Had to pick between a 4-inch and 6-inch block for a garden wall last month

I was building a curved wall for a client in Springfield and they wanted it to look heavy. I mean, the 6-inch block would have been easier to lay up straight, but the 4-inch stuff just looks too thin for the look they wanted. I went with the 6-inch, even though it meant a bigger footing and more mortar. It took two full days instead of one, but when we finished, the homeowner said it looked 'solid as a bank'. Anyone else ever have a client pick looks over speed and how did you price it?

3 comments

3 Comments

kim.ben3d ago

Heard about a buddy who built a whole patio with hand-cut stone because the client hated the look of pavers. Cost them triple the labor, easy.

the_sean3d ago

That's when you charge for the vision, not just the hours.

ramirez.blair21h ago

But is the vision actually worth triple the price? I get wanting something custom, but that just sounds like a client being picky over tiny details most people wouldn't even notice. Hand-cutting stone for a whole patio because someone doesn't like the look of a paver seems like overkill, you know? At some point it's not about the craft anymore, it's just doing extra work for no real gain.