It went fine. The process is a bit messy and dusty, so be prepared to turn off HVAC for periods of time.
Description of Work: We refinished an old Pittsburgh basement by plastering and painting old crumbling walls, patching and painting the floor, and replacing old windows with glass block. The before and after looks 100% different and has added great value to the basement.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
June S.
03/2016
5.0
masonry, chimney repair
+ 0 more
unknown
Description of Work: Chimney pointing repair, caulking and pointing repairs on one side of the house. Crew worked efficiently.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$800
Carmen B.
05/2014
5.0
masonry
+ -1 more
Steve and his crew were very thorough and professional. They obviously take pride in their work and it shows in the finished product.
Description of Work: Brick pointing and repair, concrete work on two story duplex.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,750
Jean G.
10/2013
5.0
masonry
+ -1 more
Steve and his team were great, making repairs that are so much better looking than I thought possible. Everyone was very professional and hard working. They took real pride in their work. At the end of the job, all the rubble was cleaned up and removed, the wall was rinsed off, and Steve even made sure that my gate closed properly. I couldn't be happier with the work that was done. I plan to ask Steve to re-point the entire back of my house in the future.
Description of Work: repaired a failing brick column, repaired cracked and broken areas on two concrete porches, repointed areas that someone had wrongly repaired with tar or caulk, filled a large crack between house and concrete back porch, repaired a couple of cracked foundation blocks, and replaced the concrete joint between foundation and sidewalk on one side of my house.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,800
MONICA B.
05/2011
5.0
masonry, chimney repair
+ 0 more
Great--no problems at all.
Description of Work: Steve and crew rebuilt 3 chimneys that were in serious need of repair. They worked quickly and professionally--Steve is a real perfectionist. After they finished working up above, Steve scheduled some time to come back to clean out each chimney. When he pulled one of the clean-out plugs (all 3 are located in the basement), he discovered that the flue was packed solid with layers of debris (dirt, old mortar, a plastic bag, leaves, etc.). If he hadn't gone the extra mile to check the clean-outs, there's no telling when we might have encountered some serious problems, since this is the chimney we use to vent our hot water.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,000
David D.
04/2010
1.0
masonry
+ -1 more
Did not respond to inquiry.
Description of Work: None
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
Ray B.
10/2009
5.0
masonry
+ -1 more
Steve did an excellent job of pointing the brick and working on the house foundation. I had several places where I had attempted to do the pointing myself and managed to only make a mess of it. He was able to clean up my mess and the completed work looks great. He came on schedule and completed the work quickly. Highly recommend his work.
Description of Work: Pointing the front brick in my house as well as the foundation.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,400
E M H.
07/2009
1.0
chimney repair
+ -1 more
I called them and she said he was very busy and would call back to make an appointment. He never called back.
Description of Work: I needed chimney repair.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
1.0
punctuality
1.0
Terry N.
02/2009
5.0
masonry, chimney repair
+ 0 more
They did an excellent job. Very professional. Good customer service.
Description of Work: Rout-out and repoint all mortar joints.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,200
THERESA F.
10/2008
2.0
masonry
+ -1 more
No one ever returned my call. I will not be going with this company.
Description of Work: I called for an estimate.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
responsiveness
2.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
T R.
10/2007
5.0
masonry
+ -1 more
Steve was fantastic to work with. He gave me an estimate, stuck to it, and was less expensive than other estimates. His start date was a bit hard to pin down, but once the work got started he and his crew did excellent work. They were all courteous and quiet. I mentioned to Steve that I was planning on installing a door for a new deck I was going to build. He gave me a quick quote on opening the wall for me, I agreed and he did a great job. He even left me with the use of some of his scaffolding for the early stages of my deck project. It was a great experience working with him. I highly recommend Steve.
Description of Work: Whole house pointing. Ground and pointed all brick work on a small, two story, town house. Pointed the chimney, all brick work, and foundation. Re-laid window sills. Patched concrete steps. Removed and trimmed bricks in preparation for opening a wall for a new doorway.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
4.0
punctuality
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$9,000
MICHELLE B.
11/2006
5.0
masonry, fireplaces
+ 0 more
Once again, Steve worked magic! Several years ago I ripped out two horrible fake mantels in my house. I was excited to see that there were brick fireplaces behind them and the brick extended to the ceiling. Unfortunately, the openings were a wreck and I wasn't sure what could be done. Several years later I was finally sick of the eyesores and called Steve. He gave a very detailed estimate of the work to be done and completed all of it. He cleaned the brick, filled some mortar holes where necessary, laid several layers of brick for hearths and rebuilt the openings. Everyone who enters my home is struck by the beauty of the fireplaces and the quality of the work. This is the third job Steve has done for me and he consistently delivers outstanding work. He returns calls promptly, arrives on time, and pays attention to the smallest details of the job.
Description of Work: Rebuilding and repair of two fireplaces, the brick walls were cleaned and sealed, the openings were restored and hearths were built.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$3,000
ELIZABETH B.
08/2006
1.0
chimney repair
+ -1 more
He was so conscientious about the whole job. I know his intentions were good. Steve impressed me. He prepared and signed a 5 page contract. He was careful selecting the bricks. He brought them over on June 10th along with his wheel barrow and scaffolding. I asked for 1 more week since I was leaving. He said he would maybe start on Sunday the 18th. He called and said since Sunday was Father's Day, he would start on the 20th of June. I've not heard from him or seen him since. I've called several times. I spoke to the receptionist and she said she couldn't believe he hasn't called. She said either he or she would call me back in an hour, and neither one has called.
Description of Work: Estimate to replace bricks on chimney's.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
responsiveness
1.0
MICHELLE B.
10/2005
5.0
masonry, chimney repair
+ 0 more
STEVE'S WORK IS EXCELLENT. HE IS VERY DETAIL ORIENTED AND PERFECTIONIST'S. WHILE REPAIRING THE SIDE OF MY HOME, HE FOUND IT WAS A MUCH BIGGER JOB THAN HE HAD ESTIMATED. HE SPENT MUCH MORE TIME ON IT THAN EXPECTED BUT DID NOT RUSH THROUGH IT. IT LOOKS WONDERFUL. I PLAN TO USE HIM AGAIN IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO FOR INTERIOR MASONRY REPAIRS AS WELL. HE MINIMIZES CLUTTER AROUND HIS WORK AREA AND CLEANS COMPLETELY WHEN FINISHED.
Description of Work: I HAVE HIRED STEVE TWICE: FOR CHIMNEY REPAIR (TWO CHIMNEYS) AND FOR EXTRAORDINARY MASONRY REPAIRS (THE WALL OF MY HOME WAS CRACKING BETWEEN BRICKS AND EXTENDING UP TO THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS).
All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our State Contractor License Requirements page.
*Contact business to see additional licenses.
Service Categories
Masonry,
Chimney Repair,
Fireplaces
FAQ
S W RYMS is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.
No, S W RYMS does not offer free project estimates.
No, S W RYMS does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, S W RYMS does not offer a senior discount.
No, S W RYMS does not offer emergency services.
Yes, S W RYMS offers warranties.
S W RYMS offers the following services: Chimney Repair, brickwork-blockwork, lintel repair/replacement, flue liners, brick and building restoration.