Bright Construction Group

It went very well. They are very professional. We had a couple of minor issues, they came out and they fixed them. The staff can directly deal with the problem and the job manager would actually call me and resolve the issues. They showed up actually early. I had another quote for another masonry project.

UPDATE: It's now spring of 2015 - work had to stop for the winter, but we got the concrete deck poured, the deck was stained and control joints cut. It looks amazing! Had a late start this spring due to the weather -- given the layout and the hilliness, we couldn't bring heavy equipment down the hill during rain, which there was quite a bit of, along with the cold. But once Bright started back up, things have moved very effectively and efficiently. These crews know exactly what they're doing. The foreman is extremely knowledgeable and they've been able to answer all of my questions. They've listened to my input in how I wanted things laid out, and they don't need any supervision once they know how I want things. They installed a retaining wall in front of the kitchen which is absolutely fabulous. It curves around rather than being angular, which I didn't think they could do. They helped me put in a PVC water pipe prior to pouring the footing so I could get water access to the wood deck just outside of the kitchen. The stairs down to the pool area are amazing - at least 10 feet wide at the top and 36 feet wide at the bottom. They look like stairs to a Mayan temple. They just finished putting in the paver pathway. I watched the work and they put down a very thick layer of stone and concrete dust, compacted it extremely well, then when it was ready, laid out the pavers. When they were in place, they put long bars of rebar along the edge, hammered in vertical rebar to hold the horizontal rebar in place, and then place concrete all around the edges covering the rebar, and ensuring the pavers would not move, even the pavers at the edges. The concrete edging is lower than the pavers for grass to cover, so it's not going to show, but it will do the job beautifully. The work is almost finished, and I'll put in a final update when we're done. If you have concrete and masonry work to do and you don't call Bright Construction Group (703-533-7422) then, frankly, I think you're wasting your time and money. PRIOR REVIEWS and UPDATES: Bright Construction is one of those companies that I consider in the top 5%. They started this project and move quickly, first meeting with me and going over the boundaries, what I wanted and so on. They dug huge holes for concrete piers, put in the wall beyond the pool on top of the piers, and then poured concrete to fill it all. They then backfilled that area, put in the wall with unbelievable footers between the pool and the house, took out the old deck, put in concrete steps that look like they lead to a Mayan temple (not kidding - wish I could post a picture) which they're putting facing stone and cap stone on this week. They've backfilled the whole pool area with fill from another job they're working on, and it's changed the way we view the pool area. It is absolutely amazing what these folks can do. They move quickly, and know exactly what they're doing. They are flexible -- I've changed the size of the concrete deck, extended the wall between the pool and the house, and have asked them to add these and other changes to the contract and bill. The CEO has been out a couple of times to see how things are going; the foreman is an expert in concrete and how to make things work. My realtor said recently that if I'm looking for a concrete construction, the Portuguese are the best. It turns out the CEO and the foreman are both Portuguese. After the first two days, the pool area was cleared, leveled, and concrete piers and footers across them were poured. Two concrete trucks, one concrete pump truck, and a couple of mid-sized kubota-like vehicles. This is a more difficult location to access, down a hill in the back yard. I'm very impressed. They know what they're doing, and it's clear that they have a lot of experience with this kind of work. This whole area had a lot of fill dirt laid down before the houses were built more than 45 years ago, so they had to dig the holes for the concrete piers (which are about 5-6 feet in diameter, I think) down to the soil below the fill dirt. They staggered the piers on one side of the pool area and tied them all together with rebar before they poured, so that the piers closest to the pool are tied in to the ones further from the pool, which prevents any movement and strengthens each individual pier. The concrete deck will be poured on top of the compacted fill dirt and the concrete piers -- it's 4000 psi concrete -- other quotes I had gotten from others were for 3500 psi concrete. Bright has been extremely flexible with the changes I've requested -- you don't really know some things in advance -- you have to wait until you see one part done before you realize you want to do the next part differently than originally envisioned. I'll update this review when the deck is poured and we're almost done with the work. At this point, if you want concrete work done, walls built, concrete stairs poured, stone work done, or any of the other things that they've done here in this pool renovation, you'd be wise to call Bright. I was really concerned about spending this much money and ending up with poor quality materials and work -- that is absolutely not the case here. They are doing excellent work, doing it very competently, and using very high quality materials. So happy, I've been going to their office to submit deposits every few weeks, without any prodding. Would I call them again for a significant job? Yes. Your money will be well spent.

The estimate was higher than the one we're using. Two of them came out and he was too expensive. He wasn't that much higher that the one we took, but he was about $1500 higher. My interaction with him was fine. I didn't like the price plus he didn't come with any examples of their work or anything. He had no paper work with him, whereas the other guy had pictures and photographs. Of course, you can go on the website and stuff, but I kind of like to have it as well when the guy comes around to give me an estimate so that I can point out what it is that I want. He had nothing with him. They were here on time.

