Does Frasch Construction do fireplace and built-in work?

The carpentry and finish work — surrounds, mantels, painted brick, built-in shelving and cabinetry — is Riley's own work. Fireboxes, gas piping, venting and blower wiring are done by the licensed trades he coordinates.

Can an existing brick fireplace be changed without rebuilding it?

Often. Brick can be painted or covered, the mantel replaced, and the opening changed to accept an insert. What cannot be changed casually is the clearance the appliance requires to combustible material — that governs how close wood trim and a mantel can sit.

Do built-ins have to be custom?

Not necessarily. A built-in can be stock cabinet boxes trimmed and scribed into the wall, or it can be built in place. The difference shows at the edges: how the piece meets the ceiling, the floor, and the walls on either side.

Fireplaces & Built-Ins

Fireplace surrounds and built-in cabinetry, shelving, benches, and mantels.

Also called built-ins or mantel.

Living room with a white stacked-stone fireplace wall, a linear fireplace insert, a natural wood mantel, a television above, a round wall clock, an armchair and wood-look flooring — White stone fireplace with a wood mantel from the portfolio →

Fireplaces and built-ins are the fixed furniture of a room. The work is part carpentry and part fitting: a surround has to respect the clearances the appliance behind it requires, and a built-in has to be scribed into walls that are rarely square. Material and proportion are the visible decisions. Clearance, blocking, and level are what make it work.

What the work involves

Framing and blocking for a mantel, a surround, or a built-in run
Surround finishes: tile, stone veneer, brick, and painted masonry
Mantel installation, including floating mantels anchored into framing
Clearance to combustibles around the firebox, per the appliance's requirements
Built-in shelving, cabinets, benches, and window seats scribed to the walls
Face frames, doors, and drawer fronts on built-in cabinetry
Integrated lighting and concealed wiring for a television or components
Trim, fill, sand, and finish

From the portfolio

Frasch Construction's portfolio includes a white stacked-stone fireplace wall with a natural wood mantel and a linear insert, and a floor-to-ceiling stacked-stone fireplace with a dark wood mantel.

Questions

Does Frasch Construction do fireplace and built-in work?: The carpentry and finish work — surrounds, mantels, painted brick, built-in shelving and cabinetry — is Riley's own work. Fireboxes, gas piping, venting and blower wiring are done by the licensed trades he coordinates.
Can an existing brick fireplace be changed without rebuilding it?: Often. Brick can be painted or covered, the mantel replaced, and the opening changed to accept an insert. What cannot be changed casually is the clearance the appliance requires to combustible material — that governs how close wood trim and a mantel can sit.
Do built-ins have to be custom?: Not necessarily. A built-in can be stock cabinet boxes trimmed and scribed into the wall, or it can be built in place. The difference shows at the edges: how the piece meets the ceiling, the floor, and the walls on either side.