Blog - Page 28 of 123 - Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley

What goes around, comes around

Do you remember me telling you recently the story of me helping a man out who wanted a nice log cabin but needed to build it himself due to “lean wallet syndrome”?

Do you want to hear a good “what goes around comes around” story?

Well, it turns out that the next door neighbors to this cabin had a young daughter at the time, who would grow up and fifteen years later marry a fine young man who dreamed of owning a log cabin. And what a cabin he wanted.

A couple of years ago I built that cabin… and the story of it’s construction is coming up next!

Originally posted 2015-07-02 12:41:46.

What goes around, comes aroundNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:25+00:00

The Shop

This building was my first jobsite upon starting my business.

I lovingly referred to the structure as “the Shop”. She was an empty shell of a her former self when I knew her. On the inside her timber-framing was exposed for all to see. The store’s fixtures had been stripped out long ago.

I understand that back in the late 1800’s she was a general store. Once a bustling center of commerce but for the next few years it would be just her and me.

You can see my brand new truck setting out front of the shop, the only new vehicle I’ve ever purchased for myself. Well… I should say it was new… in 1988… I still drive that same truck today. I’ve got 450,000 miles on her now. We’ve both put on a few miles, and a few years.

On the other side of the truck you will see what was the rental house I was living in at the time. Inside that house was my lovely wife and my three children, all under the age of five. She had her hands full. My job was to provide for them all.

At the time this photo was taken I had left the employment of my previous job, working for another contractor, to start my own business. I had no work lined up, at all. I had just enough savings set aside to pay my bills for a month, maybe two. But I had faith it would work out, and just enough fear to keep me energized.

Each workday I would get up early, pack my lunch and walk the 40 steps to my Shop. There I would build sawhorses and benches, sharpen tools, and make phone calls.

I managed to find enough work that first year to keep the lights on. The next year I would build a log cabin that would find itself onto the cover of Country Living. And two years after that, I would build a home for my family and would leave this Shop behind. It was a bittersweet farewell.

She still stands there, tall and proud, I’m thankful to say.

I always drive slow when I pass her by and reflect on that period in my life. There I was cold, and broke, and scared… and so alive, anxious for what was to come.

Originally posted 2015-07-02 12:21:47.

The ShopNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:24+00:00

A log cabin hidden in plain site

There is a small log cabin hidden in this little house.

The log section of the house is to the left of (now) central chimney.

The owner of this weekend getaway (a well-known radio personality) hired me to come in and expose the logs on the interior and create a stone fireplace.

The new owner of this cabin was six foot six.

I’m six foot two.

The ceiling height in this cabin, from finished floor to the bottom of the round-pole ceiling joists, is…. six foot six.

Clearly we would have been giants compared to the original members of this household.

I wonder… will our standard eight-foot ceilings one day, two hundred years from now, be considered unacceptably too low?

Originally posted 2015-06-30 19:35:04.

A log cabin hidden in plain siteNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:23+00:00

A log cabin repair… part 3

This was not a glamorous job.

It was dirty and nasty… and cold.

We didn’t fulfill anyone’s dream in designing and building a masterpiece. We simply repaired an old cabin and gave it decades more of a serviceable life.

There are no great finished photos of a decorated home to share, nor will this cabin ever be featured in a magazine or a book.

Nor was there any money to be made… my company would have to go on for months on it’s next job to make up for lost revenues on this project… but the fine folks at Innisfree were thankful for our efforts.

If you are ever interested in helping out some fine folks with a small donation this is a worthy cause…

Originally posted 2015-06-29 14:09:25.

A log cabin repair… part 3Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:22+00:00

Log cabin repair… part 2

We replaced the rotted logs on this cabin with matching antique logs, and then we re-chinked the entire cabin (improperly installed chinking is what created the rot problem).

And then, the entire cabin was given a couple coats of fresh paint.

Originally posted 2015-06-29 13:56:50.

Log cabin repair… part 2Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:21+00:00

Log cabin repair

We once restored a log cabin that was in such bad condition that it was still standing thanks to the strength of the wood paneling within the home.

The logs that we extracted were well rotted out and were easy to remove. We installed some temporary bracing before doing so which added far more support to this structure than those logs were adding.

The homes built today would have long ago collapsed under such circumstances.

Originally posted 2015-06-29 13:37:30.

Log cabin repairNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:20+00:00

Just one of the many advantages

“We need to put a roof over the garage door.”

“I’ve got a hood off of an old Ford truck.”

“Perfect.”

One of the many advantages of building your own home is that you gain the skills, tools, and confidence to go on to build other things… like this client did when he went on to build his own garage after undertaking the completion of his log cabin.

And, when a person takes it to the next level, and builds a handmade house, they learn to “think out of the box” and explore unique possibilities… like using a salvaged truck hood for a little roof.

How cool is that?

Originally posted 2015-06-27 15:35:58.

Just one of the many advantagesNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:19+00:00

On the way to the back porch

The path to this owner-built log cabin split with one option leading to the front porch, complete with a lake view or this little porch around back of the home, with a view of the woods.

Either way, a rocking chair would be inviting you to sit for a while.

I really liked the view of the cabin as I approached the back porch… some really nice antique oak logs to appreciate.

The back porch is small, but cool and shady… and right outside of the kitchen.

And here is your rocking chair… it’s waiting for you.

Originally posted 2015-06-27 13:59:12.

On the way to the back porchNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:18+00:00

The endurance of antique logs… and good chinking

Fifteen years later and the chinking looks as good as the day we troweled it on. I betcha it will last a hundred years… why anyone would go with polymer chinking is beyond me.

And, the cabin’s logs… which have never been treated, sealed, or stained… look mighty fine considering that they are nearly two hundred years old!

Originally posted 2015-06-26 18:43:44.

The endurance of antique logs… and good chinkingNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:18:17+00:00