We had four companies come out for quotes. When Bright came out for the quote I was very impressed with the person that came out. He was very knowledgeable and professional and took time to see exactly what I wanted and gave suggestions. The other companies were unimpressive to me. I was so hoping that Bright would come back with a good quote so that it would be an easy decision. They wrote up a detailed and itemized estimate which I really liked and their price was the lowest of the four! They came out and did the work and I was very pleased. I had to call them back over because something didn't dry very well and they very promptly came back and fixed it. I was very happy with the entire process and would use them again.

The company quoted providing stamped concrete which was higher cost than our budget. We selected a lower cost company that quoted standard concrete.

Excellent! The crews were friendly, polite, prompt, knowledgeable and did more than we contracted for at no extra cost. The estimator was very punctual, well groomed, and gave me the estimate before he left the house. He knew exactly how to fix all our drainage problems. The price was fair and the work was very well done.

We have had the pleasure of working with Bright Masonry over the past several years. From foundation work, to matching brick from the original quarry cerca 1942. Their qualify of craftsmanship and attention to detail is bar none. One of the most impressive things that sticks out is Rui Dominguez?s guarantee on his jobs. We had an interesting experience, early on with Bright Masonry. My wife and I shared with Rui?s team that we wanted a very long lasting driveway, patio and sidewalk ?in addition to using rebar, he also insisted on impregnating the concrete with fiber to further reinforce. To this day there is not one crack and this was done in 2003. For those that have had poor experiences with Bright, it seems to be around scheduling and getting call backs. What I can tell you - stick with them. They have undergone new hiring over the course of the past several years and staff are learning the ropes - not the masonry guys - the office staff. Recent negative posts on Angie?s list - the main office lady died within the past month, thus the missing call backs. Give them a break or don't assume things. Regarding pricing, RUI is quite competitive, slightly on the higher end, but his work is top notch and well worth it. Looking forward to our next project this coming week!

They were very thorough in their estimate and everything was very detailed. It was the owner of the company, Juan that came out and he really helped us understand everything that the job would entail. He let us know he only hires very experienced masons. Juan also had pointed out that we need flashing in an area that other service providers hadn't pointed out. He really went over all the options with us and had samples on the trucks. Juan was also very forthcoming on how the pay rates were laid out. We ended up choosing this company due to the very detailed estimate that he had sent us. They will be completing the work for us within a couple of weeks.

It was messy when they were working, but they did a good job cleaning up after themselves. Overall, we were pleased with the results.

the workers showed up on time, were professional and competent. The owner of the company came by later to inspect the workmahship. This company's estimate was competitive, and slightly lower, than other companies we had spoken with.

They did an outstanding job for the replacement of the sidewalks. They are very reasonably priced and go above and beyond to get the job completed. This is the second time I have used them. I would highly recommend them.

The man who came by gave me his card and I emailed him on Friday afternoon. Because of the long holiday weekend I decided to give this a little more time. However, I have not heard or received any quotes from this company. I am disappointed because the idea of using flagstone instead of brick was really appealing to me.

Second review for me of this company, first was an A. The steps the did are crumbling. Had someone out her to estimate repair, never got back to me. Called and still no response. I want them to do the work because they did it in the first place. Now I am stuck. Additionally, person said the steps were crumble ing bc I did not seal them. The sealant was never discussed or offered in the first job. I am now a very very unhappy customer who suggest you steer clear of this company

Based on Angie's List reviews, we contacted Bright Masonry, Inc. and scheduled an appointment. The representative came to our home on March 24 and walked around our property making notes and taking measurements. He said that he would have an estimate for us in a couple of days. Two months later, we are still waiting for that estimate. We made several phone calls, sent several emails requesting the information, and my husband even drove over to their office. He was told that the estimate department was backed up, but that it shouldn't have taken so long. That was over two weeks ago. Not only would we not recommend this company, but we are embarrassed that we actually did. My husband's brother was present at the March 24 appointment and asked Bright to come to his home as well. They showed up two days later but he had the same experience as us. He has since arranged to have the work done by another contractor. We will eventually do the same thing. The above estimate is a guess since we never actually got a price from Bright Masonry.

