army Corps of Engineers title is truly legit!) The crew was terrific and very considerate and patient when I wanted to change things. All in all a great experience. They went above and beyond-- moved my precious Japanese maple and my fishpond with great care. We even came upon a hive of bees in the ground which Ed managed to relocate without killing them! They also reused my old stone to fix up my outdoor shower and make a path to my garden. The patio is spectacular as is the shower and upper deck. Pictures don't do the work justice. Such a great job... Well done Eddie, Oscar, Wilson, Richie and the rest of the crew! THANK YOU!

Very well; on time; sufficient number of people to complete the job on time; all were very polite, courteous and helpful. Everything was beautifully cleaned up before they left. Ed, the owner, was very knowledgeable and his skill as a true mason was apparent. I had interviewed 8 other companies and their responses at the time were questionable and did not provide confidence in what they would recommend or do. Ed provided sound suggestions for the look and construction of the stoop. He was the highest bidder by about $200 but I can honestly say it was well worth it. He also provided a guarantee unmatched by everyone else. He also spent time with me afterwards to look over some other potential projects which I can not afford this year, but he still gave me suggestions and very general estimates for the work so that I could plan for another time. I have had many companies come to my home to do work and none have ever been so dedicated to doing a fine job and showing true craftsmanship. He really cares about doing a good job. You all know the stories and expectations of hiring these outside guys. Ed was certainly the exception.

I can’t say enough good things about Ed and his team! We needed foundation/chimney/external basement entrance work and had concerns with other areas. No matter how much ‘homework’ you do, you have to take a leap of faith and trust the professional to guide you. We did that with Ed and have no complaints! Ed is thorough , knowledgeable and honest. He welcomes questions, hears your concerns, makes sure you are comfortable with the plan and provides options when available. His team is hard working, highly skilled and efficient, even in less than favorable conditions. Ed and team are not just about getting the job done; they take pride in the job they do. My only regret…not being able to shake the hand of every one of the team and thank them personally for a job well done! Would not hesitate to hire them again and highly recommend General Brick Designs.