I cannot stress enough, the importance about doing research on our competitors. Please look into these companies and ask as many questions as possible. Some of my competitors are nothing more than wolves in sheeps clothing. It is a "buyer beware" market out there, so please be aware of whom your dealing with. Below are a list of some things to be aware of and some photos of my competitors finished work.

Make sure that they are fully insured
Make sure they have Liability Insurance and Workmans Compensation Insurance. If they do not produce the proper documentation of such DO NOT allow them to work on your property. If they were to get injured and do not carry the proper insurance.YOU will be held liable and have to pay for their injuries and all costs associated with the injuries. If they do give you the proper insurance documents, CALL the insurance company and VERIFY that they are insured. There are companies out there with fake insurance papers hoping the customer will not call to verify with the insurance company.

Make sure you receive references
Make sure they provide you with a sufficient amount references. Also ask about work that might have been completed locally so that you may drive to the location and see the finished work first hand.

Ask them about their process on how they tuck-point
If they do not tell you that they grind back the mortar joints before applying the new mortar, they are NOT going to do a satisfactory job. It would be the equivalent of applying a new paint job on a rusted car..it makes no sense. The damaged area MUST be prepped / ground back before the new mortar is to be applied. If this process is skipped, the mortar will not last and eventually fall out of the wall. Make sure they tell you that they will attempt to match the color, texture and joint style to the original mortar still on your home. Some companies just apply whatever mortar they have on hand, apply it however they want and when it's complete it looks like an eyesore. Look at the pictures provided of my competitor's work. This type of work is unacceptable. Please be careful and ask to see photos of their work.

Make sure they are an established business
Make sure to check if they are an established company and not just someone doing side jobs. The guarantee on the work performed is only as good as long as the company is in business. If the company is a fly by night establishment or just a person performing side jobs, their guarantee is useless.