Featured Case Study:
A Luxurious Backyard in Swarthmore, PA
Susan and Ben called Kelly Masonry after a bad experience with their previous contractor. Not only was their retaining wall poorly installed, but the floor of their new pool house was also sloping in the wrong direction. If the wall was not repaired it would inevitably crumble; if the pool house was not reinstalled water would build up inside the walls.
Our owner, John, visited Susan and Ben for an initial consultation. After his inspection he provided his advice. He also discussed design options that opened the space up to new possibilities – changes to elevation, reclaimed stone options, and a guarantee that if the work was not completed up to their expectations the necessary changes would be done at no extra cost.
Susan and Ben had already hired a landscape designer and architect, so John was happy to collaborate with them on the needed changes. The process was as enjoyable for our team as it was for Susan and Ben. When we finished the retaining wall and the pool house floor we began work on the travertine surrounding the pool. Then we created a wall surrounding the hot tub as well as a walkway into the outdoor living area. With new ideas for a more customized space, we continued our work by creating an exercise platform by the hot tub. To enhance the style and aesthetic of the home, we resumed work up to the driveway and added cobblestone to an otherwise plain asphalt path.
In the end Susan and Ben were delighted with the result. To this day we continue working at their home whenever they need repairs, maintenance, or another idea to come to life!
Happy Clients Recommend Us
We’d love a chance to exceed your expectations!
Kathy Babin
15:22 04 Nov 25
Kelly Masonry did a fabulous job managing our complicated home repair project. John Kelly is a true professional and excellent communicator. We’ve been extremely pleased with his team of highly-skilled, detailed-oriented workers as they worked tirelessly to get our job finished in a timely manner. Highly recommend!
Kathy Babin
15:22 04 Nov 25
Kelly Masonry did a fabulous job managing our complicated home repair project. John Kelly is a true professional and excellent communicator. We’ve been extremely pleased with his team of highly-skilled, detailed-oriented workers as they worked tirelessly to get our job finished in a timely manner. Highly recommend!
florence stinger
19:43 29 Oct 25
I could not be happier with the retaining wall Kelly masonry constructed along my driveway. They were very accommodating. The work crew was efficient, hard workers and very polite . I’m showing a before and after picture. This after picture I had ChatGPT put shrubs in because I haven’t decided what I want to plant. Everyone who comes over loves the wall.
florence stinger
19:43 29 Oct 25
I could not be happier with the retaining wall Kelly masonry constructed along my driveway. They were very accommodating. The work crew was efficient, hard workers and very polite . I’m showing a before and after picture. This after picture I had ChatGPT put shrubs in because I haven’t decided what I want to plant. Everyone who comes over loves the wall.
jessie bryan
18:34 08 Sep 25
John and his team completely transformed our back patio space! He is truly an industry expert and absolutely went above and beyond for us. His crew is exceptional - extremely hardworking, tidy, and professional. They navigated the patio install smoothly and with a beautiful result. Can't wait to plan our next project with them.
jessie bryan
18:34 08 Sep 25
John and his team completely transformed our back patio space! He is truly an industry expert and absolutely went above and beyond for us. His crew is exceptional - extremely hardworking, tidy, and professional. They navigated the patio install smoothly and with a beautiful result. Can't wait to plan our next project with them.
Carolyn Haury
23:06 21 Jul 25
John Kelly’s team are fabulous. He came out promptly to give an estimate. Then the team began working the very next day. They showed up each day until the job was complete. And they did a perfect job on our walkway that had been crushed by a big crane. Will definitely call on them the next time we need masonry work!
Carolyn Haury
23:06 21 Jul 25
John Kelly’s team are fabulous. He came out promptly to give an estimate. Then the team began working the very next day. They showed up each day until the job was complete. And they did a perfect job on our walkway that had been crushed by a big crane. Will definitely call on them the next time we need masonry work!
Mary McCabe
23:24 11 Oct 24
Kelly Masonry built us a beautiful new flagstone patio, walkway, and porch this summer. We were so impressed with this company. Their crew is super hardworking and talented. I appreciated that they stuck to the budget. John communicated with us really well, which helped everything go smoothly. They were thoughtful about details like making sure to reattach a fence at the end of each day of work, so our dog would have a safe place to run around. They're also knowledgeable about water management. They graded the patio, and ran drainpipes from the gutters, underneath the patio and walkway, all the way out to the back of our yard, to keep the water out of our basement. We're thrilled with the final results.
