From the Cubs & the Bears to the delicious dog and deep-dish pizzas, to the incredibly wild and often changing (and INTENSE) weather, Chicago is certainly well known for a variety of interesting things. Add to that list our huge array of quality service providers which, if you’re looking for the best tuckpointing contractor in Chicago, can make the search a bit daunting. Don’t fret as we want to make that search a little easier and help ensure you secure the right contractor for your quality masonry needs.
FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS TUCKPOINTING?
It’s a good idea to become a little more familiar with the subject of tuckpointing as it will help you in your search. Tuckpointing is a masonry technique developed in 18th century England to imitate previously laid brickwork. The process involves utilizing two contrasting colors of mortar whereas one color is a close match to the color of the bricks themselves giving the appearance that very fine joints have been created. It is used to finish or repair mortar joints between two bricks or two stones and when performed but a quality tuckpointing contractor, it can add years of beauty and strength to any masonry structure.
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU BEGIN LOOKING FOR CHICAGOLAND TUCKPOINTING CONTRACTORS
Before you jump into the search, there a few things you can do on your end that will not only help in your search, it may save you both time AND money when the work actually begins.
- SCOPE-First of all, know the scope of your project well and be able to convey it to the potential tuckpointing contractors. For instance, do you need masonry work from start to finish, or will this just be a repair job?
- MEASUREMENTS & PICS-You can bet that the best tuckpointing contractors in Chicago can absolutely manage your tuckpointing job from start to finish, but a little extra work done on your part FIRST can help make both of your lives easier which may result in a quicker (and less expensive) project. Take a few minutes and take some measurements of the area in which you need the work performed and take a few good pictures as well. Quality lighting is key here as it will help the contractor see the true colors of the existing masonry work which will aid them in knowing details about the supplies they will need for the job.
- LAY OF THE LAND-Chicago and the Chicagoland area can be tricky ones to navigate and your tuckpointing contractor will have a much easier time planning out your project when you offer a few vital details. For instance, are you in a single-family home? A brownstone? Are you on the upper floors of a building? Is there access to your place using an alleyway? These details and more will help when planning the project so have these ready when contacting Chicagoland tuckpointing contractors.
Now that you have some due diligence out of the way, it’s time to start digging into the search for the best tuckpointing contractor in the Chicago and Chicagoland area. We have created a list of questions you should ask and info you should gather during the process to help you make the best decision possible, let’s go!
- IS TUCKPOINTING THEIR SPECIALTY? -Sure., there are plenty of masonry contractors in the Chicagoland area, but not all have experience with tuckpointing work. Make sure the contractor you are speaking with is not only familiar with this technique, but they list it as one of their featured services as well.
- DOES THE CONTRACTOR COME HIGHLY RECOMMENDED? – When looking to hire a tuckpointing contractor, nothing beats word of mouth from past clients. Ask the contractor if they can provide references from past clients who have used their services. Sometimes these can come in the form of testimonials, and some may even go so far as to provide phone numbers and emails as well which will allow you to contact past clients personally to get their firsthand review of the Chicago tuckpointing contactor you are looking to hire.
- PROOF IS IN THE PICS – Another way to help you find secure your contactor is to actually view their past work. Masonry and tuckpointing in particular are specialties in which a picture can be extremely helpful in checking out the quality of the finished work. Most quality tuckpointing contractors will keep pictures on hand or viewable on their website of past projects they have completed. If they are proud of their work, they will be proud to show it off as well!
- ARE THEY LICENSED AND INSURED? – In the world of masonry contracting, accidents happen, sometimes even if every possible precaution is taken. If such an incident were to occur on your property resulting in damage to your home AND medical bills for a contractor who was injured…would YOU want to pay the bill? Well, if the Chicago tuckpointing contractor you hired wasn’t licensed and/or insured, then you very well could be liable. Before you hire ANY contractor, get verification that they are indeed both licensed and insured. The contractor should be able to provide you with current copies of both prior to beginning work on your project.
- HELLO? IS ANYBODY THERE? – No matter WHAT type of service you are trying to secure, quality communication should be VITAL in your decision as to whom to work with. If you can’t get a call back or email reply quickly from a contractor, this could also be indicative of how they will communicate after you hire them as well. Choose a contractor who is as excited to work with you as you are to get the project completed.
Now, you should be well equipped to secure the best tuckpointing contractor in Chicago. And, well, if you haven’t guessed as of yet, we personally feel that KD Masonry and Tuckpointing fits that description exactly! With over 25 years’ experience in quality masonry and tuckpointing, we would love to discuss your project. Contact us today, and we will get back to you ASAP and will be ready to answer any questions you may have. We take utmost care with each and every project and will treat yours as if it were our own.
Thanks for checking out our blog and we hope to speak with you about your project soon!
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