Budget Masonry and Construction

Budget Masonry and Construction works out of Somerville, and the company says it's been fixing brick, stone, and chimneys in the area since 2002 — 24 years, by its own account. Reviewers keep naming the same person, John, whether the job is a crumbling chimney, a wet basement, or a driveway full of uneven pavers. Google shows a 5-star average across 20 ratings, and the specifics back it up. In May, one homeowner described John repointing crumbling mortar quickly and cleanly after a transparent quote — the kind of review that reads like an actual walkthrough rather than a rubber stamp. In January, another hired the crew to remove a chimney and repair an interior wall in a 19th-century Boston apartment, including getting the work approved through an HOA; that job wrapped ahead of schedule. Older reviews, stretching back through 2025, describe a consistent pattern across a wider range of work: a driveway re-paved with fresh grading for water flow, a chimney and brick facade repointed on a fair quote, two sets of brick stairs rebuilt, a front wall patched up. None of the 20 reviews on record are negative, and the company also shows up as a member of the Somerville Chamber of Commerce. Two things are worth asking about before booking. The last six months show only two reviews, so the current pace of work is thinner than the two-year history suggests — worth confirming they can still turn a job around quickly. And while this listing is under waterproofing, only one review in the record actually describes foundation or basement water work — a trench dug and new masonry poured to stop water getting in — versus several describing chimney, wall, and paving jobs. If foundation repair specifically is the reason for the call, ask how much of that work they've done recently. For chimney repointing, brick step or wall repairs, and patio or driveway paving, the history here is deep and consistently positive, with the same name attached to the good outcomes. For basement or foundation water problems, the one described fix sounds solid, but ask for more examples of that specific work before committing.