Mary McCabe
23:24 11 Oct 24
Kelly Masonry built us a beautiful new flagstone patio, walkway, and porch this summer. We were so impressed with this company. Their crew is super hardworking and talented. I appreciated that they stuck to the budget. John communicated with us really well, which helped everything go smoothly. They were thoughtful about details like making sure to reattach a fence at the end of each day of work, so our dog would have a safe place to run around. They're also knowledgeable about water management. They graded the patio, and ran drainpipes from the gutters, underneath the patio and walkway, all the way out to the back of our yard, to keep the water out of our basement. We're thrilled with the final results.
Kristina Pines
02:12 24 Apr 24
Incredibly happy with the work from Kelly Masonry! John and his team were a pleasure to work with. They made the project as easy as possible and kept us up to date with any changes to the schedule given weather-related delays. We cannot wait to create new memories in our beautiful backyard for years to come.
Kristina Pines
02:12 24 Apr 24
Incredibly happy with the work from Kelly Masonry! John and his team were a pleasure to work with. They made the project as easy as possible and kept us up to date with any changes to the schedule given weather-related delays. We cannot wait to create new memories in our beautiful backyard for years to come.
Teri McGinn
14:27 22 Oct 23
My husband and I cannot say enough good things about John and his men. The workers and John did an amazing job on our retaining wall and walkway and landing at our house. We have never had a more pleasant experience with a contractor. The final results of our project was better than we expected. John went above and beyond on our project even adding things at no extra cost to us. I would highly recommend John and his team! I will be using him again in the future!
Teri McGinn
14:27 22 Oct 23
My husband and I cannot say enough good things about John and his men. The workers and John did an amazing job on our retaining wall and walkway and landing at our house. We have never had a more pleasant experience with a contractor. The final results of our project was better than we expected. John went above and beyond on our project even adding things at no extra cost to us. I would highly recommend John and his team! I will be using him again in the future!
Mike Pierce
20:09 29 Aug 23
Outstanding design, on time delivery, excellent craftmanship. Good communication and quality work. No complaints and I would highly recommend them.
Mike Pierce
20:09 29 Aug 23
Outstanding design, on time delivery, excellent craftmanship. Good communication and quality work. No complaints and I would highly recommend them.
Ryan DePaul
01:58 14 Aug 23
John and his team recently completed our outdoor living area. They absolutely exceeded all of our expectations. John listened to our ideas and created an amazing space. The stonework is stunning and the fireplace is exactly what we envisioned.
Ryan DePaul
01:58 14 Aug 23
John and his team recently completed our outdoor living area. They absolutely exceeded all of our expectations. John listened to our ideas and created an amazing space. The stonework is stunning and the fireplace is exactly what we envisioned.
John D'Ambrosio
23:20 22 Feb 23
If you're looking for quality work, this is your guy. Quick estimates, hard worker, and means business. I assure you, whether it's a big or small job, it'll get done right!
John D'Ambrosio
23:20 22 Feb 23
If you're looking for quality work, this is your guy. Quick estimates, hard worker, and means business. I assure you, whether it's a big or small job, it'll get done right!
Cynthia Vernacchio
19:24 16 Jan 23
Another 5 star review. John and his crew repaired my stone wall. They went above and beyond. He made sure I was satisfied with the job as it progressed. Several times he told me he wanted me to be happy and I am. Thank you for a great job.
Cynthia Vernacchio
19:24 16 Jan 23
Another 5 star review. John and his crew repaired my stone wall. They went above and beyond. He made sure I was satisfied with the job as it progressed. Several times he told me he wanted me to be happy and I am. Thank you for a great job.
Christine Doelp
23:40 01 Nov 22
We are not alone with wanting to give more than 5 stars!!
Our project involved the creation of several new flower beds, a new front patio and front steps as well as a side patio for a hot tub. We needed this all done on time as we were hosting our wedding at the house.
John Kelly was fantastic from the very beginning. He walked us through various options, coordinated with the landscaper and architect, was always responsive and delivered everything on time with the upmost professionalism and attention to quality and detail.
We’ll never use any one else.
Thank you to John, and the whole Kelly Masonry team!
Our project involved the creation of several new flower beds, a new front patio and front steps as well as a side patio for a hot tub. We needed this all done on time as we were hosting our wedding at the house.
John Kelly was fantastic from the very beginning. He walked us through various options, coordinated with the landscaper and architect, was always responsive and delivered everything on time with the upmost professionalism and attention to quality and detail.
We’ll never use any one else.
Thank you to John, and the whole Kelly Masonry team!
Christine Doelp
23:40 01 Nov 22
We are not alone with wanting to give more than 5 stars!!
Our project involved the creation of several new flower beds, a new front patio and front steps as well as a side patio for a hot tub. We needed this all done on time as we were hosting our wedding at the house.
John Kelly was fantastic from the very beginning. He walked us through various options, coordinated with the landscaper and architect, was always responsive and delivered everything on time with the upmost professionalism and attention to quality and detail.
