Stucco Buildings

[cdr108]

People forget that it also comes down to.... wait for it.... COST!!!

Architectural design isn't going to fetch additiona psf dollars at Duffering and St. Clair. Stucco can be quite beautiful if they added additional architectural features, but unfortunately, those add 30%+ to costs.

if you look at the image, they did try to instill some architectural features.

however, what i've noticed ALOT in this city is the predominant use of pinkish-brown colour *vomit*

what's wrong with crisp white, or a sharp gray tone ?!?
imagine the same building in white with gray detailing !

 

[adma]

if you look at the image, they did try to instill some architectural features.

And in a flimsy, insult-to-injury way: the stunted "keystones" and all...

 

[js97]

Contractors are also to blame. Tuckpointing is expensive and tedious, it's much easier slob on a coat of stucco than it is cleaning and restoring the brickwork. And then, there is that cultural aspect and how different groups perceive 'beauty'. Around Trinity bellwoods/little portugal, many old victorian facades where ripped out in favour of the 'flat' utalitarian look back in the 70's. The europeans loved it back then.

 

[TrickyRicky]

For my own house it is amazing how much work I've had to do just to tear out and tear-off all the crap people have done over the decades. When you are talking about older structures sometimes "simple" or "normal" is hard to achieve. I find it amusing sometimes to think of how much effort people put into screwing up the house in the past.

 

[Bogtrotter]

it's much easier slob on a coat of stucco than it is cleaning and restoring the brickwork.QUOTE]

I think that pretty much sums it up for a lot of these renos. There is a older post-war brick bungalow that was looking rather tired in my neighbourhood, perhaps it was a rental; over the the summer it was re-roofed, or perhaps I should say de-roofed, and then plastered with stucco in an attempt to make it look moderne. Indeed it is a pinkish-brown hue now, I'm really not sure why this is a preferred colour for this..? The house has lost any charm and looks rather cheap if not somewhat strange. It probably suffered a worse fate than some of the other homes in the neighbourhood- two story Mcmansions with corinthian columns tacked on the front. And why do people insist on cutting down big trees...perhaps there is, as you mention, a cultural aesthetic here that I'm not getting.

 

[thecharioteer]

Also remember that it many case, windows are enlarged, moved or closed-up and a surface layer of EFS or stucco will forgive all sins so to speak.

Interestingly, in the case of the SW corner of St. Clair and Dufferin, the second storey windows are basically the same. Though the original building was certianly not a thing of beauty, a much more interesting exterior renovation could have been implemented:

1920:

1938:

 

[adma]

Interestingly, in the case of the SW corner of St. Clair and Dufferin, the second storey windows are basically the same.

Same in proportion. Not same in sash.

 

[Chuck]

Contractors are also to blame. Tuckpointing is expensive and tedious, it's much easier slob on a coat of stucco than it is cleaning and restoring the brickwork.

It's unfortunate that long term costs are not usually factored into the equation. A properly executed brick repair job would easily last 50+ years in a virtually maintenance free condition. EIFS meanwhile is incredibly prone to cracking, the paint will constantly need to be reapplied, and water can work its way into nooks and crannies and eventually lead to failure of not only the EIFS, but in extreme cases the original bricks as well.

As for energy, adding exterior insulation is not the only way to reduce energy bills.