Brixstone Masonry in Grand Rapids
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Location on the map
Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan, US
Site: http://www.brixstonemasonry.com/
- Monday:7AM–5PM
- Tuesday:7AM–5PM
- Wednesday:7AM–5PM
- Thursday:7AM–5PM
- Friday:7AM–5PM
- Saturday:Closed
- Sunday:Closed
My home needed chimney repair and tuck pointing work done. I love my home and wasnt looking for a cheap fix and didnt want it obvious that repair had been done (different color mortar or brick). After reading reviews online and talking to Craig I was confident he would be the best fit for the job. I didnt shop around because I knew hed be bringing the most value to my home. You can see the attached files of the before and afters.Craig is very friendly, takes pride in his work, and you know youre getting quality. He left the job site clean as when he started. Highly recommended for those who have a nice older home.
Craig with Brixstone Masonry was great to work with from start to finish. He was prompt with his estimate. Estimate included drone pictures and an invoice breaking down the costs. Gave me a heads up before starting work. Was at the job site everyday and did the majority of the work himself. Cleaned up the site and provided me with updates (pictures and descriptions) every night. My chimney needed to be torn down to the roof and rebuilt. I also needed a new crown and flues. I had him close off one flue because it is unused currently. See pictures below. Craig’s craftsmanship and demeanor were top notch throughout the whole project. His price was fair and competitive (of 3 quotes). Will recommend him to anyone that needs masonry work in the area. Highly satisfied.
Craig did an amazing job on our fireplace remodel, which we used natural stone veneer for. I am picky about little things but it turns out Craig is too, maybe even more so, and his work shows. His stone placement and grout work was balanced and proportional. He is very good at what he does and I would 100% recommend him.
Our 1935 brick home had some tuckpointing needs as well as a chimney lean that was pulling itself & the wall away from our house. Craig was able to demo the wall/chimney and use all of the original brick preserving the history as well as matching the original mortar colors. We enjoyed how Craig takes many pictures of each phase of the work as evidence & perspective for all the different tasks. While we were out of town Craig was kind enough to place our mail/packages in our garage upon request. Craig was honest, trust-worthy, and always professional. We wish he was our neighbor.
Craig is a highly skilled craftsmen. The project was that of chimney repair/rebuild. Craig conducted himself in a professional manner and at the same time was personable. He was neat protecting our property as he worked. When he was finished with the job, the quality of his work was the only indication he was ever there. He explained what needed to be done and why. I am glad I chose Craig for the job and highly recommend Craig for anyone wanting high quality masonry work.
Craig did a great job on repair of our chimney, he explained the process and keeping us informed thru repair. He answered any questions and concerns we had , making us feel at ease.He made sure everything was protected and cleaned up the site daily, looks like he wasnt even there. Would not hesitate to hire Craig again or recommend Craig for anyone looking for masonry work.
My neighbors next door had Chris repair and rebuild their chimney a couple of years ago, so I asked him to take a look at mine. I needed some repairs and some restoration of the chimney from the roofline up. I was scheduled for next Spring on his schedule, but he contacted me a month or so ago and he told me he could do the work right away if I wanted. I agreed and he and his crew came out and performed the work quickly and professionally. Now I dont have to worry about going through another winter worrying about potential problems. Im very happy with Brixstone and would recommend them highly.
Craig remodeled our 1990s fireplace and did a great job. We had Black River Ledgestone installed from floor to ceiling. We appreciated his responsiveness, professionalism and expertise. He finished ahead of schedule which we’ve never experienced with any other contractor! I will definitely call him in the future for other projects.
Craig did excellent work replacing our chimney. We were out of town while he did the work, so it was great to receive his postings of progress. We asked him to use his judgment choosing the color of the brick, and the color blends very well with the roof shingles. Our neighbor lady mentioned that she was very impressed with him personally and professionally, and by his kindness to her. Craig is a good man who does quality work. Trustworthy!!!
Craig did an amazing job completely rebuilding our chimney. He was friendly and easy to communicate with throughout the project. The work was done quickly and we couldn’t be happier! His craftsmanship exceeded our expectations. I would recommend Brixstone to everyone who is looking for an excellent mason.
We couldnt be more pleased with the job Craig did for us!!!He is very crafted at his profession and did a marvelous job.From start to finish he kept us updated with his progress.We recently moved into our new home and our fireplace chimney was in need of repair along with our garage brick sill in the front of our home. Craig was able to match up the brick for the sill almost perfectly and used mortar that made it not stand out as being just done. The chimney looks brand new!! His assistant Jacob was very polite and personable.We highly recommend Brixstone Masonry !!