We’ll never use any one else.
Thank you to John, and the whole Kelly Masonry team!
Our project involved the creation of several new flower beds, a new front patio and front steps as well as a side patio for a hot tub. We needed this all done on time as we were hosting our wedding at the house.
John Kelly was fantastic from the very beginning. He walked us through various options, coordinated with the landscaper and architect, was always responsive and delivered everything on time with the upmost professionalism and attention to quality and detail.
We’ll never use any one else.
Thank you to John, and the whole Kelly Masonry team!
Matt Bestoso
16:27 20 Oct 22
We couldn't be happier with the service or results. We had a complex timeline and they were great to communicate and work with our other contractors. The stone work looks amazing and everything was kept incredibly clean. I would recommend Kelly Masonry to anyone.
Matt Bestoso
16:27 20 Oct 22
We couldn't be happier with the service or results. We had a complex timeline and they were great to communicate and work with our other contractors. The stone work looks amazing and everything was kept incredibly clean. I would recommend Kelly Masonry to anyone.
Kaity Hresko
14:58 28 Sep 22
We had a wonderful experience with Kelly Masonry. I would give them 10 stars if I could! John did a great job communicating with me throughout this entire process and Rob and his crew were kind and considerate while doing the work in our kitchen. We told them our vision and it turned out exactly how we had hoped. I highly recommend reaching out to them for your next project!
Kaity Hresko
14:58 28 Sep 22
We had a wonderful experience with Kelly Masonry. I would give them 10 stars if I could! John did a great job communicating with me throughout this entire process and Rob and his crew were kind and considerate while doing the work in our kitchen. We told them our vision and it turned out exactly how we had hoped. I highly recommend reaching out to them for your next project!
Patrick Scanlon
15:42 11 Apr 22
The experience working with Kelly Masonry is the best you will find!!!! We would rate higher we could. From the initial consult to the end product, every step was met with professionalism. The owner, John, came out to quote the project and made his suggestions from years of experience.
The crew was efficient and, as you can see from the pictures, we couldn't be more happy with the work. Below is a list of the work John and his team completed in the quoted time, even though the weather didn't cooperate.
- Tore down, extended and rebuilt stone retaining wall to the right of front door.
- Removed old walkway and replaced with a paver patio while adding additional stone to the bottom front of the house for grading purposes
- Installed a trench drain and tied into three downspouts and ran under pavers, out to a pop-up drain in the front yard.
- Ran a conduit pipe from electrical box to garage
- Removed concrete slab by garage door, and ran pavers the full length from the garage door past our side entrance.
- Installed a stone block retaining wall on the side of the house (this was not discussed in the initial plans, John and crew was able to add to workload mid-project).
Very accommodating, professional and the lines of communication are second to none. Would HIGHLY recommend!!!
The crew was efficient and, as you can see from the pictures, we couldn't be more happy with the work. Below is a list of the work John and his team completed in the quoted time, even though the weather didn't cooperate.
- Tore down, extended and rebuilt stone retaining wall to the right of front door.
- Removed old walkway and replaced with a paver patio while adding additional stone to the bottom front of the house for grading purposes
- Installed a trench drain and tied into three downspouts and ran under pavers, out to a pop-up drain in the front yard.
- Ran a conduit pipe from electrical box to garage
- Removed concrete slab by garage door, and ran pavers the full length from the garage door past our side entrance.
- Installed a stone block retaining wall on the side of the house (this was not discussed in the initial plans, John and crew was able to add to workload mid-project).
Very accommodating, professional and the lines of communication are second to none. Would HIGHLY recommend!!!
Patrick Scanlon
15:42 11 Apr 22
The experience working with Kelly Masonry is the best you will find!!!! We would rate higher we could. From the initial consult to the end product, every step was met with professionalism. The owner, John, came out to quote the project and made his suggestions from years of experience.
The crew was efficient and, as you can see from the pictures, we couldn't be more happy with the work. Below is a list of the work John and his team completed in the quoted time, even though the weather didn't cooperate.
- Tore down, extended and rebuilt stone retaining wall to the right of front door.
- Removed old walkway and replaced with a paver patio while adding additional stone to the bottom front of the house for grading purposes
- Installed a trench drain and tied into three downspouts and ran under pavers, out to a pop-up drain in the front yard.
- Ran a conduit pipe from electrical box to garage
- Removed concrete slab by garage door, and ran pavers the full length from the garage door past our side entrance.
- Installed a stone block retaining wall on the side of the house (this was not discussed in the initial plans, John and crew was able to add to workload mid-project).
Very accommodating, professional and the lines of communication are second to none. Would HIGHLY recommend!!!
