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  • The Look of the House: Selecting Brick and Mortar
    		•
    From "Home IQ"
    episode DHIQ-113


    The way a house looks from the street is a combination of the architecture and materials you choose such as the color and style of brick.

    Getting the first brick out to the site takes a lot of work:

    • The builder gave the homeowners (Brad and Lynn Oberg) a budget for the bricks, shingles and for each of the exterior finishes.

    • The builder also gave the couple a list of places to shop, and the first stop was at the brick company. Brick is sold in units of 1,000 each.
    Photo

    In DIY's new Home IQ series, you'll follow the Oberg family during the decision-making process of building this beautiful new home.
    		Photo

    In this week's episode of Home IQ, the exterior of the Oberg home is completed, and you'll follow the homeowners (Brad and Lynn, seen here) as they shop for the exterior materials -- including picking out the brick.

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    • Our homeowners had a difficult choice. They first picked out nine different variations (figure A), and then started the elimination process before deciding on two -- with the choice coming down to the one on the right, seen here (figure B).

    • Choosing the brick isn't the only decision that has to be made. Mortar color (figure C) has to be determined as well. If our homeowners choose any color that wasn't in the original contract, the cost will double, surprisingly, but this only comes to a $500 to $600 extra amount.

    • With the brick and mortar picked out, it was time to choose the windows, soffits and shingles.

      Note: The exterior finishes are picked well before the house is built so the builder can order them and make sure they are at the site before the construction begins.

    In the next segment the bricks arrive at the construction site, but unfortunately, the mortar is the wrong color. As the bricklaying comes to a halt, the builder, site supervisor and homeowners troubleshoot the mortar problem.
    Photo

    Figure A
    		Photo

    Figure B
    		Photo

    Figure C


    RESOURCES :

    Bricks
    PF Cook Brick Co., Inc.
    202 Commerce Park Dr.
    Cranberry Township, PA 16066
    Phone: 724-772-5999
    Fax: 724-772-6677
    E-mail: PFCookBrick@Hotmail.com

    Brick Installation
    Klobuchar Masonry
    Phone: 724-443-7122

    Siding Installation
    M.A. Eck Contracting, Inc.
    639 California Ave.
    Pittsburgh, PA 15202
    Phone: 412-734-3555


    GUESTS :

    Brad and Lynn Oberg
    Homeowners
    Company: IBACOS (Brad)
    Title: Co-Founder/Chief Technology Officer
    Website: www.ibacos.com

    Henry (Hank) Swierczynski
    President
    Hendolhurst Homes
    955 Markman Park Rd.
    Baden, PA 15005
    Phone: 724-935-5658
    Fax: 724-935-0884
    E-mail: buildm@zoominternet.net

    Greg Allen
    Site Supervisor
    Hendolhurst Homes
    955 Markman Park Rd.
    Baden, PA 15005
    Phone: 724-935-5658
    Fax: 724-935-0884
    E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

    Pamela F. Cook
    President
    PF Cook Brick Co., Inc.
    202 Commerce Park Dr.
    Cranberry Township, PA 16066
    Phone: 724-772-5999
    Fax: 724-772-6677
    E-mail: PFCookBrick@Hotmail.com

    John Broniek
    Buildings Programs Manager
    Ibacos
    Website: www.ibacos.com

    Patrick Janes
    Andersen Windows
    00 Fourth Ave. N
    Bayport, MN 55003
    Phone: 651-264-5150
    Fax: 651-264-2068
    E-mail: patrick.janes@andersencorp.com
    Website: www.andersenwindows.com

  • ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  		• The Look of the House: Selecting Brick and Mortar
  		• The Look of the House: Bricklaying
  		• The Look of the House: Other Exterior Finishes
  		• The Look of the House: Finishing the Exterior