You have all heard a construction horror story or two, and sometimes when listening to the story, you think how did the situation get so out of hand? Usually, a lack of proper planning and research leads to a hasty decision which leads to a disastrous result. When you are hiring a mason, you are looking for an artist with the addition of physical strength and stamina. Choosing the right mason is the difference between a pleasant experience and one where you end up telling the horror story.
What Are Some Important Qualifications to Search for in a Mason?
When hiring a brick mason, formal education is not as important as someone who has experience working with master masons and masonry contractors. An apprenticeship and years of experience can mean more than a degree. A mason needs to be able to read blueprints, possess a strong mathematics foundation to accurately measure, and also be well versed in building codes. In addition, a mason needs great color vision, physical strength to lift 50 lbs. or more, dexterity to place bricks with care, stamina to do repetitive work, and a work ethic to accomplish it all. Be sure you do your homework to hire the right one.
Where Can I Find a Reputable Mason?
Look at websites of Toronto masons. Look at their social media. Often, a disgruntled customer will post something negative on a company’s social media platform, so it pays to spend a bit of time investigating their Instagram, Facebook, Twitter accounts. Read the testimonials on the website.
Make a post asking for recommendations in the Nextdoor neighbor app or Facebook Marketplace. Look around your neighborhood at homes you admire and ask the homeowner who did the work and if they were happy at the end of the project. Look on the Better Business Bureau website to see if there are any negative reviews, keeping in mind that sometimes people are not as quick to write a positive review as they are to write a negative one.
When you find a company you want to work with, ask for an appointment to meet with the mason who will be doing your job. Assess their personality and work ethic. If they do not want to answer your questions, that may be a red flag. Ask for references and follow up to actually talk to the references.
What About Price?
If a mason quotes a job far below the Toronto normal amounts, beware. If the price is extremely low, ask why. Price is not the be-all and end-all. There are other crucial elements such as being certain to hire a licensed and insured mason.
Why Wait for a Mason?
You do not want to hire someone that no one else wants to hire. Demand is a good thing and waiting a couple of weeks to get onto someone’s schedule means that your Toronto neighbors feel that this mason is good enough to wait for. Receiving low quality services at an excellent price does not feel very good when the job is complete, and you are not satisfied. Be patient.
When the work is being completed, recognize that brick masonry is a messy project. The yard is going to be a mess. Just envision how lovely the finished product will be and hire someone that you know will clean it up at the end!
A Call to Turnbull Masonry
For over 17 years, Turnbull Masonry has created beautiful brick structures. We are a family owned business, and we are proud to say that the Toronto community has chosen us for 7 years as one of Homestar’s “Best Of” in the area. For peace of mind and quality work, call the experts at Turnbull Masonry!