The crew was efficient and, as you can see from the pictures, we couldn't be more happy with the work. Below is a list of the work John and his team completed in the quoted time, even though the weather didn't cooperate.
- Tore down, extended and rebuilt stone retaining wall to the right of front door.
- Removed old walkway and replaced with a paver patio while adding additional stone to the bottom front of the house for grading purposes
- Installed a trench drain and tied into three downspouts and ran under pavers, out to a pop-up drain in the front yard.
- Ran a conduit pipe from electrical box to garage
- Removed concrete slab by garage door, and ran pavers the full length from the garage door past our side entrance.
- Installed a stone block retaining wall on the side of the house (this was not discussed in the initial plans, John and crew was able to add to workload mid-project).
Very accommodating, professional and the lines of communication are second to none. Would HIGHLY recommend!!!
Jennifer Nichols
15:13 08 Apr 22
I have worked with Kelly Masonry on several projects, both indoor and out. The crew is neat and professional, and the craftmanship is excellent. John is pleasant and responsive. You will be in excellent hands with Kelly Masonry.
Jennifer Nichols
15:13 08 Apr 22
I have worked with Kelly Masonry on several projects, both indoor and out. The crew is neat and professional, and the craftmanship is excellent. John is pleasant and responsive. You will be in excellent hands with Kelly Masonry.
John Higgins
18:56 25 Mar 22
As a first time home buyer, I ran into an issue during the inspection that almost stopped me from purchasing the home and needed a professional opinion. Mr. Kelly happily came out to look at the property and gave me an estimate on the work that needed to be done. Fast forward to a few months after having purchased the home, and I sent Mr. Kelly an email stating I was ready to move forward with the project. Even though a few months had passed, Mr. Kelly remember every detail we had discussed during the estimation. His team came four times over the course of two weeks to do some work in the basement, including replacing two windows, and to clean and repoint the outside facade of the house. At the end of each day, you would have never known there were contractors in the house. They left the place in pristine condition. When the work was completed, Mr. Kelly asked if I had any issues (which i did not) and assured me that if any came up, to give him a call and they would be happy to come out and remedy. I cannot recommend Mr. Kelly and his team enough. They have been the easiest and most respectful contract I have worked with to date. Thank you Mr. Kelly and team for all of your work!
John Higgins
18:56 25 Mar 22
As a first time home buyer, I ran into an issue during the inspection that almost stopped me from purchasing the home and needed a professional opinion. Mr. Kelly happily came out to look at the property and gave me an estimate on the work that needed to be done. Fast forward to a few months after having purchased the home, and I sent Mr. Kelly an email stating I was ready to move forward with the project. Even though a few months had passed, Mr. Kelly remember every detail we had discussed during the estimation. His team came four times over the course of two weeks to do some work in the basement, including replacing two windows, and to clean and repoint the outside facade of the house. At the end of each day, you would have never known there were contractors in the house. They left the place in pristine condition. When the work was completed, Mr. Kelly asked if I had any issues (which i did not) and assured me that if any came up, to give him a call and they would be happy to come out and remedy. I cannot recommend Mr. Kelly and his team enough. They have been the easiest and most respectful contract I have worked with to date. Thank you Mr. Kelly and team for all of your work!
Michael Gormley
20:42 07 Mar 22
John and his team were very professional, and did an amazing job. I needed them to brick in a window opening and shrink in another, which entailed them removing the old lentil and soldier corse and install a new one lower. They showed up on time and we’re clear on what they needed me to do to get the area ready for the work. 90% of my home is brick, so we have plenty of work for them in the future. I highly recommend them.
Michael Gormley
20:42 07 Mar 22
John and his team were very professional, and did an amazing job. I needed them to brick in a window opening and shrink in another, which entailed them removing the old lentil and soldier corse and install a new one lower. They showed up on time and we’re clear on what they needed me to do to get the area ready for the work. 90% of my home is brick, so we have plenty of work for them in the future. I highly recommend them.
James Longenbach
00:16 26 Jan 22
Would rate this company with more stars if I could. From the very beginning John and his team were very responsive and transparent about the whole project (how long it would take, when they could start, how much it would cost, etc.). They were very flexible with my shift-work schedule and their work was top notch. We love our new fireplace! I actually plan on hiring them in the future if I ever get the masonry work done on my home's exterior like I'm planning to do.
James Longenbach
00:16 26 Jan 22
Would rate this company with more stars if I could. From the very beginning John and his team were very responsive and transparent about the whole project (how long it would take, when they could start, how much it would cost, etc.). They were very flexible with my shift-work schedule and their work was top notch. We love our new fireplace! I actually plan on hiring them in the future if I ever get the masonry work done on my home's exterior like I'm planning to do.
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