Blog - Page 84 of 123 - Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley

The perfect porch

The key elements of a good porch… exposed rafters, check… ipe flooring, check… rocking chair and hanging ferns, check… two great dogs… now you are talking!

There are a lot of variations that one can put into a porch and make it perfect. We’ve done our share of rough sawn oak for the flooring, it looks great outside of an old cabin, it’s very reasonably priced, and holds up amazingly well. In fact I can go back to cabins that I built twenty years ago and the flooring is still fine… aged… but still plenty strong and attractive. Be careful of tongue and groove flooring outside, they all seem to rot out quickly.

We’ve built plenty of porch ceilings that weren’t painted… and then on the other hand we’ve done some pretty fancy ceilings using bead board and painted sky blue for historic accuracy. It all comes down to keeping with the style of the home, that is if the home is rustic, or refined, or somewhere in between.

The key point I’d like to get across it that a porch is one of the greatest rooms you can have in house, don’t scrimp here… no concrete, no plastic… and make sure and make enough of it so that everyone can enjoy it. An eight foot porch is minimal, but be careful in making them larger… make sure that the porch looks good from an elevation perspective… think of a porch as the brim on baseball hat, too long of a brim will make the house look odd.

Originally posted 2015-01-13 14:20:02.

The perfect porchNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:15+00:00

Bathtubs

Some people think that bathtubs are old fashioned. A shower after all is quicker and easier. And a jacuzzi, with all it’s jets going, is more entertaining than a quiet bath. But I swear, nothing beats a good hot soaking when the snow is piling up outside.

When building a house a shower, or two, is essential.

But so many people when thinking of their dream home insist on having a jacuzzi in their master bath. Realtors view them as a necessities. Maybe you are different, but from the vast majority of people I talk to, they rarely use them, they take up a lot of space, they make a good bit of noise, they are tough to clean, they are impracticable for bathing children, and quite honestly uncomfortable to recline in. Spoil yourself and put in a good comfortable tub… before buying one get in the one in the showroom and lean back… are you comfortable?

Originally posted 2015-01-12 18:09:39.

BathtubsNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:14+00:00

A builders favorite moment

I love this phase of building a house…

The bones are beautiful, in this case a 1700’s timber frame.

I’m thrilled to see the months of prep and design work and searching for vintage materials are over, and the now “the vision” is becoming realty.

The crew is happy to have such a great project to work on, and the clients are smiling wide! There is so much progress visible every day and there has been no opportunity to blow the budget with changes or add-ons.

The only negative with regard to this project is baby, it is COLD outside! Other than that…

Life is good!

Originally posted 2015-01-12 14:12:49.

A builders favorite momentNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:13+00:00

Are you looking for a great gift idea? Here are the four best tools that you can purchase for that someone special…

Everyone loves to get a new tool !

And, tools that come as gifts?

They are treasured all the more… often for many years to come.

My wife gave me a woodworking tool for Christmas 30 years ago and I still think of her, and that special day, every time I see it.

A tool is also a smart purchase.

It is a useful possession, and will more than pay for itself in the value that it brings… unlike so many presents that are often tossed away days later. And then there are the benefits that the giver of a tool receives… not only in the joy that comes from seeing the recipient as they carefully inspect their new toy, but in the projects they will soon build with it (my wife went on to see me build a house with the tool she gave me that winter’s day… that purchase, was one smart investment on her part).

Picking the right tool to give can be tricky. I’ve created many “tool-of-the-week videos” where I give my best advice on what to look for in a tool, and in which order to buy them, but I’m often a bit vague in making a specific recommendation, as there are many options to choose from and the selection of a tool is often a matter of personal preference.

But today, I thought I would share with you four “you can’t go wrong this tool” ideas that anyone would love to get wrapped up as a gift. All of these are inexpensive and offer great value. I’ve included links to each on Amazon which will provide you with the easiest purchase, and at the lowest price…

1. The Estwing sportsman hatchet. (Amazon calls it an axe… but trust me, it’s not) This fine tool is a thing of beauty, a pleasure to hold, and oh, so very useful. One of my personal favorite tools… (if the link is not visible on your computer… just turn off your ad-blocker)

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2. The Stanley six-piece Chisel Set. Without a doubt this is the most important set of tools any woodworker needs. They take a licking and keep on ticking. A joy to hold, to work with, and they hold up to the constant abuse that they often endure. A new set of these beauties… will bring a sparkle to anyone’s eye!

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3. A plumb bob, and some string. What a great stocking stuffer! A joy to hold, and a pleasure to use. It doesn’t matter what profession you are in, this tool is needed and it’s handy to have more than one. If you want to make it extra special you can shop on eBay for an antique one (just make sure that it’s brass) but this new Stanley is “pretty sweet and hard to beat”. This simple tool has been used for thousands of years and will always be valued. No batteries needed. No assembly required. No instructions to read.

