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carsonheim_gw

fixing a design snafu regarding exterior brick...

carsonheim
9 years ago

Howdy. I've got an email in to my architect, building consultant and my brick guy. I'm hoping some experienced folks here (or even those that just have good ideas!!!) can chime in on how to fix a design flaw.

Long story short, our architect made a mistake with the plans. Our garage has a bonus room upstairs, and the architect mistakenly make the INTERIOR dimensions of this room the same as the EXTERIOR dimensions of the garage.

So the end result is that the room cantilevers out about 6 inches on three sides.

Here's how it is supposed to look:

And here is how it actually looks:

So now, we've got siding running down the front to the correct location, we have an issue on how we will run brick up that 3-foot-ish section, and how it will meet up with the siding:

What we are considering is running the brick up the bottom portion of the garage as was planned, then having it "step out" for a few courses, since the cantilever actually protrudes about an inch further than the brick ledge below. However, we are not sure how to terminate the brick and have it rejoin with the siding above.

Tearing down the garage and redoing it is not an option. Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated. I am so sick about this I'm actually feeling like I might vomit. :(

Comments (32)

  • User
    9 years ago

    I would find a way to push the 3 ft section back and let the siding slightly over hang the brick.

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    I think the best thing you could do is turn it into a Garrison garage:

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    Mid century garrison revival example

  • ontariomom
    9 years ago

    Carson,

    I just wanted to say I am sorry this happened on your build. We had a few cladding issues related to inaccurate framing mistakes, but nothing as large as your area. I don't suppose you could use angle irons (steel brackets to form a brick ledge) to extend the location of the brick out to line up a bit better with the siding. I assume you have sided a great deal of the house already which would be why you won't consider re-framing?

    I hope your mason or architect finds a solution.

    Carol

  • mushcreek
    9 years ago

    Could you just add framing and siding to the outside of the garage, bringing it flush with the upper portion? Relatively cheap and easy to do now. They'd have to add on to the footing to make it look right, though.

  • ontariomom
    9 years ago

    I was thinking along the same lines as MushCreek as per furring out the garage walls, but you would still need to create a brick ledge using angle irons so you could brick the side of your garage.

    Carol

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    Is this brick or veneer brick? That will make a difference. I was assuming brick with my suggestion.

    What happens to the window embrasures if you just pack it all out? Can you back it out and leave it hanging over the foundation at the ground, or how do you fix that?

    Does packing it out change how it ties into the house anywhere else?

    It's easy to make changes on a two dimensional drawing like I did, or make suggestions about how to flatten out the six inches, but it raises a lot of other questions about what happens as a result of just building it out six inches with regards to windows, doors, the foundation and how it ties into the rest of the house.

  • J M
    9 years ago

    Disclaimer: I don't know what I don't know about construction, so my suggestion might not be worth the pixels it's written with -- but --

    Could you use real bricks on the lower part and then switch to a matching brick veneer for the upper? Not sure that would get them to the same depth, but maybe with some furring below, etc.?

  • worthy
    9 years ago

    I once built a house where the second floor was supposed to hang out 6" on three sides. However, that was designated only in a footnote that the framing contractor and yours truly missed. Until we wondered how some of the second floor room dimensions didn't quite match the drawings. Fortunately, the owners didn't notice either--or care.

    I rather like Palimpset's approach.

    You can cap the brick with stone; be sure it has a drip edge.

    I didn't realize that that design had a name of its own

    P.S. Be sure that ripped corner of the housewrap is fixed. Otherwise, it will act as a water funnel.

    .

  • lizzieplace
    9 years ago

    Carsonheim, sorry about this. Looks like you and I are both dealing with framing issues at this point, and the feeling is not good :( I have no solution to offer though, but I really hope you find the best one.

  • chispa
    9 years ago

    At least this mistake also has a positive side, right ... you got a bigger bonus room!

  • User
    9 years ago

    If the upper framing only overhangs the foundation brick shelf by 1" there should not be a problem with the solution you suggest.

    Brick would normally overhang a brick shelf by as much as 3/4" and upper sheathing & siding would normally overlap the brick so the only issue I can see is that the break from brick to siding is lower which doesn't bother me because I find siding over brick an odd design idea in the first place so any break line seems arbitrary to me. I would always clad a wall like this in one material or the other.

    But to get started in solving such an issue it is first necessary to draw a detailed wall section so know how materials align vertically. Don't rely on elevations and photos to solve such problems.

