Amagansett House Rails (Pics)

[Richard Wolf]

Here are the final pictures of the railings I have been working on. Included are the main staircase, blconies, and back stairs.25793

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Richard

[Richard Wolf]

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[Ian Barley]

Stunning work Richard.

[Dan Oliphant]

Richard,
I don't know if anyones told you this yet, I wouldn't want to spill the beans, but you do darn nice work!!!!!!:) :)

[tod evans]

very nice and clean! i`m impressed. tod

[Richard Wolf]

I realize most people have no idea how much a job like this cost, to give you some information let me tell you.
The job consisted of only the railing, I did not build the stairs. I supplied the materials.
Contracted price; $23,000
Cost of materials, wholesale; $5,000.
Gross profit; $18,000

Thanks for looking.

Richard

[Steve Clardy]

Oak railing Richard? Can't tell. Pics are not closeup enough for my eyes.

I need to move there for those kind of wages. No livie there though. Lol

[Jim Becker]

Wonderful work, Richard, and I'm sure your efforts were eased with that new specialized router. Awesome...and worth every single penny they pay you!

[lloyd morris]

Richard,

You do incredibly beautiful work. Thanks for sharing the pictures and information.

lloyd

[Vaughn McMillan]

Richard, I was gonna make some smart remark about how you can't seem to cut a straight line (with all those curves going on), but there's no joking about it...that is an absolutely beautiful railing job. Not only do you go a job I couldn't even think of doing, you do it expertly. And I agree with Jim that the client is getting a great product for the price.

- Vaughn

[Karl Laustrup]

Fantastic Richard. Thanks for the pictures.

Did you get to use the new toyl on all the rails, or did you just use it on the main stairs?

Karl

[Bill Simmeth]

WOW, Richard, beautiful as usual! I think your job posts are the best thing on SMC. I only hope two things:

1. They pay you well, and;
2. The home owners treat that woodwork with the respect it deserves!

(edit) Okay, just noticed your post on the numbers. Looks like my concern #1 is covered!

[Dick Bringhurst]

Beautiful work. You earned every penny. Dick B.

[Chris Barton]

Hi Rich,

As always your work is pure art! Well done!

[Todd Davidson]

As always, I'm really impressed.

[Richard Wolf]

Thanks for all the comments, they are always appreciated. We all take pride in our work, and it is really nice to have a place to share our work with others who appreciate it.
By the way, this house is on the market, it is in Amagansett, Long Island, New York. One stop short of Montauk, the end, and the asking price is only 3.5 million.

Richard

[Ian Barley]

I realize most people have no idea how much a job like this cost, to give you some information let me tell you.
The job consisted of only the railing, I did not build the stairs. I supplied the materials.
Contracted price; $23,000
Cost of materials, wholesale; $5,000.
Gross profit; $18,000

Thanks for looking.

Richard

Ok Richard - before everybody goes out to buy a handrail router and make their fortune - tell us how much time went into the project and how many years of experience it has taken to get you there.

[Richard Wolf]

Ok Richard - before everybody goes out to buy a handrail router and make their fortune - tell us how much time went into the project and how many years of experience it has taken to get you there.
Okay Ian, so now you want the whole story.
It took me and my son ten days to complete. But I think we only put in about 5 or 6 hours a day. It was 1 1/2 hours driving each way and I'm to old, fat and grumpy to put in real long days.
I've been doing railings and stairs only for about 16 years now. I started out as a shop teacher, quit after nine years, started a construction business, after nine years of that started the rails and stair thing.
I love what I do and I have more business than I can handle.
Thanks

Richard

[Wes Bischel]

Richard,

Stunning piece. I'm glad that there are people such as yourself keeping the true craftsmanship in the construction industry.

Your comments on the pricing reminds me of the old story of the retired engineer brought back to identify a problem with a machine. After walking around the machine looking intently, he finally removed a piece of chalk from his pocket and places an X on a specific spot on the machine. He then hands them a bill for $69,000.25. They are shocked at the amount. He responds with "$69,000 for the 40 years it took to know where to place the X, and 25 cents for the chalk.":D

Beautiful work.

Wes

(I paraphrased the story - I'm not sure I do it justice, but it is a fun little parable.)