Craig Van Wieren, owner and operator of Brixstone Masonry, is definitively the most professional, technically masterful, and creative tradesman we have ever used for renovation work on our chimney and home. He deeply values people, and puts enormous effort into developing trust-based relationships with his clients. He is highly responsive, answers all manner of questions with sound logic, has uniquely strong communication and problem-solving skills, and is naturally oriented around identifying solutions that benefit all parties involved in the projects he works on. The rest of our build team looks forward to working with him, and we have referred him to countless people who have had exceptional experiences with him. Also unusual to Craig is his ability to think outside the box when it comes to designing solutions for his scopes of work. He is unusually creative in design, and technically skilled and masterful in execution. This, paired with his strong sense of integrity and desire to foster positive relationships with his clients makes Brixstone the only masonry firm we would ever hire. My recommendation? Hire Craig, wait in line, pay him what he needs. Hes that good.
Craig was extremely professional throughout the process of having tuck-pointing work done on our house. He was reliable, quick to respond to questions, and very knowledgeable about the work being done. They did exceptional work and completed the job quicker than expected, and sent detailed before and after photos of the project. Our home looks amazing, thanks to Craig’s attention to detail. We would highly recommend Brixstone Masonry to anyone looking for a professional, reliable and thorough mason.
Craig and his assistant Jimmy were the best: kind, competent and efficient. When initial repairs uncovered more serious issues, Craig suggested I pursue an insurance claim which resulted in full coverage of the repairs. My rebuilt chimney stands proud to their excellent craftsmanship.Even after their job completed, Craig continues to support me in resolving a related issue.A+ for Integrity.Thanks, Brixstone!
New brick for the fireplace was an important part of our mid-century modern vision for our lower level remodel. Achieving the mid-mod look, with its emphasis on geometrics, required precise brickwork. Craig completely achieved the look we wanted. His workmanship was exceptional. Our newly remodeled fireplace is absolutely gorgeous. Guests in our home have noticed and commented on Craig’s brickwork. One even said, “Now that’s craftsmanship!”Craig is indeed a craftsman. He prepared the work area with care and cleaned up thoroughly. Craig considered various brick layouts and spacings to achieve the mid-mod look and ensure proper fit. He considered how to marry the new brickwork to our existing walls. The result is a fireplace that looks original to the home.It was a pleasure to work with Craig. He was timely, focused, and thorough. At all times, Craig was professional, conscientious, and respectful. We are very pleased to share this recommendation for Craig.
Craig did an awesome job on our chimney rebuild! Super clean, quick, and professional. Craig showed me some additional roofing work that needed to be done in order to make sure he could assure us the chimney was done 100% correct which we were very grateful that he didn’t just do his part and call it a day. Craig was patient while we wrapped up the roof work and very efficient getting the chimney done. All in all couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Craig did an excellent job on my chimney repair. He is extremely talented and his craftsmanship is of the highest quality. Craig is a great communicator throughout the protect including before and after pictures, which I found very helpful. I would definitely recommend him to anyone needing masonry work!
Craig at Brixstone Masonry did amazing work on my 1928 brick home. He tore down the chimney from the very top down to the roof line, rebuilt it, poured a new cap, and Im sure it looks just like the home did when it was new almost 100 years ago. He also tuckpointed and restored areas of the rest of the home but youd never know it as everything looks original. Speaking of which, we have a rare chicago commons brick that he had to source old brick to match - and it matches perfectly! He was booked out a long time, but entirely worth the wait!
Craig did an exceptional job on rebuilding the chimney and tuck-pointing the brickwork of our home. He provided a thorough estimate and explanation of work, and did the job in a craftsmanlike manner. He was an excellent communicator as well. I would not hesitate in the least to recommend him.
Craig is a good worker, honest and neat. We really like the way he took care of our fireplace problems. Without been asked, Craig removed his shoes when entering our home, which proved to us that he cared about our home as well. He is a person who thinks about his work and the people. Thanks Craig
Craig did much more than restore our Heritage Hill chimney to its pristine historical glory, he restored our faith in contractors. Ive yet to work with a more respectful, professional, and transparent company, in any field.The above aside, Craig finished the job on time and on budget. That fact alone justifies 5/5 stars.This is the first and probably last review Ill ever leave for any product/service. Its not something I enjoy doing. The reason Im doing it for Craig is because his work was so exemplary, that even after we paid the agreed upon price, I still cant help but feel like I owe him something!
Craig built a beautiful wood burning fireplace as part of our living room remodel. We are very happy with the quality of craftsmanship, material selection, timing, and communication. The process went smooth, and he worked well together with the remodeler. We are very happy with the whole experience and love our new fireplace. I highly recommend Craig for a job well done.
I had a unique job where I needed a couple holes filled in on the inside of my chimney. Craig took the time to figure out how to fix the problem & explain to me what he needed to do. He did the job at an incredibly reasonable price, and he even left my fireplace cleaner than it was when he got here! HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend him!!!!
