About BJK Masonry & Restoration
Our Mason Company's History
I started BJK Masonry & Restoration to finish what my father started. He is my hero, I may not have understood why he was the way he was but I surely admired him and his massive effort to create something from nothing.
My father came to America after saving up enough money in England. We are actually from Ireland rather than England - Aclare County Sligo to be specific! Dad moved to England to find additional ways to create income so that he could send his extra money back home so that it would take care of his younger siblings and parents.
My father made his way to America before the age of 18 and worked for a landscaper. Once he understood how a landscaping business was created in America, he quickly decided to start his own business before the age of 25. He married at 30 and sold his landscaping business when his 6th child (ME!) was born. He sold over 100 contracted lawns and most of his equipment to another contractor so that he could pursue masonry.
People will tell you he did this because there was more profit in masonry but I have come to believe that when the mason (ME!) was born he knew that it would need to start paving the way with Belgium Stones so that I would be raised with the LOVE of Masonry.
I grew up with a stone pile the size of a house in my backyard, I enjoyed the smell of stone dust and the cold feeling of stone in my hand at a very young age. My only want in my life was to receive my fathers approval. He had a funny way of showing that he loved me. I remember a conversation that my father had with someone on the phone about me getting into Williamson Free Trade School, I was 17 and it was the first time that I had felt the pride that he had for me. Like I said before he had a funny way of showing his love.
I on the other hand was equally if not more excited for my time at Williamson. It was a magical place where a young man like myself could learn more about the trade that I loved and also receive a degree at the end of a three year full scholarship.
My first year at Williamson, early on a icy Sunday in February I woke up to my father having a heart attack and died in our home. This was not only a monumental shift in my life but it also angered me more than words can describe that I was not able to prove to my Dad whatever I had in my mind that I had to prove to him. I have realized since that I had his approval all along.
His death was not only a death in the family but it was a death in his Business. News spread and people knew that if Mike Kneafsey was not around then there was not a Mike Kneafsey Masonry & Landscape Design, because he single handedly took care of all the labor and finished work for all of his many beautiful projects. My Mom Ann Kneafsey helped with the estimates and invoices and a list that could go on and on. But when my Father Mike died his business died.
Long story short, I started my business so that I could create a business. I learned that a business is something that is made up of many moving parts as well as a group of dedicated people. I started a business to finish what another man started. A man who has clearly made a difference in many people's souls and hearts for the better. A man who motivated me and still does just from being around him and admiring just how well he could use that spade.
The Poem "Digging" by Seamus Heaney reminds me of my Fathers life in Ireland except it was his mom Bridgett who could really cut the turf. I have no space between my finger and my thumb - just a driving force to create a masonry restoration company to take care of my surrounding areas. My dream is that the team that I have specifically selected will select even greater men and women. This will allow BJK Masonry & Restoration to last lifetimes and preserve the art and craft that I have been blessed to fall in love with. All due to my father's love and courage to persevere and never quit and create a life for me, my siblings, and my mother.
Highly Rated Masonry Company
We are ready to talk about your upcoming chimneys, brick, stone, foundation, retaining wall, patio, flagstone, historical restoration, or miscellaneous masonry project. Call today!
Check out the below Google certified testimonials of our company!
BJK Masonry & Restoration worked on both our Chimney and Bilco door. Gave us very reasonable prices with Phenomenal work. Nice communication during the job and no problems at all. Would definitely recommend to others. ~ Joseph Garrity
Hi Margit, Thank you for heartfelt review and recommendation. We at BJK Masonry & Restoration take great pride in completing every project professionally and efficiently. It was a pleasure working with you on your project, and we will be glad to help you with any other project you may have in the future. Have a nice day. ~ Margit Mackley
Communication was phenomenal. Joe and Brendan would always get back to me in less than 24 hours. Needed the entire chimney to be repointed and Brendan would explain the process and provided his professional inputs. The team was also on time and provided excellent quality work. ~ Kevin Wong
BJK Masonry exceeded my expectations and did an awesome job pointing my brick house. Brendan's team made sure I was pleased with all their work. I would highly recommend BJK Masonry! ~ Eric O’Brien
BJK Masonry is the BEST! Brendan and his crew (Connor and Esteban), did a beautiful job on restoring my chimney. Joseph, the Office Manager, was courteous and helpful. The workmanship they provided was, professional, beautiful, and top quality. They worked long and hard hours in the bitter cold to finish my job on time. I am ecstatic with the results, my neighbors are impressed, and I am proud to recommend BJK masonry and restoration to everyone. Brendan, the owner, is honest, fair, caring, and a true gentleman. I am honored to have had him work on this project, and will always use his company for any work I need. In these times, it is absolutely refreshing to find a hard working, dedicated, and expert company to perform tasks. Brendan, his company, and his crew, check all the boxes and meet all the criteria. They are the BEST! ~ Erie Barile