[Mike Cutler]

Wow! Just when you think you're developing some aptitude for this woodworking "thing". Ya' see stuff like that, and realize how much more there is to learn.

Great work Richard. That handrail, and stairway will sell that house for the next 100 years.;)

[Corey Hallagan]

Hey nice work as always Richard! Beautiful.

Corey

[Walt Pater]

Great looking work Richard. Really. But what's up with the door at the bottom of the winder?

[Richard Wolf]

But what's up with the door at the bottom of the winder?

Boy, some guys don't miss much. The story as told to me, the staircase was designed to form a greater arc. The builder realized that it would be not facing the front door and had the stair builder loosen the arc. Once installed it ended up a little close to the coat closet door. Some times we all have to accept compromises.

Richard

[Michael Gabbay]

Very nice work Richard and a tidy little profit! :) My FIL is in Amagansett between the bay and ocean near the firehouse. Where is the house?

Mike

[Richard Wolf]

:) My FIL is in Amagansett between the bay and ocean near the firehouse. Where is the house?

Mike

Not far from there. Over the railroad tracks past Amagansett Lumber, two blocks to Hawks Nest.

Richard

[John Miliunas]

Holy smokes, Richard! Now, I know you showed us various steps involved in the process, but even then, I wouldn't even know where to begin!!!:rolleyes: Wonderful work! Beautiful! :) In the final analysis, it's something you enjoy doing, something you can take a LOT of pride in and something you get paid nicely to do. Man, it just don't get much better than that, does it? :D Thanks so much for sharing the final product, as well as the process!:) :cool:

[Peter Pedisich]

Richard,

I thought we had a discussion about not showing photos of my new house until I had moved in.:D

Seriously folks, I've seen Richards work in person and it is all it appears to be in the pics, he really does "build 'em like they used to".

[Andy Hoyt]

Very handsome Richard. You done good.

May sound like a strange one, but I'd love to see a pic of the front door. Curious to see if it and the staircase truly compliment one another.

[Dan Forman]

Amazing job Richard. How long does something like that take you? Do you turn all of the spindley things (verticals) too?

Dan

[Bart Leetch]

Richard

As always your work is a step above all the rest.

Looking great keep up the great craftsmanship.:D :D :D

[Alan Turner]

Very nice work, and I see that the handrail router is earning its keep.

I got a bid for replacing a short section of railing. It was the 18" long sweep that curves down and around (and over) the bottom newel post. The stair builder explained that this piece had to be hand carved, and the price for that short section was $3000. I'd say your rail work, for the amount involved, at 23K, was a good buy for the builder given the price I was quoted. Similar design/profile. At the time I could not have fathomed carving the section, but today I would carve it by hand. I am asuming that the hand carving would be the traditional way of approacing this 18" section I have described.

More power to a true craftsman, and cheers for knowing how to bill the project.

[Tony Falotico]

Absolutely Awesome Richard

[Norman Hitt]

Beautiful work, (again, as usual from you), Richard. I think you earned everything you were paid too.

I kinda laugh though, at the money a lot of folks spend on houses these days. It really is amazing, when I think back to the "first" house I bought after getting out of the AF in 1965. It was a 12 yr old brick house in excellent condition, 3 BR, 1 3/4 bath, with a large kitchen/dining room and nice sized living room, (1800sq ft liveable and a single car garage), and I only paid $13,700 for it. Isn't it amazing what different locations and 40 years of inflation brings?:D

Keep up the good work, AND the pictures coming.

[Jules Dominguez]

Work of a master.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Leaves me speechless!

Bruce

[Gary Herrmann]

Very well done. Almost makes me wish I had a 2nd floor.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Those of us here have come to expect and look forward to your posts Richard! Fantastic work as usual!

[Bill Sampson]

Richard,
Stunning work!!! I recently took a class from a "high end" 18th. century furniture maker. Someone in the class ask how he priced his work. His comment was, " charge what your conscience will allow and add 10%". Your builder got a bargin.
Bill Sampson, Richmond

[Rich Torino]

Outstanding Rich, now I'm convinced I should sell all my tools and take up another hobby. As they say "I couldn't carry your tool belt"...

[Jason Tuinstra]

Richard, very, very nice!