If you have found your way here to this website it’s likely because you dream of having handcrafted home of your own… a home built of massive logs, gorgeous timbers, and hand-shaped stones.

I have some good news for you! You are not alone! There are many others who also dream of having a home that reflects who they are, and what they value the most… individuals who crave the handmade house lifestyle. 

This website is devoted entirely to Handmade Houses… those wonderful homes where the homeowner plays an active part in its design and construction. The more involved we are in the design and construction of our home, the more likely that home will become a well-loved and admired lifelong treasure. 

A side-benefit to homeowner involvement is that the cost of one’s home often falls in price (sometimes significantly). For those who struggle with the affordability aspect of building a handmade house… the bootstrapping aspect of handmade house construction could very well be the ticket you need in order for you to achieve that dream home of yours. 

Perhaps you’ve already begun the quest for your handmade home? You’ve been dreaming of the lifestyle that comes with owning a handmade house for quite some time. Maybe you’ve grown discouraged at what you have discovered so far… manufactured log kit homes… glued-on imitation stones… and soulless timber-frame packages. It often seems as if the alternative housing marketplace is full of salesmen promoting the latest “improved” product or technique… proudly proclaiming its virtues, while never revealing its shortcomings. 

The truth is… if you want something truly different you don’t go to a different store… you avoid stores altogether… you take a different path. We at Handmade Houses know of no other place where you can go to find someone who has “Tried them all… picked the best, and left the rest”. A handmade house authority who will provide you with the pros and cons of the each type of construction, and provide you with informed, unbiased, recommendations. 

Wouldn’t it be great to have such insights and avoid learning things the “hard way”? 

• From a builder who has not only built many handmade houses himself, but has also designed them. A builder who has practiced the handmade house craft for decades. 
• Someone who has tried the majority of the alternative construction methods. 
• A craftsman who has explored, and restored, many historic structures seeking to learn what makes them timeless and durable. 
• A licensed contractor who has worked in modern construction in order to learn what innovations and techniques should be considered for use in our handmade home (and those which should best be avoided). 

Hi, I’m Noah Bradley, and I would like to welcome you to the home of Handmade Houses! I’m not here to sell you anything. I’m here to help you discover your future handmade home. I have helped guide many others just like you over the past few decades as they went through the process of achieving their dream home. 

I am a semi-retired handmade house builder, one who wants to share a lifetime of experience that I have garnered in the many years since I designed and built my very first handmade home… now over forty years ago. 

Let me assure you that designing and building your own home is unbelievably rewarding in so many ways… financially, physically, spiritually, etc… the list of benefits in building a handmade house is extremely long. 

Now likely you have doubts and concerns about becoming involved in something as large as building a home. Perhaps there are some in your life who are trying to discourage you from moving forward on your dreams. But the truth is… people have played an active part in building their own homes since time began. 

Unfortunately we live in a time where we have witnessed a huge decline in the previous generation setting an example for us with regard to hands-on housing. The joy that comes from the creation of our own personal space has been almost entirely handed over to architects and contractors and we are all the poorer for it. All we have to do is to just look around to see the results. 

Houses have certainly grown larger and more complex in the past few decades (as have mortgages) but does anyone believe that the quality of home construction has improved? Or that homes being built today are more attractive? 

Is it possible, in this modern age, for someone to design and build their own house? Yes! 

I’ve done it many times and I’m currently doing it again as I move forward in the design and construction of my next home. I’m no one special. If I can do it, you can too. And to be honest, you don’t need my help to build a house. But what I can offer you is a lifetime of handmade house design and construction experience which will ensure that you end up with a much better house… and a less expensive one. 

To assist you as you begin your handmade house journey I offer you here on this website a ton of FREE information to help you achieve your dream home. I invite you to browse through my blog archives where you will find hundreds of images (about half of them are of projects I designed and built, the remainders are of homes others have built and that I admire). As you look around on this site you will notice that there are no annoying pop-up ads to get in your way… I want your visit here to be as pleasurable as possible and I hope that you will come back often! 

There are also plenty of free videos here for you to watch… nearly every week I release a new Handmade House TV episode where I share tips about building a Handmade House as well as providing updates on my own ongoing project. 

I also offer premium in-depth online courses (Academy’s) for those who want to dive deep and learn how best to design and build their future handcrafted home… step-by-step. There are now over forty hours of video training in the Handmade House Guild package where I share a lifetime of hard-earned experiences and insights, gathered from working alongside countless master craftsmen, and as I carefully examined thousands of handcrafted homes seeking to discover the subtle secrets behind their beauty and durability. 

I hope that you will consider Guild Membership, but for now your first step here on this site is to make sure you are signed up for our FREE newsletter! Nearly every Wednesday you will have delivered to your email inbox tremendous tips, motivational stories, and updates that will help you achieve your dream home. These newsletters will gently keep you motivated and will help steer you towards your future handmade home! 

Once you have signed-up for the newsletter I invite you to start exploring the rest of the site perhaps consider learning a bit more about how my life-story can benefit you… “Who is Noah Bradley?” And, make sure and check out the video The Twelve Keys to a Handmade House found on the “What is a Handmade House?” page. 

Once again I thank you for visiting Handmade Houses! 

Noah