Designing and Building Your Own Home Archives - Page 19 of 28

29 06, 2019

It’s all about the details

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:23+00:00

Here are a few photos showing some of the details of Moriah… the first is of the kitchen which is flooded with the morning light, the next one is of the porch off to the left of the main entry door (a very inviting space), then there is the top of the staircase where antique heart pine flooring comes into contact with one of the massive hemlock beams that were salvaged from an antique cotton mill, and then there is the dining room made from an early 1800’s log cabin complete with a fireplace.

Originally posted 2014-12-11 15:57:58.

It’s all about the detailsNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:23+00:00

29 06, 2019

What’s next?

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:21+00:00

Here at Handmade Houses we have now completed the creation of our new Log Cabin Academy! A twelve-hour long online course on how you can best achieve your dream log home! We take great pride in how well this course turned out, and are greatly pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response from all those who have joined in!

If you would like to learn more about this exiting new program please visit our LOG CABIN ACADEMY PAGE!

So, what’s next? Where do we go from here?

THE STONE HOUSE ACADEMY!!! Regardless of whether you build a stone home, a log cabin, a timber-frame, a cottage, or a farmhouse… well-laid, attractive, stonework will exponentially improve the beauty and value of your home. Stonework is a craft that anyone can do… and perfect for the owner-builder! Nowhere else can you find training like you will here! Online classes begin September 15, 2017. Don’t miss out on the premier offering of this opportunity where you will gain lifetime online access!

Make sure that you are signed up to receive our weekly newsletter for updates, bonus content, and early registration discounts!

Designing, and building, one’s own home is unbelievably rewarding… in so many ways.

People have been building their own homes since time began… some, still do! (we hope that you will be one of them!)

It’s only in the last generation or two that this wonderful life experience has become rare and completely handed over to architects and contractors. Houses have certainly grown larger and more complex during this time period (as have mortgages) but does anyone believe that the quality of home construction has improved?… or that the designs of most new homes are now more attractive?

But, can anyone really build a house?

Most professional contractors today acquired their home-building skills by simply “doing it”. There is no “Bachelor of Building Degree” that can be obtained. All builders, at one time in their lives, built their first house, having never done it before. And, the fact is that very few architects have ever built… well… anything. So, if your next home will be your first building experience, then you are in good company, and certainly not the only one. We encourage you to be bold… you will succeed!

Obviously, this site is not about building junk houses… it’s about Handmade Houses… homes where, to some degree, future homeowners are involved in their home’s design and construction and true craftsmanship is the goal. We further define a handmade house through the guidelines found in the “The Twelve Keys” (make sure and check this video out).

One of the “Twelve Keys” to a Handmade House is that there should be some degree of homeowner involvement in order to achieve the perfect home… even if that involvement is limited to the “discovery” of one’s own dream home… by “discovery” we mean… the act of finding the design and the features that “fit” who you are. We can help you discover that special place… the home you so long to have, but be forewarned, we will also encourage you to reach for the stars. We have seen it time and time again that the more involved in the design and construction of a home a person is, the more that home becomes a lifelong treasure to it’s future owner, and, as a side benefit, the price tag of the home drops, sometimes… significantly.

Our focus here on this site, and with the courses we offer, is to help you achieve your dream Handmade House, a home that combines the best features of new construction, alternative construction, and historical construction. We know of no other source where one can go to find an experienced builder who has “tried it all, picked the best, and left the rest”. Someone who will provide you with the pros and cons of every option and support you in your selection.

We invite you to begin your Handmade House journey by first visiting “Start Here!” where you will learn all about this website and discover all the free resources we have to offer. (You may notice that there are no annoying pop-up ads to bother you… we want your visit here to be pleasurable).

From this starting point, you can learn more about this site’s founder by venturing on to “Who is Noah Bradley?” Noah has been building handmade houses for several decades and he is now sharing his trade secrets, as well as his vast knowledge and expertise here on this site. His focused goal is to help you discover and achieve the handmade home of your dreams!

Of course, you have our permission to blaze your own path on this site and just leap into the 1,000+ image archives… many of these images have accompanying tips, secrets, and insights, all shared by Noah himself to help you discover your dream home!

We’d like you to stay a while, sip on your favorite beverage, enjoy the scenery, and start imaging that future home of yours! We hope that you’ll come back again, and again, in the future as we continually add more content! And please, don’t hesitate to comment or send us a note!

We’d also like to invite you to join our email membership group in order to keep you better informed on the latest happenings here at Handmade Houses, and so that we can help you gain greater inspiration and motivation as you travel down the path towards your own handmade home. Simply follow the red arrow on the right side of this page to become a member. And please, have no worries, we hate spam just as much as you do and we promise never to do that to one of our friends.

You might notice that there are some MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS going on here at Handmade Houses!

Our new weekly video series has begun!… Handmade House TV! Make sure and check it out!

And, oh yeah!… Don’t forget the BEST free video that Noah has ever produced… “The Twelve Keys to Discovering Your Handmade House”… is now posted. You don’t want to miss this one!

Originally posted 2016-10-22 18:55:42.