  • User
    9 years ago

    I can see several solutions but without an accurate as-built wall section through each wall it would be a waste of time to describe them in words.

    Your architect should have already sent you the one he likes by now.

  • User
    9 years ago

    If there is a brick shelf then the brick cladding is in the form of a "brick cavity wall" which consists of a nominal 4" of brick in front of a cavity in front of a wood framed wall.

    To avoid an awkward step back at the wood siding above the framing needs to project 6" at the floor line and it appears that is what the architect intended so it's difficult to understand what the problem is other than the elevation drawing is incorrect.

  • carsonheim
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you everyone for your input. I know it seems like I posted this and then just disappeared, LOL. I was actually looking over all your comments to find the best solution, and chatting with the trades over here involved.

    Since the framing is complete, the roof is on, the siding is on and the mechanicals have all been run, furring out/up/down or otherwise is not gonna happen. We just need to figure out a way to deal with it as it is.

    Here's what I proposed originally -- would this work? On the upper section of brick we could do some sort of a decorative brickwork pattern, like herringbone or something so it looks deliberate....

    Really appreciate your input!

  • ontariomom
    9 years ago

    I will interested to see what the experts on this post say for a solution. I understand you don't want to change the framing at this stage and that makes sense. Have you said why you can't do siding where you show thin brick? What is your mason saying about the feasibility of doing the step-out brick you show?

    Carol

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    No, sorry that won't look right at all on the style house you're building.

    This sort of stepped out brickwork was utilized in the Victorian era on Gothic Revival, Medieval Revival and Grotesque Eclectic in the hands of architects like Frank Furness and Wilson Eyre--and most often massive commercial buildings or mansions.

    But it's really not a suitable treatment to the house you are building, which is not all brick and seems to have a primarily Colonial Revival influence. You could probably come up with a brick pattern that made it look like you did it Intentionally, but it would not be a very esthetic or natural-looking solution.

    I think the Garrison solution would be the simplest solution: dropping the siding Down rather than pulling the brick Up, and it's an existing historical style rather than something made up--so it will look natural.

  • Michelle
    9 years ago

    I agree with palimpsest. I think bringing the siding down is your best bet. And I think I would actually look pretty good!

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    Older Colonial Revival garrison

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    You are suggesting something like this, I think.

  • User
    9 years ago

    The drawings showing corbelled brick or a garrison overhang are only possible with substantial changes to the framing and that is what the OP is trying to avoid.

    First of all the mystery of the gable wall vs side wall must be clarified. The photo shows the gable wall projecting but not the side wall. Is that not the case?

    If the photo is true then the only issue is the gable face. Since the upper gable wall face is essentially in alignment with the brick face below, all that must be done is to carry the brick up to the overhang which is what I would have done if I had been the designer.

    IMO a change from brick to siding should always occur at a floor line. Changing part way up a story can only be done with modern framing methods and eliminates any pretense at traditional architecture. There is no reason for the siding and the brick to be in different planes. I see no reason for corbels or offsets. There might be a large water table/frieze detail where the siding meets the brick.

    It wouldn't surprise me if that was the intent of the architect and the mistake is in the elevation drawing rather than the plan.

    The drawing below shows what I mean.

    This post was edited by Renovator8 on Thu, Sep 11, 14 at 8:28

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    The garrison over hang need only be done on the gable end where the framing already exists. They often involved only one face of a building.

  • User
    9 years ago

    If this were my house, I would delete the brick, furr the brick backup wall out and apply siding to the entire garage in keeping with a long tradition of Colonial Revival architecture.

  • carsonheim
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    "First of all the mystery of the gable wall vs side wall must be clarified. The photo shows the gable wall projecting but not the side wall. Is that not the case?"

    YES -- this is the case, Ren. On both the front and rear of the garage.

    Pal -- your drawing is what I am proposing.

    Our HOA restrictions stipulate 75%+ of masonry,so siding the whole thing is not allowed.

    Here are a few more photos I took yesterday for more clarification. And what's the deal with the way that dormer was done???????? ugh

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    This combo of brick and siding at least has historical antecedents.

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    The dormer is a sort of garrison style dormer, too if you look at old pictures.

  • User
    9 years ago

    I agree; there really isn't another option that doesn't require reframing.

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    This is another way I've seen it done. This connects to the same level on the gable end.

  • User
    9 years ago

    I think its a considerable improvement over the original design and the only additional cost is furring out the short wall under the eaves (not shown on the mockups above).

  • palimpsest
    9 years ago

    Beaver Cleaver's house:

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