We will definitely call Craig again for our next project! Craig and his assistant did a great job of protecting the windows and the rest of the building surroundings while they did our tuck pointing. We really appreciate the time he took to find matching bricks and match the existing mortar. When they were finished, the building looked great and they did a fabulous job on the clean up! Thanks Craig!
You cant go wrong with Brixstone. I needed a chimney replacement from my roof up. I contacted three contractors seeking quotes. Craig responded first with the most detailed proposal that included pictures and the scope of work. His proposal was by far the most professional and thorough and he was also the best price.Craig constantly communicated throughout the job and exceeded my expectations.You cant go wrong with Brixstone.
Craig from Brixstone is more than amazing! We moved 3 windows during renovation. He did such a great job. If you didnt KNOW work was done, you would never see it. Craig even managed to match our 65-year-old brick. Unbelievable! Im pretty picky and couldnt possibly be any happier! Thank you Craig. I cant say enough about Brixstone!!!!!!
There was a mix up on my part in communicating confirmation of the job to be done. Craig was great and squeezed me in anyway. Even with some unexpected issues arising, the work was completed quickly and professionally. My new chimney looks great and is much more sound than the original.
Exceptional experience. Craig provided a competitive and professional quotation with photos last year to repair the cap on our chimney. Not only did he honor that quote but followed up on it to remind me and he executed the work only 2 days after starting. The job was well done, clean and looks great.I highly recommend Brixstone.
Craig gave a timely estimate with photos of the problem areas. We have an older brick home that was in need of tuck-pointing and the new mortar was matched with the old beautifully. He supplied photos of the finished work and quickly repaired a water faucet that was damaged during the job. I would highly recommend Brixstone for any type of masonry work.
Craig was great to work with. He came out to our house and provided a quote within 2 days of first communication. He was scheduled out for about 6 weeks before getting to the job, which was not a big deal. When he came out to our house he worked quickly and professionally. The site was clean every single day. We also received a ton of photos of the project as it was underway. Overall, the project was finished on budget and quicker than expected.
I dont know anything about chimneys but I knew I had a problem. It was great doing business with Craig. He is a photo guy so he used a drone and then photos and videos to show me what needed to be done, what he encountered in doing the work and the results. He is straightforward, hones and very responsive. I would recommend him to anyone. David
Craig just completed a Virginia Ledgestone (stacked stone) fireplace in our home. It is gorgeous. The fireplace wall is approximately 12 feet high so it is a focal point in the room. This particular stone is very labor intensive to lay and also requires a professional mason who is meticulous but also has an eye for the overall aesthetic. Craig went to great pains to fit every stone for the best look and also to balance the colors in the stone. The end result was way beyond our expectations and we are very particular. Craig and his assistant Kyle were both extremely professional, friendly, and helpful throughout the entire process. My husband and I would highly recommend them.
Professional, knowledgeable and all around a pleasure to work with. I had a stone chimney repaired (almost completely redone) and quality of work is outstanding with every detail looked after. Site was clean and neat after work was completed each day and at the end of the job. He has a lengthy backlog of projects so plan ahead if you need his services (good people are always booked up – I’m always weary of anyone that has an immediate opening). He is worth the wait and I highly recommend him.
We had a couple of crumbling chimneys that Craig rebuilt for us. He kept our costs down by rebuilding one chimney with the original brick that was still sound while keeping the same spirit of the original chiney design. He had to build the other chimney with new brick but matched the original brick color and texture while checking his choices beforehand with me from the brickyard. His rapt attention to detail was scientific while his wholistic direction was artful. A true craftsman!
This is our third or fourth time working with Brixstone. That should tell you enough right there: they are top notch professionals who do great work. Yeah, they may be busy now, but theyre worth waiting for. Creative ideas, smart solutions, quality work, nice people. Youll be happy you worked with them.
Over the past 25 years Ive engaged 4 different brick masons for 5 different repairs and/or renovations to my 100 year old brick house. Ive chosen Brixstone Masonry twice (the only one) - for the last two jobs. And Id do so again without reservation. The results are more than satisfactory and the prices are fair. My wife, a realtor, recommends Brixstone to her customers. I recommend Craig for quality work, fair pricing and smart advice.
Total reviews rating 5
83 Reviews for Brixstone Masonry 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-14One might question all the glowing reviews of Brixstone Masonry as too good to be true, but after seeing the result of Craigs work on my chimney, I can fully endorse the many positive comments from other Brixstone customers. Craigs work is flawless, and reflects his extensive knowledge of all aspects of chimney construction, mortar and brickwork. In addition, Craig is the ultimate professional when it comes to communicating and working with his customers. If youre looking for top-quality workmanship, excellent customer service, and a contractor who will explain his work well with his customer, Brixstone is who you need. For this very reason Craigs schedule fills up quickly, but I can attest to the fact that it is well worth the wait. You wont be disappointed.