What’s next?Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:21+00:00

29 06, 2019

McMansions and the demise in the quality of new home construction

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:20+00:00

McMansions

I don’t normally link to another site but I thought you all might enjoy this insightful article on McMansions… which also touches a lot on the sad situation of most current home construction with such great quotes as…

“when big building corporations such as Toll Brothers and Pulte Homes, consistently push the “More House for Your Money!” angle, it’s a safe bet that corners are being cut somewhere.”

and…

“building materials are a good primary indicator as to whether or not a house was built cheaply. Houses built from brick, stone, wood, or real stucco are generally more reliable than those built with cheap trendy materials commonly marketed as being “no-maintenance.” (All houses require maintenance. Sorry to burst your [housing] bubble!) ”

and…

“The thing about good design, is that it’s well-thought out – it shows that care has been put into the details and quality of what is being designed. If builders skimp so much on the external design (literally how a house looks) of a home, it’s usually indicative of other problems”

and…

“Because we started treating our houses as disposable during the mortgage booms of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s, we ended up with houses built to last not even 25 years.”

Originally posted 2016-10-21 16:54:22.

McMansions and the demise in the quality of new home constructionNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:20+00:00

29 06, 2019

Change is coming!

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:19+00:00

The seasons are changing.

Fall has arrived. And, the leaves are now turning colors and falling from the trees.

And things are changing here at Handmade Houses as well. Lots of exciting new features coming that will help you get your dream home! Make sure you are signed up to our email list to find out more! You don’t want to miss out!

Originally posted 2016-10-02 14:25:19.

Change is coming!Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:19+00:00

29 06, 2019

Nobody does it better

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:17+00:00

One thing that holds people back from building their dream home is the fear that they aren’t good enough… that there are people out there better, so why even try?
Let me assure you that you are the best person to build your future home. No one can do it better.
I’m not the best carpenter, but I can lay stone better than most.
I’m not the best mason, but I can nail up trim better than most.
I’m not the best at anything, other than building my own home.
Just like you.

Originally posted 2016-09-14 13:14:34.

Nobody does it betterNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:17+00:00

29 06, 2019

For every “rule” there is an exception

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:16+00:00

For decades now, many have praised the design work of the homes I have built.

For the record, I’m no artist (although the title is flattering).

I’ve always looked to the past for inspiration, that’s where I get my design ideas from. That’s when homes were built from natural materials and blended in with the landscape.

I’ve done my best to create “rules” or guidelines in what makes a home attractive. Why is it that these vintage treasures are so attractive? They looked good back when they were built a century or two ago and they look even better today. Who can say that of anything built in say the 1970’s (or now)?

I’ve managed to come up with quite a few characteristics in what makes a home attractive, but every time I think I’ve come up with something that is absolute… I find that there is an exception to the rule… which sort of makes it “not a rule” doesn’t it?

Anyway, just take a look at this beauty of a home… The door is off the end of the cabin, and not the front. The windows on the front are slid to one side, and just look at how big that second floor window is… it goes up into the roof! And the brick chimney top that’s poking through the roof… why, I never. lol

But she is precious isn’t she?

I can think of no new home built in my area that compares to the simple beauty of this place.

She breaks all the rules.

Originally posted 2016-09-12 15:55:21.

For every “rule” there is an exceptionNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:16+00:00

29 06, 2019

What is it?

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:14+00:00

Whenever I post this photo on the Handmade House facebook page it always draws a lot of comments. People love it.

And why is that?

It’s a modest home at best.

I would imagine that it could be built at a fraction of the cost of the average new home being built today.

Maybe half as much? or even less?

I’d say that 75% of the volume of this image is nature… land and trees… hey, if that’s all we have in life, peace and quiet, a few birds signing… it”s a good day.

The rest of the image is a house, a home that we could see ourselves building, and paying for, without the lifelong burden of a mortgage.

And what is it about the house that we see?

Mostly, a wonderful roof, a metal one, not asphalt that will wear out in twenty years or less, but a metal one that will let us know every time it rains.

And of course there is the porch.

Is it possible to spend too much or lives on a porch?

Has anyone ever regretted building a porch?

Yes, I can see why this image draws admiration.

I’m glad I’m not the only one to see it.

Originally posted 2016-09-11 11:59:54.

What is it?Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:14+00:00

29 06, 2019

The family home

Noah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:10+00:00

Here we have the front porch of a fine old farmhouse.
You might recognize the gentleman here, being struck by a broom from his loving wife.
I’ve always admired Grandpa Walton.
He had plenty or reason to miserable, having had to work hard all his life, being penniless in his old age, having to live with one of his children, and having a wife that was constantly calling him an “old fool”.
But instead, he chose to always be the cheerful character of the family. He focused on how fortunate he was to live where he did, and to be surrounded with those who he cared so much for.
So, let us learn by his example.
Hug those in your life who are nearby, whether they want it or not.
And, find that special place in the country… it can be life changing.
If you’d like, occasionally, take a nip of the recipe.
For health reasons, of course.
And be ever so thankful, for the gal in your life with the broom.
Be extra thankful that it’s not a cast iron pan that she swings.

Originally posted 2016-08-20 15:07:49.

The family homeNoah Bradley2019-06-29T10:29:10+00:00

29 06, 2019