Antiquescapes

06/07/2026

The grand stone fireplace at Bachman's in Minneapolis! I use to work here back in my 20s!

05/21/2026

Another Iowa Countryside vision, Stone City Limestone gates with a wheat grain pattern of buff Sandstone capped with cast elements like ox heads, horse heads, chicken heads ect

05/21/2026

Yep, the price is what it is, we cant build it correctly any cheaper.

ONE OF THE MOST UNETHICAL THINGS A CONTRACTOR CAN DO…

…is knowingly take a project below a realistic budget just to “win the job.”

Clients will sometimes ask:
“Can you come down?”
“Can we make this work cheaper?”
“Can you just get closer to our number?”

And while every contractor wants to help people, there is a major difference between VALUE ENGINEERING a project…
and UNDERBIDDING a project.

If a contractor knows the budget will not properly support the labor, materials, structural requirements, access, safety, insurance, engineering, or long-term performance of the work — but takes it anyway — problems usually come later.

That is where:
• Change orders start appearing
• Corners get cut
• Waterproofing gets skipped
• Wrong materials get used
• Structural details get ignored
• Crews become rushed
• Projects stall halfway through
• Relationships break down

A cheap price at the beginning can become the most expensive repair later.

At Curatola Masonry, we believe clients deserve honesty up front — even when it’s uncomfortable.

Sometimes the most professional thing a contractor can say is:
“I don’t believe this budget realistically supports the work being requested.”

That is not arrogance.
That is responsibility.

There is a reason experienced contractors come with their first and best number:
Because real pricing is built from:
• Labor
• Skill
• Experience
• Risk
• Engineering
• Insurance
• Equipment
• Safety
• Structural understanding
• Long-term accountability

Not guessing.

The right contractor should be trying to SOLVE the problem correctly — not simply tell you what you want to hear to get a signature.

We would rather lose a project honestly than win one unethically.

05/21/2026

Grand Iowa Countryside visions, a central stone city limestone oven amongst cobblestone and vegetable gardens

05/20/2026

Pennsylvania Bluestone cobblestone from streets of Pittsburgh edged with Stone City Limestone class D Rip Rapp from Weber Stone Company

05/18/2026

Coffee Shop stage area, envisioned! Minneapolis cobblestone with a rustic pergola for stage and raised antique brick pavers under stage!

05/17/2026

Photos sent to me by a customer, she was having some issues with weeds due to all the surrounding vegetation but then started using Borax, Borax has been keeping the weeds away !

05/07/2026

What is everyone's favorite Antiquescapes project? Have we influenced any other landscapers with anything we have done over the years?