Review №2
2022-04-27Craig took exceptional care to renovate our fireplace, replacing all of the stone, a new hearth and hanging our mantle. He did this with precision and excellence leaving a finished product that was beautiful, functional and built to last. Even met with surprises that came up during the project from the previous construction-he was able to innovate and problem solve to still make progress to finish the project a day early and under his original estimate which is always great. He was kind, clean and professional and great to work with. Would definitely work with him again!
Review №3
2022-06-08Craig and CJ did an outstanding job rebuilding our chimney and repairing some crumbling bricks around our home. Our house is a Chicago brick that is very difficult to match, but Craig managed to match the chimney perfectly.Professional, pleasant, on schedule, and outstanding work. I highly recommend Craig and Brixstone to anyone needing masonry work done.
Review №4
2022-07-26Craig took at look at our aging chimney and was able to give us multiple repair/replace/remove options. He kept us informed along the way while being friendly and professional - and I am confident in his work! Would highly recommend.
Review №5
2022-03-20If you have a masonry project you want done right the first time, this is the place to go. Dont even bother looking elsewhere.Our fireplace had fake fieldstone installed over its original brick by the previous homeowner. Unfortunately the mortar from the fieldstone caused damage when it was removed and we decided to have the fireplace refaced with thin brick.Craig was the second mason to work on our fireplace. We originally went with another mason in Grand Rapids and were dismayed by the results. We were embarrassed to have guests over to our home or even share pictures that had the fireplace in the background because of how bad it looked! There were numerous legitimate issues with the work that was done. When we raised our concerns with the first mason, we got the runaround and everything was explained away like there was nothing that could have been done differently to achieve different results. It was clear that our satisfaction was not important to them. The real kicker is that this was a reputable mason and was not at all cheap.After some time of being disappointed whenever we looked at our fireplace, we finally decided to have all the thin brick tore off and find someone else to redo it and get it done right. We were very apprehensive after our first experience and did not want to repeat it. We found Craig through a Google search, and are so glad we did. I hope my review will help others find him as well.We were very clear about our expectations and Craig never shied away from committing to achieve those results. He was able to show us photos of his work from projects he had previously completed using a similar product to what we wanted. He took the time to explain to us the steps he would take to ensure the job was done correctly, and he even visited our home on two occasions after finishing up long days at another job site to talk the project over with us because we were so nervous to risk spending money on our fireplace again. We decided to move forward with him and were confident he would do a good job, yet truthfully still unsure we were making the right decision after our first experience.We were impressed right from the beginning. Craig built a tent around the work area and there was zero dust in our home while he worked. We really appreciated the photo updates of his daily progress documenting each step he took, showing us he was doing the job exactly as he said he would with no shortcuts taken whatsoever. The prep work he did before laying a single brick was extensive. He was meticulous laying the brick and used lasers to ensure each course was perfectly level and the mortar joints perfectly straight (we went with a stack bond to match the original brickwork, a style that is unforgiving to imprecise work).The finished product far exceeded our expectations, and photos dont do it justice. Our fireplace is now a work of art and the centerpiece of our home. We sat on our couch this morning drinking coffee and admiring the work Craig had done. Hes a master craftsman, and we recommend him without hesitation!
Review №6
2021-11-12Craig was a pleasure to work with. He kept me well informed on the project. Being a chimney cap repair, I couldn’t see the damage and need for repair but he sent me his drone pictures of the damaged cap and then proceeded to send me 50+ pictures of the project at every step of the way including the final product. That made for a very trustworthy contractor. I highly recommend Brixstone.
Review №7
2022-01-18What impressed me the most about Craig is that he researched anything new to make sure he used the best materials to do the best job possible. He never settled for good enough but always strived for perfection. He took what ever time was needed and materials needed for the best outcome for the project. He never cut corners.
Review №8
2022-08-13Craig is a master at his craft and passionate about his work. All my expectations were exceeded. Craig was very professional, working with care and detail, and communicating details clearly throughout the job. We were blessed to have hired Craig for this project.
Review №9
2018-11-11Craig planned to help us with some routine fireplace and chimney maintenance. We got more than either of us bargained for when he got to work on the chimney and discovered it would need to be completely rebuilt. He was nothing short of incredible. Despite the surprise coming up during a very busy time of year, Craig spent days (and nights) at our house expertly rebuilding the chimney. His attention to detail and craftsmanship are superb. He carefully sourced bricks and mixed mortar to match the original and the rest of the house. We were out of town while Craig was working and he continuously sent us updates of his progress, including pictures. Craig was also communicative regarding price at each stage of the project, and his prices were very fair. We are so thankful we had Craig and Brixstone working on our project--a consummate professional who we can not recommend highly enough!
Review №10
2022-03-19Craig did a fantastic job for us. Second time we have hired him. Beautiful work and completely satisfied. He is a true professional.