Rhodes consulting practice has participated in a wide variety of national and international projects. Focused explicitly on the most specialized and technical aspects of the stone trade, Rhodesworks offers old-world perspective and solutions to modern stone construction and design problems. The practice offering is focused in four broad areas:

Stone Design & Detailing

Most projects have an essential concept that must be translated into the medium of stone in order to be budgeted and built. Sometimes the concept is highly developed, other times the project goals are more vaguely understood.

Rhodes typically works with the project team to fully develop the concept for the masonry to the level that it may be properly detailed, bid and executed. Additionally, Rhodes excels in maximizing the expressive potential of the stone materials through the mock-up and design process. Design consulting often includes the following:

  • Concept sketching and development of presentation materials.
  • Piece design, stone limitation advice, piece scale design.
  • Pattern development including large-scale repeat patterns.
  • Material identification, sourcing and evaluation.
  • Mock-up design and execution.
  • Stone detailing, stone system integration to other materials.
  • Industry standards and best practices recommendations.
  • Attachment and waterproofing best practices.
  • Shop drawing development and review.

Specifications & Bid Packages

Pulling all the project documents together and detailing all stone to non-stone surfaces in advance is critical for creating a cohesive masonry bid. It has been demonstrated repeatedly that the investment in putting forth fully realized specification and bid packages drives down project costs as the guesswork is removed prior to pricing. Specification and bid packages include:

  • Specification writing and review.
  • Testing recommendations and review of test data.
  • Project managing of testing specimen procurement, sample submission.
  • Interviewing and evaluating perspective quarries, fabricators and installers.
  • Bid package creation and submission, administration of bid process, results review and project team recommendation summary.

Training & Quality Control

The practice of stone masonry is made increasingly difficult by a general decline in the standard skills and knowledge base of the installers in most US markets. Largely due to the collapse of the guild apprenticeship system, the remaining masons are eager to learn new techniques and expand their skills. Rhodes has a thirty-year track record of assembling crews or training existing ones to execute technical stonework at the highest standard. Working directly with the crews to assemble mock-ups, quarry or shape stone during fabrication, he brings his hands-on knowledge and technique to the next generation. Standard offerings include:

  • Hands-on instruction and skill demonstration.
  • Quality reviews: weekly or monthly progress evaluation and reporting.
  • Group lecture and classroom training for architects, construction and installation company employees.
  • Large group lecturing for national and regional conventions, universities and workshops.

Expert Witness

Unfortunately, a growing number of masonry projects end up in litigation as poorly trained installers or poorly written and communicated expectations come into conflict. Since Rhodes has deep experience in all aspects of the stone industry, he is often called in to deconstruct the flaws in the construction process or evaluate the detailing and guidance provided by the design professionals in the project documents. These include:

  • Forensic evaluation, process and document evaluation, field reporting and team evaluation.
  • Expert witness, deposition and testimony.