About Noah Bradley

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So far Noah Bradley has created 1221 blog entries.
29 06, 2019

Timber frame company recommendation

2019-06-29T10:08:23+00:00

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On occasion I am asked which timber frame company I recommend.

My number one source that I recommend is…

You!

Why let someone else have all the fun?

If the idea of doing the joinery on an entire home or barn is intimidating… consider starting with a small outbuilding first. You will find that the process is quite enjoyable. I have found that most timber frame companies showcase elaborate and highly complicated joinery, but the fact is that timber framing does not need to be overly challenging. Farmers and homeowners have been building their own homes and barns for centuries and with today’s reference materials and power tools it’s easier now than ever.

Even if you decide to go with a timber frame company (and there are quite a few good ones out there) it pays to have a bit of hands on experience and thoughts on designs before approaching them.

Originally posted 2016-04-30 17:13:28.

Timber frame company recommendation2019-06-29T10:08:23+00:00
29 06, 2019

Log Home apprenticeship opportunity

2019-06-29T10:08:22+00:00

Iphone October 2011 888

How would you like to work with me? To give me a hand? To become an apprentice? Or, to join my crew?
 
I get multiple requests or offers every week to do just that. Sometimes, I get several per day. I’m humbled, flattered, and a bit overwhelmed by it all.
 
Over the years I’ve had several hundred young people work beside me… as well as a few who were young at heart, if not quite so with regard to the calendar.
 
My response to the current requests is…
 
Thank you for your interest and your offer!…
 
I’m currently taking a sabbatical from hands-on building… a time-out of sorts, after doing it nonstop for quite a few years. A time to share with a broader audience what I’ve learned through several decades of building unique homes, houses where owner involvement has been of key importance. I’ll be putting the tool-belt back on in the near future with plans to build my next home which I hope to share the process with everyone. Maybe… the timing of that project will be right for you to lend a hand? I urge you to sign up on my email list here on this site if you want to keep better posted on my dreams, plans, and ideas. And please, consider taking the Handmade House Academy when it becomes available in a couple of weeks… those who take the class will be given first options at future offerings. Notification of the release of the Academy will be sent out to those on the email list! Noah

Originally posted 2016-04-30 16:08:54.

Log Home apprenticeship opportunity2019-06-29T10:08:22+00:00
29 06, 2019

On building a barn or garage first

2019-06-29T10:08:21+00:00

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“I’m thinking about building a garage (or barn) first… and then later, I’ll build the house.”

I probably hear this comment from half of the people I meet who have recently bought a piece of land.

I always caution them against taking this path and that’s because I’ve seen it fail on plenty of occasions.

There are several reasons why people want to “build the barn” first. The main one is that they feel unsure of their ability to build a home and feel that a barn or garage might serve as good first step towards learning the skills needed in building a home. To some degree they are correct, experience is a great teacher, but the limited skills needed to build a barn can be gained in building a much smaller and less expensive building like a shed.

Some people imagine building a barn or garage and making part of it a habitable place that they can live in while building the home. I’ve lost track of the number of people that I’ve met who have lived above their garage for years now. Folks who either blew their budget on building the garage and have no funds to move forward on their dream home, or who have become comfortable with this style of living. It’ my humble opinion that one’s main focus should be on housing the family, not the cars. It’s admirable to do without now in order to benefit in the future, but foolish to choose to live your life in garage when a home can be had for the same effort and price.

“But”… (and there is always a but it seems)…  “I want a place to store my tools, and building supplies as I acquire them, a place where I can set up a shop, a place where I can work on inclement weather days”.  Well now, that is a good point. I have had several clients whose budgets were ample in size, and whose desire to live in the garage was zero… (as in the photo seen here where we built this garage while framing the home). The garage did prove to be a valuable asset for storage and as a workshop during construction of the home.

Plans change in this life. Unexpected events often occur. People often experience an unexpected want or need to move. If a person has built their own home on a piece of land, and they did a great job at designing it and building it, they can likely expect to get all their money back and likely make a profit from it. But, if all they have to show for their efforts is a habitable outbuilding they will likely have a hard time selling the property, and will most certainly be unable to recover their investment.

Originally posted 2016-04-30 15:22:26.

On building a barn or garage first2019-06-29T10:08:21+00:00
29 06, 2019

One step at a time

2019-06-29T10:08:20+00:00

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One step at a time.
That’s how a house is built.
The stone mason doesn’t focus on all the details and steps required to build a chimney.
It’s all about the next stone.
And after that’s in place.
The next one.

Originally posted 2016-04-30 14:33:29.

One step at a time2019-06-29T10:08:20+00:00
29 06, 2019

Timber frame and log… together

2019-06-29T10:08:19+00:00

00001344

For those who love the idea of a home built of massive timbers, but also want bright interior spaces, tall ceilings, and superior insulation (three things that log cabins are not known for), a timber frame home is the ideal choice.
Here we have a vintage timber frame that we added to an existing log home… an amazing combination.
The two had never met… the log cabin… and the timber frame… but it was easy to see once they stood next to each other, that it was a match made in heaven.

Originally posted 2016-04-28 13:12:30.

Timber frame and log… together2019-06-29T10:08:19+00:00
29 06, 2019

The combination of stone and log

2019-06-29T10:08:18+00:00

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I do love the combination of log and stone.
On this cabin we used limestone that we gathered from the Shenandoah Valley here in Virginia.
I thought the copper roof and bow window of the stone section added a lot to the overall appeal of this home.

Originally posted 2016-04-28 12:54:01.

The combination of stone and log2019-06-29T10:08:18+00:00
29 06, 2019

How did a fireplace become a luxury item?

2019-06-29T10:08:17+00:00

Log_Cabin_Interior

The fire is lit.
I know… it’s not as efficient as a heat pump… but when is the last time you pulled up a chair and stared deeply into an air handler unit?
lol
We have gathered around an open fire for thousands of years.
It’s only in our generation that fireplaces have been removed from our homes.
Now that’s just sad.

Originally posted 2016-04-28 12:17:21.

How did a fireplace become a luxury item?2019-06-29T10:08:17+00:00
29 06, 2019

Half way there

2019-06-29T10:08:16+00:00

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Here the log work has been completed on this cabin.
The massive stone chimney is built,
and the roof is on.
At this point in the construction many of us become anxious… we see our cabin and we want to move in!
But, the reality is that most of the work still lies ahead. It’s time to focus on the joy that comes with building one’s own home.
Once completed this cabin will offer a lifetime of enjoyment to those who dwell within her walls, and many memories of it’s creation.

Originally posted 2016-04-27 15:36:51.

Half way there2019-06-29T10:08:16+00:00
29 06, 2019

The American Canopy

2019-06-29T10:08:15+00:00

virginforest

I just finished reading this book and I highly recommend it. I have gained a whole new level of respect and awe at impact the forests of this nation has had on our history.

Originally posted 2016-04-26 11:22:59.

The American Canopy2019-06-29T10:08:15+00:00
29 06, 2019

Choose to take those first steps now

2019-06-29T10:08:14+00:00

A log cabin in a wooded setting during the autumn season

Some want it to happen,
Some wish it to happen,
Some make it happen.
(pick the last option… your future self will love you for it!)
Here’s wishing you all a great week! and, may you one day find yourself sitting on that front porch!
Noah

Originally posted 2016-04-25 13:37:51.

Choose to take those first steps now2019-06-29T10:08:14+00:00
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