A good mason is the backbone of any concrete-block build in Jamaica. A bad one creates problems that follow the house for decades — out-of-plumb walls, weak corners, lintels that crack. These five questions, asked in the first 15 minutes of a site meeting, tell you almost everything you need to know.
1. 'Can I see two recent jobs?'
Ask for addresses you can drive past. A confident mason will name two or three immediately. A vague answer or a long pause is the answer to your question.
2. 'What mix ratio do you use for the mortar?'
The right answer is usually 1 part cement to 4 or 5 parts sand for standard residential blockwork, with potable water and no salt-contaminated sand. Anyone who cannot answer this confidently is not a professional mason.
3. 'How do you handle reinforcement at corners and openings?'
You want to hear about vertical rebar at corners every 1.2 m or so, horizontal bond beams at the lintel and ring beam levels, and proper lap lengths. If they shrug and say 'just standard,' keep looking.
4. 'Who supplies the materials?'
Either answer can be correct, but the contract needs to spell it out. Beware of masons who insist on supplying everything but cannot give you a written materials list with quantities — that is where the budget quietly inflates.
5. 'How many courses per day on a hot week?'
A skilled two-man crew lays 6 to 9 courses of 6-inch block per day on a typical wall in good weather. Anyone promising 12+ is rushing the curing time and the resulting wall will not be plumb.
Final word
Masonry is the single trade where shortcuts are most expensive to fix later. Take the extra time to interview properly, and verify with at least one site visit. BuildLink lists verified masons with completed-job records you can review.
