Noah Bradley, Author at Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley

29 06, 2019

Three very different stone walls… part 3

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:13:00+00:00

And here’s the third local entrance wall…

These folks hired an architectural firm to precisely design their entrance wall.

Clearly all this architect had was a straight edge. A very crisp structure. Institutional. It doesn’t really blend into the environment does it? I wonder did he ever visit the property?

So plans were drawn, with exacting details given. The mason who was hired performed his work with great precision according to the plans that he was supplied with, so that he would get further work from this firm in the future.

The mason was never allowed to express his own artistic abilities and I would imagine after years of working under such conformity that any artistic stirrings within this man would be squelched.

This stone wall was also by far the most expensive of the three that I have shared today, with the architect profiting more from the adventure than the mason who built it.

All three of these walls will be around for centuries if left undisturbed. Over that long of a span of time any cost differences between them is insignificant. So to me, it all comes down to our legacy, what are we leaving for others to view countless times in the years to come?

Originally posted 2015-03-30 15:32:56.

Three very different stone walls… part 3Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:13:00+00:00

29 06, 2019

Three very different stone walls… part 2

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:59+00:00

The second entrance wall that I wanted to share was built with “How much?” being the driving factor.

These folks saw no importance in stone selection, nor did they have any appreciation for quality workmanship. All they cared about was the lowest bid. You know… “Rock is rock, I’m not paying any more than I have too”

And so now there is an eyesore for everyone to see until this mess is one day torn down.

Originally posted 2015-03-30 15:04:25.

Three very different stone walls… part 2Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:59+00:00

29 06, 2019

Three very different stone walls… part 1

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:58+00:00

There are three entrance stone walls located within ten miles of my home. Each was built using a different path.

I did not play a part in any of them. But, I think there is a lesson that can be learned by each.

The first one seen here was contracted out to a local stone artisan. He had a reputation of being a “unique character” with a known history of creating some beautiful stone structures.

He was asked to come in and “build something nice” by the folks that hired him. And, that is what he did.

This is how I build houses. Hire the best, and let them practice their art.

Originally posted 2015-03-30 14:47:34.

Three very different stone walls… part 1Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:58+00:00

29 06, 2019

Humble beginnings… part 3

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:57+00:00

We raised our food in the garden that we created.

We got our water out of a spring located on our property.

We kept our food cold in a make-shift refrigerator that I put together in the stream.

We slept in a “tent” that I built out of old lumber and plastic for eight months, as we built a small home using materials that we had salvaged from an old house, an old barn, and an old school.

We lived a simple life with no clocks, or calendars. But we had plenty of candles and books.

And then, children happened.

We moved back to Virginia and I began building for others. The rest is history.

I have shared all this with you to reveal a bit about myself, but also to remind us all that where we live, and how we live, is a choice. There is always another option. Anyone can have a handmade house, even those lean-in-the-wallet… but, it might require sacrifice and discomfort.

Originally posted 2015-03-30 13:49:16.

Humble beginnings… part 3Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:57+00:00

29 06, 2019

Humble beginnings… part 2

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:56+00:00

Shortly after getting married my wife and I took every dollar that we had and bought 15 acres of Tennessee wooded mountain land.

I felt at $350 per acre that it was a bargain.

We moved onto our land with an old Datsun pickup truck and all of our belongings packed safely in the back. We were excited for the adventure that lied ahead.

Our first goal was to clear enough woods to create a garden and give us ample firewood for cooking meals and to keep us warm during the winter that would one day arrive.

The neighbors were kind enough to lend me their team of horses, Bill and Mack, to pull stumps and break the ground for the first time.

There is nothing else quite like operating an authentic two-horsepower garden implement. I do not have the words to describe it adequately, but I can say that if you are ever offered the opportunity, make sure and seize it.

Here’s a photo of me “turning the plow”, in preparation for making another pass down our future garden. Seen in this photo, guiding the horses for me, is Clovis, who would become a dear friend of mine and someone who would teach me many “old school” ways over the next few years.

Originally posted 2015-03-30 13:25:28.

Humble beginnings… part 2Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:56+00:00

29 06, 2019

Humble beginnings… part 1

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:55+00:00

There was a time in my life that I would have loved to have had this little shed…

…to live in.

Seriously.

During the years that I lived in “the Madison house” I would often catch a glance of this garden house and think what a fine home that would have made for my wife and I when we first got married. It was much better than what we had then.

We were adventurous souls back in those earlier days of our lives. Let me share a few photos with you today of some of my earlier beginnings. I think you’ll get a kick out of it.

Originally posted 2015-03-30 12:34:16.

Humble beginnings… part 1Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:55+00:00

29 06, 2019

Outbuildings

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:54+00:00

Here are two of the outbuildings that I built at the Madison House. The one in the distance is the chicken coop. The other is the garden house.

Outbuildings add SO much to the beauty of a property. So, when it comes time to build an outdoor structure try to use old materials and design these buildings with care. Old windows and siding are some of the cheapest salvaged materials that you will find… seek them out.

I encourage you to drive on by those places that sell manufactured sheds, have some fun, get some exercise, and build something that you will enjoy looking at during the years ahead!

Originally posted 2015-03-29 21:23:42.

OutbuildingsNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:54+00:00

29 06, 2019

The Madison House… part 26

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:53+00:00

One last photo of the Madison House to share.

As anyone knows that has followed along with my ramblings, I often will judge a home’s design with how the back of a house looks. All too often designers today focus entirely on the front view of a home and give little attention to the other faces of a home.

It is extremely difficult to make all four sides of a home visually pleasing and generally the back is the worst of the lot. When you are looking for a home design, or an architect, or a builder, don’t stop at looking at their best work… make sure and “look around back”.

So here’s the back of the Madison House, for all to see.

Originally posted 2015-03-29 18:03:37.

The Madison House… part 26Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:53+00:00

29 06, 2019

The Madison House… part 25

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:52+00:00

Here’s a section of the view that is seen from the front porch of the Madison House.

There was no view available from the house-site when I purchased the property. This parcel of land was an overgrown thicket of tangled woods. It was a strenuous hike, through briars and vines, to reach the house-site. Upon arrival I could see that there would be a nice view if some of the property below were to be cleared. It just took a little imagination on my part to see it’s potential.

This ten acre parcel had been for sale for a long time with no offers because it was so overgrown. When it came time to put in the new driveway into the property one of my neighbors came by to say hello and to tell me that I was a fool to have paid what I did for the land. I just blinked and smiled.

After I had cleared this field, and before I had started building the house, the offers to “double my money” if I would consider selling the land started flowing in.

There is nothing better than finding a diamond in the rough. Is there?

Notice the little cabin in the view?… now there is another story I’ll have to share… sometime in the coming days.

Originally posted 2015-03-29 17:42:55.

The Madison House… part 25Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:52+00:00

29 06, 2019

The Madison House… part 24

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:51+00:00

Let me share a few tips on how to make a small porch special.

Now, it doesn’t hurt to have a great view from the porch… I’ll share that view in my next posting… but the view isn’t everything. A porch is a place where one can simply enjoy the outside world.

Make sure when you build a porch to use quality materials. The siding here is wood, no vinyl can be be found, other than the bird-feeder hanging on the other end of the porch. The floor is painted wood. The ceiling is also painted wood… I’m always amazed that some builders will use interior drywall for a porch ceiling.

One final note is that this view, looking down at this end of the porch had nothing to look at… so I built my chicken coop down there. Then I could enjoy viewing one of my weekend projects as well as keep an eye on my hens.

Originally posted 2015-03-29 16:58:49.

The Madison House… part 24Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:12:51+00:00

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