We hired Brendan to help re-do our cement patio in front of our house and I cannot say enough good things about him and his team. Leading up to our project, Brendan’s communication was great. He was always quick to respond and set clear expectations around timing. During our work, he kept us up to speed every step of the way with any adjustments to schedule due to weather or other factors and general updates for how to maneuver around the work area while in progress. The end product was incredible. His work is meticulous, his crew was super professional and they were always so clean/tidy every day they were here. As if that all wasn’t enough, he’s really reasonable on pricing. You can tell he takes a ton of pride in his work and he even poked around to take a look at a few other things while here. House projects can be a headache but working with Brendan is anything but that. He will do a wonderful job and create a great experience in the process. Cant recommend him enough! ~ Kristina Cirilli
We had a fantastic experience with BJK Masonry on our backyard hardscaping project. Brendan made the process extremely easy for us, and was a great communicator throughout. We are beyond thrilled with the final product, which has totally transformed our backyard space. It's clear that Brendan and his team care tremendously about their work, and we're so grateful that our home has benefited from their expertise! ~ Colleen Nolan
We highly recommend BJK Masonry. Brendan and his team replaced our front sidewalk and built us a new step. They also expertly repaired our back steps and patched several areas around the house. We are already getting compliments from the neighbors. Brendan and his team could not have been nicer and everything was done in a professional and timely manner. ~ Steffie Buerk
Another spectacular job by Brendan and his crew repairing my mom's chimney in Havertown. Brendan has done 4 jobs for me and my company and each time he has exceeded expectation ~ Bob Dwyer
Brendan Kneafsey and his team are highly skilled and perform top-quality work. We had the entire stone foundation of our house re-pointed, a new concrete pathway placed, and a stone garden border placed around the front garden. We couldn't be more pleased with the results on all of these projects. We highly recommend BJK Masonry! ~ Susan Kohlenberg
Brendan and his crew were awesome. They worked hard, fast, and did a great job. The work was top notch and the crew made the place look better after clean-up than it had before they started. Furthermore, Brendan is a person of high integrity--he even did part of the job for free after realizing it would be less work than he originally thought when he did the estimate. Seriously, find another contractor who would do that! ~ Kevin B
Brendan and his team are awesome to work with. They arrived on time, were friendly and professional and did a beautiful job. I HIGHLY recommend BJK Masonry for any project, large or small. Will definitely be using them for future projects. ~ N Nagle
Brenden Kneafsey and his team are a pleasure to work and the completed job turned out better than expected! We had several different masonry projects including re-pointing a retaining wall which was being pushed by a tree. After the tree was cut down, they removed all the old mortar and refinished the wall beautifully! So impressive! They also removed and replaced several concrete areas on our walkway which had cracked over time. They even did a great job matching the cement color and texture. The quote was reasonable and competitive. The workers on the job were very friendly and respectful. They cleaned up after the work was complete. They left the area cleaner than they found it. The entire job was completed within the expected time frame. I give Kneafsey Masonry and Restoration LCC my highest recommendation and will certainly use this company again. ~ Amy Foster
Brendan and his team were phenomenal to work with. They came out, assessed the issues and quickly were able to put a plan together. They were super friendly and extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend them to anybody looking. ~ Colin Quinn
I will not go anywhere else for my masonary needs except Kneafsey. Brendan and his team are the best in the business. They stand by their work and back it up with quality, trust and excellent craftsmanship. And, it’s a locally owned business in Havertown! Brendan and his team repointed my chimney and sealed it due to several leaks that occurred from terrible southern storms. Brendan kept me in the loop every step of the way until the job was done. Look no further for your masonary needs! ~ BRRD’s Garage
BJK parged my basement, pointed areas of the foundation, and built new concrete steps for the front of the house. All were excellent. The workmen were professional, knowledgeable and efficient. You will not do better for difficult jobs! ~ Carol Durso
Though I can’t write a review of the quality of work they do, I can’t say enough about their character. They went out of their way to chase down and save my dog who had gotten loose a couple hours before they spotted her on a main road while on the job. If not for them, my dog probably would not be here. Thanks to them she’s home and safe. ~ Danielle Asbel
Matched old mortar for necessary repair work perfectly. Thorough repointing for exterior windows, walls, and chimney. Came to accomplish the work promptly and cleaned up the site impeccably during and afterwards. Would HIGHLY recommend entire company - owner, project manager, crew. ~ Giselle Caldwell
A great experience from first contact to last. On time, knowlegeable, professional, great workmanship and the price was competitive. Would not hesitate to work with them again! ~ HH M
Our walkway exceeded our expectations! And the entire process was easy and professional. Thank you BJK Masonry! ~ Amy Hastings
I had a great experience and found the easy to work with. I would easily use them again for any masonary needs. ~ Shella Parrish
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BJK did great work and fixed our problems when others could not. I highly recommend them to you. ~ Chuck Anderson