Empire masonry pools & tree service inc

Empire Masonry (reviewers also refer to it as Empire Masonry and Construction, and Empire Masonry & Pool Landscape) is a masonry and tree-service company run by an owner reviewers call Chico. Reviewers describe him and his crew handling both trades — patios, pool decks, retaining walls and brick and stone veneer on one side, and tree removal and storm-damage cleanup on the other — for homeowners across multiple projects and years. The masonry side draws the deepest, most specific praise. Homeowners describe a hearth stone and granite treads, bluestone pool-deck repairs, brick veneer on a foundation, cobblestone driveway borders and a garage apron, a terraced patio and front walk, and a poured cement retaining wall replacing old wood — work that spans 2024 through mid-2026. Several customers came back for a second, third or fourth project, and one reviewer, a working architect of over 35 years, called the collaborative approach on a patio-and-fire-pit build a pleasant surprise. Tree work shows up almost as often, especially after storms: reviewers describe safe removal of large, hazardous trees leaning toward the house, cleanup after a blizzard, and multiple tree removals, consistently praised for thorough site cleanup afterward. The company is also vouched for by other trade professionals — a landscaping company thanked Empire for subcontracted irrigation work, and a general contractor who signs his review says he subcontracts all of his masonry work to Empire. One 2024 review flagged a small hiccup: a homeowner noticed water pooling near a newly finished garage apron after rain, though the review's text doesn't say whether or how it was resolved. Otherwise the record here — 47 reviews on Google, all five stars, spanning more than two years with recurring named customers and specific job detail — is unusually deep and consistent for a business this size. Anyone considering Empire for a project should ask directly about drainage planning on hardscape work near a house, and, since the reviews are almost entirely masonry and tree-related, confirm any adjacent landscaping or irrigation work (which shows up only in passing) is something they still take on.