That’s Zeke at the top of the ladder.

For many years he was part of the crew.

I don’t suppose many construction companies would allow a dog on site, and I understand that, but Zeke was more than a dog, he was an unpaid member of the team.

I did give him a treat occasionally though (when his owner wasn’t looking) (I think everybody else on the crew did too)

Originally posted 2015-06-04 14:21:50.

I once received a call from a man who had sold salvage rights to an old house that he had on his farm. The buyer of those rights had come in and extracted the highly-valued, easily-removed items including… the mantles, flooring, interior doors and locks, and the wainscoting… and then left the rest for the farmer to burn down.

I would say this is the case in half the calls I’ve gotten over the years. There is no shortage of individuals seeking to salvage for the sake of the easy materials and the quick money, and only a few who are interested in preserving the individual house and it’s history.

I would have loved to have rebuilt this old gal just like she was… but I didn’t have that option. But her frame, dating to the 1830’s was mighty fine, so I worked out a salvage purchase price for the abandoned shell and dug in, knowing that a client would soon appear wanting something just like this.

And none appeared.

So, I accepted this as destiny, that it was at long last, after many years, time to build my dream wood-working shop.

Originally posted 2015-06-04 13:50:28.

A peek inside.

Originally posted 2015-06-03 13:30:41.

I’ve really loved my job… all these years of witnessing old houses. From the louvered doors seen on this addition “out back”… to the special decorations often found like the spare tires that leaned up against the porch.

Originally posted 2015-06-03 13:25:48.

I really loved this farmhouse.

This was a house that quickly felt like “home”.

She is the finest example of the very end of an era of exceptional American homes.

Built in the very early 20th century, almost all traces of timber framing had vanished. There were no axe-shaped beams of wood within her walls. Plastered walls and one-board wainscoting were now a thing of the past.

But, she was beautiful. Her style and proportions still echoed the past. Materials of high quality and workmanship were found throughout.

If someone asked me to design them a house similar to an old farmhouse… this would be one of my references.

Originally posted 2015-06-03 13:11:49.

Not a bad home office, is it?

Originally posted 2015-05-31 13:37:48.

I had salvaged a two-story timber-frame that was nearing collapse, but my plans called for a steeply pitched one-story home.

I put back the first-story of the structure as she had originally been built and then I used all the bonus floor joists from the second floor to create a timbered rafter system.

This newly created space quickly became my favorite part of the home.

Originally posted 2015-05-31 13:27:57.

Here’s Daniel Boone’s log cabin… built in 1795 and still standing in Kentucky… amazing.

Originally posted 2015-05-30 15:49:33.

Most people, when they think of a home built using a timber frame, they envision a huge barn-like structure with vast cathedral type ceilings… but that is not always the case… a timber frame can create a very cozy space.

Originally posted 2015-05-30 11:42:03.

Here’s a photo taken of the other end of the first floor of this timber frame section of the house. This room will become the master bedroom of the house.

I do love a first floor master bedroom. Those stairs get tiresome after a few hundred climbs up and down. lol

Notice the new framing off to the left, this is the area that will become the master bath.

One of the little tricks I do to lower costs on these “over the top quality homes” is make sure and use modern building techniques whenever I can… there is no need to make every room timber-frame or log… especially closets, baths, laundry rooms, etc.

It’s funny, but I never see log cabin kit manufacturers or timber frame suppliers offer, or even mention, this idea of combining various building forms into one house… I wonder why?… is it because they are trying to make as much money as possible by selling more product? hmmmm

Originally posted 2015-05-30 11:31:08.