Poor Design Fixed with a Permanent Solution

On occasion. we get comments and questions about how we establish our service area. Your comments, concerns, and patronage help us determine policies that will serve you best. An earnest YELP commenter motivated us to clarify our Service Area policy and try to explain better why we do things the way we do…

We like– and enjoy serving–all people. We do not discriminate by income, race, or any other arbitrary factor, as this would be contrary and corrosive to our values, and our sense of business and personal ethics. Such an attitude would be a direct contradiction of the spirit and mission around which we have built over 30 years of successful business relationships.

Brick Doctor job estimates, in conjunction with an on-site service call, are offered for $85 virtually anywhere in D/FW, but many times are offered free in certain circumstances. Please understand that “free estimates” are never free to Brick Doctor, nor any service company.

In the case of Brick Doctor, these are service calls, performed by experts with years of experience. Estimates take time on site, typically discussing and establishing a scope of work, drawing sketches, identifying matching materials, and often offering valuable advice.

Estimates are quite expensive to do right, and most trades charge a fee for such (For example, just try getting a “free” service call or estimate from a plumber!). The $85 fee does not cover our expense of providing an estimate.

So, our estimate process must be efficient if we are to stay in business. Through decades of experience, we continue to establish the areas where we can bid successfully, and serve to the best of our abilities.

Some areas are hard to serve and still provide our best efforts, because of poor proximity to our other jobs. Some areas we simply can’t give bids at all and still offer good service, because it may be too far away.

We have set our service area from years of experience. I assure you we have no ideological purpose when we set our boundaries; we simply go where there is significant demand for our services, within reasonable proximity to our facilities.

Our boundaries are not established by census data, but by the history of demand for our services. Boundaries are defined by zip code only because that is easy to delineate, easy to describe, and easy to understand.

Why does Wal-Mart or McDonalds or Cracker Barrel choose to locate in, and serve some areas over others? Similarly, there must be enough demand for our services in any given area to justify the expense of coming there with offers of “free” service (estimates).

We also have many customers who are willing to pay the one-time “out-of-area” estimate fee because they want to ensure they get quality work. And after all, the more your neighbors call us, the more we can justify serving your neighborhood with free estimates!

Lesley Judge, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman — Lesley joined us in early 2020 after a long masonry partnership with his late brother, Wesley. He has proven, extensive experience in both residential and commercial brick and stone work. Lesley’s masonry skills are illustrated in the quality of the brick sign he built in front of our own office/warehouse facility. He builds many of our mailboxes and performs with excellence on a variety of other small jobs and repairs.

Scott Thurston, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman —

Tony Sisk, Plant Manager, Mailbox Manager – Tony joined Brick Doctor in 2009 after a lengthy tenure with renowned Fort Worth masonry contractor S&S Masonry, upon their owner’s retirement. His experience with cast stone and all types of high-end residential masonry has proven invaluable. He served us as a Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman until becoming Plant Manager in early 2022. Tony has a heart of gold, always the team player and the first to help a friend in need. He is passionate about getting things done right, and he’s generous, honest, and loyal. His hand is in almost every project we take on, and he truly makes each job better and more enjoyable!

R. G. Shannon, Project Manager, Greater Dallas area. Roy’s tenure with Brick Doctor dates back to 1993 when he came as a highly credentialed Commercial Masonry Foreman, then soon  became a top repair specialist. A graduate of TCU and of McGeorge School of Law, Roy is both brilliant and wise. He practiced law for 12 years in Sacramento, California before returning to D/FW in early 2018 and re-engaging in the masonry industry. We are thrilled to have Roy’s great attitude, expertise, and intellect back on our team as a Project Manager…he truly makes us all better.

Robby Rux, Sr. Project Manager, Fort Worth/Arlington – an extremely dedicated masonry professional with over 20 years of commercial and residential experience, Robby joined us in 2007.  His skills and selfless attitude make him a pleasure to work with, and his generosity encourages all of us to find the true joy in serving others and giving back. He is a company and customer favorite, and a 2019 recipient of our Distinguished Service Award*. As if that’s not enough, Robby is also a recording artist, producer, and owner of an eclectic record store and recording studio in Fort Worth.

