Check out the build of this beautiful contemporary, Spanish style home. This is new construction from the ground up. The old small house was removed to build this one.
Gut Remodel Historic Spanish Style Home n Santa Monica
This beautiful 1915, Spanish style home in Santa Monica, California, had beautiful bones but was woefully underbuilt – especially by today’s standards. Watch as the entire house is gutted to the studs – and even half of those were rotten – and built into a fabulous new home.
This project actually includes new construction – a pool house – as well as the gut remodel of the main house.
The Gamble House
One of my favorite homes ever! The house, designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1978, is owned by the City of Pasadena and operated by the University of Southern California School of Architecture. The Gamble House is open for public, docent-led tours and for specialty tours and programs.
I’ve been at least 9 times! Not only is it a spectacular house but walking inside is like being inside of an antique cabinet. The woodworking is extraordinary.
Cabinet Design 101
Cabinets – always an important, significant and detail filled area of home building. An architect friend of mine once did 12 pages – full size 24 x 36 inch old school hand drawn – on cabinets for one project. Some designers only supply the simplest line drawings with almost no detail – other provide a great deal. Furthermore, the cabinet maker should provide detailed drawings prior to construction.
Learn how to get what you want.
Ojai Ranch Remodel
Revised Kitchen
- move range to opposite wall
- wrap corner to breakfast nook
- center sink at windows
- keep existing openings to Dining Room
- View from entry hall
Through breakfast nook to kitchen
Looking towards entry hall and passthrough to dining room
Looking towards breakfast nook
Other side
From Breakfast nook
Master Suite Revision of Option # 2
Plan
- added double door at bedroom entry
- moved tub and shower to south wall
Skinny, Tiny, Pre-Fab, Eco House
The “Skinny House” is an idea taken from looking at various pre-fab homes, in particular the high concept, prefabricated Glide House, designed by Michelle Kaufmann. Working with clients over the years, many had seen interesting prefabricated homes in Dwell Magazine and other online architectural place. The idea of having a home built in a factory – better working conditions – better quality – cheaper prices etc – is a hot appeal.
The Glide House
The plan below is an idea that uses many of the concepts of a prefabricated home but a bit bigger and using the garage as a “flex space.” Many people prefer using their garage as a studio, office or other use.
One of the ideas of the “Skinny House” is to incorporate outdoors living space.
Keep construction simple to keep costs down … simple but elegant!
Incorporate solar power …
Often times, after researching the true costs with infrastructure, foundations etc, the actual costs of prefabricated homes are the same or more than building the home on site. A site built home design has much more freedom to be “tweaked” to fit the site. Many options, levels of quality and design exist, but most prefabricated homes are based on components – usually 16 feet wide – that can be transported by truck.
Below – some additional ideas for floor plans.
Prefabricated home companies have been around for years. You mostly know them as trailer park homes. Many of these companies have not evolved past the ugly boxy designs you have seen. A bunch of new companies have come and gone such as Michelle Kaufmann’s Glidehouse. It seems to be – so far – a serious challenge to create the “iHouse” design for homes. A design that works everywhere – works well – is priced well and deliverable everywhere.
A bold objective …
Hygge – a friend of mine recently built this home in Long Island, New York
https://hyggesupply.com/supply/models/
Method Homes
https://methodhomes.net/homes/
Stillwater – in the state of Washington is an interesting company
https://www.stillwaterdwellings.com/designs
Cool House – Fred Fisher Ojai Studio
Architect: Fred Fisher
Location: Ojai, California
Details
- Industrial style
- New construction – completed approx 2008
- Wood frame with partial concrete walls at garage
- Garage /studio space on first floor
- Metal cladding on entire building
- Lots of glass Continue reading “Cool House – Fred Fisher Ojai Studio”
Building in a challenging location – Ojai, CA
Building a home in remote areas ups the ante for challenges and cost. This house located at 2700 feet above sea level on the south range of the mountains of the Ojai Valley has amazing views of the Topa Topa mountains to the North and the mighty Pacific on the South.
Just getting people to the job is a challenge – Google, smart phones and even maps don’t accurately show the property. With the 100’s of trade contractors, inspectors, delivery drivers, etc. getting people to the job is a chore itself.
We had to install our own street sign – which was later mysteriously removed !
Roadways, grading, drainage, utilities have to travel up a 1700 foot long driveway. Rules and regulations also get more challenging from the building department, the fire department and all of the other agencies that get involved in the permitting.
But you just can’t beat it! Views of the Channel Islands of Santa Barbara.
Bottom Line: Get er Done!
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Feel Free to copy, share, or re post this article. Kindly make sure to include this information: Written by Otis Bradley, a Custom Home Builder, in Southern California. Please see OtisBradley.com for more information on Custom Home Building!
An Easy way to Stop Sending All Ojai’s Fresh Water Down the Drain
In the recently published Ojai Valley News – quoted below – Jeff Palmer almost proposed an excellent solution to a big Ojai problem.
KEEP our water in the valley DON’T send it to the ocean.
Typical methods (and codes) have previously required all concentrated drainage i.e. from roofs to be piped from gutters through pipes and onto City streets. Once on the street – water flow increases – picking up lots of toxic auto waste from the roads and quickly makes its way to the ocean (simplified version but true). This is exactly what we do not want !
Drywell Pit – one solution
The answer is to slow the water down – redirect the flow and encourage water absorption back into the ground recharging the aquifer with fresh, clean water.
According to the article below – Mr. Palmer did a “windshield survey” noting “numerous downspouts emptying directly into the ground …” were “direct connections” to the sewer system. I am not sure how Mr Palmer knows this, however I do know that emptying the water into the street is exactly what we don’t want. We don’s want it sent through the water treatment plant or down to the ocean.
There are many simple ways to achieve this:
Continue reading “An Easy way to Stop Sending All Ojai’s Fresh Water Down the Drain”35 Questions to Ask Before Buying Vacant Land ?
Are you interested in buying your own piece of earth? There’s nothing more fabulous than having a few acres of your own, and building your own place from the ground up. But, buying land, especially in highly regulated areas like California, can be a lot more risky than buying a home. These days of real estate disclosure for a home buyer have come a long way from the traditional law of “Caveat Emptor” (meaning buyer beware)! Land, however, does not have the same rules. I constantly hear stories like:
“I thought we were buying 80 acres, it turned out we got 65!”
“We had no idea this area was in an ancient landslide. Its almost impossible to build here.”
“We thought we got an amazing deal, $1m for 120 acres, but it turns out its going to cost another $1m to get to the pad before we can even think of starting the house.”
“We bought a small lot in town and it turns out we can’t get water service so we can’t build!”
Unfortunately there isn’t one place to get answers. Many local departments are involved and sometimes have conflicting information.
Here are 35 questions you can ask
Or you can get professional help – call me 310 963 7900.
Planning and Zoning
- Is it a legal lot? If not, how do I make it legal?
- What is the zoning classification of this lot?
- Does the Zoning on the property permit my project?
- Does the County General Plan permit what I wish to do?
- Are any planning permits required prior to building on the lot?
- Are there any zoning violations on the lot?
- Are there any special building restrictions in this area?
- Are there any cultural heritage sites on the property?