Design advice request

[pontifex]

Originally Posted by lefty

You're in Toronto . . . call Mike Holmes.

lefty

I think Mike is booked.

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by pontifex

I think brick houses look better unpainted.
Normally, sure. But your house is made from two bricks, which are unequal in color, geometry, and their degree of rustification. You don't have another option to amend that. Don't take advise from contractors. If you can't afford the cost to do something right, don't do it. Half-ass design improvements not only fail to solve the problems, but they waste the money you or the next buyer will need to fix it next time. You're probably in over your head.

 

[pontifex]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

Normally, sure. But your house is made from two bricks, which are unequal in color, geometry, and their degree of rustification. You don't have another option to amend that.
I would paint the angel stone tomorrow if it would solve the problem. But painting the vintage brick might be a bad idea. It might lower the value of the house. If I'm doing it to make it match something that will be removed someday - if not by me, then by a future owner - then it could be a tragic mistake.

Originally Posted by StephenHero

Don't take advise from contractors.
I'm starting to see that. I think I might have to put designers in the contractor category, and stop seeking their advice as well.

Originally Posted by StephenHero

If you can't afford the cost to do something right, don't do it. Half-ass design improvements not only fail to solve the problems, but they waste the money you or the next buyer will need to fix it next time. You're probably in over your head.
You're right, I give up on this place. It still requires another interior renovation though. I'd get robbed if I tried to sell it in the condition it's in. So after that.

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by pontifex

It might lower the value of the house.
I promise you it won't. It's still brick, so paint doesn't affect structural or performance value, which is significant portion of it's total value. But any aesthetic value of brick is eliminated if it's showcased in such a cluttered way. Don't even think about removing or covering up sections to make it look more coherent.

 

[pontifex]

By cluttered, do you mean that the bricks are covered in 100 years of dirt, or that most of them haven't been tuck pointed, or that most of what tuck pointing has been done was done by an idiot with some drywall compound (not me), or that the windows don't all match, or the balcony is in the way, the vines, or the angel stone? I removed the garbage can and whatever else was there in the photo.

I have no intention of removing any of the brick or covering any of it up. I had some of it repaired. The angel stone is another matter. I will cover it up if somebody convinces me of the right way to do it. Or I will remove it if I can get it done without paying a fortune. I don't know about taking down the balcony. I can't come up with the right answers myself. But asking people for the answers isn't working either.

I tried to sign up, two years ago, for a heritage house association. I knew they would have all kinds of people to talk to and information on what to do to restore my house the right way. But they wouldn't let me join because it was only for Cabbagetown. This house is exactly the same as those houses, it's just been neglected.

So since then, I've been getting bogus advice, mostly from people who I would like to kill now. Some of them actually went to school for design, and call themselves professionals.

 

[pontifex]

..

 

[StephenHero]

It's cluttered in that your house is made from two different houses.

 

[pontifex]

Originally Posted by StephenHero

It's cluttered in that your house is made from two different houses.

So you're referring to the brick vs. the stone?

 

[lefty]

Jesus Christ, man, just sell the place and move into a condo.

lefty

 

[StephenHero]

Originally Posted by pontifex

So you're referring to the brick vs. the stone?

And the wood. And the concrete. And the iron. And the asphalt shingles. And the two different porch lights.

 

[freshcutgrass]

The first order of business is to cancel the pity-party you got going on there. This isn't going to help get the work done that needs to be done.

Finally I bid too much on this one, assuming I would lose anyways. Guess what, I won. Lucky me.

.

I thought you said you were the only bid? The bidding war thing is a real pain **********, but you only do it for houses you really want, and for a price you can live with.

I said I could probably remove the angel stone myself, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea for me to just start doing that. I mean, I could probably find a blunt object and some kind of chisel and attack it. Maybe that would just create a large mess. Maybe I would damage the underlying brick.

Well, I didn't say just start bashing away (although there probably isn't anything fancier than that to do). It might be incredibly well attached to the old brick, which will mean it will be a chipping job being careful not to do much damage to the old brick....or it might just fall off real easy...depends how well it's attached.

I want a presentable front of the house, but not if I have to rip down the balcony and build a new one.

You don't have to build a new one...they look fine without them. At any rate, what choice do you have...what's there is already the worse case scenario. Removing it is a one-day job...hire a couple of guys to dismantle the thing and take it away.

So now you have the balcony removed, and the angel stone removed. now you can see what needs to be done to restore/repair the brick facade. This is the only real job you need to make sure is done right.

This being done all over the city every day....it's not that hard to find someone who will be able to make it look original. You don't listen to contractors...you check out their references and look at some of their actual work. Or you can start in your own area and look at houses that have had nice brick restoration and ask the homeowner for the number of the contractor.

I think brick houses look better unpainted

These days...most people think so. There was a time when painted brick was in style....some of that "orange" Toronto brick wasn't considered attractive for a while. The two-toned brick facades are the favourites. I think painted brick facades lends themselves more towards classic styling (like georgian), rather than victorian. With victorians, you paint the wood details. Plus, brick needs to breathe, so you need to be careful about what your slapping on. Plus paint in our climate doesn't last that long. Most people paint to avoid proper restoration. I think the victorian brick facade is too important to cut any corners on...I think it's one thing that should be done right. It will look great...be a great source of pride of ownership, and increase the value of your home.