I’ve fallen in love with a beautiful brick… Unfortunately, it’s a ceramic facing brick (Röben Aarhus white-gray). This would not only cost me an extra charge for the brick itself but also significantly higher labor costs because of the more complex installation :-(
I’ve been searching through all kinds of brick manufacturers for several days now, but it seems this color is only available in “premium” options :p
My general contractor said that light (gray) bricks are currently in trend, so that’s my hope:
Does anyone here know of an alternative to this brick? 😎
I’ve been searching through all kinds of brick manufacturers for several days now, but it seems this color is only available in “premium” options :p
My general contractor said that light (gray) bricks are currently in trend, so that’s my hope:
Does anyone here know of an alternative to this brick? 😎
H
HausTmMike3 Oct 2021 10:58TinaLa22 schrieb:
Actually, I was quoted a price of just over €1,000 per thousand bricks (the clinker is apparently very popular right now). And the additional labor cost is well over €15 per square meter (about $15 per square yard).
I’m afraid there’s not much room for negotiation at the moment… You can say that you will buy the clinker yourself.
K1300S schrieb:
Good for you, but as mentioned above, unfortunately you won’t find a bricklayer willing to work with that type of brick, and I speak from recent experience. Have you? Yes, I paid €70 per square meter (net) for the bricklaying, but I bought the materials myself. Two bricklayers worked at my place for a whole month, taking their time to do a careful and precise job. Each brick was individually aligned.
You can also have it done on a piece-rate basis and pay around €35 per square meter, but the quality will show accordingly.
HausTmMike schrieb:
You can also have it installed for a flat rate of €35. However, it will look exactly the same. That's how it is. In that sense, I interpret the respectable additional cost as a glimmer of hope that the installation won’t be left to unskilled laborers.
https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
11ant schrieb:
That's right. In that sense, I see the respectable extra cost as a glimmer of hope that the workmanship won’t be left to unskilled laborers. I hope so too :p Actually, I’m pretty sure because I have houses built by my main contractor nearby using this same brick.
Handling the purchase myself and hiring "my own" masons isn’t really an option for me.
@TinaLa22
We chose the 'Caven' from Wienerberger. As I mentioned, I really liked the texture of the bricks and we wanted something light with nice color variations. I was very particular about the brick because I wanted one with subtle texture rather than completely smooth, but I also quickly notice repetitive patterns—when the lines repeat almost identically in different places. I know a lot depends on how the bricks are mixed, but as has already been said, no bricklayer will fully mix all the packages randomly; they usually just pick bricks from 2-3 packages using a claw tool. For me, it was also important that the overall look works from both perspectives: from a distance, which is how 99% of people will see it, and up close, which is how you and your family will see it most of the time. Therefore, I strongly advise you not to just order samples, which usually include only 3 bricks, but also to look at actual houses. Wienerberger, Röben, and I believe every other company also have regional representatives, and you can find their contacts on their websites. That’s what I did—I called, requested 3-4 samples from each company, and asked for addresses of projects using the bricks I was interested in. Then I spent a nice Sunday driving across northern Germany to see those houses in person. But be polite and discreet when doing this, since you are essentially visiting other people’s homes.
Some bricks quickly dropped out of the running for me. For example, the Röben Yukon was too textured for my taste, and in the light, it appeared almost monochromatic, so it was not an option. Then it comes down to your personal preferences. I also wouldn’t focus too much on price at first—make a ranking, and if your top choice doesn’t work out, move to the next. If one option costs about €4000 (roughly $4300) more but you like it, consider whether it’s worth it to you. You can always paint a rendered facade in another color, but you won’t be able to replace the bricks easily and might have to live with them long term.
