During the fall months, the number of requests for work increases significantly. Here office assistant extraordinaire, Xochitl, holds 23 work proposals ready to be mailed to eager customers.
There is a distinct rhythm to the demand for our masonry restoration work.
During the cold winter months, the demand for masonry repairs is relatively low because the daytime and nighttime temperatures sit well below freezing. That means water that would normally infiltrate masonry walls and create all kinds of grief is locked up in the form of ice.
But as soon as the mercury rises above freezing for a day or two, all of that ice begins to melt and customers begin to observe water damage in their ceilings and walls. That’s when our office phones start to ring with more frequency.
During the spring and summer months, frequent heavy rains also create intense and predictable spikes in the demand for our masonry restoration services.
We typically experience our greatest surge in demand starting in early September (usually coinciding with the end of the Labor Day holiday) and continuing until cold nighttime temperatures put the kibosh on the work season (usually in mid-December). During this period of time, the office phones never stop ringing. This is the time of the year when building owners realize that winter is not too far off and the masonry issues they have been thinking about tackling all year need to be addressed.
From early September until snow fly, the number of work proposals mailed out of our office is measured by the dozen. The exponential increase in the demand for end-of-the-season work often creates an extensive backlog that cannot be fulfilled before winter temperatures drop the curtain on the work season, so many projects must be rescheduled for the following spring.
If you are considering restoration of your masonry structure for next year, now is the time to call or e-mail the office to set up a time to meet one of our licensed estimators who can assess your masonry issues.
Understanding the seasonality of the masonry restoration trade can assist you in the timely completion of your next project.
We are extremely grateful for your positive reviews and comments.
Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.
-Rob
Post: AAA-1 Masonry In A Nutshell
Wednesday November 20, 2019
AAA-1 Masonry & Tuckpointing, Inc.
- 65 years in continuous operation.
- No short cuts, no monkey business.
- Singularly focused on masonry restoration.
- Office: 773.622.7300 / 847.491.9700
- Web: www.AAA1Masonry.com
Post: No Project Too Big or Too Small
Friday November 8, 2019
Foreman Mirek contemplates the safest means of rebuilding this Canal Street structure’s elevator penthouse (large enough to house 8 elevators).
Lately you may have seen our experienced masons working on a number of larger projects in the downtown Chicago area. These buildings on Canal Street, Randolph Street and Clark Street require customized swingstage configurations, extensive safety protocols and a great deal of experience to execute correctly. These structures vary in age from 40 years to over 100 years, and from 16 stories to 45 stories in height. They are definitely high profile jobs and we really enjoy working on challenging structures like these!
However, we also enjoy rebuilding parapet walls, repairing chimneys and replacing lintels belonging to single family homes, 2-flats and 6-flats in less congested locales.
No matter how large or how small your next masonry project, we hope you will allow us the opportunity to meet with you and suggest sensible ways to preserve your building.
Thank you for the opportunity to be of service!
-Rob
Post: What Sets Us Apart
Saturday October 19, 2019
From left to right: Adam, Mark and Lucas are just three of the more than 80 masons, project managers and office staff committed to providing you with an exceptional experience.
AAA-1 Masonry & Tuckpointing has been in continuous operation since 1954. That’s over 65 years of experience restoring brick, terra cotta, stone, mortar and cinder block (yes, cinder block was around in 1954, although not as widely used as today). Over the decades we grew a little bigger, continued to hone our craft, developed safety protocols and training programs, and demanded the very best from ourselves.
The result? Today AAA-1 Masonry & Tuckpointing's licensed masons are the most trusted in the Chicagoland area for quality restoration work. From the moment you call the office or click on our website, you will be interfacing with an organization that operates at the highest levels of efficiency, proficiency, and professionalism and with people who really enjoy what they do.
We look forward to working with you on your next masonry restoration project!
Thank you for the opportunity to be of service.
-Rob
Post: Heavy-Duty Vinyl Tarpaulins - An Affordable Means of Stopping Water Infiltration Through Your Masonry Walls
Tuesday October 1, 2019
When nighttime temperatures start dropping below 27°F degrees with regularity, curing mortar runs the risk of forming ice crystals. Ice crystals reduce the life expectancy of fresh mortar and can result in a project that fails to perform as expected. During cold work days, many masons will warm their job sites with propane heaters to keep the mortar from forming ice crystals while they work but then turn off the heaters at night when they pack up to go home, exactly when the temperatures are dropping to their coldest. Not a good situation.
So when temperatures get too cold to work with mortar but buildings are still experiencing leaks and other issues, we recommend the installation of heavy-duty vinyl tarpaulin protection. Our 18-ounce heavy-duty vinyl tarps are made in America and designed to provide a physical barrier between your building and the snow, ice and rain for as long as you require. Our tarps are incredibly strong and durable and will not rip, tear or shred after a few weeks like the tarps you find in most big box stores and hardware stores. In fact, our vinyl tarps are so strong that the material is used for racing sails and is 4 ounces heavier than what the Major League Baseball teams pull onto their fields during inclement weather!
We secure our tarps with aluminum termination bars and tap cons (the same materials roofers use to secure your roof flashings) so they will not move, flap or fail.
Sometimes a home owner or condominium association needs to stop water infiltration through a masonry wall but lacks the immediate funds to pay for the corrective repairs. (That was the case for this building in Lincoln Park.) Because the installation of heavy-duty vinyl tarps costs a fraction of a full-blown masonry repair, some of our heavy-duty vinyl tarps have remained on buildings for many years while owners and condominium associations build up their repair funds. Chicago’s brutal heat, sun, cold and wet have no impact on these tarps.
Our experienced masons are prepared to assist you with the most economical means of addressing your building issues, including the installation of heavy-duty vinyl tarpaulins. Call us at (773) 622-7300 if you would like to learn more.
Thank you for the opportunity to be of service,
Rob