Thank heaven for Bright. They were the 5th contractor I contacted about this job. Three of the four others had good ratings on this site. One gave a proposal and price which I accepted but when they learned they had to bond their work with the city, they stopped corresponding. Another came out and promised an estimate but was never heard from again. Another refused to work in Old Town (but to his credit made that clear upfront). Bright was the only contractor who had any clue about the permits and city requirements AND they handled it all (other than the architectural approval which I obtained). EXTREMELY responsive. I even got a reply to an e-mail on a Sunday night. ALWAYS answered. I could tell they were scrambling with their scheduling some, but with lousy weather, that's understandable. They got here the day after promised, but once here, the crew worked its collective rear end off. The old stoop was gone in a couple hours. The new steps progressed nicely. Took about 6 days. They even worked the weekend to finish timely. Clean up was pretty good. The quality of the brickwork is excellent with several flourishes the architectural board required. I love it. Sitting here on it as I type on this gorgeous Spring night. The only possible downside was the price. More than twice the first proposal I had. I didn't bother to negotiate - I just wanted it done and I had confidence they could do it.

waiting for the estimate; but he was very educated, and provided several good options. We are hoping to get the work done. Angie's list had a promo if I review them by this date, so this is what I know so far, he knew alot about my walls,. and gave me several really good options. He was very helpful and on time, and I hope the estimate is reasonable so I can use him to complete the project. I'll write more after the work is done

The onsite crew was very expedient and professional as they worked throughout the day. My neighbors noticed how good of ajob they did. The onsite lead explained the process of applying the Ardex. The crew was very courteous and clean up around the site when necessary. I would use them again.

This was a "when we're in the neighborhood" job and it took a few months and a reminder to finally get it scheduled. After my follow-up, however, Bright was very responsive and completed the work within a week. They did a very nice job and cleaned up perfectly. I would certainly use them again.

The estimate process was good. I had them come out in April for an initial quote and was able to reconfirm the quote in the fall. I really appreciated the detailed quote and quick response from the team in the office when I emailed with questions. I did have to wait longer than they told me for the crew to start, but when they did, the work was done pretty well. Some mess was made on the lawn and garden bed but as we were redoing the entire front lawn that wasn't a problem. The job looked great when finished, except for some spotted discoloration that has resulted in one area from the tarp they laid over the concrete (because it was a cold evening) making contact with the concrete. I am hoping that over time, the discoloration will be bleached away by the sun as it has become gradually less noticeable.

One of Bright's project managers and salesman came and provided a detailed analysis of the site with me, then within a few days a detailed drawing of the project. Their team showed up on time every day, led by a team chief who varied depending on the work. In the beginning, the team removed the pavers, and then laid a concrete topping over my existing 4 inch slab. They had to be very careful with the grading of this topper because the existing slad had not been properly graded when put in 16 years ago; water did not run off the old patio. Under Rui Valente's expert eye and technique they graded this topper in 3 different directions to ensure the water ran off in the directions sought. I watched the entire project from start to finnish. The retaining wall which was added to keep water from running onto the patio was veneered with carder rock and looks spectacular with the grey flagstone we selected. Bright went the extra mile moving and relocating plants that were in the way, and when it became necessary to do some additional work to route the water off the property once existing the patio, then created a pathway filled with river rock and drain pipe with a pop-up near the property line. We added a large outdoor kitchen with an exquisite granite top to complete the look. It looks and functions extraordinary. Everyone who visits just gushes with compliments. I could not have believed it would have turned out so spectacular. Our thanks to the Bright team for a remarkable effort and A plus results.

It went well. They made recommendations to prevent further problems.

Excellent - the stoop was supposed to stay, but was damaged during demolition. They replaced it with no questions asked at no additional charge.

niThe project went exceedingly well. The sales representative met my neighbor and me onsite and came up with some creative ideas for our flat driveway median. He was very knowledgeable about the types, colors, and textures of brick and mortar. Within a day or two, we received a fairly priced proposal, which included no charge for the cost of rerouting underground drain tile. Once hired, the masons showed up on time for work and were both courteous and professional. The foreman adjusted the height of the wall and other dimensions to suit our preferences without raising the price. Even though the installation schedule had to be adjusted because of cold temperatures and rain, the project was completed before the ground froze. The wall and its brick base serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. I intend to call Bright Masonry for a patio project and some brick repair work at the same house.

The only time there was any holdup in the work was when the weather did not cooperate. The work was completed, pretty much as scheduled -- I have no complaints at all. The company and employees were very professional and answered all my questions as I asked. I highly recommend Bright Masonry for any work they may provide. I will definitely use them again. They are well qualified, they explain the process in detail and are very responsive when there are questions.

I determined that Montgomery County Maryland has not yet approved the use of permeable pavers within the context of storm water management plans for new construction, as Mr. Szalach must have known. In three follow-up emails, I provided him with full engineering layouts for the proposed drives, explained that they would have to have an impermeable surface and reiterated our request for a quote. He never responded to any of my emails.