[V]

I just got done with having an interesting discussion with a masonry contractor about a job in progress at my father-in-laws house.

His front steps were in pretty bad shape so he hired a guy whose name he got from a relative. The guy spent a few days on the job already and when I saw the quality of work, I had to say something to my wife and then in turn, my father in law.


I think I've done better brick work my first time 20 years ago. Even since I've done a few things here and there and each repair looked presentable. The work this guy did was atrocious. How can a company claim 36 years in business and a 1 year warranty when not a single course of bricks they laid are level. I put the contractors (harbor freight) level across the course of 6 bricks they put in the other day and showed them i could put my whole finger in the gap in the middle. His response was, "it's level, see the bubble, its fine". Aside from that, they never used a jointer when laying the courses and he said "well, I came back today to clean it up and do the tuck pointing". The motor had already "kinda" set btw so he was going to add in mortar now to joints he just decided not to fill when laying the bricks. And on the topic of mortar, i could take my bare fingers and pull the mortar apart and crumble it into dust. So obviously the mix was no good, or it froze and was compromised. He still tried saying it was fine. Oh and some mortar joints were 3/4-1" thick.
I pretty much had to tell him to pack his tools and don't come back.



I admit, I'm no professional mason, but I have been in the trades for many years and learned about a ton of stuff, laying bricks and pouring concrete included. I just cant contemplate how this guy really thought his work was "professional" in any manner.



Has anyone else had this type of situation happen to them, where a "contractor" is such a hack? Now we are trying to find a real mason to fix/finish the job. Ugh, sorry, had to vent, lol.