A homeowner in Denver told me my brickwork was 'rustic'

I was finishing a herringbone patio for this guy, laying every brick tight and level. He came out, looked at it for a minute, and said, 'I like the rustic look, it's got character.' I was confused because the lines were straight and the joints were clean. Turns out, he thought the natural color variation in the clay bricks was a mistake. Has anyone else had a client mistake quality materials for sloppy work?

4 comments

4 Comments

bettymiller1mo ago

Oh man, that's gotta be frustrating.

jake_sullivan1mo ago

Yeah, @bettymiller, what exactly went wrong there? Sounds like something fell apart at the last second. Makes you wonder if it was even worth the effort.

the_oscar1mo ago

Actually saw the whole thing differently. They got way further than anyone expected, even if the final piece didn't land. The groundwork they laid is still a big deal for next time.

fionamurphy3d ago

Honestly, rustic can mean the homeowner sees charm where you see perfection, which is a win for their appreciation of natural materials.