Another thing to keep in mind: the mortar joints make a big difference. Do you want them to be barely noticeable and create a uniform wall appearance from a distance, or do you want them to emphasize and strongly outline each individual brick? But that’s a second decision. 🙂
We chose the 'Caven' from Wienerberger. As I mentioned, I really liked the texture of the bricks and we wanted something light with nice color variations. I was very particular about the brick because I wanted one with subtle texture rather than completely smooth, but I also quickly notice repetitive patterns—when the lines repeat almost identically in different places. I know a lot depends on how the bricks are mixed, but as has already been said, no bricklayer will fully mix all the packages randomly; they usually just pick bricks from 2-3 packages using a claw tool. For me, it was also important that the overall look works from both perspectives: from a distance, which is how 99% of people will see it, and up close, which is how you and your family will see it most of the time. Therefore, I strongly advise you not to just order samples, which usually include only 3 bricks, but also to look at actual houses. Wienerberger, Röben, and I believe every other company also have regional representatives, and you can find their contacts on their websites. That’s what I did—I called, requested 3-4 samples from each company, and asked for addresses of projects using the bricks I was interested in. Then I spent a nice Sunday driving across northern Germany to see those houses in person. But be polite and discreet when doing this, since you are essentially visiting other people’s homes.
Some bricks quickly dropped out of the running for me. For example, the Röben Yukon was too textured for my taste, and in the light, it appeared almost monochromatic, so it was not an option. Then it comes down to your personal preferences. I also wouldn’t focus too much on price at first—make a ranking, and if your top choice doesn’t work out, move to the next. If one option costs about €4000 (roughly $4300) more but you like it, consider whether it’s worth it to you. You can always paint a rendered facade in another color, but you won’t be able to replace the bricks easily and might have to live with them long term.
Another thing to keep in mind: the mortar joints make a big difference. Do you want them to be barely noticeable and create a uniform wall appearance from a distance, or do you want them to emphasize and strongly outline each individual brick? But that’s a second decision. 🙂
@Sjani
Thank you so much for your tips as well!
I have already visited quite a few reference houses and explored new housing developments, and I even rang some doorbells 😎 Many of the brick types were eliminated because they look quite different in person than in the photos online.
I have now scheduled an appointment at a large brick exhibition that likely features several manufacturers. I’m hoping for some good advice there and to at least be able to touch some of my favorites in person 😉
Thank you so much for your tips as well!
I have already visited quite a few reference houses and explored new housing developments, and I even rang some doorbells 😎 Many of the brick types were eliminated because they look quite different in person than in the photos online.
I have now scheduled an appointment at a large brick exhibition that likely features several manufacturers. I’m hoping for some good advice there and to at least be able to touch some of my favorites in person 😉
Very good, that’s the best thing you can do to avoid regrets later.
A little story from my experience: We had received three sample joints. When it was finally time to grout, we were still undecided between two shades: a medium gray, which we had already used for the joints, and a beige, which we didn’t have (only off-white, which was too light for us). We had agreed with the grouting contractor that he would do another sample joint after his vacation, and then, once it was dry, we would decide over the weekend which of the two it should be. On Friday, I got a call that he was ready, and I should come by. When I arrived at the construction site at 8:30 a.m., he and his team had already grouted a quarter of the house in the beige tone. I decided to leave it as is and just had to explain it to my wife 😳 but luckily, after the grout dried, the overall look fits perfectly and it’s exactly what we had imagined 😀. By now, I’ve really become quite accustomed to compromises and unexpected situations. 🙂
A little story from my experience: We had received three sample joints. When it was finally time to grout, we were still undecided between two shades: a medium gray, which we had already used for the joints, and a beige, which we didn’t have (only off-white, which was too light for us). We had agreed with the grouting contractor that he would do another sample joint after his vacation, and then, once it was dry, we would decide over the weekend which of the two it should be. On Friday, I got a call that he was ready, and I should come by. When I arrived at the construction site at 8:30 a.m., he and his team had already grouted a quarter of the house in the beige tone. I decided to leave it as is and just had to explain it to my wife 😳 but luckily, after the grout dried, the overall look fits perfectly and it’s exactly what we had imagined 😀. By now, I’ve really become quite accustomed to compromises and unexpected situations. 🙂
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