John Rowland, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman – John is a master mason with 40 years experience, including commercial masonry, custom building, and restoration work. He was initially trained by our co-founder, Steve Jennings, and was one of our first repair masons in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s before he launched out on his own. We’re delighted with his return–John is a joy to work with, and his knowledge, creativity, and craftsmanship are among the very best in the region!

Clif Robison, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman – Our first Distinguished Service Award* winner, Clif is an amazingly skilled tradesman and has been with Brick Doctor since 1989.  He is definitely among the most experienced repair masons in the region… very knowledgeable and dedicated to the task, yet very personable and well-liked among our customers. (Just don’t expect him to be available on week-ends during deer season!).

Norman Ortega, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman — Noman just joined Brick Doctor in the summer of 2023, but learned the fundamentals of masonry at Northlake College and was trained by renowned Dee Brown Masonry, where he began his career in 2020. He’s a skilled and dedicated craftsman, and a committed father and husband. God is first, then family. Masonry and fishing come next. He’s a joy to work with! Athletic, loves a challenge, very skilled, and is big on communication.

Nicole Martin, Customer Service Manager, Mailbox Manager – Nicole schedules most of your initial appointments and helps communicate important details between you and your Project Manager. She’s knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. She has a very good understanding of your most common masonry concerns, so feel free to call Nicole for answers–and if she can’t help, she’ll direct you to someone who can!

Jesus Marquez, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman — Jesus joined us in early 2018. He is a seasoned craftsman and a very effective crew chief. He manages our biggest crew, taking on some of our largest repair projects. His “can-do,” positive attitude makes him a favorite for the most challenging chimneys, arches, or HOA brick fence repairs…and he’s warm and engaging, easy to work with. He’s also a family man, so when he’s not fixing bricks, he’s often chasing Jesus, Jr around the motocross track, or helping some other family member with a project!

Scott Jennings, Project Manager, NETC, North Dallas/Plano — Scott grew up with Brick Doctor, joining us full-time in 2015 upon earning his BBA from ACU in 2012 and serving three years in banking. He loves earning customers’ trust and has managed over 2400 jobs since becoming a full-time PM in 2016. He is creative, detail-oriented, and eager to please. Scott loves the challenges of each job, and engaging with his customers to do whatever it takes to help solve their brick and masonry problems. He’s also quite the “jack-of-all-trades” at his own week-end home projects!

James Jennings, President/General Manager since 1986 – Signs checks and sweeps the floors. James says, “Since we can only fully satisfy about 97 percent of our customers, our goal instead is to please God, every single time. We’re learning that if we honor Him first, almost everyone else is pleased with our efforts. Please call on me any time…I’d love to hear your comments or suggestions on how we might serve you better!”

Kenny Hall, Masonry Repair Specialist Foreman – Kenny joined us in early 2007 with over 25 years of commercial and residential masonry experience, including running his own successful masonry business for much of his career. Kenny is a craftsman. Extremely knowledgeable, very sharp, very talented, and eager to please…truly a customer favorite. Kenny “gets it”…he understands he has a higher calling, and it affects everything he does in a positive way.

Liesl Burks, Administrative VP – Liesl (yes, that’s L-I-E-S-L) joined us in 2010 as Office Manager and was promoted to Administrative VP in 2015. She brought a wealth of expertise in management and technology after co-owning a PC repair business for 10 years. She helped usher in new systems to improve scheduling, communications, and several other office and field functions to help improve your overall customer experience. And, what a wonderful and pleasant personality…with Liesl, every day is a good day, and everyone else in her path benefits. She truly makes all of us better!

Connor Anderson, Project Manager, Fort Worth/Arlington – Connor joined us in 2019 upon finishing his BS from The University of Arkansas. He served a 17-month job site apprenticeship under multiple crew chiefs, and has now successfully managed over 600 projects since taking on the PM role. Connor’s old-fashioned integrity, dedication, and humility have earned him an incredible reputation among both his customers and his peers. We’re excited about his long-term influence at Brick Doctor and in our community. You can trust Connor Anderson with your project!