I'll sum up the last 3 1/2 months in one word - WHEW! We finally made it in the house and have started to enjoy the new pad. I plan to continue the blog to track projects, ideas and lessons learned - all needed if we decide to tackle another custom home.
So the two big questions that many of you have been asking - was it worth it and would we do it again? {note - a fifteen minute blank stare just occurred} Gosh, tough to answer. Now that we are in the house, I would say Yes to both...but many of you know that was not the case a year or two ago. At the end of the day, I would do it again and yes, it was worth it - primarily because we learned so much and would not make the same mistakes....saving money, headaches, cash, nightmares...did I mention dollars?? Most of our mistakes happened in the beginning where we trusted in people and/or "thought" we were saving money - only to find that the cheapest route is not always the best. Case in point - our first GC and the original architect. I believe I hashed out that story in my very first post, so will save you all the trouble of listening to the same rant.
So here it goes - the new format for the blog to include a project, lessons learned and pictures...
Project - Veneer Stone added to the barrel ceilings and above the wet bar
We saw this idea in a few custom homes where veneer stone (looks like brick, but about 1/2 the thickness and weight) is used to cover ceilings, niches, fireplaces, etc. We used it in several areas including the two barrel ceilings to the left and right of the foyer along with the ceiling above the wet bar. We hired Ricardo - the same guy who laid most of our floor tile. He is amazing - does great, quality work with fair pricing.
It took about a day to cover each hallway ceiling and four hours for the wet bar area. Laying the brick looked simple, however, I'm sure there was more to it than meets the eye. The guys basically slapped mortar on the back of the brick and held it in place for a few seconds. Once dried, they came through with a gray grout and finished off the project. The stone adds a ton of character especially with the crown molding (more on that later).
Joe did his homework and got us a great price on the stone:
Approximate material cost - $400
Labor cost - $650
Satisfaction Rating - 10 - well worth the money
Lessons Learned
- Unrelated to the brick work, but worth mentioning - the barrel ceilings are not curved enough for my liking. I noticed it during the framing stages and should have spoke up requesting for more of an arch.
- In watching the guys lay the brick, they used a chalk rope to make sure the stones were straight - seemed to work great.
- We would have saved money by doing the brick work during the construction phase. Initially, the barrel ceilings had 3 light fixtures each which likely cost around $400. We then had to pay an electrician to deaden the lights and install 4 plugs for the rope lighting (more on that with the crown molding piece). Painting the ceilings - which is now covered with brick - also added to the cost.
- The guys were a bit messy with the mortar, so cover the walls and floor
Pictures
Before...
After...
