Connecticut BBB Offers Tips for Consumers Who Want to Put a New Face on Their Home’s Exterior
Wallingford, CT – January 31, 2013 – When you’re looking to make home improvements, it’s important to balance attractive design with reliability and cost. Whether you are remodeling an existing home or working with a builder on a new home, if you choose brick, make sure you know what to expect.
Connecticut Better Business Bureau and the Brick Industry Association offer the following tips to help consumers make a sound investment:
Understand your options - Although a production builder will likely offer a limited brick selection packaged with other trim and detail features – such as matching brick and shutter styles – you always can mix and match various options to achieve a unique look.
There are three major types of brick manufacturing available, at widely different price points.
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Most modern construction brick is extruded – forced through a rectangular die – then sliced into individual bricks with added textures, making it the lowest-cost brick option.
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Machine-molded bricks offer the look and elegance of handmade brick but at a more affordable price.
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Handmade bricks are pressed into wood molds in a traditional process that goes back centuries, and cost more than extruded or other machine-made brick.
Visit your brick distributor’s showroom - Your local brick distributor can show you hundreds of sample bricks, demonstrate how mortar can change the look of your brick, and direct you to actual sample houses.
Don’t forget the mortar - Mortar makes up 20 percent of a brick wall, and comes in different colors and shades. A minor change in mortar color could dramatically change the look of your house.
Understand your contract - Review your contract to determine your options (both standard and what can be ordered) and compare that to your budget.
Many home buyers now match the mortar to the brick for a monochromatic, seamless look and often used computer or web-based programs to allow you to mix and match roof and shutter options to see what the various combinations look like.
Roof, shutters and trim create the total package - The type and color of your roof shingles and window shutters will also have a dramatic effect on your home’s overall appearance.
Consider the details - Custom arches and windowsills can personalize the look of your home. Custom brick detailing comes in several varieties—from projecting the brickwork on the corners of your home to installing artistic designs above doorways or other locations.
Explore your options - Other exterior options may cost less than brick, so review the pros and cons of different exteriors such as vinyl, fiber cement, concrete masonry, manufactured stone and exterior insulation.
Always research contractors and other goods and service providers, and obtain free quotes at www.ct.bbb.org.
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Founded in 1928, Connecticut BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB helps consumers find and recommend businesses, brands and charities they can trust, offers objective advice and a wide range of education on topics affecting marketplace trust.
BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses. Today, 114 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than three million local and national businesses and charities. For more advice on finding companies and businesses, start your search with trust at www.bbb.org/.