4. And finally, membership into the Handmade House Academy which is now on sale! Give that love one of yours lifetime access to decades of knowledge in designing and building a handmade house, plus… lifetime membership into a group of similar enthusiasts, plus… their name printed in the “soon-to-be-published” book on handmade houses, plus… an autographed copy of that book once it’s printed, plus… an opportunity for them to work with the founder of this site for a day, whew!… visit the Academy page to discover even more about this incredible offering, and while you are there view our most valuable free video… The twelve keys to your future handmade home! Give your loved one this gift and they just might give you back the home of your dreams!

Originally posted 2016-11-20 14:51:55.

Are you looking for a great gift idea? Here are the four best tools that you can purchase for that someone special…Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:12+00:00

Chimneys, fireplaces, and woodstoves

I have never built a home without at least one good masonry chimney. Often, it’s been more than one.
Let me be clear I’m not talking about those prefab kits that are so often found in most new homes, you know, the ones that are “installed” by a technician with a screwdriver and a set of instructions written in multiple languages. That process continues with a carpenter building the chimney out of plywood. Yes, a carpenter builds the chimney… with plywood. How wrong is that? If the house is a luxury home then a mason is brought in to cover up some of the plywood with a veneer to give the appearance that the home owner has a real chimney. Oh my.
How often have I driven the roads of this great State, and those of our neighboring states, and have seen a sole chimney standing in a field as a testament to a home that has long ago been lost to the ages? Perhaps I should have written “soul chimney” as the chimney is the soul of a home, the heart, the focus of a home… or at least it should be.
I’ve often made the comment that a log cabin, or any home for that matter, without a fireplace is like a canoe with a paddle. It is an essential component of the experience of being home. A fireplace unites a family with its warm glow and crackling sounds of a well tended fire. There is no greater source of entertainment… it much better than any electronic device. Gazing at a fire can be a soul searching experience, just watch your stress and worries wash away as you sit in front of a fire!
Of course, let’s not forget the warmth that a fireplace gives out, and the feeling of control and security that one feels when they have no fear of the cold regardless of what ill winds blow in this uncertain world.
Well, it’s time for me to go throw another log onto the fire. (the fireplace is calling)
One final thought… it was Henry David Thoreau that stated a fire warms you twice, once in the cutting of the wood and once in its burning. Keeping a fire is good source of healthy exercise.
So please, enjoy your fireplace. Count your blessings. And if you are contemplating building a home in the near future make sure and build a quality masonry chimney. Hire an artistic mason, one that will build a fireplace that will throw out heat… and make sure and have him build a beautiful fireplace, one that will be focal point of your home. I’ll expand upon this topic in the future with more details of features to look for in having a good fireplace/chimney.

Originally posted 2015-01-08 17:51:30.

Chimneys, fireplaces, and woodstovesNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:11+00:00

Hog trough post

This massive corner post, created around the turn of the 18th century, is one massive example of craftsmanship. It is one compound piece made from a single tree, with angle braces mortised into it. If viewed from above it would have an L shape… thus the post is similar in appearance to that of a colonial hog trough. Notice the lathing stripes.

Originally posted 2014-12-16 15:56:42.

Hog trough postNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:10+00:00

The proper way

These antique oak logs have been notched by us creating a dovetailed corner with approximately 4 to 6 inch chinking spaces. The chinking is recessed at the top to ensure that rain does not seep into the chinking once it has come down the surface of the log. And notice how the siding is so meticulously inset into the log wall to create an attractive and weatherproof connection.

Originally posted 2014-12-16 15:19:44.

The proper wayNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:09+00:00

That cabin is new?

When we build we always try to build so that when we finish the cabin it looks as if it has always been there. So, when people look confused and ask us if it really is a new home we take that as the ultimate compliment.

Originally posted 2014-12-16 15:00:18.

That cabin is new?Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:08+00:00

Post and Beam Frame going up!

One of the finest post and beam frames I ever had the privilege of putting up. Salvaged from a late 1700’s/early 1800’s home this frame will soon serve as incredible kitchen off of a vintage log cabin.

Originally posted 2014-12-16 14:29:24.

Post and Beam Frame going up!Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:07+00:00

River Frontage vs Mountain Views

Our area offers many parcels of land with scenic views, either pastoral or mountain. I’ve been blessed over the years to spend my working days building houses in locations with views that many people take vacations in order to visit something similar. I have found though that there is something more important and satisfying than a view of distant mountains and that is one of private water access, it is also much harder to find. Our Moriah project has a spring, a strong year round stream, a quarter mile of frontage on the North Fork of the Rivanna River and a view of the Advance Mills waterfall from the front porch… and yes there are mountain views here too!

Originally posted 2014-12-15 19:21:37.

River Frontage vs Mountain ViewsNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:09:06+00:00

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